John Sleeper Clarke

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John Sleeper Clarke (September 3, 1833-September 24, 1899), 19th century American comedian and actor, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was educated for the law. In his boyhood he was a schoolmate of Edwin Booth who was born in the same year as he, and with whom he engaged in amateur dramatic readings as members of the Baltimore Thespian Club. {1} {2}

He made his first appearance in Boston as Frank Hardy in Paul Pry in 1851, at the Howard Athenæum. The next year he went to Philadelphia. Clarke's first appearance in New York was made at the Metropolitan Theatre, - afterward called the Winter Garden, - on May 15, 1855, as Dickory, in "The Spectre Bridegroom", but it was not until he became again, in 1861-'62, to the same theatre that he made a conspicuous mark. In 1859 he became part of the Booth family when he married Asia Booth, daughter of Junius Brutus Booth, and eldest sister of John Wilkes Booth. Clarke was associated with his brother-in-law Edwin Booth in the management of the Winter Garden theatre in New York, the Walnut Street theatre in Philadelphia and the Boston theatre.

  • Following the assassination of US president Abraham Lincoln, Clarke came into the possession of two letters, from his wife, written by his brother-in-law, John Wilkes Booth. He turned them over to the Philadelphia Inquirer who printed one of the two letters. His actions lead to his arrest and imprisonment in the Capitol Prison in Washington D.C. for a month. Once released, he notified his pregnant wife that they must divorce. He wanted to distance himself professionally from the name of Booth. Eventually they stayed married and she bore him twin boys, Creston and Wilfred who became actors, in August 1865. Although still married, they were married in name only as Clarke sought the life of a bachelor, "..He lives a free going bachelor life and does what he likes.." wrote Asia to her brother Edwin. His wife Asia died 16 May 1888, age 52.
  • In 1867 he went to London, where he made his first appearance at the St. James's as Major Wellington de Boots in Stirling Coynes's Everybody's Friend, rewritten for him and called The Widow's Hunt. His success was so great that he remained in England for the rest of his life, except for four visits to America. He died suddenly, in London, in his sixty-seventh year. {3}
  • Among his favourite parts were Toodles, which ran for 200 nights at the Strand, Dr. Pangloss in The Heir-at-law, and Dr. Ollapod in The Poor Gentleman. At the beginning of his career Clarke wished to play tragedy, but he soon discovered his true bent, and throughout life he was faithful to the Comic Muse, and by her he was abundantly rewarded. {4} He managed several London theatres, including the Haymarket, where he preceded the Bancrofts. He retired in 1889. His two sons also were actors.

[edit] Publications

  • Bell, in Matthews and Hutton, Actors and Actresses of Great Britain and the United States, volume ii (New York, 1886)
  • Clapp and Edgett, Players of the Present (New York, 1899)

[edit] References

[edit] See also