Thomas R. Eagleson (October 26, 1840 â€" June 1, 1898), better known
by the stage name Thomas Wallace Keene, was an American theatre actor
known for his Shakespearean roles which he performed throughout the
United States.Thomas R. Eagleson[a] was born in New York City, the son
of Charles and Agnes (Gamble) Eagleson. His father was employed on the
staff of the Courier and Enquirer and died when Thomas was a child. To
aid in the support of his family, Eagleson secured an engagement as a
supernumerary at New York's Bowery Theatre. He made his first
appearance on the stage as an actor in 1863-64, at Albany, with James
H. Hackett in King Henry IV, assuming the stage name Thomas Wallace
Keene. He was married, September 29, 1861, to Margaret A., daughter of
Ann and James Creighton. He served as a volunteer in the American
Civil War, 1861-65, and after its close joined a stock company in
Newark, New Jersey. He played juvenile parts with leading stars at
Wood's theatre. New York City, in 1867. He joined the stock company of
the National Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio, and traveled through the west
taking the parts of Macbeth, Hamlet and Richard III, 1869. He played
burlesque and melodramatic parts at Wood's Museum, New York city,
1870-74. Between engagements at Wood's Museum in 1870 he made his
debut in London, England, in the leading role of Across the Continent,
and after a tour of the provinces he returned to Wood's Museum and
appeared as Joe Morgan in Ten Nights in a Bar-Room. He supported E. L.
Davenport, Charlotte Cushman and Clara Morris, and in 1875 was leading
man to John McCullough in California. In 1876 when Edwin Booth played
an engagement there Keene alternated the roles of Iago and Othello
with Booth, and Cassius, Brutus and Mark Antony with Booth and
McCullough, and played Iago to McCullough's Othello and Macduff to his
Macbeth. He was sent east with a part of the California stock company
to play "Microscope" in Jules Verne's A Trip to the Moon in 1877 and
in 1878 went to Ford's Grand Opera House, Baltimore, and starred
through the south in Shakespearean plays. He was engaged by Eugene
Tompkins of the Boston Theatre, in 1879, and made a sensation by his
acting of Couplan the drunkard in Zola's Drink and also played the
leading roles in a number of Shakespearean plays. He starred under the
management of William R. Hayden for eight successive seasons (1880-88)
in a repertory of Shakespeare's plays. In style he was essentially
melodramatic. A paralytic shock rendered him speechless in 1886, but
electrical treatment enabled him to resume his profession. His last
appearance was in the character of Richelieu at Hamilton, Ontario, May
23, 1898. He resided in Castleton Corners, Staten Island, for the last
16 years of his life, amassing of library of some 2,600 books as well
as costumes, autographs, and other theatre memorabilia. He died at New
Brighton, Staten Island, New York, on June 1, 1898, and was buried in
Fairview Cemetery, Castleton Corners. His daughter Agnes was married
to the actor Edwin Arden.
by the stage name Thomas Wallace Keene, was an American theatre actor
known for his Shakespearean roles which he performed throughout the
United States.Thomas R. Eagleson[a] was born in New York City, the son
of Charles and Agnes (Gamble) Eagleson. His father was employed on the
staff of the Courier and Enquirer and died when Thomas was a child. To
aid in the support of his family, Eagleson secured an engagement as a
supernumerary at New York's Bowery Theatre. He made his first
appearance on the stage as an actor in 1863-64, at Albany, with James
H. Hackett in King Henry IV, assuming the stage name Thomas Wallace
Keene. He was married, September 29, 1861, to Margaret A., daughter of
Ann and James Creighton. He served as a volunteer in the American
Civil War, 1861-65, and after its close joined a stock company in
Newark, New Jersey. He played juvenile parts with leading stars at
Wood's theatre. New York City, in 1867. He joined the stock company of
the National Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio, and traveled through the west
taking the parts of Macbeth, Hamlet and Richard III, 1869. He played
burlesque and melodramatic parts at Wood's Museum, New York city,
1870-74. Between engagements at Wood's Museum in 1870 he made his
debut in London, England, in the leading role of Across the Continent,
and after a tour of the provinces he returned to Wood's Museum and
appeared as Joe Morgan in Ten Nights in a Bar-Room. He supported E. L.
Davenport, Charlotte Cushman and Clara Morris, and in 1875 was leading
man to John McCullough in California. In 1876 when Edwin Booth played
an engagement there Keene alternated the roles of Iago and Othello
with Booth, and Cassius, Brutus and Mark Antony with Booth and
McCullough, and played Iago to McCullough's Othello and Macduff to his
Macbeth. He was sent east with a part of the California stock company
to play "Microscope" in Jules Verne's A Trip to the Moon in 1877 and
in 1878 went to Ford's Grand Opera House, Baltimore, and starred
through the south in Shakespearean plays. He was engaged by Eugene
Tompkins of the Boston Theatre, in 1879, and made a sensation by his
acting of Couplan the drunkard in Zola's Drink and also played the
leading roles in a number of Shakespearean plays. He starred under the
management of William R. Hayden for eight successive seasons (1880-88)
in a repertory of Shakespeare's plays. In style he was essentially
melodramatic. A paralytic shock rendered him speechless in 1886, but
electrical treatment enabled him to resume his profession. His last
appearance was in the character of Richelieu at Hamilton, Ontario, May
23, 1898. He resided in Castleton Corners, Staten Island, for the last
16 years of his life, amassing of library of some 2,600 books as well
as costumes, autographs, and other theatre memorabilia. He died at New
Brighton, Staten Island, New York, on June 1, 1898, and was buried in
Fairview Cemetery, Castleton Corners. His daughter Agnes was married
to the actor Edwin Arden.
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