Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888

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John Johnstone Wallack (January 1, 1820, New York City – September 6, 1888, Stamford, Connecticut), was an American actor-manager and son of theatre producer James William Wallack and actrees Susan Johnstone. He used the stage name John Lester until October 5, 1858, when he first acted under the name Lester Wallack, which he retained the rest of his career. He was born in New York but at an early age he was taken to his parents' home in London where he was reared and educated. Wallack had chosen a military career, but became discouraged and went to Dublin where he went upon the stage. He remained for two seasons and then went to Edinburgh. Then in 1846, Wallack appeared in London at the Haymarket Theatre under Benjamin Webster's management, where he was seen by George H. Barrett, who had come to London to engage actors for the Broadway Theatre, in New York.

Wallack made his American debut there in 1847, under the name of John Lester, appearing as Sir Charles Coldstream in Boucicault's adaptation of Used Up. His uncle, Henry Wallack, the father of James William Wallack Jr. (1818–1873), was also in the Broadway Theatre's company. Wallack's second appearance was as Viscount de Ligny in Captain of the Guard by James Planché. Subsequently, he performed at the Bowery Theatre, Burton's Theatre, Niblo's Garden and the first Wallack's Theatre. His first appearance at the Bowery Theatre was in 1849 as Don Caesar de Bazan by Adolphe d'Ennery and Philippe Dumanoir.

He was manager of the second Wallack's Theatre from 1861 (demolished in 1901), and in 1882 he opened the third at 30th Street and Broadway (demolished in 1915). Among the productions staged at the latter was Margaret Mather's ill-fated production of Cymbeline in 1897. Another Wallack's Theatre, at 254 West 42nd Street in New York, was named for him in 1924. Wallack joined The Lambs in 1875, which frequently met at Wallack's Theater. He served as its Shepherd (president): 1878-1879, 1880-1882. 1884-1888, and was one of the founders of the Actors' Fund of America.

