New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-01
Actor Who Amused Public
for Nearly Half a Cent
ury Victim of Apoplexy
End Surprise to Friends
Created More Than Fifty
Roles and Was About to
Marry His Sixth Wife


lie attention for decade and gained
him distinction as Americas most mar
ried man." died yesterday in the Hotel
Claridge. Death was due to an apoplec-
tic stroke, the result of general
breakdown following an operation last
December which involved the removal
of the actors right eye.
our years ago popping oAamoaene
cork struck Goodwin's eye and i'm
paired ms Vlslc-. WrNe 4.e ,.-.s ...
pearing in indianapolis last autumn his
valet mistook ii bottle containing chloro-
form liniment for one holding eye wash
and bathed the injured eye with the
powerful solution. This necessitated the
operation Of last December, following
which GoodWins health rapidly declinde
Physicians in Baltimore where Good
win appeared last week in "Why
Marry?' advised him to cancel all en-
gagements and undergo treatment and
rest. He returned to New York last
Sunday for the purpose. He responded
to treatment by Dr. Melvin Z. Wolk,
of lao West Ffty-hfth Street, and no
immediate alarm for his condition was
teit until early yesterday, when he suf-
fered 4 relapse. Just before / a. m. he
was stricken with apoplexy and died
soon afterwards.
Nurscd by His Eancee
Georgia Gardner, who was to have
become the actors sixth wife, and who
had been his constant attendant since
his health began to fail. was with him
when he died. She had met the actor
IN this city last summer while she was
rehearsng the part she later played in
"hXperience" in this city. In order to
be ncar hcr iiance and administer to
ms failing health she later joined the
"Why Marry ?" company as a general
understudy. She preceded Mr.. Good
WIN to New York and arranged for his
reception at the Claridge and for med
zeal treatment. Friends of Goodwin
understood the marriage was to have
taken place soon after their arrival
Fere. Had it occurred Goodwin would
have regained the lead in the matri-
lnonial race in which, during recent
years, he had engaged with De Wolf
Hopper. Mr.. Hopper equaled Good
wins record of five marriages when he
married Miss Edna Curry in the sum-
mcr of 1913.
Nat Goodwin achieved an extraordi-
nary degree popularity in and out Of
his profession, but, although he had a
1850 L
of the hotel in which he died, none was
aware of his critical condition. and. be-
sides his hancee, only his doctor was
with him at the end. His aged par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. N. C. Goodwin, re-
side at RoXbury, Mass, and while they
were aware of the decline in their sons
health, they had had no intimation OF
tbs gravity of his condition. They
sent word yesterday Of their departure
from Roxbury for this city, and stated
their desire that their son be buried in
the family plot in the former city
De Wolf Hopper to Rtad Service
The body of Mr.. Goodwin was taken
to Campbells Funeral Church, Broad
way and SIxty-sixth Street where SER
vices will be held at II O'Clock this
morning. De Wolf Hopper, a life long
friend of the dead actor, viii read the
service and members OF the Lambs
will attend. Arrangements have been
made to accomodaIe many friends and
admirers OF the late actor. The body
will be sent to RoXbury this afternoon
Few American actors can compete
with Goodwin as a quantity creator Of
roles FROM the time of mis- first ap-
pearance in the old Howard Atnenaem
III Boston, in 1875 until a few years
ago. he forsook the legitimate stage 1or
vaudeville and moving pictures he
created more than fifty different Char
acters" including that OF Shylock in
1.-THE Merchant of Venice,p and other
roles drawn from the classical DRAMA
roles in which his power of mimicry
and genius for comedy made up for a
lack OF ability to portray the tragic.
Talent Shown as Schoolboy
Nathaniel Carl Goodwin, H., was
in I,,lvy
schoolboy he excelled as a mimic and
often convulsed his fellow pupils at
the Little Blue Academy, at Farming
ton, Me-, by his grotesque representa-
tons Oh pedagogucs there. In 1878
he "clerked" in the Boston dry goods
store of Wellington Brothers, but he
mimlcked the customers, and after two
months was discharged. A month in
an upholseerers shop followed, but
Goodwin's employers discharged him
when he persisted in reporting late
for work after the late hours spent in
the galleries of the Boston theatres.
Determined to establish some con
nectlon with the stage, young Goodwin
came to New York and became a gen
eral utility man in Niblo's Garden.
Then came the opportunity to appear
in a sketch called Law in New York"
Goodwin played the part of a news
boy. That was in the Boston Ath-
eneum. lis first speaking part offered
at Providence, r. L., in "The Bottle"
Responding to the cue Goodwin rushed
on to the stage, raised his arms and
moved his lips to speak, but was
silent, gripped with stage fright.
Given Chance by Tony Pastof
Discharged, he returned to Boston
to become clerk in a shoe store.
Thereafter he studied with Wyzman
Marshall and finally began limitations
of prominent people. Proving success
full, he came to New York, and in
1875 was engaged by Tony PAS or He
remained under Mr.. Pastors manage
ment that season and was then w
gagged to appear with Minnie Palmer
in "The Little Rebel" at the Four
teenth Street Theatre.
He next was engaged by Z. L. Rice,
where he created the part of Captain
Dieterick in "EvangeIine," in which he
scored national success. He after
wards assumed the leading part Chat
of lie Blanc) in "Evangeline. During
this engagement however, he appeared
IN the "Corsair," in which he was a
favorite. While under Mr. Rce's man
agement he married, in 1878, Eliza
Wethersby now deceased, and at the
termination of their contracts. thew
organized "The Froliques in which
they appeared for the next three wears.
presenting "Cruets," "Hobbies," "Ram-
bles" and "Ripplcs." Then they were,
managed by Brooks L. Dickson for one
season and played in "a Member Fr.m
Slocum" and "Hobbes."
The following season 1890 100 n.y.