William L. Abingdon - Wikipedia
- ️Mon May 02 1859
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William L. Abingdon | |
|---|---|
.png) In The Sketch, 28 November 1894 | |
| Born | William Lepper Pilgrim 2 May 1859 Towcester, England |
| Died | 17 May 1918 (aged 59) New York City, US |
| Burial place | Woodlawn Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
William Lepper Pilgrim (stage name Abingdon; 2 May 1859 – 17 May 1918) was an English stage actor who settled in the United States. As well as enjoying a lengthy theatre career, he appeared in four silent films during the 1910s.
William L. Pilgrim was born in Towcester on 2 May 1859.[1] He attended private school, and worked as a bank clerk until age 18. He then left to pursue a career in theatre.[2]
Pilgrim began his professional stage career in England during the 1880s, establishing himself in London's West End by the early 1890s.[3] He adopted the stage name "Abingdon" early in his career, possibly inspired by the town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire.[4]
In the early 1900s, Abingdon emigrated to the United States, joining the thriving American theatre scene. He quickly established himself as a character actor, performing in numerous stage productions across major theatrical circuits.[5] His American debut came at the Empire Theatre in New York in September 1904.[6]
He married twice, first to British actress Rachel de Solla,[7] and then to American actress Bijou Fernandez on May 29, 1906.[1][2][8]
His son William (1888–1959), from his first marriage, also took the surname Abingdon and became a stage director who was later awarded an M.B.E. for his contributions to theatre.[7]
He committed suicide at his home in New York City on 17 May 1918, and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.[9]
Abingdon's theatrical papers and memorabilia were donated to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts shortly after his death.[10] His work represents an important example of the transatlantic theatrical migration that characterized the late 19th and early 20th-century entertainment world.
- Manon Lescaut (1914)
- The Kiss of Hate (1916)
- Panthea (1917)
- Fedora (1918)
- ^ a b Parker, John, ed. (1916). Who's Who in the Theatre (3rd ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons. p. 2. Retrieved 15 March 2025 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Truitt, Evelyn Mack (1908). Browne, Walter; Koch, E. De Roy (eds.). Who's Who on the Stage. New York: B. W. Dodge & Company. pp. 5–6. Retrieved 15 March 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Williams, Herbert F. (1922). Stage Figures of the British Theatre, 1880-1920. London: Macmillan Press. pp. 301–302 – via British Library Archives.
- ^ "Actor Pilgrim Recalls His Early Days". The New York Times. 24 December 1912. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harris, Thomas J. (1919). The American Stage: A Comprehensive Review. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp. 142–143 – via Google Books.
- ^ "New Players on the Empire Stage". The New York Times. 16 September 1904. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre. Vol. 11. Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons. 1952. p. 242. Retrieved 15 March 2025 – via Google Books. ABINGDON, William, M.B.E., stage director; b. Highgate, 1 July, 1888; s. of W. L. Abingdon and his wife Rachel (De Solla)
- ^ "Bijou Fernandez Married". The New York Times. 30 May 1906. p. 7. Retrieved 15 March 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Body of W. L. Abingdon Will Be Buried Today". Chicago Tribune. New York (published 20 May 1918). 19 May 1918. p. 9. Retrieved 15 March 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Theatrical Collection Donated". The New York Times. 3 February 1921. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.