His greatest successes were as Charles Surface, as Benedick, and especially as Elliot Grey in his own play Rosedale, and similar light comedy and romantic parts, for which his fascinating manners and handsome person well fitted him. He married a sister (d. 1909) of Sir John Millais. He wrote his own Memories of Fifty Years.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letter signed from Lester Wallack, New York, to E. Riggs [manuscript], 19th century Monday 13. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Fawcett, Edgar, 1847-1904. Letter [188-? Apr. 3 [New York] to Arthur Wallack [n.p.] University of Michigan
referencedIn Golden Family Collection, 1795-1996 Working Men's Institute of New Harmony, Indiana
referencedIn Townsend, John D., Mrs.,. Autograph letter signed from Mrs. John D. Townsend to Augustin Daly and Albert M. Palmer [manuscript], 1887 December 7. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Wallack, Arthur J., 1848 or 9-1940,. Autograph letters signed from Arthur Wallack, Tompkinsville, to William Winter, New York [manuscript], 1915. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920. Papers of William Dean Howells [manuscript], 1866-1919. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. Lester Wallack papers, circa 1826-1912 Houghton Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letter signed from Lester Wallack to Hannah Ridley, Brighton [manuscript], 1839 January 10 Thursday. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Richmond, Clifford A. Autograph letter signed from Clifford Richmond, Easthampton, Massachusetts, to William Winter [manuscript], 1901 May 20. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn The Robert Cushman Butler Collection of Theatrical Illustrations Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
referencedIn Crawford, Jack Randall, b. 1878. Crawford Theater collection, 1663-1992 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn Henderson, W. J. (William James), 1855-1937,. Autograph letter signed W.J. Henderson, New York, to William Winter [manuscript], 1915 November 7. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. Autograph letter signed, dated : Turnham Green, 27 May 1828, to his father, James Wallack, 1828 May 27. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. Lester Wallack papers, 1827-1902. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Gilbert, John, 1810-1889,. Autograph letters signed from John Gilbert to various people, 1871-1889. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Fisher, Clara, 1811-1898. Essay by Clara Fisher Maeder [manuscript], 1897. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. The veteran ; or, France and Algeria : a drama, in six tableaux, with cast of characters, stage business, costumes, relative positions, & c., & c., as performed at Wallack's Theater : annotated script, 1859. University of Pennsylvania Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letter signed from Lester Wallack, Philadelphia, to an unidentified recipient [mansucript] 1880 September 25. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Bergh, Henry, 1811-1888. Henry Bergh letters, 1866-1884. New-York Historical Society Library
referencedIn Winter, William, 1836-1917,. List compiled by William Winter of some of the characters in which Lester Wallack acted [manuscript], ca. 1900. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Crawford Theater collection, 1663-1992 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905,. Autograph letters signed and telegrams from Sir Henry Irving to various recipients [manuscript], 1860-1904. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Squire Bancroft letter book, 1836-1922 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
referencedIn Fechter, Charles, 1824-1879,. Autograph letters signed from Charles Fechter, London, Boston and Quakerstown, Pa., to various recipients, 1849-1877. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Coghlan, Rose. Letter to Lester Wallack, n.d. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Worcester Dramatic Museum. Papers, 1732-1995. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letter signed from Lester Wallack to William Winter [manuscript], 19th century December 7. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn John Lawrence Toole autograph collection, 1750-1903 and undated. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letter signed from Lester Wallack, St. Louis, Missouri, to William Winter [manuscript], 19th century May 18. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. As you like it. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Howard, Bronson, 1842-1908. Bronson Howard playscripts, 1866-1892. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870. Autograph letter signed : Boston, to Wilkie Collins, 1867 Dec. 24. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Bancroft, Squire, 1841-1926. Squire Bancroft letter book, 1836-1922. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Mansfield, Richard, 1857-1907. Letters to Lester Wallack and Mrs. Brickstone, 1888-1889. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letter signed from Lester Wallack, Stamford, Connecticut, to William Floyd [manuscript], 19th century September 13. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf 'The romance of a poor young man', drama in two acts by Lester Wallack. Licence sent 21 November 1860 for performance at the Queen's on 24 November. First produced at Wallack's, New York, 24 January, 1860. Signed C. J. James. Cues underlined in r... British Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. Letters, programs, and playbills, 1853-1888. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Prints Collection, 1669-1906 (bulk 1775-1825). Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. Letter to Rowe. [s.l.] [18--] Mar. 21. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. Correspondence to Wallack family, 1827-1879. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870. Autograph letter signed : Boston, to Wilkie Collins, 1867 Dec. 2 and 3. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905. Letters and playbill, 1883-1894. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Charlotte Cushman Papers, 1823-1941, (bulk 1861-1875) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Theatrical scrapbook, 1849-1889? Cornell University Library
creatorOf Davenport, Fanny, 1850-1898. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1882. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letter signed from Lester Wallack, New York, to unidentified recipient [manuscript], 1865 February 8. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Daly, Augustin, 1838-1899,. Autograph letters signed from Augustin Daly to William Winter [manuscript], 1869-1898. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888. Printed menu card complimentary to Lester Wallack, for dinner at the Lotos club [manuscript], 1887 December 17. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Photographs of theatrical performers, 1862-1982. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Miscellaneous documents relating to Abraham Lincoln, ca. 1838-1948. Houghton Library
referencedIn Prints Collection TXRC02-A1., 1669-1906 (bulk 1775-1825) Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888,. Autograph letters signed from Lester Wallack, New York, to Augustin Daly [manuscript], 1873-1888. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Burnside, Jean, 19th cent. Autograph letters signed from Jean Burnside Allen, New York, to Augustin Daly [manuscript], 1888 November 3. Folger Shakespeare Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bancroft, Squire, 1841-1926. person
correspondedWith Bergh, Henry, 1811-1888. person
associatedWith Burnside, Jean, 19th cent. person
associatedWith Coghlan, Rose. person
associatedWith Cooke, George Frederick, 1756-1812 person
associatedWith Crawford, Jack Randall, b. 1878. person
correspondedWith Cushman, Charlotte, 1816-1876. person
correspondedWith Daly, Augustin, 1838-1899 person
associatedWith Davenport, Fanny, 1850-1898. person
associatedWith Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870. person
associatedWith Dunlap, William, 1766-1839. person
associatedWith Fawcett, Edgar, 1847-1904. person
correspondedWith Fechter, Charles, 1824-1879, person
associatedWith Fisher, Clara, 1811-1898. person
correspondedWith Floyd, William Rudolph, 1832-1880 person
associatedWith Gilbert, John, 1810-1889, person
associatedWith Golden Family family
associatedWith Henderson, W. J. (William James), 1855-1937, person
associatedWith Holcroft, Thomas, 1745-1809 person
associatedWith Howard, Bronson, 1842-1908. person
associatedWith Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920. person
associatedWith Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905. person
associatedWith Lotos Club (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Mansfield, Richard, 1857-1907. person
associatedWith Mary Flagler Cary Music Collection (Pierpont Morgan Library) corporateBody
associatedWith McGuire, Elisha Whipple, person
associatedWith Palmer, Albert Marshman, 1838-1905 person
associatedWith Richmond, Clifford A. person
correspondedWith Ridley, Hannah, fl. 1839 person
correspondedWith Riggs, E., 19th cent. person
associatedWith Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. person
correspondedWith Toole, John Lawrence, 1830-1906 person
associatedWith Townsend, John D., Mrs., person
associatedWith Wallack, Arthur J., 1848 or 9-1940, person
correspondedWith Wallack, Charles Saville person
associatedWith Wallack, James William, 1791?-1864 person
correspondedWith Winter, William, 1836-1917 person
associatedWith Winter, William Jefferson, 1878-1929, person
associatedWith Worcester Dramatic Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith Young, Robert, 1927-2008, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York City NY US
Subject
Theater
Actors
Theater 19th century
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1820-01-01

Death 1888-09-06

Information

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