New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-26
OBITUARY.
JouN SLEEPER CLARKE.

=. amman, American comedian John sleeper
c,.rks who had long resided IN London. died SUD
senlv last night IN his slN'y-seVeh'n w. -
r.as native OF Baltimore Nd. born IN 80 -.
.arlv youth he studied Law under the 'ui'.V" ~.
x-,,sha p snraeue ESQ. Of the Baltimore par ""'
ha speedilv abandoned that pursuit anu ~
- .tage making his frst appearance at the Due
can Howard Athensum. IN 1881. as FRANK ,,.,
:, paul Pry" He Ind previously on'hlhe" q -
.,oerience o. acting as a member OF Dam g.,
rnnsn,on club in which Edwin booth~'o" 80
,hs same vear-was a leading spirit. on Aub"7
q 1872 he appeared at the OLD Ches,h"' -,
rnao,-e PHILADELPHIA playing soto IN 'ipoV
soe comedy OF She Would and She Nou'o ~
and from that time he continued, tor many
a career OF successful activity IN the "l"''"' -
,esslon His rise was rapid In lNA ne w
,saalnq comedian at the Front street lh'""'
r,,1r,o-o. IN August, 1876 he assumed the same
.os,,Ion p, tho -ch Street Theatre PhiaceiP""
IN June 1855 h- became ore Of the i'sSv.s or"
managers Of the Ar~h. IN association wiz" 49,
vboatlev: and soon after that time ne ','N
Mace Of star actor IN comedy-a place VIZ ,,
has ever since held with constantly "''''7
,anuta,ion and with dignity and honor
Ar Clarke's frs. appearance in N'W-A"'N wa.
- -. .be old METROPOLITAN Thcatre-aiter""'"
called tho Winter Garion.-on May -''
rfckorv IN "The Spectre Bridegroom "'
~. until he came again. in '.''-'- TO '" 80
theatre that ne made conspicuous "'i". ".
or6ated a deep sensation IN tho public nn'' -
that time he acted De Boots. Toode' an" ann.
Ashheld and such a conscrvatNA l'"A' ~
George William Curtis then hailed nun a. '' '
10 6,os, artist that has been seen u"on '"'S'
boards since Rachel" THAT great French "''
had MAYED her last American engagement al 'nV
vo,ropoYtanl In 1868 MI Clarke VINO. J" inc
,,san .,ne-Arrn e. l&a.-had matrieo h""i"
Rooth's eldest sister. Asia Fooih. neo"H" No.
sted with Edwin Booth In the manaeemeh' '' '"'
winter Garden Theatre and about tho same 'iine
q Ufto
bought an interest IN the Boston Theatre uD'I
7na winter Garden was burned down IN lh' hN'
Ar Clarke had previously sold his snare ID il 10
Edwin Booth IN 1867 he went to LONDON. "lp'''-
ing at the ST Jsmes's Theatre. rs Major he noo's'
and no gained immediate success and hriiiah'
renu;stlon lie then established his home Ut T's-
land. where he has ever since dweit In lslo ne TO-
snpeared in New-York at Booths Theatre, ara
thereafter made an American tour. bur IN 'i'e "'N'
year no returned 10 London. Al various times ]"
that city. he has figured a. manager nc op."V"
the Charing Cross Theatre in 1872 leased 'he my
market IN lS77-'7S and long conducted inc strand
At the beginning Nh Clarke wished 70 pay
,r.redv hut he soon discovered his truo bert. and
throughout his life ne was faithful 70 Tho comic
Muse and by her he WAS abundantN fe"''"0'
His most characteristic impersonations were 'hoS7
., Major Dc Boots. Salem Scudder. Jack Costing
IN FOX and Goose" Paul Pry. Darlington Jones
IN Among the Breakers" Dr. fans'oss' NJ
Tooale DR. Onapod. Acres Ph!reas Petophogee
O. .Tba Tbumhscrow" and Robert Tyko. In "Ihe
School Of Reform" he also acted one OF '"e
promlos IN The Comedy Of Errors As Il man
,ser he produced the original play mong others
OF ANNE Boeyn" by Tom 7 ~ Married IN
Haste" and Conscience Money - II. j. byro'l
ELLEN" by W O. Wills and "Danl Drucc ana
Drnea~ by W s Gilbert. He IS especially well
rem4nbe, = n the character OF Major Wellington
De Boots.-in "Everybodys Friend afterWard re-
named "A Widow IIunt.'-a part that he acteo
IN \oy
York and more than thousand times IN America
before he presented II in England
The acting 81 John S Clarke was sincere II was
urged by clear firm. Dropulsve purpose; It was
original in character; and It was compact ana
pointed In style The power that Clarke exercised
70 please and captivate 70 stimunfc laughter aho
inspire aTectionate liking may. doubtless he
ascrihed 10 temperament. He vas hNmoGist
Life struck his mind az the comic angle. ana MS
constitutional methods Of response m its influence
were either drolly playful or downrisht comic.
yo, as an artist he LETT nothing ~ chance, and
the first implications of his acting were deep feel
ing and strong thought There no needless,
accidental quality IN his art There was neither
hesitation nor uncertainty. nor excess nor error.
The spectator was not wearied by ineffciency. nor
vexed nv vain prefension. The spring Of victory
IN his acting was the perfect control that he ex-
ercised over his powers.-his complete understand
ing Of himself his minute and thorough perception
of cause and effect IN stage art and his consum-
mate skill In deducing The one from ne other.
Wealth and variety OF pathos and spirituality were
not implied by his pcrsonadons.-althoueh. indeed.
there was psthos in his acting ~ Bob Tyke.-but
they were richly fraueht with original character
drolery intense earnesfness. clear meaning dis
tlnctly revealed and unerrnely projected and the
unity Of texture and symmetry ~ form that should
characterize A dramatic ideal thoroughly fashioned
and adequately expressed. When Clarke came
upon the STAGE IN an assumed character. he filed
f. 10 the utmost. and hc never lapeed out o. a.