New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-26


Wise father. after all. that excellent physi-
clan in Liverpool,
Wyndham's Dublin diplomas served him
well. European surgeons were now in de-
mand al Washington. The army had been
flooded with valorous young medicos. who
killed more soldiers than they cured. The
Dublin diplomas helped over Wyndham's
repeated designations and enlistraents
Straightway Surgeon Wyndham was sent
into active service in various parts OF the
South. He was with the Red River expedi-
tiCn from It's beginning 20 the end. He
served the Union well.
After the war he returned 10 England.
arriving there with no better prospects
than he had when he left home two years
earlier But he was determined 70 become
an actor. He burned his surgical boats.
For six months he sought an opening on
the London stage Nothing came OF IL. He
wrote 10 the provincial managers, saying
that he was al liberty for a star engage
ment and mentioning his terms. Here was
a bold stroke for fOrtunei He was wholly
without reputation as an actor His ap-
pearances had been failures. But I'm Eng
land nobody knew that Certainly the
manager Of the Theatre Royal al Man
chester did not know II He leaped az the
opportunity. Wyndham opened al his the
etre with a version Of "Rosedale" He had
agreed with the manager on sharing
terms" Unhappily there were no terms"
70 share The public unanimously declined
10 come
Henry Irving vas a. this time the light
comedian Of the Manchester company.
Wyndham wanted 10 play Hamlet, But
the manager declined. He had caught
neither a star nor g comet, but a young
man who might be able 70 earn-say. Is
weekly. This sum the manager Offered
wyndham. Irving was receiving the same
amount. Wyndham scornfully rejected the
ofer and left the theatre He had expect
ed E5O week az least. a month later he
would have been glad OF 50 shIllings
Nowadays infants are snatched from
their cradles and transformed into stars
IN those DAYS long drudgery in obscure
theatres preceded these high honors. Inv
ing had been serving his apprenticeship for
ten years. and his salary was only 70
weekly; whereas Wyndham was Just enter
ing the uphill career. Six months after
the Manchester incident Irving and Wynd-
ham. both out OF an engagement. mat in
the lobby Of Hendersons Liverpool Thea
tire. each seeking the same position-thst
Of light comedian Irving was the sue
cessful candidate.
Wyndham found employ ment I'm the the
stTe ct Leeds In November. 1s66. he went
10 London. Irving followed a month later.
Wyndham appeared ar the Royalty The
atre in burlesque. Black Eyed Susan
The critics described him as "a wonderful
dancer" and az his hrst benefit his father
, sent him pill box filled with sovereigns.
In London Wyndham and Irving PLAYED to
edy Irving played the villain and Wynd-
ham the virtuous hero Both were dis
satisfied with this arrangement and longed
10 reverse the roles. which they eventually
did, only 20 md that success Law in the
original method
once n London. Charles Uyndham's rise
was rapid IN 1853 he was back again IN
America. under engagement 10 Wallack.
and in $50. Il and - he starred the coun-
Try with a company OF his own. II was a
successful tour. in spite OF the fact that the
Chicago IRE left him temporarily stranded.
These four years made him better known
In America than he had been I'm England
and they left him something in his pocket.
where there had been very little He re-
turned 70 England in 1913, and soon after
that he produced Bronson HoWard's sara
toga" under the English name Of "Brigh-
ton In this he made his first great hit.
lie was the Bob Sackett Of the piece. Who
/ can forget him as. with machine Gun rapid
ity. lie made love to four charming Great
Lres2 Who can forget his we are en-
gagged hts You are the only woman I
ever loved I never loved TN now one
need not De a veteran 10 remember his Bob
Sackett. Wyndham has played the part all
over the United States and Great Britain.
frequently revived the piece. and as late as
1851 gave Il = special revival AZ the Cri-
terion.
Il was with this play that he became an
actor-manager IN London. So great was its
success that he transferred II 10 the Cri-
terion Theatre IN 1879. And the Criterion is
sim under his control Bob Sackett in
Brighton" established him in fortune II
was just before going 10 the Criterion Z
think. that he PLAYED the part IN Berlin.
speaking German and using his own trans
lation % the play.
His next visit 20 the United States was in
lSse, with the Criterion company Mean
while he had become the leading comedian
of hts own country. This third visit this
visit OF 1852 10 America. convinced him that
whatever else he might or might not have
done he haa. ten years earlier. lef his
mark upon the theatrical portion Of the
American world He had Invented. or. n
that Is not the proper word, he had been
the FIRST u apply. the combination svs-
tenn 10 our theatres
In March. lsss. he was playing Brighton
The Lanoers" and other pieces in Bos-
ton. A. that time he told me how in his
1902 tour with The Lsncers.~ ne in
stead 81 relying upon stock companies IN
the cities then visited by him. had taken his
own company along. thus being the hrst 20
work On what has become known as the
combination plan
Joseph Jefferson says m his a1tobiorra-
phy' Atter finishing an engagement IN