Sol Smith Russell Sol Smith Russell ( 1848 – 1902 ) was a 19th - century American comedic stage actor who began performing as a boy during the American Civil War . Early life . Sol Smith Russell was born at Brunswick , Missouri , the eldest of two sons and a daughter raised by Charles and Louise ( née Mathews ) Russell . While a young boy Russell ’ s family moved to St . Louis where his father manufactured and sold tinware . Russell ’ s mother was from Ohio , the daughter of a Cincinnati music teacher . It soon became apparent that Russell did not share his father ’ s talent as a tin maker and that his best option would be to prepare for a college education . Both his parents were very religious and had a prejudice against the theater , even though Russell ’ s uncle , Sol Smith ( 1801 - 1869 ) , was a well - known actor and theater manager in St . Louis . This family connection enabled Russell easy access to area theaters watching plays , sometimes from backstage , without his parent ’ s knowledge . At the age of thirteen , not long after the outbreak of the American Civil War , Russell ran away from home to serve in the Union Army as a drummer boy . He tried to enlist as a musician , but was unable to obtain the required written consent of his parents . Russell soon became popular with the officers and soldiers providing entertainment to break the dull routine of daily camp life . He fell ill while stationed at Paducah , Kentucky and after being told that he was likely to die managed to return home to St . Louis , where his mother eventually nursed him back to health . Career . Transcribed from “ Famous Actors of the Day in America ” by Lewis Clinton Strang ; 1899 , pg . 248 - 260 " My first theatrical engagement was at the Defiance Theatre , Cairo , Illinois , in 1862 , at the magnificent salary of six dollars a week , " said Mr . Russell . " For this recompense I sang between the acts and played and drummed in the orchestra . I had for a bed the stage lounge , and counted myself lucky to have even so good a place to sleep as that . The manager of the theatre , Mr . Holland , was very kind to me . He took me to his home and gave me free access to his excellent theatrical library , and during such spare time as I had , I read . My first acting was in a play called ' The Hidden Hand , ' and my part was that of a negro girl . I made quite a success of it . " He was then offered twelve dollars a week if he would learn to walk the slack wire . He accepted and joined " Bob Carter ' s Dog Show , " which traveled on a canal boat . When it was necessary Mr . Russell joined the mules in hauling the craft . His next engagement was at John Bates ' s National Theatre in Cincinnati , where he sang between the acts , and after that he was a stock actor and a singer in Deagle ' s Theatre , St . Louis . Then he played in Milwaukee , later becoming connected with the Peake Family Bell Ringers , who followed the army into Arkansas and Tennessee . During the season of 1864 - 65 Mr . Russell was second comedian in the Nashville Theatre , where Laura Keene and Maggie Mitchell also played , and the following season he was at Ben DeBar ' s Theatre , St . Louis , with Lawrence Barrett . The fall of 1866 found him visiting some small Western towns and experiencing every variety of hard luck . " Perhaps you ' d like to have me tell you of my walk of thirty - six miles on a given occasion , with my wardrobe , tied up in a yellow handkerchief , under my arm , " Mr . Russell remarked ; " of my offering to give an entertainment , single - handed and alone , in a town , — one of the small towns of the region , — for which exhibition of my talents the boys of the place drove me into the river and pummeled me to their evident delight and satisfaction ; of my subsisting for three days on one chicken ; of my arriving at the little town of Meredosia , Illinois , where there was no printing - office ; of my taking one old handbill from my bundle , and , procuring a bell , going about the village and arousing the inhabitants , taking my bill from house to house , from store to store , and showing my program , and then , when evening came , exhibiting my abilities and talents to a house ' whose receipts brought me , all told , exactly sixty - five cents ! But after all this was a good house for me at that particular time . Often I avoided hall hire , sang in the open air , and took up a collection ; and on a certain occasion I added the sale of eye - water , at ten cents a bottle , to my entertainment without any noticeable increase of receipts . " Mr . Russell first came East with the Berger Family , and his impersonations of eccentric characters and imitations of John B . Grough attracted considerable attention . During 1867 he was connected with the stock company of William E . Sinn ' s Arch Street Theatre , Philadelphia , of which James E . Murdock was the leading actor . The next three years were spent as a monologue entertainer in variety theatres in New England and elsewhere . Mr . Russell ' s first appearance in New York was in 1871 , at Lina Edwin ' s Theatre . He was then engaged for the Olympic Theatre , New York , of which James Duff , the father - in - law of Augustin Daly , was then manager . The stock company , which regularly played at the Olympic Theatre , was an unusually large one , and included a ballet corps and a numerous chorus . Two or three different plays were given every night ; and sometimes , during the same evening , Mr . Russell was called upon to appear as a ballet girl in one piece and to impersonate one of the bearded ruffians in the next . The late James Lewis , formerly of Daly ' s Theatre , was also a member of the company . In 1874 Mr . Russell joined Augustin Daly ' s company , making his first appearance , on August 24 , as Mr . Peabody in " What Could She Do ? or Jealousy . " He left the organization after one season , but rejoined it again in 1876 . While with Mr . Daly he played Trip in " The School for Scandal , " Colander in " Masks and Faces , " and like characters . Mr . Russell first appeared as a star in 1880 . He opened in Buffalo in " Edgewood Folks , " a piece written for him by J . E . Brown , of Boston , especially to display his peculiar abilities as a character impersonator and entertainer , Mr . Russell ' s specialties being made a prominent feature . " I organized the best company , in the way of support , that I could gather , including several members of Wallack ' s stock company , " said Mr . Russell . " I made a great effort , looking to splendid success . Our company played thirty - eight weeks with varying fortunes ; indeed , with small luster and little profit . But the following season was good ; the third better still , and , at the end of the fifth year the play in question — ' Edgewood Folks ' — had made my reputation as a ' drawing ' star . " Then on the retirement of William Warren in 1885 from the Boston Museum , Mr . Russell succeeded him as leading comedian , but in 1886 he resumed his starring tours , bringing out " Felix McKusick , " by J . E . Brown . In 1887 he produced " Pa ; " in 1887 " Bewitched , " by Edward Kidder ; in 1889 " A Poor Relation , " by the same author ; " The Tale of a Coat , " by Dion Boucicault , in 1890 . Since then " Peaceful Valley , " " April Weather , " a revival of " The Heir - at - Law , " " A Bachelor ' s Romance , " and " Hon . John Grigsby " have shown him at his best . Mr . Russell ' s home is in Minneapolis , and his wife is the daughter of the late William T . Adams , known to boy readers as " Oliver Optic . " Death . Sol Smith Russell died at the Richmond Hotel in Washington D . C . on April 28 , 1902 after suffering several strokes . He was survived by his wife and daughter , both named Alice , and son Thomas . " Sol Smith Russell ' s smile was as near to human sunshine as anyone ' s smile can be . Those who saw him as Noah Vale or as Hosea Howe , will never forget his quaint , genial , captivating , winning smile . My association with him , at a critical period in his stage career , resulted not only in material prosperity for both of us , but gave me for all time , cherished memories of a delightful comradeship which oan never be forgotten . " Edward E . Kidder ( playwright )