Otis A. Skinner was born on June 28, 1858, in Cambridge, Massachusetts[1] the middle of three boys raised by Charles and Cornelia Skinner. He was later brought up in Hartford, Connecticut where Charles Skinner served as a Universalist minister.[2] His older brother, Charles Montgomery Skinner, became a noted journalist and critic in New York, while his younger brother William was an artist. Skinner was educated in Hartford with an eye towards a career in commerce but a visit to the theater left him stage-struck.[citation needed] He secured his father's blessing for a theatrical career, and his father not only approved but also obtained from P. T. Barnum an introduction to William Pleater Davidge. Davidge employed him at eight dollars a week, and Skinner's career was launched. In the latter half of the 1870s, he played various bit roles in stock companies, and alongside stars such as John Edward McCullough. He built up his repertoire for several years in New York and Boston, including three years with Lawrence Barrett.[citation needed]
Career
By the mid-1880s, he was touring first with Augustin Daly, then, in 1889, with the troupe of Edwin Booth and Helena Modjeska. After that season, he played Romeo in London opposite Margaret Mather. His association with Mather lasted two years; after, with Booth dead, he returned to Modjeska, starring opposite her in her most famous roles. He also originated the role of Schwartz in Hermann Sudermann's Magda, and played Armand in Dumas's Camille.
Skinner as Shylock
Otis Skinner as Col. Philippe Bridau, painted in 1919 by George Luks
By the mid-1890s, he was a star in his own right. In 1894, he produced and starred in Clyde Fitch's His Grace de Grammont; the same year, he performed in his brother's translation of Victor Hugo's Le roi s'amuse. In 1895 in Chicago, he succeeded as Hamlet. From 1895, he was associated with the troupe of Joseph Jefferson.
He excelled in Shakespearean roles like Shylock, Hamlet, Richard III and Romeo, and his Colonel Phillipe Brideau in The Honor of the Family was considered one of the greatest comedic performances of the first quarter of the twentieth century. Skinner's signature role was as Hajj the beggar in Kismet (1911) on Broadway, and he continued playing it on stage for twenty years, recreating his performance both in the 1920 and 1930film versions of the play.[3]
Skinner was a successful writer whose books included Footlights and Spotlights and Mad Folk of the Theatre. In 1902, he turned Mary Hartwell Catherwood's novel Lazarre (1901) into a successful stage play.[4]
He was a devout Episcopalian and a member of the Episcopal Actors Guild.[5]
Death
Otis Skinner died at his home in New York City on January 4, 1942, nearly a month after he had fallen ill while attending a benefit performance of "The Wookey" held at the Plymouth Theatre (today Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre). He had last appeared on stage in 1935, reciting the Forward in a revival of George M. Cohan's Seven Keys to Baldpate. Actress Maud Durbin, his wife for over forty years, died on Christmas Day, 1936.[6][7]
References
^Otis Skinner Dies, Famous Actor 83 - New York Times , January 5, 1942; pg. 17
Skinner Family papers at Houghton Library, Harvard University
January 20, 2023
otis, skinner, june, 1858, january, 1942, american, stage, actor, active, during, late, nineteenth, early, twentieth, centuries, cabinet, card, circa, 1900, 1910nypl, digital, gallerybornotis, skinner, 1858, june, 1858cambridge, massachusetts, diedjanuary, 194. Otis Skinner June 28 1858 January 4 1942 was an American stage actor active during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Otis SkinnerCabinet Card circa 1900 1910NYPL Digital GalleryBornOtis A Skinner 1858 06 28 June 28 1858Cambridge Massachusetts U S DiedJanuary 4 1942 1942 01 04 aged 83 New York City New York U S Resting placeWoodstock Vermont U S Occupation s Actor writerSpouse s Maud Durbin 1895 1936 her death ChildrenCornelia Otis Skinner Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditOtis A Skinner was born on June 28 1858 in Cambridge Massachusetts 1 the middle of three boys raised by Charles and Cornelia Skinner He was later brought up in Hartford Connecticut where Charles Skinner served as a Universalist