Marlande Clarke

Mr. Marlande Clarke was the English actor who featured in a play pertaining to the Jack the Ripper murders. Here is his death announcement found in the "Otago Witness" of September 15, 1892.

Mr. Marlande Clarke, an English-born actor, who had long made America the home of his adoption, died recently at Pittsburg, Pa. He created the part of Waldercoffer Gusserby in "My Brother's Sister," in which piece he toured with Miss Minnie Palmer, five years ago; but his greatest success was in a version prepared by himself of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Mr. Clarke was only 34 years of age.

Source: Otago Witness, Issue 2012, 15 September 1892, Page 35

CRITERION THEATER.

The production of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," last night, by Marlande Clarke, was witnessed by an audience the size of which was modified either by the severity of the weather or a surfeit of this gruesome tragedy. Mr. Clarke made his changes rapidly, and in his weird impersonation of the ogerlike Hyde severely tested his powers. His death scene was ably worked out, and the double life ended in a terrible struggle. The relieving point in the play was the nonsense of Mr. Martel, as a policeman, whose singing pleased the entire house.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, September 18, 1888, Page 4

NARRATIVE OF AN ACTOR.
Experience of a Clergyman's Son on the Stage.

How He Missed a Debut in "The Two Orphans." Water Resources of Sadler's Wells Theater in London - Mrs. Bateman Thought the Highest Histrionic Art Was Developed When One Had Nothing to Say - Shifts of the Profession - Reciting For a Prize - "Sunday Recreations" - Taking Up a Collection - Life in America - The Texas Sheriff - The Tariff Question.

The other day I had a talk with Mr. Marlande Clarke, who has recently been acting in this city. In the course of the conversation he said:

