William Courtleigh

William Louis Courtleigh (1867 or 1869 – 1930) was an American stage and film actor who appeared in Broadway productions, vaudeville theatre, and silent films

William Courtleigh

Courtleigh was born June 28 1867 or 1969 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada to Stephen and Elizabeth (Phelan) Courtleigh.[1] At the age of three his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was raised and educated. While studying law at Washington University he became a member of the St. Louis based McCullough Club, an amateur dramatic organization, and attracted attention as an amateur actor.

He made his first appearance on the stage in 1889, in Brother and Sister, under the management of John Dillon. After a season with Dillon's company, he joined the company of Fanny Davenport and played the roles of Jean de Sereux in Fedora, and Thyseno in Cleopatra. He also had an important part in La Tosca, and it was in Davenport's company that he first appeared on Broadway, New York.[2]

His next engagement was with Augustin Daly's stock company, appearing with that organization in The Taming of the Shrew and The Foresters with Ada Rehan. He succeeded Robert Hilliard as the hero of Blue Jeans, played the leading role in In Old Kentucky, and was leading man for Helen Dauvray in "That Sister of His" in succession, and then played in the principal role in The District Attorney.[2]

With the company of Margaret Mather and E. J. Henley he played Posthumus in Cymbeline, Romeo to Mather's Juliet, Rudolph in Leah, and Orlando in As You Like It. After appearing in the title role in The Man of Honor, he was engaged by Daniel Frohman for the Lyceum Theatre Stock Company. He first appeared at the Lyceum in The Princess and the Butterfly, and when James K. Hackett became ill Courtleigh took his place in the leading role. In the summers of 1904 and 1905 he headed stock companies in Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. In 1906, after being featured in the unsuccessful The Redemption of David Corson and playing Charles Hawtrey's part in The Lucky Miss Dean, he went into vaudeville with R. C. MacCulloch's one-act play, The Third Degree, in which Courtleigh played eight different roles. In the season of 1907-1908 he played Peaches, by George V. Hobart, in vaudeville.[2]

Courtleigh married stage actress Helen Cross on March 17, 1890.[1] and they had a son, William Courtleigh Jr., who also became an actor. Cross died in January 1908[3] On May 12, 1912, he married actress Edna Conroy, and they had four sons together, of which Stephen and Robert became actors as well.[1][4]

Courtleigh was a member of The Lambs theatrical social club, and served in an executive capacity as Shepherd of the Lambs from 1913 to 1917, succeeding Joseph R. Grismer.[5] He is credited with naming the Actors' Equity Association.

Courtleigh died at his home in Rye, New York, on December 27, 1930, after suffering from acute indigestion.[6]

References
  1. Who Was Who in America With World Notables. Wilmette, IL: Marquis. 1981. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-8379-0222-7.
  2. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain: Browne, Walter, ed. (1906). Who's Who on the Stage. New York: Walter Browne & F. A. Austin. pp. 59–60.
  3. "Mrs. William Courtleigh..." Democrat and Chronicle. January 26, 1908. p. 13.
  4. Gaswirth, Nick (6 November 2015). "Courtleigh, William, Jr". the-lambs.org. The Lambs. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  5. Hardee, Lewis J., Jr. The Lambs Theatre Club. McFarland & Company. pp. 111–113. ISBN 978-0-7864-2321-7.
  6. "Wm. Courtleigh, noted actor, dies". The New York Times. December 28, 1930. p. 26.
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