Charles Farrar Browne

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Charles Farrar Browne (April 26, 1834 – March 6, 1867) was an American humor writer, better known under his nom de plume, Artemus Ward.[1] Ward was the character of an illiterate rube with "Yankee common sense", whom Browne also played in public performances. He is considered to be America's first stand-up comedian.[2] His birth name was Brown but he added the "e" after he became famous.[3]

Early life and family

Browne was born on 26 April 1834,[4] in Waterford, Maine to Caroline (née Farrar)[5] "a descendant of the first Puritans"[6] and Levi Brown,[7] who "operated a store in Waterford, engaged in farming and did some surveying",[8] and was a justice of the peace.[6]

Career

At the age fourteen, he apprenticed and "learned the printer's trade"[9] at The Advertiser in Norway, Maine, and later apprenticed in the printing office of The Skowhegan Clarion,[10] Skowhegan, Maine, then, as a compositor[2] and occasional contributor to the daily and weekly journals. In 1858, he published in The Plain Dealer newspaper (Cleveland, Ohio) the first of the "Artemus Ward" series ("a barely literate circus sideshow manager who toured the country and wrote about the people and events he saw."[11] "Loosely based on P.T. Barnum"[12]), the writings achieved great popularity in both America and England in collected form.[13]

Browne's companion at the Plain Dealer, George Hoyt, wrote: Template:Quote

Photograph of Artemus Ward, sitting with his right leg crossed over his left, a top hat and books sitting on the table to his right. A typed caption at the bottom of the image reads "H. Hering Photo", and his name is written at the bottom.
Artemus Ward, [ca. 1859–1867]. Carte de Visite Collection, Boston Public Library.

In 1860, he became editor of the first Vanity Fair periodical, a humorous New York weekly that failed in 1863. At about the same time, he began to appear as a lecturer who, by his droll and eccentric humor, attracted large audiences.[14] Browne was also known as a member of the New York bohemian set which included leader Henry Clapp Jr., Walt Whitman, Fitz Hugh Ludlow, and actress Adah Isaacs Menken.[2]

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In 1863, Browne came to San Francisco to perform as Artemus Ward. An early expert at show business publicity, Browne sent his manager ahead by several weeks to buy advertising in the local papers and promote the show among prominent citizens for endorsements. On November 13, 1863, Browne stood before a packed crowd at Platt's Music Hall,[15] playing the part of Artemus Ward as an illiterate rube but with "Yankee common sense."[2] Writer Bret Harte was in the audience that night and he described it in the Golden Era as capturing American speech: Template:Quote

Artemus Ward was a favorite author of US President Abraham Lincoln. Before presenting "The Emancipation Proclamation" to his Cabinet, Lincoln read to them the latest episode, "Outrage in Utiky", also known as "High-Handed Outrage at Utica".[2]

When Browne performed in Virginia City, Nevada, he met Mark Twain and the two became friends.[2] In his correspondence with Twain, Browne called him "My Dearest Love." Legend has it that, following a stage performance there, Browne, Twain, and Dan De Quille were trekking on a (drunken) rooftop tour of Virginia City until a town constable threatened to blast all three with a shotgun loaded with rock salt. Browne recommended Twain to the editors of the New York Press and urged him to journey to New York.[2]

In 1866, Browne visited England and attracted a large following to his playing Artemus Ward, both as lecturer and for his literary contributions to Punch.

Personal life and demise

Within a year of being in England, his health deteriorated. He died of tuberculosis at Southampton on March 6, 1867.[13] Browne was buried in England at Kensal Green Cemetery, but his remains were relocated to the US in 1868 and buried at Elm Vale Cemetery[16] in Waterford, Maine.

Legacy

In Cleveland, where Browne started his comedy career, an elementary school is named after him, known as Artemus Ward Elementary on W. 140th Street.[17] In the American Garden of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park, a monument of him was erected, next to Mark Twain.[18][19]

Works

Short stories

  • A Visit to Brigham Young
  • Women's Rights
  • One of Mr Ward's Business Letters
  • On "Forts"
  • Fourth of July Oration
  • High-Handed Outrage at Utica
  • Artemus Ward and the Prince of Wales
  • Interview with Lincoln
  • Letters to his Wife

Artemus Ward books

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Tarnoff, Benjamin (2014). The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literature. Penguin Books. Template:ISBN.
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  13. ↑ a b Wikisource One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Script error: No such module "template wrapper".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links

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Biography

Media

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