Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/540

 of importance in which he appeared at the Gaiety was Burnand's farcical comedy 'Artful Cards' (24 Feb. 1877), in which, as Mr. Spicer Rumford, his humour had full scope.

Taking the Globe for a season, Toole produced there on 17 Dec. 1877 his own farcical sketch ' Trying a Magistrate,' and exactly a month later he originated the congenial role of Charles Liquorpond, the retired footman, in Byron's successful comedy 'A Fool and his Money.' At the end of 1879 Toole leased for a term ultimately extending to sixteen years the Folly (formerly the Charing Cross) Theatre, a little house in King William Street, Strand. He inaugurated his management on 17 Nov. 1879 with 'A Fool and his Money' and 'Ici on parle Français.' At the Folly, where he main- tained a small permanent stock company, some members of which, such as John Billington and Eliza Johnstone, remained with him for years, he mainly relied on farcical comedies or burlesques by Byron or Reece. His production of Byron's comedy 'The Upper Crust' on 31 March 1880, with himself as Barnaby Doublechick, the soap-boiler, proved remarkably successful. Early in 1882 he took the Folly on a long lease, and re-opened it as Toole's Theatre on 16 Feb., when he was seen as Paul Pry. After producing Law and Grossmith's musical farce 'Mr. Gufiin's Elopement,' at the Alexandra, Liverpool, on 29 Sept., with himself as Benjamin Guffin, he transferred it to Toole's on 7 Oct., and was very successful in his singing of 'The Speaker's Eye.' At the close of the month he originated Solomon Protheroe, the village cobbler-pedagogue in Pinero's unconventional comedy 'Girls and Boys' ; but the play was puzzling and proved a failure. Subsequently he brought out from time to time several travesties of popular plays by Burnand, himself amusingly caricaturing Charles Coghlan as Loris Ipanoff in 'Stage Dora' (26 May 1883), Wilson Barrett as Claudian in 'Paw Clawdian' (14 Feb. 1884), and Irving as Mephistopheles in 'Faust and Loose' (4 Feb. 1886).

On 24 Nov. 1886 Toole produced at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Merivale's domestic comedy 'The Butler,' in which he was admirably fitted as David Trot. On its transference to Toole's on 6 Dec. the new piece proved very successful. Of equal popularity was the same authors' comedy 'The Don,' as produced at the King WUham Street house on 7 March 1888, with Toole as Mr. Milliken, M.A.

Domestic distress caused his retirement during 1888 and 1889. In Feb. 1890, shortly after his return to the stage, he accepted an offer to visit Australia, where he was warmly welcomed and remained longer than he had intended. He reappeared at Toole's on 23 April 1891 in ’The Upper Crust.' On 30 May he appeared as Ibsen, wonderfully made up, in J. M. Barrie's sketch ' Ibsen's Ghost ; or Toole up to Date.' The most noteworthy production of his declining years was Barrie's comedy 'Walker, London,' brought out at Toole's on 25 Feb. 1892 with himself as Jasper Phipps, the fugitive bridegroom and barber. Gout now began to make serious inroads on his health, and from this time onwards his acting became a painful spectacle. On 28 Sept. 1895 his lease of the theatre expired and his London career ended. The theatre was pulled down at the end of the year to afford extension to Charing Cross Hospital. For a few months Toole lagged superfluous on the provincial stage, making his last appearance at the Theatre Royal, Rochdale, on 19 Dec. 1896, when he was seen as Caleb Plummer and Tom Cranky. Degeneration of the spinal cord soon rendered Toole a helpless invalid. Retiring, to Brighton, he died there on 30 July 1906. He was buried in Kensal Green cemetery beside his wife and children, who all predeceased him. Toole's later life was marked by severe domestic distresses. He married in 1854 Susan Kaslake, a young widow unconnected with the stage, with whom he lived very happily, and who almost invariably accompanied him while on tour. By her he had a son and a daughter. On 4 Dec. 1879 the son, Frank Lawrence Toole, died, aged 23. The daughter, Florence, died on 5 Nov. 1888, and his wife a few months later.

He left a fortune of 79,964l. By his will he made numerous legacies to friends and to charities. In 1889 there was published his 'Reminiscences,' which were compiled by Joseph Hatton [q.v. Suppl. II].

Toole's eccentric drollery was the outward expression of a frolicsome, boyish, sunny nature, which otherwise manifested itseK in ebullitions of practical joking, wholly void of offence. Simple in his tastes and domestic in his habits, he was entirely lovable, never making an enemy or losing a friend. Although he was fundamentally an artist, with high personative qualities and considerable gifts of pathos, the preponderance of his work was of the laughter-making order. But his Caleb Plummer and Michael Gamer showed