"I certainly will be pleased to give you what information I can in regard to actors and I will tell you my own experiences as a fair example. I descend from a line of clergymen, who were so narrowminded, so to speak, that they would not even purchase, much less read, a newspaper on Sunday, which makes the fact of my adopting the stage as a profession all the more curious. My father is the Rev. Cecil Clarke, vicar of Huddersfield, England. I was born in Huddersfield. When I was about 18 years old I was employed in the War Office in London. About this time Henry Nevall brought out "The Two Orphans." Like a good many others I had played in some amateur theatrical performances and I was gradually stage struck. I had an idea I could be an actor and with that presumption I wrote a letter to Henry Nevall, setting forth my desire. I remember that I thought Henry Nevall would hardly take any notice of my letter. He did answer, however, and made an appointment for me to meet him at the Lyceum Theater. When I went to see him I was directed to his dressing room. While we were engaged in conversation the call boy called Nevall for his scene. He rushed off in such a hurry that he left his sword lying on the table in his dressing room. When he missed it he came running back under the stage, naturally condemning me as the cause of his being late for his scene and getting the goose - in other words, being hissed. When I considered what I had innocently been the cause of I was so worked up about it that I never went back to the Lyceum and so missed a chance of making my debut in "The Two Orphans." Mrs. Bateman, from whom Henry Irving bought the Lyceum, had just built the new Sadler's Wells on the site of the old Sadler's Wells. I think of all the theaters for tank plays, such as "The Dark Secret," or any play in which real water is used, this is the best. And for this reason: Sir Hugh Middleton formed a stock company and introduced a scheme for supplying London with water. To bring the water into the reservoirs from its source a canal had to be made. This canal is caused New River. Above this canal or New River is Sadler's Wells. When they want to use the water all they have to do is to let a pipe down into the canal, and when they have finished with it they can easily let it run back again into the canal. I may add that this is the first theater in which water was used.
"I made my first appearance in this theater in "Rob Roy." Mrs. Bateman, who used to sit in a place where she could see the whole performance and judge of its merits, gave me some very good, practical points. She said that my voice and presence were good, and that when I had anything to say I said it correctly. But she told me that it is not difficult for a person to act when he has a part to speak, but that the real, genuine acting came in where one had nothing to say. In fact, you must always appear as if you were really interested in what was going on about you.
"After I got pretty well along in my profession I made my first venture by putting on a piece under my own management. The piece was a pantomime called "Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp." The proceeds from that were 700 pounds, or nearly $3,500. Then I aspired to tragedy. I went on a tour through the provinces with my interpretation of Hamlet and in a little over four months I was doing my own laundry work in a little town called Keighley, in Yorkshire.
"When I was about thoroughly discouraged I happened to see in a paper called the Era an advertisement to the effect that there was to be a competitive examination of twelve chosen candidates. The one giving the best dramatic recitation was to receive 25 pounds and a gold medal, presented by the Princess Louise. The contest was to take place at the Dome, in Brighton. Every person in the audience was entitled to a vote, which would decide who was the successful elocutionist. The entrance fee was 10 shillings. My fare to Brighton would be 15 shillings, and I did not have a penny. Well, I went to see an aunt of mine and finally induced her to lend me the money. I sent in my name and, as I had recited in Brighton before, I was one of the chosen twelve. The night of the contest came and the Dome was packed. It is capable of holding over four thousand people. The first person on the list was a member of Henry Irving's company. He recited the balcony scene from "Romeo and Juliet." The second one on the list was a lady. I forget what her effort was. Then my turn came and I recited the "Dream of Eugene Aram." When the ballot boxes came in I stood around watching the count and hearing every name but my own called out, until about two hundred votes had been counted, and, just as I was commencing to think it would be a good idea to go out and watch the sad sea waves of Brighton, I heard my name called in rapid succession, "Clarke," "Clarke." Well, to make a long story short, I beat all my competitors by 475 votes.
With the help of the 25 pounds I started to give what I called "Sunday Recreations." You know that in England they never allow any place of amusement to be open on Sunday. So I conceived the idea of giving recitations of a moral character from some of the poets. I charged nothing for admission, but took up a collection. I was making 20 pounds every Sunday, when the magistrate of the place came down on me and I had to stop. I then tried my hand at running the St. James Theater in London. After I had had control of it for a little while I lost everything, and, thoroughly disgusted with the whole business, I went into retirement in a little town called Brent, where I lived on the fat of the land for $1.50 a week. It was a queer little place. There was not a person in the village who had a suit that fitted him. Every man seemed to be wearing his neighbour's clothes by mistake. I really believe that the only educated people in the place were the minister, the doctor and myself. I stopped at the public house. One Saturday evening I was sitting in the tap room, when a well dressed stranger entered the place. Now, the very fact of his being well dressed was enough to attract my attention. The stranger asked the landlord if he remembered a certain careless, good for nothing fellow who had left the village some time since. The landlord remembered the circumstance, but was dumbfounded when the stranger informed him that he was the ne'er do well; that after he had left the village he had gone to America and gotten into the lumber business and was now prosperous. That little bit of conversation caused me to start for America, and I cannot complain of the treatment I have received at the hands of the Americans.
"I have played in most of the theaters in this country, and the only rough experience I have had was in Texas a short time ago. I was playing the villain or heavy part in a piece called "Fortune's Fool." In this town the sheriff was a man who used to go around shooting people for amusement. I was standing near the door one night when this worthy presented himself, full of bad liquor, for admission. I didn't know him, and I was disposed to resent the ticket taker letting him in free. He then said he was sheriff of that town, so I made no further opposition. I don't know whether the acting of the villain was so realistic as to cause him to become excited, or whether he wanted to get square. In one part of the play I was to kill a woman and be chased by a mob of armed men. Just as the mob made their entrance, waving guns and pistols, I heard a voice say: "Shoot. Blame ye, shoot. If you don't, I will." And with that I heard the report of a pistol, and a bullet struck in the woodwork above my head. It seems that a man sitting near the Sheriff heard him and struck up his arm, otherwise I would have been a dead man."
"What do you think of a tariff on English actors to come here?"
"Well, for my part I do not see any sense in it, as it will create bad blood among the members of the profession. The people who are agitating this question do not seem to look at the fact that if English actors are not received here, American actors will not be received in England. In fact, it will be tit for tat. The way it should be looked at is this: The American is not competing with England, but with Germany and France as well, and for this reason: In twenty hours to Berlin or ten hours to Paris the English actor can see more change in everything than the American can in the time it takes to go from Brooklyn to San Francisco. There should be clubs for the actors something similar to the one in New York. It is necessary to have ladies' societies to acquire the nice polish which is essential to the actor. They do this in England, but not here, and that is why, in some cases, the American is not quite as genteel as the English actor. As far as artistic merit goes, you may quote me as saying that I would sooner have the sharp native shrewdness of the American than the acquired gentility of the Englishman. You may not believe it, but an Englishman's idea of a typical American is a man who has a goatee, a cigar stuck in the corner of his mouth, expectorates all over the floor, regardless alike of good manners or cuspiders, and is perfectly impartial as to whether he puts his feet upon the mantlepiece or the piano. There are also others who believe that Indians and buffaloes are to be found in the streets of Chicago. Why is that? It is because the English are not a reading public. Here in this country even the boy who blacks your shoes reads the newspapers, and he can invariably tell you the latest rise in stocks. If there is a murder he has the man convicted and hung before he is brought to trial. Now, if the street boys do this, what does the intelligent man do? The American newspaper is the educator of the public." F.E.C.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, January 20, 1889, Page 6

STANDARD MUSEUM.

A play of melancholy significance called "Jack, the Ripper," was "tried on" by Marlande Clarke and eighteen or twenty associate actors last evening. It relates to the Whitechapel murders and pictures the Ripper as a man who is under oath to rid the community of fallen women. The one who is killed in the second act appears to deserve her fate, because she sings a solo half an hour before the assassin gets hold of her. After devious meanderings the plot leads up to the hanging of the Ripper and everybody is contented. The play needs revision, badly. It is intolerably wordy, the street scene in Whitechapel is wholly needless and the comedy is weak. Several variety features and two or three excursions of the Salvation Army are supposed to give pleasure to the multitude, and there is a vicious scrapping match between Charles Bogert and William Nash. The piece is fairly acted and well set. A cow with a bag on her back and a mulatto, who is colored in patches, are the dramatic attractions in the curio hall.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, January 8, 1889, Page 4

STANDARD MUSEUM.

Marlande Clark has returned with "Jack, the Ripper," a play that is not so sensational as it sounds and that has been made less bad by revision and expurgation than it was on first presentment at this house. Its principal fault now is that nine variety actors and boxers are introduced and their specialties extend the piece an hour beyond the time it ought to run.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, February 19, 1889, Page 4

THE ATHENEUM ENTERTAINMENTS.

Mr. Marlande Clarke, who is to give the entertainment at the Atheneum during Christmas week, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and every night, has engaged the eminent solo banjoist, Mr. Walter Giddings, who is well known to Brooklyn audiences. The entertainment promises to be a success. Mr. Griswold has the business management.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, December 20, 1882, Page 3

THEATERS AND MUSIC.
News and Notes Concerning Actors, Plays and Singers.

The entertainments offered at the local play houses this week are as follows:

CRITERION THEATER.

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," who prevails simultaneously on two sides of the ocean and who is giving cold shivers to the people of a dozen different towns in this country on the same evening, will arrive at this house tomorrow for a week's stay. Marlande Clarke personates the double character.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, September 16, 1888, Page 10

Marlande Clarke, who plays Dr. Jekyll, Jack the Ripper and other cheerful people, was arrested in New Orleans for sending out papers that contained lottery advertisements. He was let off on claiming ignorance of the law.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, December 7, 1890, Page 13

THEATERS AND MUSIC.
News and Notes Concerning Actors, Plays and Singers.

Following are the plays for the week at the local theaters:

STANDARD MUSEUM.

Acting on the suggestion of an alienist in New York that the Whitechapel murders are the work of a man who suffers from a periodical access of insanity and is like other men between these seizures, Marlande Clarke has composed a play called "Jack, the Ripper," that he will offer here tomorrow. He presents the famous Ripper as a man leading a double life, a Hyde and Jekyll sort of person, and advertises that he will make several sudden and startling changes. New scenery has been painted for the tragedy.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, January 6, 1889, Page 10

THEATERS AND MUSIC.

NOTES.

Marlande Clarke, who acted in dime theaters last season, is going to produce Ibsen's "Ghosts" next winter.

Source: Brooklyn Eagle, April 20, 1890, Page 18

ALEXANDRA PALACE.

The chief feature of yesterday's varied programme was a concert, held in the afternoon in the concert hall; the majority of the pieces selected being of a military character, in commemoration of the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. Mr. Vernon Rigby sang with considerable effect, "Yes, let me like a soldier fall" (encored); Purcell's "Come, if you dare"; and Carter's song, "The Vision;" giving in lieu of a repetition of the latter, when encored, "La donna e mobile." Mr. Thurley Beale was encored in "Mother England," a new song by Mr. Lindsay Sloper. The other solo vocalists were Mdlle. Annetta Albri and Miss Jessica O'Brien. The choir sang several choruses, and Mr. Marlande Clarke recited Byron's "Field of Waterloo."

Source: Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, Sunday June 19, 1881

We mentioned the other day that "Jack the Ripper" had been put on the theater boards in Brooklyn, says the London Star. From a programme we have received we learn that the play was written by a lady, Miss Florence Gould. Mr. Marlande Clarke, who plays the two principal characters, one a parson, respectfully requests his audience to notice that "although the role which he plays is one in which 'Murder is his watchword,' yet, as the story unravels itself, each and every lady and gentleman will fully recognize that genius may sometimes excuse crime. When the curtain falls in the last act, he sincerely hopes that the lesson taught by his production will be correctly summed up in the following well-known words: "The wages of sin is death."
Among the other characters who figure in this precious production are Make Haste Swift, an American detective; Clarence Montmorency, a Whitechapel dude; Helen Barton, formerly a denizen of Whitechapel, and policemen, sailors, newsboys, salvationists, costermongers, Whitechapel women and boxers. Some idea of the play can be gathered from the synopsis.

PROLOGUE: House of Harold Barton, Edgecombe road, London, The oath of vengeance.

ACT I

Scene 1: Mother Mandelbaun's den, Berner street, Whitechapel.
Scene 2: High street, Whitechapel, at night.
Scene 3: Nance's room in Field lane. The seventh victim.

ACT II

Scene 1: Police court, London.
Scene 2: Street in Bermondsey, London.
Scene 3: High street, Whitechapel.
Scene 4: Attic room of Nell Drayton in Little Saffron Hill.

ACT III - Magistrate's court, London, The trial.

ACT IV

Scene 1: Harold Barton's room in Edgecombe road. The arrest, The Escape.
Scene 2: Hampstead Heath.
Scene 3: Outside the Old Bailey, London.
Scene 4: Jack the Ripper's cell, and courtyard of Old Bailey, "Justice is satisfied."

In the Crib scene the "Brooklyn favorite heavyweights," Charlie Bogart and Billy Nash, give their great glove contest.

Source: The Omaha Daily Bee, Monday March 11, 1889, Page 6

The female writer of the "Jack the Ripper" play which featured the acting abilities of Marlande Clarke was in actuality named Florence Gerald.

FLORENCE GERALD.

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Biographical Sketch of the Well-Known Writer, Novelist and Actress.

Florence Gerald, actress, playwright and writer, was born at Canton, Miss., in September 1862, and made her first professional appearance in the role of the Princess in "Siberia," at the Fourteenth Street Theater, this city, in March, 1883. During the spring season she appeared in Shakespearian readings with the late Marlande Clarke. The season of 1883-4 she toured in a repertory with Mr. Clarke, and for 1884-5 she was in the stock of the Pence Opera House, Minneapolis. The season of 1885-6 found her with Marlande Clarke, in "The Bells," and the season of 1886-7, doing leading business with Marie Prescott and R.B. MacLean. For 1887-8-9, she was leading lady with Marlande Clarke, in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"; 1889-90, as Nellie Denver, in "The Silver King," with Mr. Clarke; 1890-91, Catherine Duval, in "The Dead Heart," and Elinor, in "Edmund Kean," with the same star, and she also played a short spring season in 1891 with Frank Mayo as the Princess Zuiliski, in "Nordeck." For 1891-2, she was again leading lady with Marlande Clarke, in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," and "The Silver King;" 1892 to January, 1893, she did leading business in the stock at Music Hall, Lynn, Mass. Since leaving Lynn she has been playing Ruth Hope, in "The Wages of Sin." Miss Gerald is part author with Marlande Clarke, of a dramatization of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," played by him for three seasons; an adaptation of Dumas' "Edmund Kean;" a farce comedy, "A Sly Dog;" a Western melodrama, "A Shot in the Dark," produced at Louisville, Ky., June 3, 1889, for the benefit of the Johnstown flood sufferers, and she is also author of "Tess," a dramatization of Thomas Hardy's novel, and a dramatization of "The Man Who Vanished." She has lately rewritten "The Light on the Point," shortly to be produced at Boston.

Source: Aspen Daily Times, April 28, 1893, Page 3

"Jack the Ripper" has reached the footlights at last. Mr. Marlande Clarke, an English actor, is going to produce a play founded upon the Whitechapel horrors. He will try it on Brooklyn first to get it in shape for Chicago.

Source: Daily Alta California, Sunday January 20, 1889, Page 2

NO PERFORMANCE.

A Small House Greets "A Friend," and the Play is not Given.
The Manager of the Opera House is Charged With Plotting Against a Paying House.

Last night eleven persons gathered at the opera house to hear the "A Friend" company play. The curtain went up and the play had progressed with the first act when Mr. Marlande Clarke stepped out with a bow to the audience and addressed them in the following language.
Ladies and Gentlemen - This is the first time that I have had to make an unpleasant announcement, but I am bound to do so on this occasion. The whole of my company are at present on the stage, fully dressed and prepared to play their parts. I have acted entirely up to my contract with Mr. Eiser. For the second time he has neglected to supply an orchestra, and I have proof that ten people who applied for reserved seats this afternoon were refused, that the play tomorrow night may have a better house. As Mr. Max Eiser has not acted fair and square by me, and the house is so small, I have no other recourse but to ring down the curtain, and take what legal steps I may.
The audience was somewhat surprised, but showed their appreciation of the situation by the loudest applause possible from eleven persons.
The reporter, feeling that the public would like to know something of the merits of the matter, interviewed both sides, and the result of his laborious work is appended:

"A FRIEND" SPEAKS.

Mr. Marlande Clarke was in company with Miss Florence Gerald when approached by the reporter. He made the following statement:
"We had an arrangement with the management that we should have 60 per cent of the receipts. Just before the rise of the curtain last night it came to my knowledge that there was some difficulty between the orchestra and Mr. Eiser. I went to him and told him I must have an orchestra, according to his signed contract with me. He said he would do what he could. I kept the curtain waiting half an hour, and finding no orchestra forthcoming, and the audience naturally very impatient, I sent around to Mr. Eiser to ask him what better percentage he would give me in consideration of the absence of an orchestra. He sent word that he would settle all that matter in the morning. Then I instructed Mr. Orres, stage manager to explain the cause of delay to the audience, which he did. Just after this, when the curtain was already to rise, Mr. Eiser came to me in the wing with a rush from somewhere and said with a kind of a sneer on his face, "If you are not going to rise the curtain of course I can easily refund the money at the door." After the performance on account of my having to undress I was unable to see Mr. Eiser, but Mr. Page, my treasurer, saw him and it was again arranged that all matters should be settled in the morning. I had to go to Dallas on the two o'clock on business, and learned on my return this afternoon that he refused to make any allowance on account of the absence of the orchestra, and thinking at the time that there might perhaps be some fault on the side of the orchestra, I decided to let matters lie over until night. Accompanied by Miss Gerald I went to Mr. Guimond, who sells reserved seats, about six o'clock, and found that not one seat was sold. We then went up to see Mr. Eiser. I spoke to him about the orchestra last night and he explained the difficulty he had with them, and also his regret at not being able to provide one. I mentioned that under the circumstances we should have a different percentage, and he said that he felt that he had performed his part of the contract, as he had done his best to procure one. He then added that we would have no house tonight, and of course it wouldn't be worth my while or his while to play tonight. He said his expenses were high and we mutually agreed that we wouldn't play unless we had $50 in the house, but that everything was to go on exactly as if no such arrangement had been made, tickets were to be pushed and the house lighted up. If there was not the $50 by the time of the curtain's rising, 8 o'clock, I was to announce to the audience that on account of Mr. Eiser's failure for the second time to provide an orchestra, I refused to play. I left Mr. Eiser with a thorough intention to carry out this agreement. I went to the theater at 7 o'clock, and was seated with Miss Gerald and Mr. Page in the parquet, when a message came from Mr. Eiser's stageman saying that he had received information that we were not going to play tonight and wanted to know whether there was any ground for the statement. I sent back word immediately that there was no ground and Miss Gerald and I went to the box-office and found that the theater doors were closed and about six people standing around the box. I said to Mr. Guimond, "Who has circulated this rumor that we would not play tonight?" Mr. Wat Hubert who was standing by, replied, "Why, it was circulated over the town three hours ago, that you are not going to play tonight. Myself and friend went three hours ago to buy five reserve seat tickets and Mr. Guimond refused to sell them to us, saying that on account of the absence of music and Mr. Bishop appearing tomorrow night, the performance of "A Friend" would not be given," and added, "this information was given in the presence of twenty people in Mr. Eiser's store, and I and my friend have informed six or seven people who intended to come that there was to be no performance. I have come to see Miss Gerald personally about the matter and am prepared to swear that Mr. Guimond did this." On this, Miss Gerald and I went at once to Mr. Eiser, who treated the matter with complete contempt and assumed ignorance of the action of his agent. Miss Gerald said to him, "Did you circulate the report that we would not play, and refuse to sell tickets?" He said, "I did not." She then asked him, "Did your agent?" He replied, "I do not know." She said further, "Would your agent have taken such a responsibility upon himself without your authority?" and he responded, "He would not." She concluded, "That is all I wish to know. We consider you responsible for the actions of your agent." After this I said, "You have again broken your contract with me, Mr. Eiser. I shall keep to mine and perform tonight." I felt that Mr. Eiser, by refusing to sell tickets, had done me great injustice and the rumor of our not playing must have originated with him in some way. That by circulating the rumor and refusing to sell tickets he had deprived me of the chance of a fifty dollar house, with the intention of saving his gas and his orchestra (?). I then determined to have the curtain rise promptly, with my full company dressed, and to play so much of "A Friend" as would bring every member of the company on the stage. This intention was carried out, and with my full company on the stage in about the middle of the first act I announced to the audience that we would not play. We shall enter suit at once for damages."
Miss Gerald signified that the above statement was correct, she being with Mr. Clarke in all his interviews.

THE OTHER SIDE.

The reporter went to Mr. Eiser to get his statement of the matter. That gentleman at first said he did not know that he cared to say anything, but was finally prevailed on to speak. He said that Mr. Clarke came in the afternoon and he told him there had not been any tickets sold, and said further, "I don't believe I'd play. It wouldn't justify either one of us. I am willing that you should go before the curtain and say that I have refused for the second time to furnish you an orchestra, and that you decline to show for that reason." I explained to him that last night I was not notified by the orchestra until five minutes to eight, and that I had done the best I could to secure one, and nearly the entire audience understood why there was none. He said people wanted music, but seemed satisfied with the explanation. We agreed that the announcement should be made unless a fifty-dollar house was secured. He and Miss Gerald came in about eight again and he said that he understood I had refused no less than five persons tickets. I told him it was not true. He said that my agent had. I told him if it had been done it was not with my consent. He remarked that he would play anyway. I made no reply, but had determined to go over and if there was no house, to turn out the gas. One of the directors told me yesterday he didn't think I should allow another performance. That it was a play unfit for ladies to see. There's only one thing the matter with the play, and that is the double murder. It should be a triple one, and should be performed in the first act."
Mr. Guimond, who has charge of the ticket selling at the store, said he had exclusive control of the selling. He had not refused to sell tickets to anybody.
He told the doorkeeper about 7:15 that it "looked blue," and the doorkeeper said he did not know what they were going to do. He was in the box when Mr. Clarke and Miss Gerald came to him, and she asked if he had circulated in town that there would be no play. He replied no. She asked who had, and he said he did not know. She said somebody had for she had heard it in the door just then. She was very much excited, and said she was going to play if there was only one man in the house, and he was a dead-head. Clarke said it was a mean trick to circulate a rumor for four or five hours that they would not play, and they intended to play. Miss Gerald said to come on and dress and they left. Mr. Guimond added that he had no instructions until 8:10. Understanding that the company were going to play he sent Jim Longifer to Mr. Eiser for instructions, thinking he would want it closed up unless there was enough to pay.
The matter was the talk all over town last night, and some interesting things were said.
The company left this morning at 1 o'clock for Cleburne, where they appear tonight. Thursday they are at Temple, Friday at Belton, Saturday at Hillsboro and Monday and Tuesday at Dallas. May better success greet them than here!

Source: The Gazette, Fort Worth Texas, Wednesday November 14, 1889, Page 6

Marlande Clarke will begin his tour in a terrible play, "Jack, the Ripper," at the Standard Museum next week. He will take a dual character in it.

Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Sunday December 30. 1888, Page 15

HER SEALSKIN SACQUE.

Professionals Worried by Constables in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS, March 24th. - Constables, with writs of attachment, paid their respects to the companies playing at all the theaters here, after or during the performances Saturday night. Lillian Lewis closed a good week at the People's, Marlande Clarke of the "Silver King" Company, playing at the Standard, swore that Miss Lewis owed him $107, and two Constables were employed to collect the money. They not only levied on all the baggage in sight at the People's theater, but entered the room of Mr. Marston at the Southern Hotel during his absence.
The Constables sought to take Miss Lewis' wardrobe from her dressing-room, but kindly consented to let her use the rooms while they kept guard outside. She had a fine sealskin sacque, which the Constables hoped to get.
"Wait until she comes down to go on the stage and I'll nail the sacque from her dressing-room," said Constable Dolan. They waited, and to their consternation saw her come downstairs with it on.
"She'll take it off before she goes in front," said Dolan, but she didn't.
It was a funny sight to see Lena Despard in full evening costume, with a sealskin sacque on, while the others were in light summer dresses. Dolan was in hopes that she would take it off and lay it on a chair, when he would boldly step out in front of the audience and seize it, but she didn't take it off her person, although she was evidently very uncomfortable.
If Marlande Clarke's claim was unjust he might see the finger of retribution in what followed. He was booked for Greenville, Miss., last week, but was unable to fill the engagement on account of the floods.
The manager of the Greenville Theater, however, took the tide at the flood by having an attachment brought here for the amount of the probable percentage which would have been due him. The bill was presented to Mr. Clarke and he conceded it as gracefully as he could.
At Pope's Nat Goodwin was made to "stand and deliver," the legal artillery brought to bear being a claim for $600 for an alleged gambling debt.
At the Grand the comedian J.B. Polk was made the object of an attachment suit brought by one H.M. Talbot for $250.
Herrman's Vaudevilles at the Olympic were also attached for a printing bill.

Source: Sacramento Daily Record-Union, Tuesday March 25, 1890

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Source: The Richmond Dispatch, Sunday March 24,1889, Page 7

THEATRICAL NOTES.

Marlande Clarke, an actor of magnetism, and who a few weeks back filled a most successful engagement in New Orleans, where he gained the endorsement and highest encomiums of the press there, will open at the Alexandria opera-house tonight in his master-piece of "The Dead Heart." He will also play here tomorrow night, presenting "Silver King," its first reproduction in our midst.

Source: TBA (To be announced)

DEATHS IN THE PROFESSION.

MARLANDE CLARKE. - This well-known young actor whose work for several seasons past had attracted favorable attention, died in a private ward at a Pittsburg, Pa. hospital at 5:10 o'clock, P.M., June 2 of peritonitis, the result of chronic gastritis. He had been ill and unable to travel with his company several weeks, but a fatal termination of his illness had not been looked for. He was tenderly cared for in his last hours having the services of the best physicians, nurses, etc., and being soothed to the end by his leading lady and long time companion, Florence Gerald, to whom he was affianced. William Elliott Marlande Clarke, the son of the Rev. Cecil Jarvis Clarke, was born April 20, 1858, at Huddersfield, Eng. His father was rector at the Established Church of Chester, Eng., and chaplain to the Duke of Westminster. His mother was a lady of high family, who, dying, left an estate in chancery, and not yet settled. Marlande Clarke had an uncle in the British India civil service, and the nephew was educated for that service; but his health failing he turned his attention to the stage, and in 1878 he began his career as an amateur, appearing with Lady Seabrooke and others high in the London social scale. He gained some note as a reciter in this set, and about 1880 he made his debut as a professional with Mrs. Bateman's Co. at the London Saddler's Wells Theater playing a utility pole in "Rob Roy." After a year there he toured with various provincial and London companies for two seasons, and in September 1882 he came to America making his first bow here in January 1883 on the stage of a city theatre. The following season he toured in company with Miss Gerald, and afterwards he filled a season as heavy man in Walter Bentley's "Burr Oaks." The next season found him with Louise Rial's "Fortune's Fool" as leading man, after which he was with Minnie Palmer in "My Brother's Sister." Her season closed early, and he resumed the road as a star playing "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." For 1888-9 he did "The Silver King," under the management of Macoy & Mahara and for 1889-90 he was again starring on his own account in "The Dead Heart" and "Edmund Kean." The past season he had starred in "The Bells" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The remains were brought to this city by Miss Gerald, and were quietly interred June 3 in the Actors' Fund plot, Evergreens Cemetery. The services were very private in accordance with Mr. Clarke's expressed desire. Miss Gerald asks THE CLIPPER to acknowledge in her behalf the kindness extended to herself and Mr. Clarke by managers Chas. L. Daris, R.M. Gulich, H.W. Williams and Harry Davis, Geo C. Joochs, Thos. Graham and the Actors' Fund. A letter from Manager C.H. Snyder, of Mr. Clarke's late company, says: "His death came very unexpectedly to the members of his company, who were playing at Washington, and were looking for Mr. Clarke to join them every day. I cancelled all dates and closed the season June 4. Jennie Gray, James Lecaring, G. Cooper and George Goodwin go to New York City. George Glenn and Harry Wilson to Philadelphia. Lizzie Barwell to her home at Jackson, Mich."

Source: The New York Clipper, June 11, 1892, Page 214

THEATERS AND MUSIC.
News and Notes Concerning Actors, Plays and Singers.

Local Amusements - The Drama in New York. Rose Coghlan and the Gypsy - Orchestral Accompaniment to the Stage Performances. Objections to "The Ripper" - Professional Villains - Revelations of an Interviewer.

The attractions for the present week at the local play houses are as follows:

HE OBJECTS TO "THE RIPPER."

