OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 849, 22 June 1910, Page 7

OBITUARY.

<hHENRY NEVILLE, ACTOR. , . By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, Juno 20. Henry Neville, the well-known theatrical manager and actor, is 1 dead. A TWENTIETH CHILD OF A . TWENTIETH CHILD. Henry Neville (whoso real name wasGartside) was born in Manchester 73 years ago on Monday last, and was the son of the late John Gartside Neville, actor-manager, known in the • profession in England as "Handsome Jack." Ho enjoyed the peculiar distinction of being the . twentieth child' of a .twentieth child, and the second son of a second marriage. He first, appeared on the stage as an infant in arms in "Pizarro," with his father, and subsequently played boy parts. It was his fathers intention to educate him for tho Army, but owing to funds failing through theatrical speculation, he was forced to follow in his father's footsteps. Henry Neville was in the provinces for a while, and had such a rough experience for a time that he worked as compositor through the night\(at Cd. an hour) while rehearsing and acting in the afternoon and evening. In 1863 he created his famous part of Bob Brierly in "Tho Ticket-of-Leave Man," which he played over 2000 times. He took over the management of the. Olympic Theatre, London, in 1873, producing, among other successes, "Clancarty" and "The Two Orphans." After six years of management he relinquished. tho Olympic, and played in a celebrated revival of the old comedies, including the Sheridan repertoire, at the Vaudeville Theatre, a season which lasted 500 nights. After that ho went to Drury Lane to appear, in tho drama, "Human Nature," and followed that by appearing in a series .of melodramatic productions, including "The Price of Peace." "The Prodigal Son," and "The Bondman." Less than three years ago he appeared as Col. Fitzgerald in "Sweet Kitty Bellairs." Mr. Neville was tho author of' several plays, including "The Violin-Maker" and "Tho Duke's Device," and also wrote "The Stage—its Past and Present in Relation to Fine Art."