The sun., 1907-12-10
JAMES henry STODDART DEAD
SECOND STROKE or PARALYSIS
KILLS THE VETERAN ACTOR.

The First Attack Compelled RHlTn to Retire
I'm 1905 After Nearly six Decades on
the Stage-FHe Won Fnme and the
Friendship Of Many Famous Players.
James Henry StOddart. the actor. died
yesterday morning at his homo on Gin
road, Sewaren. N. j. he was 10 years old.
With him at the time Of his death were
his SON, Thomas A. StOddart, and his
daughter. Mary G. StOddart.
Mr. Stoddart had not been on the stage
since April. 1905, when he was stricken
with paralysis while on tour at Gait, Ont.
in his play Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush =
After an illness Of seven weeks in Gait
he was able to return TO Sewaren. His
son and daughter went co live With him
there He died Of the effects Of a second
stroke of paralysis.
The funeral will he from the house at
Sewaren on Wednesday.
Mr.. Stoddart earned his greatest fame
as a member Of the Union Square The
atre sEock company and played under the
management of the late A. NJ. Palmer.
with Charles ThOrne, Stuart Robson. Rose
Eytinge. J. NJ. Polk, James O'Neill. Sara
Jewett and other actors who won renown
for that organization. He had acted in
New York before those days. but they
comprised the golden years OF his career.
When A. NJ. Palmer moved to the Maulson
Square and then to Wallack's Mr.. StOddart
was among his players. Later he acted
with Charles Frohman and finally became
a star in 1901 in Beside the Bonnie Brler
Bush"
He was born in Yorkshire on October l3,
1927 and with hiB five brothers began to
follow the profession Of his father. a well
known English actor Of the day, as soon
as he was old enough to stand up. He
went as a lad to Glasgow and later to Aber-
deen. where at the age OF L he decided to
stick to the stage His scotch accent.
overcome, was acquired in the days Of his
sOiourn in Scotland. although he was Of
English origin.
After playing for four years in Liverpool
he came to New York IN 1854 and made his
first appearance at Wallack's Theatre.
playing a small part in "A Phenomenon
in a Smock Frock." There wore other
players in the company that oveIshadowed
the young EnghshDnan. Laura keene, Z. A.
Sothern, Dion BoucicRult, Joseph Jefferson
and Mrs. John Wood we're his associates
in those early days. II was at the Olympic
Theatre in Boucicault's The Long Strike
that his performance Of LGUyer Money
penny gained him a reputation he never
lost.
When Stoddart became a member Of the
Union Square Company IL was supposed
that he would play the comic roles with
which his reputation had heretofore been
identified. But stuart Robson was still
member Of the organization and had the
call on those parts. so Mr.. Stoddart found
himself compelled to play the villain. In
a long series OF these extending from Rose
Michel" TO The Lights OF London he made
his reputation as an actor Of eccentric parts.
a WNa aAAE
Palmer at the Madison Square and at Wal
lacks in Saints and Sinners and Ala
bama." He was later submerged in Lon
don mSlodrama until he became a star in
The last meaning OF the word a few years
ago.
MIR. Stoddart met during his association
with James Wsllack's company Matilda
Phillips, whom he subsequently married.
He had never travelled to any extent until
the late sos, and his domestic life was
ideally happy. He lived for some years
at Railway while a member Of the Union
Square company. and daily made the trip
to the city, returning after the perform
anCe. In spite Of this difficulty, he ia said
never TO have missed erformance. HIS
sojOurn in Railway was the result OF an at
tempt 10 establish fruit farm. He did not
succeed in that. and lost all his earnings
which he had invested. But he always said
ne was grateful for the opportunity 10 try
country life His children never followed
his profession.
Mr. Stoddart always enjoyed in a high
degree the respect Of his fellow players. and
had lived OH terms Of intimate friendship
with many Of the most noted men in his
profession. His friendship with Joseph
Jefferson dated from their apr esTanCe
together in the Winter Garden in 1854
Eleven wears ago Mr.. Stoddsrt celebrated
the sixty-seventh anniversary Of his first
appearance. He received n loving cup
from a number OF his friends but from
Joseph Jefferson a silver pitcher.
Mr.. Stoddsrt realized that he did not pos
sess the physical qualifications to a ct heroic
roles. and from his first appearance as a
mature actor played only old mems parts.