The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-08
He Was on a Summer Sojoum Abroad With
Mrs. DAILY and Miss Ada Rshan
BECAME I'LL SOON AFTER SAILING.
Recovered Completely and Was Supposed 10 Be-
EnlOyIkg Excellent Rsalh- Career Of a Noted
Critic, Playwright and Manager.

reached Manager Dorney at the thea
tire about / o'clock yesterday afternoon.
1t CAME in the form of a cablegram
from Ada Rehan and read:
Mr.. DAILY died today at o'clock.
Heart failure. Break the news 10 his
brother and to Mrs. Duff.
(Sgned) ADA REHAN.
Mrs. Duff is Mrs. Daly's mother.
Manager Dorney was shocked at the
news. He sent a telegram at once TO
Mr.. Days brother, the Hon. Joseph +.
DAILY, late justice Of the Supreme Court.
Justice DAILY hurried to Mr.. Dorney's
roffice and held long consultation with
him. There was nothing 10 do except
to cable the full particulars. The the
atre had been closed Saturday. and
they decided that no announcement OF
the plans could be made until Mr..
Days private papers were examined.
Justice Daily said his brother sailed
on May 13, and when two days out was
attacked VIZ. pneumonia. He mad re-
covered. however. and was supposed 10
be in excellent health. The last heard
of him was in Paris with Mrs. DAILY and
Miss Rehan, and all were well and hap
py. The news of his death was alto
gether unexpected, and naturally much
OF shock.
MR.. DALY'S CAREER.
Mr.. Daily was born at Plymouth, n.
c., in 1888. His father was Capt. Dem
mis- DAILY of Ireland. who had settled at
Plymouth as a wharfinger and mer-
chant. Mr.. Dalys mother, who is still
living in this city, was Elizabeth The
rese Duffey, a native of Montego Bay,
Jamaica -M-l.-I-ne- laughter OF an Of
ficer in the English army.
When the future playwright and
manager was only IL years old his pa
rents removed to this city.
In 1860 he became the dramatic critic
of the Sunday Courier, a position he
held for several years, and later, he
was a writer on the Sun, Times and
Press as well.
In 1862. his first play, Leah, the For
saken" an adaptation OF MaSenthal
Deborah" was written and produced,
first at the Howard Athenaeum i'm Bos-
ton and later at Niblo's here, where 1t
ran for nine weeks. A half dozen or
more adaptations followed IN rapid sue
cession. In 1867 his first original play,
Under the Gaslight," was produced,
and ran for Is weeks.
In 1869 he began his carer as a man.
ager at the first Fifth Avenue theater,
on the site of the present Madison
Square theater. His first production
there was Robertson's comedy, Play,
Horizon and Divorce"
on JAN 1. 1873 his theater was burn
ed down, and a month later he moved
his company to the second Fifth Ave-
nue. theater. in lower Broadway open
ing with Clara Morris in Alike He
remained at this house until his new
Fifth Avenue theater, on the site OF the
present house of that name, was ready,
in December, 1873, when he opened
there with Albery's Fortune"
Coincident with his other labors he
conducted the Grand Opera house for
two seasons, beginning in August. 1872.
In 1877 Mr.. Daily retired temporarily
from the management and went abroad
Two years later however. he was Of
fered a lease of his present theater,
then Woods Museum, and he camo
back post-haste TO renew his work
here The old museum underwent a
complete change in his hands. and il
was opened on September II, 1879, with
Loves Young Dream" and New
port"
Miss Ada Rehan had already become
the leading lady of Mr.. Daly's company
at that time, having made her debut in
"L'Assommoir" at the Olympia under
his management. At the new theater
she soon sprang into prominence. Soon
after the opening Bronson Howard s
han, Fisher Davidge and Catherine
Lewis i'm the cast and made great
hit.
Then began n series OF Shakespearian
revivals that Mr.. DAILY continued down
TO the present and made one Of the
features OF his house. Among these
may be mentioned Merry Wives OF
Windsor" Tanning of the Shrew," "As
You Like It. Loves Labor Lost"
midsummer Nights Dream. Twelfth
Night" 1.-TWO Gentlemen of Verona"
and "The Tempest" several OF which
ne has presented with great success in
London as well as here. He made re-
vivals. too, from time TO time Of many
old English comedies, like THE Bellies
Stratagem. "The Inconstant." THE
School for Scandal and The Country
Girl" which became prime favorites in
his company's extensive repertory.
He opened IN 10 the American sta ge
the rich field of German farcical come
dy. too. and from Il he drew some of
his best pieces. such as "A Night on"
Love in Harness" and Nancy and
Co"
During the last few seasons Mr.. DAILY
has maintained a musical as wei as n
dramatic company. and he has present
cd at his house some OF the most popu
lar London musical successes
Mr.. Days first managerial visit was
made 10 London I'm 1884. when his own
company played at Toole's theater.
Since then they have returned several
times to the British metropolis. and
once or twice they have played in Paris
and Berlin. something that no othx
American organization has done.
Mr.. DAILY was the first American
manager 20 secure n London theater.
and until very recently he had the hon
or to himself A fine playhouse I'm Lel-
cester square bears his name. and until
few months ago he was the sole man
agpr of the theater. Trouble. however.
arose between him and the owner OF
the property. Mr.. George Edwardes
and the possession of tho house is now
a., Ntfcz tgor IL v.aa =, attend 20 bfcf.