Evening journal., 1915-04-27
curtain down ON
JOHN BUNNY'S LIFE
Actor Who Made Millions
Laugh Dies in
Brooklyn
HOMELY FACE
PROVED HIS FORTUNE

NEW YORK, April 27.-John Bunny,
whose antics as moving picture come
dian have made millions laugh, died att
his home in Brooklyn yesterday. Hel
had been i'll for about three weeks OF al
complication of diseases.
Members of his family we're with him
when he died. For a week he had ap-
parentlv been on the mend. strenu-
Gus month of work, it is believed, caused
the breakdown which resulted IN ms
death.
John bunny was born in New NorNl
ritv September 2l, ls63. His father was
George Bunny. several generations OF
the Bunny family coming from Penahce,
England John the ninth, was the hrst
of nine generations--dir lne-not
deep-water sailor, and the second in nine
generations not of the royal navy. His
mother was Eleanor OSullivan, born IN
County Clare, Ireland.
He was intended Tor the priesthood,
but his plans were finally changed and
he began his career a., clerk. 1t dld
not take him long to find out that this
was not the work for which he was cut
out. and it was then that he got the ZIP
that finally started him on the road TO
success as an actor.
Bunny's first professional work was
as tambo end man in obscure minstrel
companies at about % years of age. lie
was on the stage nearly 30 years, hay
ing supported Maudc Adams, Annie
Russell. Sol Smith Russell and appear
ing under the management of II. w.
Savage, William A. Brady, Charles
Frohman, Daniel Frohman, Shuhert, etc,
in everything from minstrclsy to
Shakespeare.
He entered picture. about Christmas
1910. at $40 per week In three years
according to his official biography, hc
worked his salary to 81 600 per week
and has refused many vaudeville offers
at 81 800 weekly.
lie was said to have received more
than the President of the United
States in salary and royalties.
He was a member of the Elks, Ma
sons. Vaudeville Comedy Club New
York Press Club. A. A. A.. honorary
, member I. A. T. S. +. and NJ p. o. U.
On January %, 1890. Bunny was mar
ried at Houston Tex. TO Clara Seal
Ian. They have two sons.
Johnny Bunny's face was at once
his fortune and his misfortune. 1t
established him as one of the high
est salaried actors in the world and
al the same time made him so easily
recognizable that he could not hide
If Mr.. Bunny entered a Broadway
restaurant the diners stopped dining
long enough to wave a Chau;auqua
salute If he went to a prize fgh
or a ball game the fans stood anC
cheered his entrance. II he walked
down the street a crowd followed
and cOngested traffic. -errc
John Bunny fell out of airshipi
and tumbled off skyscrappers in tn
movies It is estimated that NOR
than 100000 people in the Unite'
2OO0O,0OO in the world attend tn
movies daily and most of these a
some time or other have laughed a
Bunny's antics.
When Mr.. Bunny had been actinl
for the films a year and a half H.
went abroad to be photographed il
photographs with foreign back
grounds. His trip proved a tTium
phal tour from the moment h
mounted the gangplank At ever
station at which the boat train L
London stopped the loungers recog
nized him Immediately he stepped
upon the platform. In London
whenever he walked upon the Stran
or in Ludgate Circus, he was give
a young ovation. In Paris, Berlil
and Petrograd the cry, "Ther
goes Bunny" in as many respectiv
languages, always greeted his ap
pearance in public.
He will be buried in Brooklyn.