OCR Text |
Show YOUNG ACTOR'S GREAT SUCCESS. Boy Electrified Theater-Goers Nearly 100 Years Ago. Ono of tho strangest figures of tho British stage was "Young Roscius." His other name was William Henry West Betty. Ho lived until Aug. 24, 1874, although ho mado his last stage appearance on Aug. 9, 1824, at tho ago of 32. Theatrical history has no parallel paral-lel to his childhood. It was this little Irish boy who, after seeing Mrs. Sid-dons, Sid-dons, had declared that he must dio If ho did not become an actor. Ho too!; Belfast by storm in 1803, when not qulto 12, and nearly stifled scores of Londoners on Dec. 1, 1804. Footguards and officers were overpowered by tho crowd and gentlemen charged through tho boxes and jumped by twenties Into the "pit" for places. Master Betty brought $80,050 to Drury Lano In twenty-eight nights. William Pitt adjourned ad-journed tho house- of commons to let tho members seo him as Hamlet, and his boom lasted until 1808. His adult return to tho stage was brief and a fallura. |