Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-23
,I0HN S. LINDSAY
PLAYS LAST ROLE
Passes Away After Failing Health
n, TWO eyars and Serious H.
ness Of Two Months.
HEART HAD GROWN VERY WEAK
prominently Identified With the Utah
stage for More Than Forty Years
His Funeral on Sunday.

Johu s. Lindsay. the old time actor,
A,sd Yesterday afternoon at his resi-
Asnce. 256 south West Temple street,
IN the presence of all the immediate
members OF his family, except his
daughter Ruby, who was at the time
An OGDEN. And In his departure, one
Al tho best known members of the
dramatic profession has crossed the
divide. The funeral win be held Sum
day at 2;30 y. m, probably from the
residence. with interment In the city
cemetery. Mr.. Lindsay was 66 years
old and the direct cause of death was
due 30 failure OF the heart from drop
sy The demise of the veteran actor
Will be noted with regret by not only
the profession, but by countless friends
OF the old timer In Utah.
ARRIVAL IN UTAH.
John S. Lindsay was born In Liver
pool. Eng, Nov. II, 1910, and at the age
Of il came with his parents to this
country where they located at st.
Louis As they We're Latter-day Saints,
the family concluded to remove to Salt
Lake, and In 1853 they came hther
across the plains In the usual primitive
style Of that day, with OK teams IN the
management of which young Lindsay
took prominent part. The young
man was even then an ardent admirer
Of Shakespeare and other great drama
fists, and greatly entertained the COM
pany while crossing the plains with
rotations from Shakespeare and Schl-
Ter. After getting settled IN Salt Lake,
Mr. Lindsay readily identified himself
with local amateur dramatics, with
such success that President Brigham
Young noticed his talents, and In 1862
the young actor was given a position
IN the Salt Lake Theater company,
then permanently organized. Minor
parts were at first given him, but he
proved so proficient that It was not
long before he was given leading parts,
and ne made marked reputation in
Hamlet"
WENT TO SAN FRANCISCO.
Mr. Lindsay continued with the Salt
Lake Theater company until 1872, when
the stock company disbanded, and he
then went to San Francisco as stage
manager OF the old California Theater,
from which SO many stars have come.
At the time, Thomas w. Keene and
Frank Mayo, as well as other noted
players were performing there. Two
years thereafter, Mr.. Lindsay became
leading man for Daniel Bandmann for
several seasons. later arneH1i
port Of George G. Milan and other
stars OF that time. About 1850, Mr..
Lindsay took company Of his own on
the road In the classic drama, and
thereafter was his own leading man
and star. Even, within the last three
~. h.1
and but for his illness would be now
out on the road with It.
MoRMoNs AND THE THEATER.
Mr.. Lindsay was much interested IN
the Juvenile careers of two noted stars
Maude Adams and Blanche Bates
whom he coached as children. Mrs
Adams was also a member Of his troupe
and playing leading parts, while tho
two girls played children's parts. Mr.
Lindsay published a book during the
past year entitled "Mormons and tho
TheateT," In which he recounted most
Of the history OF the Salt Lake Thea
ter and the dramatic companies of the
western country. He speaks In one
chapter OF a trip to Phoebe where h.
and his company We're to play six
weeks engagement, in January and
February. 1873. He says.
"Our party consisted OF Mr.. and Mrs.
Bates, Baby Bates (Blanche), the now
famous actress, who was then about ~
years old; Mrs. Bates sister, Miss Wren.
who acted as the chief nurse, and Mr..
John w. Dunno. Every
member OF the party except Blanche.
who was too young to know about the
trip, vii remember that trip TO his dy-
ing day. The scheduled time from Salt
al 70 tA.l, - hats
i've days and nights. or l25 hours, max
ing that journey"
LOVED CLASSIC AND ROMANTIC.
The narrator states that this was one
OF the hardest, but most successful en-
gagements Of his career. Mr.. Lindsay
was particularly devoted to the classic
and romantic drama, his preferences
within these limits being the charac-
tiers lngomar Othelo, Virginus. Shy
lock and Richelieu; and the actors fne
physique and powerful voice enabled
him to present the same with great
fidelity TO histrionic exactness. In the
past 10 years. Mr.. Lindsay has played
mostly west OF the Rocky mountains,
largely IN Mormon" communities
where he was easily favorite because
Of his previous Salt Lake Theater con-
necuons and early affiliations with the
Church. However, at the time Of his
death, Mr.. Lindsay was not connected
With any religious organization. having
left the Mormon" Church some 20
years ago. But he was nm ardent MEM
Der Of the knights OF Pythlas, under
whose auspices the funeral services will
be conducted.
FAILING FOR TWO YEARS.
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