Posted by Ron Gillett on June 23, 2001, 4:57 pm
William Hooker Gillette, actor-playwright, was born in Hartford, Conn., July 24, 1854; son of the Hon. Francis and Elisabeth Daggett (Hooker) Gillette. He was graduated from the Hartford high school in 1873, and afterward studied at the University of the city of New York, at Boston university, and at the Monroe college of oratory, Boston. During his college days he often acted small parts at the local theatres, and in 1876 made his professional début as District Attorney in "The Gilded Age" at the St. Charles theatre, New Orleans, La. He soon returned north and secured an engagement with John T. Raymond's company, playing in "The Gilded Age "at the Union Square theatre, New York, and the Globe theatre, Boston. The seasons of 1876, 1877 and 1878, he was a member of Ben McCauley's stock company in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ky., and subsequently spent a season with a travelling company. He devoted his leisure to writing "The Professor," and secured its presentation at the Madison Square theatre, New York city, June 1, 1881, with himself in the title role. Then, in collaboration with Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett, he dramatized "Esmeralda," which was brought out at the same theatre in the following season. After acting for the season of 1883-84, as Buxton Scott in "Young Mrs. Winthrop," he produced, Sept. 29, 1884, at the Comedy theatre, New York city, "Digby's Secretary" his adaptation of Van Moser's "Der Bibliothekar." A rival version called "The Private Secretary" was produced at the same time by A.M. Palmer's company at the Madison Square theatre, and subsequently the two plays were united under the latter name, in the title role of which Mr. Gillette appeared over one thousand times. The next work, "Held by the Enemy," had its original production at the Criterion theatre, Brooklyn, N.Y., Feb. 22, 1886, and its first New York production on August 18 of the same year, at the Madison Square theatre, with Mr. Gillette as Thomas Henry Bean. Then followed an adaptation of "She," brought out at Niblo's Garden, New York city, 1887; "'A Legal Wreck," Madison Square theatre, 1888; two adaptations from the German: "All the Comforts of Home," Boston Museum, 1890, and "Mr. Wilkinson's Widows," Proctor's theatre, New York city, 1891; a spectacular production, "Ninety Days," at the Broadway theatre, New York, 1893; an adaptation from the French, "Too Much Johnson," Standard theatre, New York, 1894, with Mr. Gillette in the part of Augustus Billings, and "The Secret Service," Broad Street theatre, Philadelphia, May 13, 1895, with Maurice Barrymore in the role of Captain Thorne. This last play was revised by Mr. Gillette, and under the title "Secret Service," with himself as Captain Thorne, it was produced at the Garrick theatre, N.Y. city, Oct. 5, 1896. After remarkable runs in New York city and Boston, the took the piece to London, where he opened at the Adelphi theatre, May 15, 1897, and made a hit such as had never before been made by a play of American motive from American hands. His remaining engagements for 1897 were at the Empire theatre, New York city, in September, and at the Renaissance theatre, Paris, in October. His adaptation from the French entitled "Because She Loved Him So" was first performed at the Boston museum, Nov. 22, 1898., In 1899-1900 his dramatization of Dr. Conan Doyle's detective stories was performed at the Garrick theatre, New York, with himself in the part of Sherlock Holmes.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread