Richard Mansfield

[Esther Wilson]

So
What has Robbie Coltraine in Cracker got to do with JTR?

If that is correct???????

I can only make a guess and say Godley?? I know it's a horrible answer, I was originally thinking The Ten Bells lol.

Esther

[cats meat man]

Hi Anna
Robbie Coltrane is the answer.He played Inspector Godley in From Hell and was also the voice of Mr Hyde in the film Van Helsing and Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde is featured in the Jack The Ripper series with Michael Caine.As he might say,'Not a lot of people know that'The scene in Van Helsing plays on the idea that Mr Hyde has fled London to Paris and Van Helsing picks up a big cigar next to his latest victim before spotting him climbing up and into the cathedral.
All the best
Rob

[anna]

Blimey...I got it right...that's a first.

Nearly time for beddy byes too.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

ANNA.

[Normy]

Scarey!

[Khanada]

Oh, what a NEAT old photograph!! What a keeper!

(Seriously, I love it.)

[Mayerling]

Hi Esther,

The story goes that Mansfield's portrayal of 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' at The Lyceum Theatre was so realistic that it had audiences fainting as they watched it....

Apparently the Ripper Crimes so affected the ticket-buying classes of the day that they considered Mansfield's performances as actively encouraging murder on the streets of the East End, and stopped going. There was some silly talk that Mansfield himself actively purchased the services of East End prostitutes. At any rate, his show folded and he lost loads of £££'s.

He was an American actor and promoter of some merit. I think I read somewhere that he cut his losses and went back to the USA, the wiser and poorer.

Cheers,

Graham

Hi Graham,

In his later years, as an established American stage star, Mansfield appeared as a promoter of the works of George Bernard Shaw. In fact he was the original "Dick Dudgeon" in THE DEVIL'S DESCIPLE. The story there is rather macabre. Shaw had approached an English stage star, William Terriss, to play the lead in that play. But Terriss (who showed great interest in the play and role) was stabbed to death by an insane actor Richard Archer Prince outside the street door of the Adelphi Theater in London (Archer would be found guilty but insane, and sent to Broadmoor). Shaw then approached Mansfield, who played the world premiere in New York City.
This happened in 1897.

Jeff

[Graham]

Hi Graham,

In his later years, as an established American stage star, Mansfield appeared as a promoter of the works of George Bernard Shaw. In fact he was the original "Dick Dudgeon" in THE DEVIL'S DESCIPLE. The story there is rather macabre. Shaw had approached an English stage star, William Terriss, to play the lead in that play. But Terriss (who showed great interest in the play and role) was stabbed to death by an insane actor Richard Archer Prince outside the street door of the Adelphi Theater in London (Archer would be found guilty but insane, and sent to Broadmoor). Shaw then approached Mansfield, who played the world premiere in New York City.
This happened in 1897.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

He also starred with Sir Henry Irving's company at The Lyceum. There's a Gilbertian connection, too - he starred in a play called 'One Of The Best' written by Seymour Hicks at the suggestion of W S Gilbert.

Finally, the ghost of Terriss was (supposedly) seen for many years in and around Covent Garden underground station....

Cheers,

Graham

[Esther Wilson]

Scarey!

Wow, that is a neat picture. I've never seen it before..thanks for sharing it with us.

Esther

[halomanuk]

[http://pro.corbis.com/images/IH01540...95AB0300E09%7D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Richard_Mansfield_Jekyll.png

I did a long piece on Richard Mansfield before the forum crash but always found him a fascinating character,playing one of the worst roles you could play (but with great success considering) but doing a great job ..

[jsantos]

Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde actors

http://www.classichorror.free-online.co.uk/mansfield.htm

[Archaic]

Richard Mansfield At Tombstone's 'Bird-Cage Theater'

Hi, everyone.
I was just on vacation in Arizona & went to the old Western town of Tombstone, which is famous for the Gunfight at the OK Corral, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Boothill Cemetery, Silver Mines, etc.

I visited the notorious Bird-Cage Theater, a bizarre little place like a ramshackle saloon. It was built in 1888 as an expensive Brothel/Theater/Gambler's Den and when the local Silver Rush ended they just boarded the place up & left it untouched for decades, so it is still full of many of its original artifacts. There are about a dozen very small semi-enclosed rooms mounted high on the walls; a simple Western version of theater-boxes. But they had a special purpose- that's where the "Soiled Doves" entertained their clients while (supposedly) watching the stage-show. Those little theater-boxes were called "Bird-Cages", hence the name. It cost $1,000 an evening in 1888 to rent one! (I think I remember being told that's $70,000 today- it was a VERY expensive place despite its very simple frontier-style interior.

I was in the area directly behind the stage, looking closely at all the old photographs and posters on the wall, when I was quite startled to see the face of Richard Mansfield looking back at me- I almost jumped! It didn't help that it was life-size and the place is reputed to be haunted.

It turns out that Mansfield played at Tombstone's Bird-Cage Theater, which really surprised me.

There are still over 140 bullet-holes in the walls & ceiling of the Bird-Cage due to the raucous audiences composed of cowboys & silver-miners, and several people are known to have been shot to death there, so I never would have expected an actor of Mansfield's caliber to have played there. (Oops, unintentional pun there ) I think I took a photo of his picture; I'll try to find it & post it for you.

I was even more surprised to see photos of Lily Langtry and learn that she had played there, too; I recognized her beautiful face immediately.

The Bird-Cage is considered to be intensely haunted. The stage and back-stage area where those pictures are hung is supposed to be the area of most concentrated paranormal 'activity'. Given its exciting and violent history, if any place is truly haunted this would be it.

It was fascinating to visit; I'd love to go back and spend more time there. If you want to see a depiction of a stage performance night at the Bird-Cage Theater, there's a wild scene in the Val Kilmer movie 'Tombstone', which is on YouTube.

Best regards, Archaic

[perrymason]

Why has no-one used that carte visite to adorn a Ripper book??....what a great image and so easily transportable to the Ripper crimes.

The evil beast lurking within the calm groomed exterior.

Best regards and thanks for that image!!

[c.d.]

Hi Archaic,

I remember that "Ghost Hunters" conducted an investigation at the Bird Cage Theater and had some interesting findings.

c.d.

[Observer]

Hi Archaic

Here is a photograph of one of the London houses that Lily Langtry lived in, 8 Wilton Place Knightsbridge to be precise. The house has a slight link to the East End, exactly opposite stood Esmeraldas barn, a nightclub once owned by the Kray Twins, the club no longer exists.




all the best

Observer

[Archaic]

Bird-Cage Theater: Mansfield & Langtry

Hi, guys.
CD, I saw that Ghost-Hunters episode after I got home from Arizona; wish I'd seen it before I went!
Ghost Adventures did one too & either truly scared the heck out of themselves or they were really hamming it up for the camera.
The lead guy- is it Josh?- was attracted to the large photos of Lily Langtry & thought she was very beautiful...He sort of talked to the picture and said something like "Are YOU the one haunting this place, Beautiful Lady?" which made me laugh...

I'll bet Lily found herself a much more fashionable and luxurious spiritual abode than a dusty Tombstone, Arizona whore-house! lol
By the way, that Ghost Adventures Bird-Cage Theater episode is on You-Tube.

Thanks for that photo of her house, Observer. I still have to dig around for my Mansfield photo. Believe I have one of Lily from there too.

I was thinking of starting a thread in Pub Talk on the Bird-Cage, because it's quite an interesting place with a lot of diverse history attached to it, including famous gun-slinging murderers & C.1888 prostitutes... What do you guys think? Any interest?

Cheers, Archaic