Daniel Howard Harkins (April 27, 1836 – December 7, 1902) was an American stage actor. His career spanned almost 50 years and included performances around the world. He also served as a

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

officer during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Career

Harkins began his acting career in 1853 in Chicago, appearing at the theater of

John Blake Rice John Blake Rice (May 28, 1809 – December 17, 1874) was an American actor, theatrical producer and politician. He served as the Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1865–1869) as a member of the Republican Party. Early life and career Rice was bo ...

. In 1854 he moved to Philadelphia, where he performed in the stock company at the

Walnut Street Theatre The Walnut Street Theatre, founded in 1809 at 825 Walnut Street, on the corner of S. 9th Street in the Washington Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia, is the oldest operating theatre in the United States. The venue is operated by the Walnut ...

. In 1855 he went to New York, joining the company of actress

Laura Keene Laura Keene (20 July 1826 – 4 November 1873) was a British stage actress and theatre manager. In her twenty-year career, she became known as the first powerful female manager in New York. She is most famous for being the lead actress in ...

. He was still in New York, performing at the

Niblo's Garden Niblo's Garden was a theater on Broadway and Crosby Street, near Prince Street, in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 1823 as "Columbia Garden" which in 1828 gained the name of the ''Sans Souci'' and was later the property of ...

theater, when the

began in 1861. Harkins joined the Union war effort, enlisting in the army on July 16, 1861. He was made captain of Company D of the 1st Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry. In December 1862 he was promoted to the rank of major. He was discharged from military service on October 6, 1864. After the war, Harkins returned to the stage. In 1866 he began working with

James H. Hackett James Henry Hackett (March 15, 1800 – December 28, 1871) was an American actor. Hackett was born in New York City. He entered Columbia College in 1815 but withdrew. He then studied law privately. In 1818, he became a wholesale clerk in a groc ...

and became stage manager of the New York Theatre. In August 1868, Harkins got into a business dispute involving the theatrical adaptation of the novel '' Foul Play''. Producer Harry Palmer had obtained rights to adapt the story. Harkins had arranged with Palmer to produce the play at the New York Theatre, with financing from businessman J. T. Lloyd. Harkins would also star in the production. The arrangement went well at first, but a disagreement arose over royalty payments, which led Harkins to relocate the show to the Broadway Theatre. Lloyd, thinking he was cheated, got a local judge to issue a warrant for Harkins, which the county sheriff attempted to execute on August 24. Six armed men barged into the Broadway Theatre during a performance, failing at first to identify themselves as sheriff's officers. A confrontation ensued in which two bystanders were shot, although Harkins had fled the scene before the gunfire. The production was subsequently closed down through a court injunction. In 1869 he became an actor and stage manager for

Augustin Daly John Augustin Daly (July 20, 1838June 7, 1899) was one of the most influential men in American theatre during his lifetime. Drama critic, theatre manager, playwright, and adapter, he became the first recognized stage director in America. He exer ...

Fifth Avenue Theatre Fifth Avenue Theatre was a Broadway theatre in New York City in the United States located at 31 West 28th Street and Broadway (1185 Broadway). It was demolished in 1939. Built in 1868, it was managed by Augustin Daly in the mid-1870s. In 1877, ...

. Albert M. Palmer briefly lured Harkins away to manage his new Union Square Theatre in 1872, but Harkins soon returned to Daly after a dispute with Palmer. He later formed his own company, touring the world before settling in San Francisco, where he performed at the California Theatre. In 1887, he returned to the road with the company of

Richard Mansfield Richard Mansfield (24 May 1857 – 30 August 1907) was an English actor-manager best known for his performances in Shakespeare plays, Gilbert and Sullivan operas, and the play '' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''. Life and career Mansfield was born ...

. On April 14, 1902, Harkins appeared in the opening night of ''The Last Appeal'' at

Wallack's Theatre Three New York City playhouses named Wallack's Theatre played an important part in the history of American theater, as the successive homes of the Repertory theatre, stock company managed by actors James William Wallack, James W. Wallack and hi ...

in New York. He had trouble remembering his lines, which threw the entire show into disarray since he had a major role. Eventually he was unable to continue. He was led off the stage and the evening's performance was rushed to an early close. It was his last appearance on the stage.

Personal life

Harkins was born in Boston, Massachusetts on April 27, 1836. While serving in the cavalry, he married Isabella Scofield, who remained his wife until her death on August 29, 1878. He died of a

brain hemorrhage Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...

on December 7, 1902, at the home of his brother-in-law in San Francisco. He was buried in the

San Francisco National Cemetery San Francisco National Cemetery is a United States national cemetery, located in the Presidio of San Francisco, California. Because of the name and location, it is frequently confused with Golden Gate National Cemetery, a few miles south of the ci ...

at the

Presidio A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th century, 16th and 18th century, 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Captaincy Genera ...

Broadway credits

Appearances on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

were only a portion of Harkins's stage career, but his credits there include: * ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

'' (1869) * ''Man and Wife'' (1870) * '' Saratoga'' (1870) * ''Jezebel'' (1871) * ''

King Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...

'' (1875) * '' Pique'' (1875) * ''

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...

'' (1887) * ''

Rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native plant, native to the Mediterranean Region, Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was kn ...

'' (1896) * ''The Only Way'' (1899) * ''Sweet Nell of Old Drury'' (1900) * ''The Last Appeal'' (1902)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harkins, Daniel 1836 births 1902 deaths 19th-century American male actors American male stage actors Male actors from Boston