Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 59.djvu/124

 As a child James William was on the stage with other members of his father's family, at the Royal Circus, now the Surrey Theatre, in 1798, in the pantomime, and in 1804 he played as ‘a young Roscius’ at the German Theatre in Leicester Square, subsequently known as Dibdin's Sans Souci. Sheridan is said to have recommended him to Drury Lane, where his name as Master James Wallack appears in 1807 to Negro Boy in the pantomime of ‘Furibond, or Harlequin Negro.’ On 10 Nov. 1808 he was, as Master Wallack, the first Egbert in Hooks's ‘Siege of St. Quintin.’ He then went for three years to Dublin, and on 10 Oct. 1812 he was, at the newly erected buildings at Drury Lane, Laertes to Elliston's Hamlet. His name appears the following season to Charles Stanley in ‘A Cure for the Heartache,’ Cleveland in the ‘School for Authors,’ Sidney in ‘Man of the World,’ Dorewky, a chief of robbers, an original part in Brown's ‘Narensky, or the Road to Yaroslaf,’ and he was the first Kaunitz in Arnold's ‘Woodman's Hut.’ As Edward Lacey in ‘Riches,’ he supported Kean in his first engagement. He was the first Theodore in Arnold's ‘Jean de Paris’ on 1 Nov. 1814, and Alwyn in Mrs. Wilmot's ‘Ina’ on 22 April 1815, and played Malcolm in ‘Macbeth,’ Altamont in the ‘Fair Penitent,’ Plastic in ‘Town and Country,’ Aumerle in ‘Richard II,’ Captain Woodville in the ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ Frederick in the ‘Jew,’ and Bertrand in the ‘Foundling of the Forest,’ in many of these parts supporting Kean. He was on 20 May the original Maclean in Joanna Baillie's ‘Family Legend,’ and played other original parts of little interest. While remaining at Drury Lane he was seen as Colonel Lambert in the ‘Hypocrite,’ Anhalt in ‘Lovers' Vows,’ Axalla in ‘Tamerlane,’ Loveless in ‘Trip to Scarborough,’ Tiberio in the ‘Duke of Milan,’ Wellbred in ‘Every Man in his Humour,’ Joseph in ‘School for Scandal,’ Captain Absolute, Norfolk in ‘Richard III,’ Alcibiades in ‘Timon of Athens,’ Iago, Lovewell in ‘Clandestine Marriage,’ Rugantino, Young Clifford in ‘Richard, Duke of York, or the Contention between York and Lancaster,’ compiled from the three parts of ‘Henry VI,’ Don Lodowick in Penley's alteration of Marlowe's ‘Jew of Malta,’ Faulconbridge, Lysimachus in ‘Alexander the Great,’ and other parts. During his engagement, which seems to have finished in 1818, he played, among many other original characters, Sedgemore in Tobin's ‘Guardians,’ 5 Nov. 1816; Torrismond in Maturin's ‘Manuel,’ 8 March 1817; Richard in Soane's ‘Innkeeper's Daughter,’ founded on ‘Mary, the Maid of the Inn,’ 7 April, and Dougal in Soane's ‘Rob Roy the Gregarach,’ 23 March 1818. His chief success was as Wilford in the ‘Iron Chest.’ He also gave imitations.

Wallack's début on the American stage was made on 7 Sept. 1818 at the Park Theatre, New York, as Macbeth. He was seen in many important parts, and returned to London, reopening at Drury Lane on 20 Nov. 1820 as Hamlet. He played Brutus in Payne's ‘Brutus, or the Fall of Tarquin,’ and in ‘Julius Cæsar;’ Rolla in ‘Pizarro,’ in which he established his reputation; Coriolanus Montalto, an original part in ‘Montalto,’ 8 Jan. 1821; Richard III; Israel Bertuccio at the first production of Byron's ‘Marino Faliero,’ 25 April; Artaxerxes, and Shylock ‘after the manner of Kean’ in the trial scene from the ‘Merchant of Venice.’ He was seen also in one or two original parts. In June 1821 he incurred some resentment on the part of the audience on account of alleged disrespect to Queen Caroline. His reception, except as Rolla, was cold, and he returned to America. Through an accident to a stage-coach he sustained a compound fracture of the leg, which laid him up for eighteen months and impaired his figure. Reappearing in New York in 1822, he played on crutches Captain Bertram, an old sailor, in Dibdin's ‘Birthday,’ then, as Dick Dashall, dispensed with their aid. On 14 July 1823 he was, at the English Opera House (Lyceum), Roderick Dhu in the ‘Knight of Snowdon;’ on the 28th he was the Student in ‘Presumption, or the Fate of Frankenstein.’ As Falkland in the ‘Rivals’ he reappeared at Drury Lane in the autumn of 1823 with the added duties of stage-manager, a post he retained for many years. He supported Macready and Kean in many parts, and played others, including Icilius, Ghost in ‘Hamlet,’ Macduff, Florizel, Hastings in ‘Jane Shore,’ Ford, Edgar, Charalois in Massinger's ‘Fatal Dowry,’ Henri Quatre, Valentine in ‘Love for Love,’ Romeo, Charles Surface, Rob Roy, Mortimer, Don Felix in the ‘Wonder,’ Young Norval, Petruchio, and Doricourt. He was the original Earl of Leicester in ‘Kenilworth,’ 5 Jan. 1824; Count Manfred in ‘Massaniello,’ 17 Feb. 1825; Richard Cœur de Lion in ‘Knights of the Cross,’ an adaptation of the ‘Talisman,’ Alessandro Massaroni in the ‘Brigand,’ adapted by Planché from ‘Scribe,’ 18 Nov. 1829; and Martin Heywood in Jerrold's ‘Rent Day,’ 25 Jan. 1832.

In 1832 Wallack went once more to America, and in 1837 was manager of the National Theatre, New York. On 31 Aug. 1840 he