Evening star., 1937-04-29
Gillette.
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the printed page, but the Holmes Of
Gillette was bound closely to the char
acter conceived by Doyle and yet def
initely in the mold Of William Gillette.
He wrote the drama that was to be-
come one of the most substantial long
time starring vehicles of his life.
Some contend Sherlock Holmes re-
tired to his beloved Sussex to tend his
bees, or ponders on esoteric problems
in his Baker street lodgings. But the
Sherlock Holmes who died today
sought and found peace in rural Con-
necticut.
Succeeded With Own Plays.
Actor -dramatist Gillette appeared
in scores of productions, created
many unforgettable roles and found
greatest success in plays OF his own
writing.
But his most famous characterize
ton was of course that of Sherlock
Holmes and for three decades he
and the master detective were in
separable.
Gillette made his first appearance
on any stage in a play called THE
Gilded Age" in Boston in 1875. He
made his last in the Winter OF 1856,
when he came out OF his Connecticut
retreat to play in revival of Three
Wise Fools" in New York and other
Eastern cities.
He was acclaimed by theater audi
ences. At that time in curtain
speech in his native Hartford, Gill
lette said he hoped to return to the
theater again in another revival after
another 10 years"
Years ago he became an exponent
OF the repression style of acting.
He abolished the strut and stride,
He substituted naturalism for the So
called great style of acting" and
his technique had marked influence
upon the profession.
When Sherlock Holmes" that dusty
| old thriller, was unfolded before 4
distinguished audience at the New
Amsterdam Theater in New York in
November, 1929, the play was found
to have retained its original flavor and
Mr.. Gillette. at "A, was his old
magnetic self.
1t was often said Of Mr.. Gillette
that he initiated the tradition that a
gentleman could be an actor and that
an actor could be gentleman. Once
behind his barrier of reserve associates
found him man of wit, charm and
of great geniality.
Secret Service" in Second Place.
While Sherlock Holmes" is definite
ly the No. play Of William Gillette's
career, second place belongs. perhaps,
to his Secret Service" the stirring
fable Of Civil War days, in which the
telegraph room was one Of the talked
about scenes Of the drama Of the COS.
The Gillette role in that memorable
work was that OF spy, Lewis Dumont
Other important Gillette plays were
Held by the Enemy" TOO Much
Johnson" and "Clarice." all of which
he wrote, and The Admirable
Crichton," "A Successful Calamity
and Dear Brutus," which was beau
tifully acted by him and Helen Hayes
at the Empire in New York.
Gillette retirements and with
drawals from theatrical activity were
numerous. III health caused a tenn
porary abandonment of his career ir
the COS and it was while he was con-
valescing in North Carolina that he
wrote Secret Service"
After his Sampson" engagement o1
10000, he was absent from Broad.
way for considerable time, resumine
acting in December Of 1910 and ap-
pearing in a series of revivals 1nclud.
ing Sherlock Holmes"
The creator of Sherlock Holmes haC
been in long and tranquil retire.
ment up at Hadlyme when he was In.
duced to return to Broadway and th<
Sherlock Holmes role.
William Gillette was one Of the mos
inaccessible players of the American
stage. He was seldom interviewed. II
his Hadlyme Castle he lived in virtua
solitude.
Fire Destroyed Yacht.
The privileged few who were in.
vited for visits always spoke Of his one
man railroad, plaything Of Gillette
making HIS 142-foot yacht, the Poll!
Anna, on which he spent counties
hours, was destroyed by fire on th'
Connecticut River in 1882.
He was the son of Francis Gillette
time United States Senator, ane
Elizabeth Daggett Gillette. He at
tended Yale and Harvard and evincet
a yearning and considerable talent fol
theatricals and finally found his way
into the professional theater. He wa
unmarried.
Gillette was the recipient Of many
honors during his long career and i
believed to have amassed one of thl
real fortunes of the theater. He wa
a member Of the American Academ!
Of. Arts and Letters, Of the Player
and Lambs Clubs.
His fatal illness started last FAl
with cold. He was taken to the hos
pital for rest" and an "opportunit.
to regain his strength"
SMALL RAILROAD WELL KNOWN
3-Mile Line Carried Many on Tou
Of Estate.
HADLYME, Conn.,, April 20 R.-
The 3-mile railroad, looping aroun,