Biographical Sketch of Mr. Robertson

Johnston Forbes-Robertson was born in London in 1853, the eldest son of John Forbes-Robertson, the art historian and critic. He was educated as a painter, and after receiving his elementary training at the Charterhouse School he studied at Rouen in France, and was admitted a student at the Royal Academy in 1870.

His success in amateur theatricals led to his going on the stage, and he made his first appearance in 1874 as Chastelard in "Mary Stuart" at the Princess Theatre. In the same year he made an early start in Shakesperian drama as Fenton in the "Merry Wives of Windsor." Soon came a notable event, the production of "Dan't Druce," in which the young actor made a pronounced success in his love scenes with Miss Marion Terry. He showed an easy grip of character in "Duty," and in 1879 he played Sir Horace Welby in "Forget-Me-Not," with Miss Genevieve Ward, in a trying part acted with great finesse and spirit.

In 1880 Madame Modjeska was brought out by Mr. Barrett at the Court Theatre, and Mr. Forbes-Robertson was chosen in support her in the leading roles, among them. Armand Duval, Don Carlos, Leicester in "Mary Stuart," and Romeo in which "the modern English stage has not seen his equal." The year after he painted a splendid portrait of Madame Modjeska.

A period of light comedy followed: he took the part of Claude Glynne in "The Parveau" and Claudio in a revival of "Much Ado About Nothing," with Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. In 1883 he played the Earl of Caryl with great distinction in Pinero's "Lords and Commons. His Julian Beauclerc in "Diplomacy and his Sir Charles Pomander in "Masks and Faces" were admirable as character studies, and added greatly to his reputation.

He became Mary Anderson's leading man in 1886, and contributed to her fame, as Leontes in "The Winter's Tale," as the Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale in "The Scarlet Letter," and Orlando in "As You Like It."

Then came two roles which gave him a definite position in the front rank of English actors. He created the part of Dunstan Renshaw in Piner's "The Profligate," and fairly electrified the audience by the perfection of his acting. At the Garrick in 1890 as Baron Scarpia in "La Tosca," Mr. Robertson's grim, powerful and horribly fascinating performance came as a revelation to play-goers who had identified the actor with the sympathetic young lovers of Shakesperian and modern drama. After creating the part of Dennis Heron in Pinero's "Lady Bountiful," he gave a beautiful and memorable rendering of Buckingham in "Henry VIII," and was called before the curtain again and again with Mr. Irving and Miss Terry.

Mr. Robertson in 1895 went into management and produced "Romeo and Juliet" and "The School for Scandal" with Mrs. Patrick Campbell. At the Lyceum a year later when he played in his present part, he reached a reasonable ideal, and a distinguished critic and Shakesperian scholar exclaimed, "That man was born to play Hamlet." His company was taken to Germany, where the Emperor saw Macbeth and Hamlet, and received Mr. Robertson twice in the Imperial box. On his return "Macbeth" was given with an all-star cast.

Miss Gertrude Elliott, who plays Ophelia in the production this evening, became his leading lady in 1900, their repertoire including "Othello," "Hamlet," and "For the Crown." In December they were married. Miss Elliott created the role of the heroine in "Mice and Men," which ran for a year. After a revival of "Othello," "The Light That Failed" brings us down to the present year.