Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-09-05

New London, Aug. 1S.-Rlchard
Mansfield, considered the greatest ac.
tor in the world, died at his summer
home near here early yesterday after
long illness following his breakdown
last winter at Scranton, Pa, while
playing Peer Gynt in which he made
his last appearance.
The cause of mis- death was disease
of the liver but there were other
complications. In his last hours Mr.
Mansfield failed to recognize loved
ones at his bedside, who included
Mrs. Mansfield, his son Cecil, and
brother Felix.
He sought rest first at his home in
New York, and then went to Europe
| Failing to find relief ne returned to
, this country. After seeking salts
, factory surroundings in several places
he retired to his home near here.
During his last appearance the &c
, centricities displayed by the grea,
| actor in past years were so accentuat
ed that it was almost impossible fol-
the members of his company to gel
along with him. Several leading
women found him utterly impossible
/ and were forced to leave the com
pany.
1 His death has created profound re
greet everywhere. Since his Illness
nntnrc u,hA
a strong personal dislike for him be
d cause f.his splenetic disposition anC
drastic methods, spoke of him will
profound sympathy.
The best element among the theat
, ergoers always liked Mr.. Mansfield
The stories of his encounters will
actors, stage managers, supers anC
hotel peop,e did not effect their re
gard for his dramatic work.
He is reported to have grown ricf
as travelling star, but the size of his
! fortune is not publicly known.
Career an interesting One.
! Richard Mansfield was born al
Heligoland, Germany, May "a, 1857
Hisgmother was Nine. Emma Ruders
dorf, in her day brilliant singer. His
father was Maurice Mansfield. AS a
child he accompanied his mother Oh
her long concert tours and went to
most of the capitals of Europe Later
he was put in Derby School of Eng
land, from the head master of which
he acquired the great admiration for
Shakespeare which afterward made
him amb. tious to become an actor.
| A desire TO become a painter had
preceded his histrionlc aspirations
and to satisfy it he went to London
and set out alone. Afterward he tried
Paris with no better luck He next
came to Boston where he entered a
wholesale dry goods store as a clerk,
, but commercial life was uncongenial,
and he returned to England, where
even more bitter experiences than be-
fore were aw aiting him.
In fact as youth, in his early
twenties in London, he almost starved
to death. That was when he was a
struggling young painter whose pic
lures failed to sell Sometimes whole
days would elapse when he had not
enough money to buy loaf of bread.
II is a known fact that when Mr..
Mansfield gave up painting and fell
back on his inherited musical talents
to save himself from literal starvation
he lost his first chance for work at
CaAwprs. LnI h. g.G. "A
from hunger and exhaustion and fell
off the piano stool.
He made his first American appear
ance at the Standard theater in tina.
city as Dromez in The Three Black
Cioaks. This was in 1882. His next
venture WIS Nick vedder in a must.
cal setting Of Rip Van Wrinkle after
which he returned to the Gilbert and
Sullivan line, and appeared as the
lord chancellor In Tolanthe. II was
not, however, until several seasons
later that he attracted any amount
Of attention from the public. What
might be called his first hit was made
as Baron Cheyrial In A Partisan Ro.
nance, under the management OF 4.
VI. Palmer.
First Appearance as Star.
Mr.. Mansfelds first creation as q
star after his appearance as the oil /
Partisan roue was as Prince Kali IT
the Boston museum on April S, 1886.
He followed thus with Or. Jekyll and
Mr.. Hyde on May Q, 1887, at the same
playhouse, nine weeks later appearing
at the Madison Square theater, New
York, In his own play of Monsieur Us
the starving music master. These
plays formed his repertoire for two
years, at the end Of which time he
wont N ENGLAND and Vave b{a cala.