Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-02
MRS. GILBERT IS DEAD
THE WIDELY KNOWN ACTRESS
STRICKEN WITH APePLExY.
Oldest Woman on the American Stage
Had Appeared TO Be in Her
Usual Health.

L
CHICAGO, December Mrs. George
Henry Gilbert, the oldest actress on the
American STAGE died in her rooms at the
| Sherman House today, shortly after she
| had suffered stroke of apoplexy
The apoplectic stroke came while Mrs
Gilbert was alone with her maid The maid
! first sought to lift her on to couch but
realizing that Mrs. Gi1bert's attack was a
grave one, the maid left her where she had
| fallen and summoned the house physician,
| DR.. j. T. Owen, who responded Immediate
ly to the CALL He pronounced the. condi-
| ton of Mrs. Gilbert critical.
| Mrs Gilbert's Chicago engagement in
Clyde Fitch's play, Granny" began at
Powers Theater last Monday, and until to-
| day the venerable actress had appeared to
! be in her usual health $50
| Was Star of New Play.
NEW YORK, December Mrs. Gilbert
was the star of the play Granny" written
| for her by Clyde Fitch. The company was
organized by Charles F'rohman. and was
put before the public as a tribute to Mrs.
Gilberts long career on. the stage. Mrs.
Gilbert played Granny for three weeks
In this city. and when she started to tour
the country it was the intention to present
the play in every city where she had play
ed during her career, and at the conclusion
of the long trip she was to retire from the
stage.
The ovation to Mrs. Gilbert upon her ap-
pearance in New York at the first night of
the play was g. remarkable and pathetic
one, and the old lady Wh6 overcome by the
tertained at that time that Mrs. Gilbert
was not strong enougfE for the long tour,
but she assured the mana cement of her
good health and the trip was started.
Unique Place in Hearts of New Yorkers
For more than a generation Mrs. Gilbert
held a unique place in the affections of the
New York theatergoing public. She ap-
peared at Dalys in most of the plays pro-
duced there and her work gained for her
considerable prominence, although it was
not until this year, destined to be the last
of her life, that she became a star.
The play In which she had the leading
part was written especially for her by
Clyde Fitch. 1t gave her opportunities to
use her abilities to 9ood advantage. and and
SeAtafaI, AT DAYS Mrs. aiIbs took part with the
late James Lewis IN MssDaly, productions
3: sz ss %. ' vi" i BE Fer best est
Her Long sage Career.
Mrs. George HenrYA Gilbert was born oc-
tobsr as1. 1922 81 Aecpdale, Lancashire
eoadk 3 &st appearance on
the stage was Ga 3kcer under the man
agement of Abingdon ia the Norwich cir
cult in the year 1915. The same year she
was married to the principai Dancer In the
theater. the well-knownfGeor Henry Gill
bert. In October. 1885, husband and wife
came to America. where Mrs Gilbert
achieved great success as dancer, put
she determined to take time by the fore
| lock and begin to be an, ''old woman while
| yet barely five and thirty years of age. She
received her first encouragement to per-
severe in this new departure from the
comedian William e. Burton. to whose
Sleek and Tony Lumpkin she played Lady
| Creamy in the Serious Family and Mrs.
Hardcastle in 'She Stoops to Conquer" at
| thu Cleveland Theater In 1857. The follow
! ing season she appeared at Louisville, Ky,
| and 1861 found her a member OF the COM
pany at George Woods theater in Cincin-
! rat. Ohio. Her New York debut took place
| IN September. 1864, at Che Olympic Theater,
managed by Mrs. JOHN Wood, her role
| being that of the Baroness in "Finesse.'
Later she rejoined the Cincinnati COM
pany, which was playing at the Broadway
| Theater, where she remained until it was
| destroyed in 1863 In August of the same
year Mrs. Gilbert first played under the
mana cement of Augustin Daly, who, with
| the exception of brief interval, continued
| to be her manager up to the time of his
| death. She first appeared at Days Fifth
| Avenue Theater, in the drama entitled
| Play with George Holland in the leading
role. Since that night she has been seen in
| a wide range of characters indicating re-
marl1able versatility, and including old
comedy parts on the one hand and the
| lively Infant Phenomenon" on the other.
| She was especially noted for her rendition
of the Marquise ST. Laur, Dame Quickly in
the Merry Wives Curtis, in the Tanning
of the Shrew,' and for a truly marvellous
performance of Hester Dethridge, the dumb
| woman, in Man and Wife"
Mrs. Gilbert's private life was Kept SIN
gularly distinct from her public career,
and those who have met her in the church
where she was a regular attendant, in the
mission societies and sewing circles to
which she gave her personal help, or as
graceful and gracious hostess In her
charming home, found no SAVIOR of the
favorite of two continents, about the
genial, kindhearted, high-bred gentlewo-
Since 1866 Mrs Gilbert had been a
widow, and in 1870 lost her only child-a
son. After that time her arr was her chief
solace. She won laurels of which any wo-
man might be proud. and shining among
them were the white flowers of a blame
less life She was a notzhse figure In the
theatrical history OF stfie century. For
period of nearly fortyxyeafs she was hrst
among the representatives. of old women,
giving nothing but pleasure, most craftily
qualified to her audiences, in whose
minds she was identified with the typical
grande dame, the elderly spInster relative,
the mother-in-law of stageland and with
grandma. her last, and perhaps, consider
ing all the circumstances, her greatest, sue
cess