Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/539

 per week. On 7 March 1864 he was the original policeman in Brough and Halliday's farce 'The Area Belle' to the soldier of his ally Paul Bedford. In this he first sang E. L. Blanchard's ditty 'A Norrible Tale.' For his annual benefit on 14 Sept. he produced Oxenford's adaptation of 'Le Père Goriot' entitled 'Stephen Digges,' which had been written specially to suit his capacity for serio-comic acting of the Robsonian order. After seeing this masterly performance Dickens wrote to Forster that Toole had shown ' a power of passion very imusual indeed in a comic actor, as such things go, and of a quite remarkable kind.' But the play proved unattractive and was not revived. On 26 June 1865 he originated with acceptance another semi-serious plebeian character, Joe Bright, in Walter Gordon's comedy-drama 'Through Fire and Water,' and surprised his audience in the opening act by a grimly realistic exhibition of drunken savagery. In the summer of 1866 he went on tour with Henry Irving.

On 25 Nov. 1867, after Toole's association with the Adelphi ended, he produced at the Alexandra, Liverpool, Byron's comedy 'Dearer than Life,' in which the character of Michael Gamer had been specially designed for his serio-comic capabilities. On its production in London at the Queen's Theatre, Long Acre, on 8 Jan. 1868, Toole was supported by a new cast, comprising Charles Wyndham, Henry Irving, Lionel Brough, and Henrietta Hodson, and the harmony of the acting concealed the defective construction of the play. Toole's mingled exhibition of grief, passion, and humour as the brave old man who could endure starvation with a pleasant face raised him higher in critical estimation. In association with Henry Irving, he subsequently fiilfilled an engagement of seven weeks at the Standard Theatre. After his usual autumn tour he returned to the Queen's, Long Acre, on 26 Dec, and on 13 Feb. 1869 originated Jack Snipe in Watts Phillips's drama Not GuUty.'

On 13 Dec. 1869 Toole began his long and varied association with the Gaiety under John Hollingshead [q. v. Suppl. II], by producing there Byron's drama 'Uncle Dick's Darling,' m which his half-pathetic, half-comic acting as Dick Dolland, the Cheap Jack, delighted Dickens. Seven nights later Toole played the title-character in Sala's new burlesque 'Wat Tyler, M.P.,' and was well supported by Nellie Farren [q. v. Suppl. II] and Marie Litton. In his autumn tours of 1869 and 1870 Toole was accompanied by Henry Irving, the two playing, inter alia, Jacques Strop and Robert Macaire, characters in which they were afterwards seen at the Lyceum on 15 June 1883. For some time from 16 April 1870 Toole had the Grtmaldian experience of acting nightly at two theatres. After appearing in 'Uncle Dick's Darling' at the Standard he finished the evening as Cabriolo in Offenbach's opera-bouffe 'The Princess of Trebizonde,' at the Gaiety. At the latter house in the following Christmas he contributed materially to the success of Alfred Thompson's opera-bouffe 'Aladdin II,' by his whimsicality as Ko-Kli-Ko. There also on 24 Jan. 1871 he appeared as Sergeant Buzfuz in Hollingsheeid's sketch 'Bardell v. Pickwick,' for the benefit of the Royal Dramatic College Fund. At Christmas he performed acceptably as Thespis in Gilbert and Sullivan's first extravaganza, 'Thespis, or the Gfods Grown Old.' In September 1872 he revelled in the title-character of Recce's burlesque 'Ali Baba.' Burlesque chiefly occupied him at the Gaiety, but he was seen there in Laston's character of Billy Lackaday in 'Sweethearts and Wives' (3 April 1873), as Mawworm in 'The Hypocrite' to Phelps's Doctor Cantwell (15 Dec), as Dennis Bnilgruddery in 'John Bull ' to Charles Mathews's Hon. Tom Shuffleton (21 Dec), and as Bob Acres in association with Phelps and Mathews (14 Feb. 1874). His salary at the Gaiety at this period was 100l. per week.

On 6 April 1874 Toole opened the Globe Theatre for ten weeks, first producing there Albery's new domestic drama 'Wig and Gown,' in which he originated the extravagant character of Hammond Coote the barrister. After being banqueted at Willis's Rooms by a distinguished gathering under the presidency of Lord Rosebery on 24 June, Toole sailed for a first and last visit to America, accompanied by his wife and family and four supporting players. On 17 August he made his first appearance at WaUack's Theatre, New York, acting in 'Wig and Gown' and 'The Spitalfields Weaver.' The American public gave him a lukewarm reception, and condemned his humour as Cockneyfied. Returning to London after a year's absence, he reappeared at the Gaiety on 8 Nov. 1875, and on 3 Dec. was seen there in Recce's absurdity 'Toole at Sea.' He subsequently originated the title-character in Byron's comic drama of 'Tottles,' and created Professor Muddle in Recce's 'A Spelling Bee, or the Battle of the Dictionaries,' in which he sang 'The Two Obadiahs.' The last new production