He Studied for the Ministry and Ran
Away to Sea Before He Got Into
the Spot-light.
Kyrle Bellew, soon to follow "Raffles" with "The Right of Way," is the son
of an actor who bore the reputation of being the handsomest man in
England. He married the daughter of a commodore, and left the stage to
enter the church, becoming Bishop of Calcutta. Harold Kyrle (by which name
Bellew was then known), being the eldest son, was destined to follow in
his father's footsteps, and studied for holy orders at Oxford.
But he soon found that he had made a mistake. His flesh constantly warred
against the confining life of the scholar, and at nineteen he ran away to
sea, in the old-fashioned way of the story-books.
After five years on salt water he found himself back in England, no
further advanced in this world's goods than when he cut stick from Oxford.
He wandered about London, not daring to go home, and without money in his
pockets. It was at this crisis that he chanced to read an advertisement
calling for a light comedian to join a company for the provinces, the
salary to be two pounds (ten dollars) a week.
The blood that had come from his actor-father stirred in his veins, and he
went at once to apply for the post. His good looks and pleasing address
outweighed his lack of experience, and he was transported with joy at
being engaged.
While playing in Dublin as _George de Lesparre_ in Boucicault's "Led
Astray" his work and appearance so impressed a critic that he wrote to
Boucicault, in London, about him. The dramatist at once sent for the
unknown actor, and gave him a position in the company at the Haymarket,
where in three years' time he rose to be leading man. From there he went
to the Lyceum, under Henry Irving, where he first used the name "Kyrle
Bellew."