The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-01-06
"RaHIes" Tonight.

The career of Kyrle Bellew, the
famous English actor, who comes to
the opera house tonight In his greatest
role, "Raffles," vies in picturesquenes
with that of Dion Roucicault. The
eldest son of the auxiliary bishop Of
Calcutta, he was destined for a career
in the Church of England and in due
course studied for orders at Ballot
College, Oxford. But his was an ad
yenturesome nature and scholastic
life became intolerable to him. Al
nineteen he ran away to set. For
three years he served before the mast
on an English merchantmen and after.
wards with his fathers aid secured q
commission in her majesty's navy. He
was first attached as a midshipman to
the cruiser Conway and afterward to
the battleship Dreadnought. Soon.
however, he tired of this and roamed
to the gold fields of Australia. And
1t was here that after several years of
hard knocks, he first applied, hungry
and penniless, for position on the
stage. BY an odd chance the leading
juvenile in stock company in Mel
bourne had been taken i'll and he Sc
cured his place for several months
But theatrical life in Australia in those
days was an extremely precarious ven.
ture and he decided after all life on
board ship was much more certain of
daily rations than that behind the foo
lights. When he arrived in London
he read an advertisement in the
Times, Wanted a light comedian to
Join provincial company" He ap-
piled for and secured the position.
From that time Mr. Bellew threw
himself earnestly into his work and his
progress has been perhaps the most
meteoric among all the we'll known
English actors. In Dublin he CHANGED
to play the part of George de Les.
pare in Dion Boucicault's. play Led
Astray.' A local critic who happened
to be acquainted with the noted actor
playwright and enthused by the young
Mr. Bellows ability and appearance,
wrote Of him to Boucicault, who was
then beginning to be the great power
in London theatricals. Boucicault Of
fered Mr.. Bellew a minor position at
the Haymarket in London and in
three years time Harold Kyrle, as he
then called himself, was announced as
| the leading man Of the Haymarket
stock company under Blackstone. From
| the Haymarket. Mr.. Bellew went to
the Lyceum under Henry Irving.
wher after MANY successes he was
engaged by Marie Litton to become
leading man with particularly fine
stock company which she has just
| formed for the Imperial.
| 1t was from this post that Lester
Wallack engaged Mr.. Bellew for the
season as leading man at Wallack' :
| theatre in New York. The talented
young actor opened in "HarbOr
Lights" and for nearly five years OF
continuous playing, he remained as
| leading man of this world famed stock
company. His personal success with
| the New York public was immediate,
and his vogue grew to such proper
tions that on the occasion Of his fare
we'll be received a demonstration such
as has been accorded by the New
York public to but two other foreign
celebrities, Macready and Jennie Lind
| The new common phrase matinee
idol" was coined over Below within d
month after his first appearance d.
Wallack's theatre.
When Bellew left New York, Mrs
James Brown Potter attached her for
tunes to his star. For four years they
toured over the greater part of the
world in classic repertoire. This part
nership came to an end suddenly al
Cape Town, Africa, some ten years
ago, through the burning of all their
scenery, costumes and effects in the
great Royal Theatre fire
They returned TO London, Mr.. Bel
lew discouraged by the financial
failure Of the tour and yearninS FOL
the rest that comes from change il
ones life. suddenly disappeared from