The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-30
DEATH ROBS
STAGE OF
MANSFIELD

his brother Felix, his young son.. Gibbs,
and the physicians and nurses.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30.-Announce-
ment of the death Of Richard Mans
field was received in Washington to-
day as a shock to all of his friends.
The actors illness manifested itself
here before he concluded his last en-
gagement in Washington. A telegram
from Mrs. Mansfield was received
early today by Paul Wilstach, who
for many years has been Mr.. Mans
fields personal representative, and
who is now residing temporarily in
this city, TIL telegram merely read:
Richard has passed away"
No details have been received by
Mr.. Wilstach concerning Mr.. Mans-
fields funeral.
Mr.. Mansfield was taken i'll March
"a. Prior to hat time Mr.. Mansfield
had suffered more OF less, n was
persuaded to cancel his engagement
for the week of February is. During
that week he rested, and showed ma
terial Improvement. He opened an en-
gagement at the New Amsterdam The
atre in New York on February %. For
three weeks he played peer Gynt,"
and the fourth week he devoted TO rep
ertoire. On the farewell night of the
fourth week the bill was THE Paris
ian Romance This was his last APP
p~earance on any stage, and, %curiously
enough, it was in the role of Baron
Chevrial in which he had made his
first and, perhaps, his most lasting inn
preston in New York City.
On the following morning, Sunday,
/ NHn.a6 o. nv Ma~GGaI1 nnA hfc onr,-
pany moved to Scranton, Pa, which
was the first city on the itinerary of
a brief spring tour. That evening, in
his private car at Scranton, he was
Frustrated with acute abdominal pains,
and although he suffered intensely all
that night and the next day, he would
not consent to give up his engage
ment.
Richard Mansfield wal born on the
little island of Heligoland on May "a,
1857. His mother was Nine. Mansfield
Rudersdorff, a famous prima donna,
and 1t was from her that Mansfield
Inherited his love for the arts. The ac-
tor studied at seVeral schools on the
continent, and then went to England
j to study art in the South Kensington,
London.
The young artist made a p~recarious
living painting pictures, and many
times his only meal in those early
days in London was a hot potato
bought from a street peddler.
81 used to hold the potato to warm
my hands," said Mansfield, in relating
his experience, "and then eat it." The
struggle for a livelihood proved dis
c%ouraging to Mansfield, and he came to
Boston, where, for a time, he entered
business life as q salesman in a dry
goods house. Commercial life was not
congenial to the temperament of the
young man, and he retuFned to Eng
land. He then turned his talents to-
ward the stage. AS a singer and come
dian he joined a travelling company at
a salary Of SIS q week.
Even In those early days OF his stage ca
reer he displayed the characteristics and
mannerisms which marked his work and
stamped 1t as his own many years after.
Mansfield turned his whole artistic bent
to the study OF the stage and waited for
an opportunity to show what he could do.
Several years were spent In playing small
parts in tours of the English provinces.
and then Mansfield came to this country
where his first appearance was made In
LES Manteaux Noirs,'' at the Standard
Il 1HeaITB. btl6T III pay to ~ Phih ~ NNN
Vedder in rip Van Wrinkle"
Mansfeld's genius had 80 far failed to
make itself manifest to his associates,
but in 1883 his opportunity came when A.
M. Palmer put on the Partisan Romance
at the Union Square Theatre. ]. II. Stod-
dart was cast for the part of Baron
Chevrial in the play. Stoddart at the last
minute declined to play the part, with
which he said he was not In full sym
pathy. Mansfield, who had been cast for a
small part in the play stepped forward
and begged permission TO play the part OF
the palsied, dlssolute old French nobleman.
He was considered by many to be at MS
best as Baron chsvrial, and by others as
Beau Brummel."
He lifted what at first seemed a small
eccentric part in Baron Chevial to one OF
~all-absorbing interest. The public n
the critics forgot the play to talk OF
Mansheld's Baron Chevrial, and from that
day Mansfield became a leading figure on
the American stage. After several years
playing In several different plays which
he carried to q degree Of success by his
powerful personality he became a star IN
1887. when he appeared in Prince Karl.
Mansfield returned to England, where his
Baron Chevrial. DR. Jekyl and Mr.. HYDE
and Prince Karl were declared master
pieces of character painting. He pro-
duced Orchard III" while In England,
and then returned to this country, where
he appeared in this and other hakes-
pearean plays, including Julius Caesar
and Henry VIII" He played uninter-
ruptedly season after season, appearing in
his old repertoire and Old Heidelberg
and Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac,' in
which he scored a great success.
The last effort of his genius was dis
played In a remarkable production Of
ILsen's Peer Gynt."
Richard Mansfield married Beatrice Cam
eron in 1892. She had been for several
years his leading lady, but shortly after
her marriage she retired permanently from
the stage. Mansfield's young son has never
been permitted to see his father act, as
1t was the artists wish that his childs
mind should not be too early Impressed
with stage life.
The intense nervous strain undef whleh
Richard Mansfield worked caused a COM
plete breakdown last spring while he was
playing an engagement In Scranton. Pa,
though he had been In poor health for
some time. He recovered sufficiently 10
enable him to make a voyage to England.
The English climate failed to benefit the
actor and several weeks ago he returned
TO this country and went to Ampersand, In
the Adirondaeks. Mr.. Mansfield longed
10 be at his hummer home In New Lon
don. Conn, and several days ago he was
taken there on his private car.
MIR. Mansfield had a home on RlVersloe
drive. New York.