Andrew Carpenter Wheeler (July 4, 1835 – March 10, 1903), best known by the pen name Nym Crinkle, was a 19th-century American newspaper writer, author, and drama critic. He was one of the most prolific critics of his day, known for his pungent and fierce criticism.Wright, Thomas K. ''Nym Crinkle: Gadfly Critic and Male Chauvinist'', in ''Educational Theatre Journal'', Vol. 24, No. 4 (Dec., 1972), pp. 370-382

Biography

Early life

Wheeler was born on John Street in

Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan (also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York) is the southernmost part of Manhattan, the central borough for business, culture, and government in New York City, which is the most populated city in the United States with ...

( New York City) in 1835, and attended College of the City of New York. His journalism career started with '' The New York Times'' in 1857, before going west for a time. He joined the '' Milwaukee Sentinel'', and left to become a war correspondent during the Civil War. After a stint in Chicago, he then returned to New York for the remainder of his career.

Critic

After returning to New York, he first wrote under the name "Trinculo" on general topics and as a drama critic for the '' New York Leader''. He later moved to the '' New York World'', where he adopted and popularized the "Nym Crinkle" name. He then moved to the ''Sun'' and then back to the ''World'' (in 1883), while also contributing to magazines. He also briefly was an editor at the '' New York Star'' in 1879, and then founded a paper in Tarrytown, New York, called the ''Sunnyside Press'', which lasted less than a year. He worked into the 1890s before retiring. He also used the pseudonym "Feuilleton," and briefly published a journal called ''Nym Crinkle's Feuilleton''. As a drama critic, Wheeler was considered to be merciless. Theatre historian Thomas K. Wright wrote in 1972 that Wheeler's criticism was contradictory and his view of a work could change over time, perhaps because he enjoyed "polemics." Wright also concluded that Wheeler was "preoccupied, near obsessed, with masculinity," and "regarded his age as a decadent, effeminate time." Wright particularly favored Edwin Forrest, who once upbraided Wheeler for suggesting in a column that Forrest should retire before his powers declined. Wheeler disliked the celebrated

Edwin Booth Edwin Thomas Booth (November 13, 1833 – June 7, 1893) was an American actor who toured throughout the United States and the major capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869, he founded Booth's Theatre in New York. Some theatri ...

Other works

Wheeler also wrote a number of plays, including one called ''The Twins'' (1876) with

Steele MacKaye James Morrison Steele MacKaye ( ; June 6, 1842 – February 25, 1894) was an American playwright, actor, theater manager and inventor. Having acted, written, directed and produced numerous and popular plays and theatrical spectaculars of the day ...

, which was not a success. And he collaborated with Edward Alfriend in ''The Great Diamond Robbery'' (1895). Wheeler was also rumored to have written with (or for) Joseph Arthur the popular (but decidedly low-brow) hit plays ''

The Still Alarm ''The Still Alarm'' is a melodramatic play by Joseph Arthur that debuted in New York in 1887 and enjoyed great success, and was adapted to silent films in 1911, 1918, and 1926. Though never a favorite of critics, it achieved widespread popularit ...

'' (1887)A Talk with the Metropolitan Critics
''Werner's Magazine'', p. 167 (March 1895)(5 December 1891)
Warring Dramatists: Two Men Who Claim to Have Had A Hand in Writing the Same Plays
''San Bernardino Daily Courier''Notes
''New York Amusement Gazette'', p. 5 (September 5, 1887) (this theatre publication issued just after the debut of the ''Still Alarm'' reports matter-of-factly A.C. Wheeler and Joseph Arthur are the authors and "have written a play which will make a lot of money") and '' Blue Jeans'' (1890). These credits were the subject of some controversy at the time. Arthur reportedly credited Wheeler as his collaborator on ''The Still Alarm'' on its opening night,(31 August 1887)
Amusements - "The Still Alarm"
'' The New York Times'' and he is formally credited as a co-writer of the 1926 silent film version. Whether Wheeler had a hand in writing ''Blue Jeans'' is murkier; he formally denied writing it, but also later claimed his denial was untrue. Writer Edward Eggleston also asserted that ''Blue Jeans story was largely stolen from one of his own novels.(11 October 1891)
Gossip of the Stage
''Indianapolis Journal'' ("Eddie's Squib says "A.C. Wheeler, the author of "The Still Alarm" and "Blue Jeans," has made another success. This time it is "Jack Royal of the 92d." Out in this part of the country there is a popular impression that Joseph Arthur wrote both "The Still Alarm" and "Blue Jeans.")(21 July 1891)
Bits from the Boards
''Daily Leader'' (Gloversville, New York) (paragraph regarding claim of author Edward Eggleston that his novel ''Roxy'' was stolen for writing ''Blue Jeans'') Other Wheeler works included ''The Toltec Cup'',(October 1890)
The Toltec Cup (review)
''Book News'' ''The Chronicles of Milwaukee'' (a history of Milwaukee published early in his career), ''Easter in a Hospital Bed'', and ''The Primrose Path of Dalliance.''

