The Detroit times., 1909-01-28
M.C0QUELIN, NOTED
ACTOR, DIES OF
PNEUMONIA
END COMES IN HOME OF EDMOND
RosTAND-GREATEsT OF ALL
ACTORS WAS SON OF A BAKER
AND WAS 90 YEARS OLD.

PARIS, Jan. 27.--Constant Coque-
lin. acknowledged the worlds great
est actor, died today a. Cambo. the
beautiful home of Edmond nOstand.
the great French playwright IN the
French Pyrenees. The actor was
stricken with pneumonia month ago.
All the French newspapers, when
the death OF the actor was Mashed
from the south, issued extra editions.
Paris realized that its greatest dram
attic artist and one OF the foremost
figures OF the day had passed away.
From the first there was little hope
for Coquelin's recovery. He contract
ed his last illness In Paris and week
ago rallied SO much that IL was
thought he might still night of death.
He was we'll enough then TO be re-
moved To the south and his most init
mate friend for the past II years, RIOS
tand. offered his villa IN the Pyre-
nees.
But the comedian was in mis- sixty
ninth year and he was no longer able
to combat the disease with which he
had been stricken. Since his removal
TO Cambo. he had failed steadily. Yes
terday the physicians who had accom-
panied him from Paris 10 the home OF
VI. Rostand. gave up all hope.
Coquelin was the son OF baker,
but the dramatic genius was in his
family. His TWO brothers were also
actors. but they possessed only talent
where he possessed a transcendent
genius. And that genius in strange
persistency. he passed 10 his son and
his grandson. A his last appearance.
Jean Coquelin. his son and Coquelin
Cadet, the grandson-three genera
tions-all appeared together on the
stage OF the Coincide Franchise.
For forty years Coquelin had amused,
charmed, delighted and edited the
French people. He had also shown
his great arr all over the continent OF
Europe and In Great Britain and IN
America as well. His famous appear
ance In America in the season OF 1900
1901 will be well remembered.
At that time Coquelin toured the
country with Nine. Sarah Bernhardt
and the tour was one long triumph
from New York, where he and Mine.
Bernhardt appeared at the Garden
theater, to San Francisco. They
played in their most famous roles.
Coquelin's most famous part, beyond
all doubt. was that OF Cyrano De Ber-
gerac In Rostand's great romantic
play OF the same name. His success
in this role took Paris by storm. It's
rainbowed art. scintillating every
phase of the complex character OF the
Gascon who was its hero made the
play perhaps the greatest dramatic
success of modern times. Its fame
spread over the world.
The late Richard Mansfield in Amer
lea heard OF the part and the play
but he also heard Of Coquelin's great
enactment of the character. This
was so insistcnt that although he
Rugged the play To his heart, he de-
SPARED OF acting II because Coqueltn
had apparently got every shade OF
portrayal into it He went abroad 10
see Coquelin play the part and after
the first two acts decided not to play
IL himself. so perfect was Coquelin's
presentation. Later he thought he
saw a chance for a differentiation Of
Characterization and he produced the
piece.
For years Coquelin appeared with
Sarah Bernhard in Paris. The roles
that he created would merely be the
catalogue OF the history Of French
dramatic art for the past quarter of
century.