Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-28

his friends that he would survive for some
years.
He was out last Thursday in apparently
his usual health. Mr.. Russelrs first wife
was Louise Berger, the eldest Of the Berger
sisters, and after her death he married a
daughter Of VIM. T. Adams the author,
better known "Oliver' Optic She and
two children survive him..
Mr. Russell will be buried in the Rock
Creek cemetery. =
Sketch Of His Career.
Sol Smith Russell was born June IS, 1s4S,
thus dying in his fifty-fourth year. His
last appearance on any stage took place at
the Grand Opera House, Chicago, Saturday
night, January 6, 1900, when he closed his
season on account of i'll health. He came
direct from Chicago to Washington and
spent the rest Of the winter at the home of
his brother-in-law, lifelong friend and
| manager. Mr.. Frederick Berger. The sum-
mer of 1900 he spent at his summer home
at Edgartown, Marthas- Vineyard. after
| which he again returned to Washington,
where he has rested since. -
According to Mr.. Russell, In a former in
tcrview, the noted actors stage career be-
gan In a cellar with the production of THE
Savage Of the Rocks of Borneo,' an adapta-
ton Of play seen by him previously at
thcater in st. Louis The outcome of the
venture was not jhst what was expected,
| however, as the boy selected to play the
part OIL the prosecuted lnQlan maiden De-
| came involved with the boy who was to be
the white maiden, and the performance
came to an abrupt end. After that Mr..
| Russell says he became interested in min
| Strelsy and was instrumental in organizing
companies among the boys of the school
| which he attended and in that way acquired
| the latest songs and jokes. Thus equipped
| he made his first appearance on the public
stage at the age of fourteen at the Defiance
| Theater in Cairo, H. in 1862. Shortly after
| that the war of the rebellion broke out and
young Russell followed the army as a
| drummer boy, not existing however be-
| cause his parents withheld their consent.
| Upon his return to seek histronic laurels he
was given place at the Defiance Theater
| as general utility man. singing between
! the acts and drumming in the orchestra at
| the munifcent Salary. of Sc per week, with
| permission to sleep the stage lounge.
After that the manager of the house, Tom
Holland. took pity on him and gave him
| lodging in his own house and also afforded
| him access to his theatrical library.
His First Part.
| Mr.. RusselIs first part was that of Pit-a-
Pat, a negro girl Of 1.-The Hidden Hand"
singing patriotic songs between the acts
| for the benefit Of the Union soldiers who
were quartered in Cairo. After that his
duties in the company were brcadened, and,
as Mr.. Russell puts it: MY duties in the
Cairo company were various. Often have
appeared as a heavy villain with an i'll
fitting beard and broadsword in the first
play, changing 1t to timid village maiden
for the Maypole dance in the closing play,
besides giving my songs between the acts
and drumming in the orchestra. All in one
evening and for one-sixth Of So"
Mr.. russell while with this company ac-
CURED the soubriquet Of calico Coat" be-
cause he was forced, on account of the lack
of a theatrical wardrobe, to utilize the same
coat for both modern and ancient plays.
This coat attracted the attention of "Old
Cary" a provincial manager, who offered
| young Russell So week If he would learn
good Yankee story and acquire the art of
| high-wire walking in addition to his other
accomplishments. "Old Cary gave per-
| formances in a tent with the assistance of
his family and Russell closed with the offer.
| AS he says, however, a fall from a slack
| wire in too close proximity to a crowbar
| ended bis loftier aspirations and he was
content thereafter to pursue his course on
| common level, appearing in the farces
| and making himself generally useful.
His contract with this company ended
soon and ri he secured an engagement at
| Al the heavy melodramas so much in vogue
a. shat time. He went from st. Louis to
! Chicago, getting an engdgement at Chad
| wicks Theater and being bounced the first
night. He not discouraged, however,
| but pushed on to Milwaukee, Where a local
manager, having heard Of him in st. Louis,
| engaged him at $12 for farce work. He
! then Joined the Peake Family Bell Ringers,
| but not being paid for his services closed
| for $25 week with his original theater in
| st. Louis; thence to Memphis Tenn, and
Little Rock, Ark, where he secured an en-
| gagement as first low comedian with a
| dramatic company cate<sng to the army
| there. The close of the war found him the
second comedian at the old theater In Nash
| vile, Tenn. At eighteen years of age he
| was the second comedian at Ben de Bars
theater in st. Louis. where he acquired
much theatrical knowledge and experience.
Joined the Berger Family.
In 1866 Mr.. Russell Joined the Berger
| family and male tour of western towns
| with them as concert company. The fol-
| lowing fan he came east with them and
toward the close of the season Of 1866 he
became member Of the stock company at
| the Chestnut Street Theater, Philadelphia,
under the management Of Col. William e.
| Sim. He made his first appearance in New
York In 1871 at Lima Edwin's Theater, APP
pearing few weeks later at the Howard
Athenaeum in Boston for the first time,
| with no remarkable success. In 1874 he APP
peared for twenty-six weeks at the Olym-
| pic Theater, New York, and nineteen weeks
| In Boston at the Howard Athenaeum, his
nrst really great success. He then joined
Augustin Days company at the Fifth
L In enA