Watty's background
Daily Gleaner, April 17, 1867
MR. WATTY WALLACK.
This gentleman, whom we mentioned yesterday [that issue is missing] as shortly to visit this City, for the purpose of giving some of his astonishing entertainments here, is thus spoken of in a brief outline of his career, which has been placed in our possession:-
At an early age he exhibited a most precocious talent for the stage. Before he attained his seventh year, he had committed to memory many of the soliloquies from the plays of Shakespeare and other great authors, reciting with a perfect enunciation, from Hamlet, Merchant of Venice, Othello, &c., &c., that would have done credit to persons of more mature years. At the age of twelve this young aspirant to dramatic fame made his first appearance on the stage at the Theatre Royal, Liverpool, England - his native town - as the Prince of Wales in Richard III, to Mr. Barry Sullivan's Richard. He soon after made rapid strides in his judiciously chosen profession, studying hard, and enacting every line of business in the dramatic act, - old, young, grave, gay, came not amiss to this talented artist. Mr. Wallack of late years has travelled and acted with the greatest celebrities of the day. Speaking various languages, understanding Music, Singing, Dancing, &c., acquired from a liberal education, an acquaintance with the character of man, and the world, by great travelling, together with studious application, emboldened the artist to bring forth an amusement to entertain an audience for a whole evening by his own individual talent, without the aid of scenery or brother professionals. His great Polyphonic Monologue has had the unparalleled run of over 1000 representations, been witnessed by upwards of 350,000 persons, and allowed to be the most talented, unique, amusing, and elegantly furnished Drawing Room Entertainment of the day, pleasing the fastidious and all grades of society, from the honest mechanic to the highest of the aristocracy.
Mr. Wallack has travelled round the world, in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, and been patronized by the Governors and Representatives of Royalty in the dominions where he appeared; also the Consuls, Clergy, and laity.
