Kyrle Bellew
(1855-1911)

He came to America in 1855 and made his debut with Wallack’s company as Hubert Hastings in In His Power. He continued with the company for two years, playing classic roles such as Captain Absolute and parts in popular melodramas of the day such as Lt. Kingsley in Harbour Lights and the title role in an adaptation of Tom Jones.

For several years in the 1890’s he toured as leading man to Mrs. J. Brown-Potter, a rich woman determined to make her mark as an actress. Once again his assignments moved from contemporary parts to classics such as Antony and Romeo.

He retired from the stage and spent several years in Australia, where he is reputed to have made a modest fortune.

In 1901, he returned to America and the stage to assume the title role in a swashbuckler, A Gentleman of France, playing opposite Eleanor Robson. The next year he portrayed Charles Surface in The School for Scandal. In 1903, he again was partnered with Miss Robson, performing Romeo to her Juliet.

After that production closed he scored a major success in the tile role of Raffles. His Chevalier de Vaudrey was praised in an all-star revival of The Two Orphans (1904).

Miss Robson was Kate Hardcastle to his Marlow in a 1905 mounting of She Stoop to Conquer.

His greatest success came as Richard Voysin in Henri Bernstein’s The Thief (1907). His last two performances were in failures, The Builder of Bridges (1909) and The Scandal (1910).

Joe’s one appearance with Kyrle Bellew came in 1887, an extraordinary year in young Haworth’s burgeoning career. In January he performed Hoodman Blind at New York’s Grand Opera House and then toured the play nationally throughout the spring. In August, September and October, he toured in Rosedale under the direction of the play’s author and original star Lester Wallack. Returning to New York in November, he was added to the cast of Mrs. Potter’s recent London success Loyal Love.

Mrs. Potter was a society actress with a big following. Kyrle Bellew was her handsome leading man and theatrical manager. The New York edition of Loyal Love was fraught with difficulties and postponements. Somewhere in the process, Joe Haworth was brought into the cast as the play’s villain to strengthen the performance of the verse drama. Despite reservations from the critics, the story of intrigue in the Portuguese court filled the Fifth Avenue Theatre for its entire engagement. The November 15, 1887 New York Times said of Haworth:

"Mr. Joseph Haworth devoted his fine talent to the character of Gonzales. His acting was well studied and generally effective. He put nature into shallow artifice. His soliloquy on the steps of the throne at the close of Act One seemed an object lesson in the art of acting."