Wilton Lackaye

Wilton Lackaye (September 30, 1862 – August 22, 1932) was an American stage and film actor, who originated the role of Svengali (from the 1895 novel Trilby) in both stage and film.

Wilton Lackaye
Theatre Magazine, 1908
Born
William Andrew Lackey

(1862-09-30)September 30, 1862
Loudoun County, Virginia
DiedAugust 22, 1932(1932-08-22) (aged 69)
New York City, New York
Years active1883–1925
Spouse(s)Annie Lewis (died 1896)
Alice Evans (1 child)
Katherine Alberta Riley
Children1

Early life

William Andrew Lackey[1] was born in Loudoun County, Virginia the son of James Lackey and his wife Margaret Bagnam.[2][3][4] He attended Georgetown University[5] and Ottawa College, initially planning to be a priest.[6] As an amateur, he acted with the Lawrence Barrett Club of Washington.[7]

Career

Lackaye's professional acting debut occurred in 1883 when he portrayed Lucentio in Francesca da Rimini at the Star Theatre in New York.[5] That summer he performed with a stock company in Dayton, after which he worked with the Carrie Swain Company.[7]

He created the role of Svengali in the play Trilby in 1895 which he played on screen in 1915 opposite Clara Kimball Young.[8] His film debut came in The Pit (1914).[9]

Lackaye toured in vaudeville during World War I, performing in the one-act plays Quits and The Bomb.[9]

Personal life

He married three times: first to actress Annie Lewis,[10][11] second to Alice Evans and lastly to Katherine Alberta Riley. He had a son Wilton Lackaye Jr. with Alice Evans.

He had two siblings in show business: James Lackaye Jr. and Helen Lackaye.[8][12]

Death

Lackaye died of an acute heart attack at age 69 at his home in New York City.[5] His funeral was held in St. Malachy's Roman Catholic Church, and he was buried in Calvary Cemetery.[13]

Filmography

References
  1. Room, Adrian - Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 2010 pg. 270 accessed June 27, 2012
  2. William Lackey, Washington, D.C., 1870-1880 US Census Records, Ancestry.com
  3. Who Was Who in the Theatre 1912-1976, vol.3 I-P page 1395, originally published annually by John Parker, 1976 edition published by Gale Research
  4. Note: 1870 and 1880 US census records and Ontario marriage record placed Lackaye's birthplace as Washington D.C.
  5. "Wilton Lackaye, Noted Actor Dies", The New York Times; August 22, 1932; pg. 15
  6. The Players Blue Book. Sutherland & Storms. 1901. pp. 80–81. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  7. "Wilton Lackaye". The Opera Glass. 3 (9): 148–150. September 1896. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  8. "Biography Wilton Lackaye". allmovie.com. Rovi Corp. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  9. Liebman, Roy (2017). Broadway Actors in Films, 1894-2015. McFarland. pp. 149–150. ISBN 978-1-4766-2615-4. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  10. Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928 about William Lackey - Name: William Lackey - Birth Place: Washington DC US - Age: 25 - Estimated Birth Year: abt 1861 - Father Name: James Lackey - Mother Name: Margaret Lackey - Spouse Name: Annie B Lewis - Spouse's Age: 17 - Spouse Birth Place: Washington D C - Spouse Father Name: Charles E Lewis - Spouse Mother Name: Amelia Lewis -Marriage Date: 22 Dec 1886 - Marriage County or District: Essex -Ancestry. com
  11. National Police Gazette; January 12, 1889; pg. 2; col. 4; Fulton History accessed June 27, 2012
  12. "Wilton Lackaye". IBDb.com. The Broadway League. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  13. "Throng mourns Wilton Lackaye". The New York Times. August 25, 1932. p. 19. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
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