The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-10
EDWIN FORREST.
A Grent American Actor Recalled by
One who Acted with Him.

appearance was on the stage of the
Globe Theatre. Boston. on April 2, 1879
In the play 'laichelieu." and 1 had the
honor OF acting tho part Of Francois
with him. The only other surviving
member of that cast Is +. +. Mackay,
the still very active and honored mem
Der OF the Actors Fund executive board,
who acted Joseph. How many other
actors are there to-day who can claim
similar distinction, that of having
acted with Edwin Forrest?
Born in Philadelphia. Mr.. Forrest
made his first appearance as an actor
he had been an amateur prior to that
at the Walnut Street Theatre, that
city. on November 90. 1920. as Young
NorvoI in the Rev. Mr.. Homes play Of
Douglas" He was billed as "a Young
Gentleman of This City" and In the
cast were w. b. Wood. William Warren,
]. T. Murdoch, j. r. Scott and Joseph
Jefferson. He WAS little over IL years
of age.
In 1872 Mr.. Forrest went 10 Cincinnati.
thence TO New Orleans, and in 1926 to
the Bowery Theatre. New York city. He
played everything he was cast for on
the up grade OF his profession. and made
his hrst New York appearance as OtheIlo
in October, 1896. His success was so
Immediate that after the first perform
aAce the directors Of the theatre called
upon him and raised his salary from
see week TO $40. Imagine an actor
to-day playing otheIIo for $40 a week.
Mr.. Forrest began to visit other cities
L. ra
held the field against all comerA He
was an American actor in every sense
OF the word, for It was he who first en-
ccuraged the American authors. ald he
produced In rapid succession the follow
Ing prize plays: "Metamora." by John
Augustus Stone. at the Park Theatre.
New York city. 1870; THE Gladiator
(Spdrtdotis). Arch Street Theatre, Phil
adelphja, October ~, 1881; "Osca-
loosa." Arch Street Theatre, October 10,
1892. and THE Broker of Bogota,"
Bowery Theatre, New York city, Janu-
airy IL. 1894 All OF these by DR.. Rob-
ert Montgomery Bird.
In the summer OF 1884 ne took a
well earned rest and went to Europe,
visiting many countries and study ing
their people and their customs for two
years Returning to America in 1895, he
resumed his career, producing at the
Park Theatre. New York, in May, 1871,
the play "Aylsmere." later known as
Jack Cade." by jotlge Robert T Con-
rad. His repertoire now consisted Of
the following parts. although no aban-
doned many of them in the later years
of his career: Damon in Damon and
Pythias." VT0intls, RoHd IN "Plzarro,"
hetdn1oru, Spdrtacus in The Gladi-
ator." Osodloosd, Bapttsta Febre in
The Broker OF Bogota," Cdrtptn IN
''Therese, the Orphan Of Geneva" Marc
Antony in Julius Cesar" Pierre and
JdfTes in Venice Preserved" WIIidm
Tell, SF Giles Overveach, Sir EdtoGyd
Mortimer in The Iron Chest" Claude
Belrotte, King Lear, Hamlet, Corio-
Idnus, Richard Ill.,, Shyiock, othcIIo.
IG0o, Macbeth. Brutus John Howard
Payne's tragedy and Riohelieu-this
the last part he played.
He appeared in 1t on Monday and
Tuesday nights, April and 2. suffer
ing great pain from sciatica, which
rendered one limb almost useless. In
fact. as 1t was not possible for him
| to raise the afflicted limb from the
floor 1t was necessary to cut the stiles
Cor rails) of the set doors-they were
OF wood. about three inches high not
fiat iron stills like those OF to-day-so
that he could shufie his foot along the
stage and through the doorwaya
On the Wednesday night following he
was to have appeared as VW0i"ius, but
Iva tn 10 had
"Riehelieu" was performed again with
George c. Boniface, one OF our lead
Ing men. In the title role Our other
leading man, w. T. Sheridan, played
De Borddds, and II. r. DAILY, upon whose
shoulders at one time II was said "the
mantle OF Edwin Forrest would fall"
played Dc Mduprat Mrs. Thomas
Barry played Julis De Mortennr and
Mrs. Thomas NJ. Hunter Morton de
Lorme.
The following autumn Mr. Forrest
gave some dramatic readings in Phila-
delphia, New York city and Boston.
| the last one on November so, 1872. He
died at his homo. Broad and Masters
streets Philadelphia, December IL. 1879
visited his grave In the old St
street, PHILADELPHIA two years ago. on
the anniversary OF his birth.
II is odd that Lightweight years
after the production of the play on the
stage We have In Europe a band OF
! Spartaoans named after Spartacus the
gladiator. and who OF your readers who
ever saw the play will not recall the
mighty actor as he strobe IN chains
into the Roman camp and spoke the
lines: els this Rome the great cityl
I've heard OF II when a boy"
! Mr.. Forrest has left an enduring mon.
ument In the Forrest Home at Holmes,
burg, Pa.
attended the laying OF the corner,
stone OF the Forrest Theatre In Phila.
delphia some twelve or more years ago
Presented 90 young member OF the
press, I told him that had acted with
Mr.. Forrest on the occasion OF his last
appearance on the stage. In his notice
Of tho ceremonies the next morning he
stated that she had met Mr.. William
| Seymour, the veteran actor, who had
/ been one OF Forests original com,
pany"! Should / have sQuealed al
| that7 WILLIAM SEYMOUR
NEW YoRK, March Q.
,