The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-09-03
MANSFIELD DEAD
Famous Actor Passes AWAY
At New London, Conn.
He HAD LONG BEEN ILL
Noted Character Actor Dies at
His Summer Home-His Early
Career Was Marked by Many Hard
ships.


ships.
New London. Conn. Aug. Sl.-Rich-
ard Mansfield. the best known actor on
the American stage. passed away at
his summer residence. Seven Oaks.
Ocean avenue. Death was directly due
10 disease OF the liver. aggravated by
complications. DR.. A IL. Allen. a To-
cal physician. who has been IN charge
since Mr.. Mansfeld's arrival here from
Saranac lake. states that death was
not entirely unexpected. although this
fact had not been made public.
Mansfield was taken IN seriously on
March - last After a short rest. he
opened an engagement at the New Am
sterdam Theatre in New York on Feb
ruary %. On the following morning.
Sunday. March "A. Mansfield and his
company moved to Scranton. Pa.
which was the first city on the itine-
rary of brief spring tour. That even
ing. In his private car at Scranton. he
wss Frustrated with acute abdominal
pains. and Monday evenings perform
ance was cancelled. But not until the
next morning would he permit his
manager 20 announce the cancellation
OF Tuesday evenings performance at
Wilkes Barre
Richard Mansfield was born on May
"a. 1857. In Heligoland the North Sea
islet which England coded to Ger
many 10 years ago. but II was his de-
sire - he considered an American.
His mother WAS Nine Mansfield Ru-
Gers 'crf. n famous prima donna. AMI
IL was from her that Mansfield inner
itei his love foe the arts.
Ia iv In life he studied for the In
dian civil service. but gave II up and
camo 70 America. where he establish
ed himself in Boston in a studio. and
with palette and brush earned his
living as painter.
Returning TO London 20 finish his
art studies he fell in with a bohemian
set. and he had been reduced to actual
want when he turned 20 the stage to
earn a LIVING His first professional
appearance. in 1877. al st. Georges
hall Ia London. was pitlful Owing
70 the hardships he had endured he
was so weak as 10 be unable 70 under.
60 the strain. and had 10 be led from
the stage
After another year Of semi starvation
Mt Mansfield AZ last found a place
In one Of Gilbert x Sullivan's first
productions. and ne remained for three
years playing tho round OF comic
opera
He was NJ tho Strand theatre when
he was persuaded to return 10 Amer
lea where he soon made his first an
pearance at the Standard theatre in
"Ics ManteauN Noirs."
The roles in which Mr.. Mansfield
achieved fame were the following.
Prince Karl" Or Jekyll and Mr..
Hyde" Andre Rossini Marie de Jade;.
In "Monsior;" King Richard III"
Humpy Logan. in Master and Man"
"Beau Brummoll." Don Juan" NE
TO. Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scar
let Letter" Shylock IN The Mer-
chant of Venice" Captain Bmntschii.
in Arms and the Man" Emperor
Napoleon" Dick Dudgeon in The
Devils Disciple" Eugene Courvoisier.
in The First Violin "Cyrano de
Bergerac." King Henry v" Beau.
caire.' Brutus. in Julius Caesar"
Prince Karl Heinrich. IN "Old Heidel-
berg; Ivan the Terrible" Alceste. I'm
The Mlsanthrope;" Don Carlos.
peer Gynt"
Richard Mansfield married Beatrice
Cameron in 1892. She had been for
several years his leading lady. but
shortly after her marriage she retired
permanently from the stage. Mans.
fields young son has never been per.
mitted To see his father act. as II was
the artists wish that his child's mind
should not be too early impressed
with stage life