Evening star., 1926-11-08
JAMES X. HACKETT,
NOTED ACTOR, DEAD
Succumbs to Heart Disease
After Long I|Iness-Was
Leading Man at "a.
BY the Associated Press.


PARIS. November s.-James X
Hackett. the American actor. who for
many years has resided in Paris. died
today.
Death was due to heart disease, fol-
lowing a long illness. from an an
internal complaint. Mrs. Hackett.
who was Beatrice H. Reckley Of Lon
don, was at the bedside when deal tn
came.
Mr.. Hackett was to have appeared to-
morrow at a royal matinee before King
George and Queen Mary Of England in
a scene from Macbeth for the aid of
the Stratford don.Avon Shakespea rea n
Theater, which is to he built to take
the place Of the one recently burned.
He realized a week ago. however. that
he would he unable to travel from
Paris to London for this ocra sion.
FavOrite with French.
Mr.. Hackett was a great favorite
with the French theatergoing public,
and announcement. Of his death caused
deep sorrow.
1t is recalled that while playing
Macbeth" in 1920 in London he re-
ceived an official invitation from the
French government to appear In
Paris. Later. in recognition of his
genius, he was made a chevalier of
the Legion or Honor.
The funeral arrangements have not
vet been made in detail. hut the body
will probably he taken to America.
IAadin: Man at 81.
The lap of fortune was piled high
tel, In irt1 crfft fnv la Ia nf a q G
Hackett. who at the age OF - was
the Youngest leading man on the
American stage; At 45 fell heir 40
81 900 900, and a few years later In
1921. was honored by officials of the
governments of both Englan and
France for his Interpretation of
| Shakespearean plays.
When his most notable successes,
"Othello" and Macbeth" were given
at the Odeon Theater. in Paris. at the
invitation Of the French government.
! following an artistic triumph in Lon
DON President Harding sent Mr..
, Hackett cable message feliCitating
him on the we'll merited recognition
Of his histrionic ability and declaring
that the appearance Of English and
French dramatic stars on the stage
with him was "signifca MT OF those
ties by which the people Of the three
countries are DOuHu III SSIHpdluell
fellowship"
Mr.. Hackett's most notable early
successes were 1.-The Prisoner of
Zenda" and it's sequel, Rupert of
| Hentzau," and 1.-The Pride of Jen-
nico," in the late 90s. under the ma n
agement OF Daniel Frohman. 1t was
/ not until 1914 that he essayed Shake
spearean roles, in the first of which,
"Othello," he scored an immediate
success. Two years later, at the Cri-
terian Theater, New York, he pro.
duced Macbeth" Both productions
were remarkable for the lavish man.
ner in which they were staged. In
! the mea ntime he had become q actor.
ma mayer, leasing two theaters in New
York and forming copartnerships in
Chica go, Boston and London.
FOrsOok Law for Stage.
/ James X. Hackett was born at Wolf
Island, Ontario, September s. 1859, of
American parents travelling in Canada
He attended a New York grammar
school and obtained his university
educa ton at the College Of the City
OF New York, where he received the
degree ,of r. A. in 1891. A few
months later he entered the New
York Law Scho6l, but soon decided to
which held many charms that he could
not find between the covers of his
legal text books. His debut was made
at the Park Thea eater;-Philadelphia in
1892. and the following year he be
came leading man at the New York
! I.yceum.
7 In 1897 he married Miss Mary Man
nering. a we'll known actress. but they
were divorced several years later. In
j 1911 he married Miss Beatrice NJ
/ Beckley OF London, England.
/ Three years after his second mar
riage. while PLAYING in London. he
was notified that he had inherited the
bulk Of a $1,000.000 estate left by q
niece. Mrs. Minnie Hackett Trow
bridge. daughter Of his half-brother
who never saw him and who had ex
pressly cut him off in her will. Mrs
Trowbridge bequeathed her fortune to
her husband, but as he died first. ant
there were no contingent leeatees
mentioned. the actor, as next OF kin
became entitled to the estate.