A citizen has addressed a letter to the EAGLE, in which he says that since Mayor Chapin has felt it his duty to restrain pugilistic exhibitions it seems as if he might, with equal propriety, assume, in a measure, the offices of a censor of sensational drama. If it is in order to issue a semi prohibitory mandate against exhibitions of physical skill, because of their alleged demoralizing tendencies there can be no reason why the same authority should not extend to such plays as the one on the boards at the museum on Fulton street. "I have not seen this play," he adds, "and possibly its presentation may not fulfill the promises set forth on the bill boards, but the crimes of the Whitechapel assassin can hardly be made the basis of a drama which is calculated to do the community much good. One can stand the ordinary border drama, which generally forms the attraction at cheap places of amusement, and the presumption is that plays of that pattern meet the demands of their patrons. I cannot conceive, however, that we have any number of fairly intelligent citizens who desire to have the most horrible crimes of the London slums set before them, even in a modified form, for an evening's entertainment. It is fair to presume that in presenting a play of this kind the management does not expect to appeal to any but the baser passions of their audiences, and it seems to me that any play of a character which is suggested by the grotesquely horrible bill boards that attract attention to the one I am speaking of might be prohibited with even more justice than expositions of the manly art. Let us have clean drama if we can, melodrama if we must, but under all circumstances no criminal drama."
If the correspondent had seen the play he would have realized its inefficacy for doing harm. It is so bad that its one murder scene was laughed at even by the undiscriminating gallery. It does not encourage crime, because the murderer is jailed and hanged. The pictorial posters are repellant, no doubt, but they do not illustrate the play at all, having been engraved for "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Slugging matches are supposed to be brutalizing because the injuries inflicted are not mere make-believe, as in plays, but are actual hurts that have often resulted in lasting disfigurement and even death. No play could succeed that avowedly taught an evil lesson, and the demand for a "right ending" is so general that some of the best written plays have failed because villainy was inadequately punished or the hero and heroine were not made sufficiently happy in the last act. Even in "Jack, the Ripper," which is the play alluded to by the correspondent, a measure of precaution is taken against offending the better sense of the populace by making the murderer fulfill what appears to him a sort of moral obligation, and by averting sympathy from the murdered woman, who is shown as a coarse and drunken creature whose disappearance is a gain to the community. The performance, however, is too inferior, and is too lightly regarded by habitues of ten cent theaters, to make it supposable that any result, good or bad, will come of it. The degrading effect of such dramas is esthetic, not moral. All the plays in the country do not work the harm that is done by papers circulated in the interest of "sporting" and criminal classes, where the achievements of robbers, sneaks and assassins are chronicled, their bravery and cleverness extolled, their portraits published and everything done to coddle them into a belief that they are great and important people. The pictures in such papers are obscene in suggestion, and nefarious and immoral schemes are worked through their advertisements. So long as such publications are tolerated the law should let the stage alone, for, at its worst, the purpose of the drama is only to amuse. It is a grave question if law-making is not carried to needless extremes, and if the people will be allowed a healthful range of liberty in case there is not a wholesale disregard or revocation of many of the performances of our legislators. When lawmakers, drawing $12 or $15 a day, take up the public time by passing bills to prohibit men and women from feeding sparrows, to persuade them to clean the side streets of our cities, to encourage them to climb trees and look for beehives, the scope of law making would seem to be wider than need be. Trifling, foolish as many stage performances are it would be best to think twice before putting legal restrictions on them. Bad shows are adequately punished by public disregard.

A dramatic paper precedes its announcement of Marlande Clarke's performance of "Jack, the Ripper," in Brooklyn with a scream for the police.

Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Sunday January 13, 1889, Page 11

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Image Title: Florence Gerald
Source: Billy Rose Theatre Collection photograph file/Personalities/G/Florence Gerald
Location: The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts/ Billy Rose Theatre Division
Catalog Call Number: *T PHO A
Digital ID: TH-15472
Record ID: 520098

A PRESENTATION TO AN ACTOR.

Mr. Marlande Clarke was presented with a cane last night on the stage at the Standard Museum, by Mr. P. Kenney, of Kenney & Murphy, the bill posters. Mr. Clarke said that the gift was particularly gratifying to him, coming as it did from an Irishman to an Englishman. The cane is very odd in appearance, being made of holly and the handle which is silver, is made to represent a branch of the same tree. A small dagger, silver mounted, was also presented by Mr. Kenney, as a symbol of the play Mr. Clarke appears in.

Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Friday January 11, 1889

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Source: The New York Clipper, Theatrical Chronology For 1889