William Louis Courtleigh (1867 or 1869 – 1930) was an American stage and film actor who appeared in Broadway productions, vaudeville theatre, and silent films Courtleigh was born June 28, either 1867 or 1969 in

Guelph, Ontario Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Highway 6, Highway 7 and Welli ...

, Canada to Stephen and Elizabeth (Phelan) Courtleigh. At the age of three his family moved to

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

, where he was raised and educated. While studying law at

Washington University Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

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 Fanny Lily Gipsey Davenport (April 10, 1850 – September 26, 1898) was an English-American stage actress. Life The eldest child of Edward Loomis Davenport and Fanny Elizabeth (Vining) Gill Davenport, Fanny Lily Gypsey Davenport was born on A ...

and played the roles of Jean de Sereux in ''Fedora'', and Thyseno in ''Cleopatra''. He had an important part in ''

La Tosca ''La Tosca'' is a five-Act (drama), act drama by the Nineteenth-century theatre, 19th-century Theatre of France, French playwright Victorien Sardou. It was first performed on 24 November 1887 at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris, wi ...

'', and it was in Davenport's company that he first appeared on Broadway, New York. His next engagement was with

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 ...

's stock company, appearing with that organization in ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and ''The Foresters'' with

Ada Rehan Ada Rehan (born Bidelia Crehan; June 12, 1857 – January 8, 1916) was an American actress and comedian who typified the "personality" style of acting in the nineteenth century. Early life and career She was born Bidelia Crehan in Limerick cit ...

. He succeeded

Robert Hilliard Robert Martin Hilliard (7 April 1904 – 22 February 1937) was an Olympic boxer, Irish republican, Church of Ireland minister and communist. He was killed in the Spanish Civil War fighting in the International Brigades. Biography Hilliard was ...

as the hero of ''Blue Jeans'', played the leading role in ''In Old Kentucky'', and was leading man for

Helen Dauvray Helen Dauvray (February 14, 1859 – December 6, 1923) was an American actress.(20 February 1892)Our Gallery of Players - XXXIV. Helen Dauvray ''The Illustrated American'', p. 16, 35 She was a star in Bronson Howard's play ''One of Our Girl ...

in "That Sister of His" in succession, and then played in the principal role in ''The District Attorney.'' With the company of

Margaret Mather Margaret Mather (1859–1898) was a Canadian actress. Biography She was born in poverty in Tilbury, Ontario, as Margaret Finlayson, daughter of John Finlayson, a farmer and mechanic, and Ann Mather. She was one of the most famous Shakespearean ac ...

and E.J. Henley he played Posthumus in ''

Cymbeline ''Cymbeline'' , also known as ''The Tragedie of Cymbeline'' or ''Cymbeline, King of Britain'', is a play by William Shakespeare set in British Iron Age, Ancient Britain () and based on legends that formed part of the Matter of Britain concerni ...

'', Romeo to Mather's Juliet, Rudolph in ''Leah'', and Orlando in ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

.'' After appearing in the title role in ''The Man of Honor,'' he was engaged by

Daniel Frohman Daniel Frohman (August 22, 1851 – December 26, 1940) was an American theatrical producer and manager, and an early film producer. Biography Frohman was born to a American Jews, Jewish family in Sandusky, Ohio. His parents were Henry (1826&nda ...

for the Lyceum Theatre Stock Company. He first appeared at the Lyceum in ''

The Princess and the Butterfly ''The Princess and The Butterfly: or, The Fantastics'' is a comedy in five acts by Arthur Wing Pinero first produced at London’s St. James's Theatre on March 25, 1897 and in New York at the Lyceum Theatre on November 23, 1897. The New York v ...

'', and when

James K. Hackett James Keteltas Hackett (September 6, 1869 – November 8, 1926) was an American actor and manager. Life James K. Hackett was the son of Clara C. and James Henry Hackett, a comedian and celebrated Falstaff. He was born on Wolfe Island, Onta ...

became ill Courtleigh took his place in the leading role. In the summers of 1904 and 1905 he headed New England stock companies (

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...

and Boston, Massachusetts). In 1906, after being featured in the unsuccessful ''The Redemption of David Corson'' and playing Charles Hawtrey's role 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. Courtleigh married stage actress Helen Cross on March 17, 1890, and they had a son, William Courtleigh Jr., who also became an actor. Cross died in 1908, and on May 12, 1912, Courtleigh married Edna Lillian Conroy (June 28, 1885 – July 25, 1962), an actress. They had four sons together, of whom two, Stephen and

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

, became actors as well. Courtleigh was a member of

The Lambs The Lambs, Inc. (also known as The Lambs Club) is a social club in New York City for actors, songwriters, and others involved in the theatre. It is America's oldest theatrical organization. "The Lambs" is a registered trademark of The Lambs, Inc ...

theatrical social club, and served in an executive capacity as Shepherd of the Lambs from 1913-17, succeeding Joseph R. Grismer. He is credited with naming the

Actors' Equity Association The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a boo ...

. Courtleigh died at his home in

Rye, New York Rye is a coastal suburb of New York City in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the Town of Rye, which has more land area than the city. The City of Rye, formerly the Village of Rye, was part of the Town until it r ...

, on December 27, 1930, after suffering from acute indigestion.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Courtleigh, William 1860s births 1930 deaths 20th-century American male actors American people of Canadian descent American male stage actors