The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-04-07
Sketch of y y
= Roland Reed.

orce said: "No man is a hero
.tet., the same may be said OF
aud his company. Yet 1t Is ia be
~ n there was . more popular actor
stage Nth his subordinates than
"a reed. This is indeed a hattering
-,antory on the man. or the esteem
s,.n no was held by the theater - ~
,,.,le need be said. All newspaper
,pon the universal and widespread
accustomed by the announcement
10 wouid never act again. In the first
his Illness hundreds of kilograms
~ In from sea to sea, from North l"
~ all bearing messages OF sympathy
sood wishes for his recovery with
~, determination nothing short Q.
,sn he rallied after several terrible
"aons walked down Broadway, ana
800 for his season, as though hos
and opcrating tables were merely
aorts The Matinee Girl of the Mir
.a,med II the recuperatiye powers
genius. :, .. .. .he
~ ,luscum as he had been doing many
: with a new play by Sidney Roseh-
-, Modern Crlsoc." 1t was eiab-
- staged. and costumed. and caught
sne STYLE. Mr.. Reed acted with his
,,,,s brllliancy. and of his illness there
nat a trace. 1t was gala night,
house was packed, and the enthusiasm
,,n,dous. The audience clamored for
.nseeh and ives not satisfied until the
!. EXPRESSED his qualification ut being
4 them once more. After this he was
sented with a superb silver loving cup
M one of the boxes, the gift of dozen
81 Bostonians His success was not
stiued TO endure long, however. and a
weeks later he collapsed in Chicago.
on then he did not give up, but brave.
made plans for next season, and a
., hp through the South, which he
,svs held in affecttonate cstcem.
knne onn once asked Mr.. Reed to what
"a of comedians he belonged. His reply
$: any success has been made az al
centric commedinn pure and simple. aud
eecentric comedian | shall remain unit
end of the chapter" Nature endowed
bu with peculiar personality. lie pos
ssed abundant good humor, with qulcl
rception Of tho ridiculous THAI appealed
stsntly to the comic sense. lie uset
de makeup, aud ne ;er attempted to b'
rthIng but Roland Reed, which wa:
f6elent unto his audiences. They nevc
anted anything else. Mrs. John Drew
Ia TO him While he was a young chap
You will make = comedian. Your nos
bil make you famous" Just how pro
betc were her words the future proved
T. Reed was practically on the stag
his life, having been carried on II
c arms of Tom placide when but So
onths old. The music OF the orchestri
as the lullaby that soothed his infan
umhers. aud the little baby eyes biinke
the glare Of the footlights just as man.
bother embryo comedian is doing today
would have been remarkable II he ma
bt been an actor for he came of one O
be Oldest and most famous theautca
mes In America. His father, John Kt
al Reed, was connected with the stag
r hfty-six consecutive years, and at ID
me of his death was the oldest thea'
cal enploye in the United States. In
euthful Roland while in ginghams tende
be stage door of the Walnut Street tn
ter, and used to study his lessons !
be wings. From this "a went to The ARC
treet theater, managed by Mrs, Joh
brew, where be held the position of usl
r. call hoy aud finally prompten II Wa
ere he met Lotta, who was playing ne
rst star engagement in Philadelphia VIII
Bob Craig as comedian, Que day Il
tl III. and fired with youthful ambition
NJ. Reed fastened to Mrs Drew an
sked for the part, she hesitated. but
PERSISTED and She finally let him try !
He sang Lotta's songs with her, aud mae
bit, From that time his fortunes we
arled. After this he occupied vauo'
POSITIONS in stock companies througho'
be United States aud came In conta
Eith all the celebrities of the day,
Pudding Edwin Forrest .and John Wilk'
Booth being associated with the form
fhen he played "Riche!ieu." An engas
hent that brougha him international fan
pas with The Mikado' when he play'
30 ko at the Union Square theater
SIS.
He was firm believer In the America
PLAYWRIGHT and all Of his plays had a d
ihclly American favor. Perhaps his gret
$ success of recent years was The 20
laan, satire on American polite
FAieh had been exploited by John 4. la
hond. He showed TO great advantage
Ienerai Josiah Timber, Candidate, a.
vas most admirably supported by lsado
iOsa as the original Twentieth ccntu
Omsn. Miss Rush was Intimately ass
'a'ea with the star and had a'number
-m'Fers here, her beauty and chic appei
ure oeing drawing card in her favor
~ as her cleverness as an actress.
Ia the early 70s Mr.. Reed came Sou
~ was leading comedian at the old Ae'
tay In New Orleans. more general
Vfsle never visited that city and M
'su some Of his warmest personal --.eni
-t'y one knew Roland Reed, and eve
~ loved him. He numbered his frier
slioag all classes. Even the bootblaC
-. ~ neWsboys We're wont TO hail him "
u'Sdg, Mr.. Reed" as he passed plc
street. During tie recent visit Of NJ
usa with the Rogers Brothers in Cent
1t was not unusual for absoll
,s,sefs to stop her op the street and
tor him Hls fine social qua!it
'ue MIN a favorite everywhere.
asa man he was broad. with a strc
"'uuality. With a keen appreciation
~ worth OF nfhnrs hn r.ns nrnr rnadv