East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-10-03
History of the
Jefferson. Family

The Teffersons and The Rivals are SO
closely associated that he who would
wute a history of one must write the
history of tho ~tha-
The ~ Itself
II was in August, IVA. that Richard
Bunsley Sheridan, then a boy in his
twenty-third year, was commissioned
by the manager of the famous old Covert
Garden theatre in London to write a
comedy With the exception of very
few minor scenes, young Sheridan had
no idea whatever as to what should
constitute the comedy.
Despite his youth, he was a writer OF
considerable note, and, confident of
his ability and strong in his hopes, he
set to work. Early in December of
the same year, he delivered to the
Covent Garden theatre manager the
manuscript of The Rivals
A masterpiece of comedy had been
born and wonderful was the career that
awaited it,-a career that would have
been lost to the world but for the per-
sistence Of its boyish author.
First Time Failed.
The play was Immediately put
into rehearsal and on ian. 18th, l775,
it was produced for the first time on
any stage. 1t was a dismal failure
a failure because of the wretched
performance of the actor to whom
was allotted the role OF Sir Lucius
O'Trgger.
His performance was so bad. and
it marred the work of the other artists
TO such an extent, that the play was
almost hooted from the stage on the
opening night
Young Sheridan had faith in his
play and insisted upon its being pre-
sented the second night. 1t was pre-
sented and failing again, was then
withdrawn. The author took his manu-
script, made several minor changes,
secured another actor to portray Sir
Lucius OTrigger and prepared to try
again.
A Dramatic Triumph.
The play, which had received the
widest notoriety on account Of its
first nights fiasco, was again presented.
The audience assembled at the theatre
with the one idea of hooting the play
from the stage. But nothing Of the
kind occurred. This night, the genius
OF young Sheridan was TO be vindicated.
The new actor. in the part OF Sir
Lucius had fully grasped all the deli
cacies OF the role and added such
6nesSe and artistic atmosphere to the
entire performance that the audience
Sat spell-bound. They left eXtolling
its merits and the talent of him who had
created it.
The play became a fad. The best
people Of London became enamored
Of it to such an extent that it was
not long until the fame of the play
had reached the ears Of the king.
The royal family witnessed the pro-
duction and with the approval of
royalty, The Rivals soon developed
into the most astounding comedy
success that London had ever known.
Sheridan's fame was established and
In The Rivals one finds that indescrib-
able something that is a combination
Of boyish charm, youthful under
standing, boyhood philosophy, and a
knowledge Of life that is totally different
from that exploited by the writer's
whose youth, with its optimism, is
lost to them, and upon whom the pessim-
ism Of age is steadily encroaching.
A Jefferson Enters.
In l774, while Sheridan was working
on the manuscript Of The Rivals,
Thomas Jefferson, an actor who was
born in l746 and who was the first of
the distinguished family to adopt a
stage career, became a member of
the company then under the manage
ment Of David Garrick, who was, at
that time, considered the greatest
actor Of his day.
Mr.. Jefferson was essentially a come
dian, and about this time Garrick,
who had a fondness for the heavier
styles Of playing, decided to refrain
from appearing in any comedies. This
was the opportunity for Jefferson, who
at once assumed the principal comedy
roles in all Of the David Garrick pro-
ductions.
1t was about 1879 that Garrick
produced The Rivals for the first !
time OF course it was only natural |
that Garrick's principal comedian should |
be allotted the part OF Bob Acres. |
Here it was that the combination Of |
Jefferson portraying the part Of Fight
ing Bob" began and ever since that |
memorable night that combination has
continued.
A Joseph Jefferson.
Thomas Jefferson, the first, died
in 1907, leaving behind him wife
and two sons, the elder Of whom was
called Joseph. He was born in IVA
AS young man, Joseph evinced de-
cided talent for the stage, and in 1885, /
in very mediocre company, he por-
trayed Bob Acres in one Of the small |
English cities. He appeared in the part
for several performances and then, for
some reason which is now unknown,
abandoned the play.
Comes to America
He came TO America in 1897, bringing
with him a carefully constructed
prompt-book Of The Rivals This he
never personally used in America, yet
he treasured it and gave it TO his son,
who was born in 1904.
This young man was also named
Joseph-after his father This makes
him Joseph Jefferson the second-al-
though he represented the third genera
ton concerned in this narrative.
This young man, at very early
age, showed decided talent for paint
ing This talent was fostered by his
parents, and it was not until he was
nearly twenty years Of age that the