Atchison Daily Globe
Kansas, USA
20 July 1888
MANSFIELD AHEAD NOW
But Bandmann May have New Surprises in Store For Him.
Theatrical people are a good deal amused over the recent coup of Mr.
Richard Mansfield, who suddenly departed from New York
with his theatrical company for Europe, in order to head off Herr
Bandmann, who intended to produce "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
there ahead of him. Mr. Mansfield was born in London thirty one years ago,
and his great artistic gifts came to him by the
laws of heredity for his mother, Mme. Erminin Rudersdorff, was one of the
rarest lyric artists of her time. Sixteen years ago
Mme. Rudersdorff and her two sons came to America, the mother then being
under engagement to Mr. P. S. Gilmore to sing at the
Boston Peace Jubilee. He was in his 20th year when Mme. Rudersdorff
decided that he should enter upon a commercial career,
and secured him a position in the great dry goods house of Jordan and
Marsh, in Boston.
He did not continue long at this, however, and when he was 21 went to
London to study art. He acquired a reputation for
mimicry rather than art, which brought him to the attention of the German,
Reeds, and he was regularly engaged at a good
salary to appear with Corney Grain. On the first night, worn out by
exhaustion and frenzied with the excitement of his new
position, which meant either a career or abject failure, he fainted and
failed. But he was given another trial, made a
success, and got what was more valuable - his name before the press and
public in a way that attracted the attention of the
London managers.
Then followed a time of upward work. He played Brigard in "Frou frou", the
Admiral and other leading parts in Gilbert and
Sullivan operas. Under D'Oyly Carte's management he appeared to New York
six years ago. At the end of the first season on the
American stage Richard Mansfield found himself a star.
Mr. Mansfield's recent achievement in his presentation of his marvelous
psychological studies of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is
universally conceded to be among the few really remarkable stage creations
contemporaneous history has afforded.
Daniel E. Bandmann, who was a star when Mansfield was in his swaddling
clothes, became a rival to Mr. Mansfield in this wise:
Bandmann sent a request for tickets for himself and friends to Mansfield's
performance. Mansfield replied that he didn't give
tickets to dime museum people - Bandmann has of late played at "popular
prices" - whereupon Herr Bandmann determined to play
the part himself.
Bandmann was born at Cassel, Germany, and made his debut at the age of 18
at the Court theatre of New Strelitz. After making
reputation in the Shakespearean drama in Germany he came to America, and
for the first time played in English, as Shylock, at
Niblo's garden, New York, Jan. 15, 1863. For about five years he starred.
He pleased Edwin Forrest, and was selected by him
to play hamlet in the tercentenary birthday celebration at Philadelphia.
Feb. 17, 1869, he appeared at the Lyceum Theatre,
London. and created a strong impression in "Narcisse."
In 1877 he played Hamlet and Othello in Berlin. In 1884 Bandmann began an
engagement at the Thalia Theatre, New York. Some
seasons ago he adopted the circuit of cheap theatres.
Bandmann, having made arrangements to play the celebrated double character
in
England, secured a London theatre in order to
open ahead of Mansfield, who was to have opened at Irving's Lyceum Theatre
on Sept.3. Mansfield's going sooner is to outwit
the outwitter.