Later career and death

Late in his life, when he had substantially departed the critic's field, Wheeler adopted the new pen name "J.P.M." or "J.P. Mowbray", adopted from the name of his second wife, Jennie Pearl Mowbray, whom he married in 1892 following the death of his first wife in 1889. That pseudonym appeared on letters he originally published in the ''

Evening Post ''Evening Post'' or ''The Evening Post'' may refer to the following newspapers: United Kingdom * ''Evening Post'' (London) (1710–1732), then ''Berington's Evening Post'' (1732–1740) * ''London Evening Post'' (1727–1797) * ''W ...

'', and later in book form as ''A Journey to Nature'' (1901). He published a total of four books under that name, and J.P.M.'s real identity was the subject of some speculation but not known until after Wheeler's death.The Lounger
''The Critic'' (November 1901) (publishing a rumor that Wheeler was Mowbray, but this does not come up again in publications until his obituaries confirm his authorship) Wheeler died of apoplexy on March 10, 1903, at his home in Monsey, New York, and was buried in the churchyard of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow. He was survived by his second wife, and three children.(11 March 1903)
Death of Andrew C. Wheeler
'' The New York Times''Wheeler, Andrew Carpenter (1835-1903)
The Vault at Pfaff's, Retrieved 28 November 2018 Bordman, Gerald and Thomas S. Hischak
The Oxford Companion to American Theatre 3d ed.
p. 657 (2004)(10 March 1903)
Nym Crinkle Passes Away
''New York Evening World''(11 March 1903)
Andrew C. Wheeler ("Nym Crinkle")
''

New York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the domi ...

''(12 March 1903)
The Nom De Plume of "Nym Crinkle"
''

'' (letter to editor from Alpha Child asserts that he was the original "Nym Crinkle" at the ''Milwaukee Sentinel'' and gave it up to Wheeler)(11 March 1903)
Nym Crinkle Dead - Andrew C. Wheeler, Dramatic Critic, Aged 70 - "J.P.M." His Last Pen Name
''The Sun''The Encyclopedia Americana
p. 631 (1905)The Lounger
''The Critic'', p. 307 (April 1903)Rosenthal, Lewis
Chronicles of Gotham by Crinkle
''The Republic'', pp. 301-02 (June 28, 1885)

Bibliography

Plays

* ''The Twins'' (1876) with

. Starred Lester Wallack, but only ran 10 days. * ''Big Pony, or The Gentlemanly Savage'' (1877) with Edward J. Darling. Starred Nat Goodwin, but was not a success. * ''Jack Royal of the 92nd'' (1891). Starred

Harry Lacy Elanson Henry Lacy, known as Harry Lacy (1853 – December 14, 1920) was an American actor, a star in his time best known for playing the role of Jack Manley in the hit play ''The Still Alarm'' in the 1880s and 1890s.(8 January 1899)Harry Lacy A ...

, who made his career in ''The Still Alarm''. * ''The Great Diamond Robbery'' (1895) with Edward Alfriend. Starred

Fanny Janauschek Fanny Janauschek (born Francesca Romana Magdalena Janauschek; July 20, 1829 – November 28, 1904) was a Czech-born American stage actress. Biography Francesca Romana Magdalena Janauschek was born on July 20, 1829, in Prague. Her mother worked ...

.(21 September 1895)
Plays and Players
'' The Illustrated American'', pp. 356-59

Short Stories

*'Eight Minutes of Three. A detective story' (1895) (as Nym Crynkle) in ''The Illustrated London News'', Summer Number 1895, pp.31-38.

Books

* ''The Chronicles of Milwaukee'' (1861) (as A.C. Wheeler, non-fiction, history of Milwaukee) * ''Iron Trail'' (1876) (as Wheeler / Crinkle) * ''The Toltec Cup'' (novel) (

Lew Vanderpoole Lew Vanderpoole (b. 1855 - ?) was an American writer and publisher, best known for a series of forgeries he produced in the 1880s. Biography Little is known about Vanderpoole's life outside of his literary misadventures. When the George Sand fo ...

Publishing Co., 1890) (as Wheeler / Crinkle) * ''The Primrose Path of Dalliance'' (1892) (as Wheeler / Crinkle) * ''A Journey to Nature'' (1901) (as J.P. Mowbray) * ''The Making of a Country Home'' (1902) (as J.P. Mowbray) * ''Tangled Up in Beulah Land'' (1902) (as J.P. Mowbray) * ''The Conquering of Kate'' (1903) (as J.P. Mowbray)