minister 2 His older brother Charles Montgomery Skinner became a noted journalist and critic in New York while his younger brother William was an artist Skinner was educated in Hartford with an eye towards a career in commerce but a visit to the theater left him stage struck citation needed He secured his father s blessing for a theatrical career and his father not only approved but also obtained from P T Barnum an introduction to William Pleater Davidge Davidge employed him at eight dollars a week and Skinner s career was launched In the latter half of the 1870s he played various bit roles in stock companies and alongside stars such as John Edward McCullough He built up his repertoire for several years in New York and Boston including three years with Lawrence Barrett citation needed Career EditBy the mid 1880s he was touring first with Augustin Daly then in 1889 with the troupe of Edwin Booth and Helena Modjeska After that season he played Romeo in London opposite Margaret Mather His association with Mather lasted two years after with Booth dead he returned to Modjeska starring opposite her in her most famous roles He also originated the role of Schwartz in Hermann Sudermann s Magda and played Armand in Dumas s Camille Skinner as Shylock Otis Skinner as Col Philippe Bridau painted in 1919 by George Luks By the mid 1890s he was a star in his own right In 1894 he produced and starred in Clyde Fitch s His Grace de Grammont the same year he performed in his brother s translation of Victor Hugo s Le roi s amuse In 1895 in Chicago he succeeded as Hamlet From 1895 he was associated with the troupe of Joseph Jefferson He excelled in Shakespearean roles like Shylock Hamlet Richard III and Romeo and his Colonel Phillipe Brideau in The Honor of the Family was considered one of the greatest comedic performances of the first quarter of the twentieth century Skinner s signature role was as Hajj the beggar in Kismet 1911 on Broadway and he continued playing it on stage for twenty years recreating his performance both in the 1920 and 1930 film versions of the play 3 His later roles included Tony Comaradino in Booth Tarkington s Mister Antonic 1917 Albert Mott in Humpty Dumpty 1918 the title role in Sancho Panza in Melchior Lengyel s adaptation of Don Quixote featuring Lucille Kahn in a supporting role Sir John Falstaff in both Henry IV part 1 1926 and The Merry Wives of Windsor 1928 and Shylock opposite the Portia of Maude Adams 1931 32 in The Merchant of Venice citation needed Skinner was a successful writer whose books included Footlights and Spotlights and Mad Folk of the Theatre In 1902 he turned Mary Hartwell Catherwood s novel Lazarre 1901 into a successful stage play 4 Skinner s daughter Cornelia Otis Skinner who became an actress and writer was born in 1899 Otis Skinner was portrayed onscreen by Charlie Ruggles in the film version of Cornelia s book Our Hearts Were Young and Gay citation needed He was a devout Episcopalian and a member of the Episcopal Actors Guild 5 Death EditOtis Skinner died at his home in New York City on January 4 1942 nearly a month after he had fallen ill while attending a benefit performance of The Wookey held at the Plymouth Theatre today Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre He had last appeared on stage in 1935 reciting the Forward in a revival of George M Cohan s Seven Keys to Baldpate Actress Maud Durbin his wife for over forty years died on Christmas Day 1936 6 7 References Edit Otis Skinner Dies Famous Actor 83 New York Times January 5 1942 pg 17 1870 US Census records Charles A Skinner Otis Skinner at IMDb Wilson Milton L Biography of Mary Hartwell Catherwood Newark Ohio American Tribune Printery 1904 pp 71 72 76 The Church of the Transfiguration Archived from the original on February 29 2000 Otis Skinner Dies Famous Actor 83 New York Times January 5 1942 pg 17 Mrs Otis Skinner Actor s Wife Dead New York Times December 26 1936 pg 11External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Otis Skinner Otis Skinner at IMDb Otis Skinner at the Internet Broadway Database Otis Skinner portrait gallery University of Washington Sayre collection Otis Skinner at Find a Grave Skinner Family papers at Houghton Library Harvard University 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