Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-17
HENRY CLAY BARNABEE
DIES At RIPE OLD ACE
Sheriff in "fobin Hood" En-
pires After Long Illness.
HEADLINER FOR TWO DECADES
Notable Chiefly for His Comic Roles,
but Gained Success I'm Serious
Parts AIso-"1'hc Cork Leg" His
Best Song.
(Br Associated Press.

BN tSSOclatCG pFSSS.
BOSTON. December lS.--licnry Clay
Barmabcc familiar to thousands OF
playSocra as the Sheriff OF Noting
ham. in DcKovcn's comic opera,
robin Hood" died ut his home I'm the
Jamaica Plain district to-day. after a
Ions Illness. lie was ciGhty-four years
~ age.
MIR. Earnabco was seriously Injured
by Ii fall Il few months ago. For some
time he lowered between life and death
in hospital. but recently his contli-
ton improved. and he was able to re-
turn TO his home.
Even during the suffering OF his last
days the famous operate comedian
never lost the spirit OF chccrruIness
that marked his career on the stage.
y newspaper reporter who interviewed
him few weeks ago found him in a
joviaI mood.
sitting upright I'm bed with his head
thrown back and his eyes closed, Mr..
Earnabcc sang the rollicking song:
II Am the Sheriff OF Nottingham" with
much OF his old-time zcst. the dccp
sonoroua tones echoing through the
hospital.
The funeral service will be held
Tuesday. The burial VIII be at Ports
mouth. y. II.
y number OF years ago Henry Clay
tarnabec was one OF the most popula,
OPERATE COMEDIANS on the America
Stasc. lis career an entertainer
spanncd practically all OF his long life
time. but his chief WORK was i'm the
7o's. as a leading member Of the Boston
Ideals. a company which became fam
Gus AL over the country in the pro-
duction OF tight opera. and is successor.
the ostonians, which he helped TO
organize Rarnabce appeared in in
r'Ancratlc roles. serious as well as
comic. and for two decades after the
ways ono CT the "hc1diiners" Pa.;
) 'reniy !tsrs OF age lie continued :,
eherr!se his fun-makinS talents in
vaudeville.
II have played tho Sheriff Of Noting
ham nearly 1000 times" he said re-
Gently In recalling the phenomenal run
which the iosionians made Of De-
kovcn's opera. robin Hood" This role
Ma Que cf the most notable in n..,
career, ana pcrhaps next 10 i, h,s
cariior appearance as Sir Joseph Porter
in "!'iuafore." The Boston Ideals took
THIS UP at time when forty odd com
ran!ca wee touring the country TO
present II, outdista ncing all their rivals
III =. as we'll rs TIC other Gilbert and
sullivan operas. Barnabcc appeared in
them all.
i'C NdS u now " 10 ln0uSSnds through
his singing OF "Thc Cork Leg" tho
ballad OF the merchant OF Amsterdam
whose patent cork log WAS equippcd
with such perfect mechanism that II
walked ~. and OF after the old man
died. carrying his skeleton. According
to his own estimate. BSrnabec sang
this song some 5000 times. and often
as a coroliary encore save The Patent
Arm. These two songs. together with
= number OF others which lie gave IN
his patchwork of Song and Sto-:,"
arc the best remembered OF many in.
uividual successes.
BIRTH PRECEDED
HIS Bf SINGLE DAY
Earnabee was born at Portsmouth
y. H., November -, 1888. the day fol-
lowing the birth OF Edwin Booth"
which he regarded as another cXcn:,..!-
'ication of-ihc fact that Mirth follows
close on tho heels of Tragedy" E.rna-
bees father was then driving ar.re
hiSh-steppin. stceds which pulled tie
etasc-coach from Boston 10 Portland.
via Portsmouth, an! later was an inn
Keeper AT Portsmouth.
Instead OF seriously contemplating a
stage career. young Earnabec set out
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