Bartley Campbell
Encyclopedia
Bartley Theodore Campbell (August 12, 1843 – July 30, 1888) was an American
playwright
of the latter 19th century.
on August 12, 1843 to parents who had emigrated
from Ireland
. His writing career began at the age of fifteen in 1858, when he took a job as a reporter for the Pittsburg Post. He later became a drama
critic
for the Pittsburg Leader and eventually founded the Pittsburg Evening Mail and the Southern Monthly Magazine.
Campbell's playwright career began in 1871 with the play
Through Fire, which ran for four weeks and motivated him to quit journalism
. He wrote numerous plays for Pittsburgh's theatres
which garnered him national attention. He was quite successful and is often noted as the first American to earn a living solely as a playwright; however, there is some debate about whether or not he was truly the first.
His other plays include: Peril, Fate, Risks, The Virginian, The Big Bonanza, My Partner, The Galley Slave, The White Slave, Siberia, and his final play, Paquita.
in September 1886 and died in the State Hospital for the Insane in Middletown, New York
on July 30, 1888.
Although his works contain language and situations that would be considered politically incorrect
today, theatre troops performing his plays can still be found over a century later.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
of the latter 19th century.
Early years
Campbell was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on August 12, 1843 to parents who had emigrated
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. His writing career began at the age of fifteen in 1858, when he took a job as a reporter for the Pittsburg Post. He later became a drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
for the Pittsburg Leader and eventually founded the Pittsburg Evening Mail and the Southern Monthly Magazine.
Playwright years
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
Through Fire, which ran for four weeks and motivated him to quit journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. He wrote numerous plays for Pittsburgh's theatres
Theatre in Pittsburgh
Theatre in Pittsburgh has existed professionally since the early 1800s and has continued to expand, having emerged as an important cultural force in the city over the past 30 years.-History:...
which garnered him national attention. He was quite successful and is often noted as the first American to earn a living solely as a playwright; however, there is some debate about whether or not he was truly the first.
His other plays include: Peril, Fate, Risks, The Virginian, The Big Bonanza, My Partner, The Galley Slave, The White Slave, Siberia, and his final play, Paquita.
Final years
Campbell was declared insaneInsanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
in September 1886 and died in the State Hospital for the Insane in Middletown, New York
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
on July 30, 1888.
Although his works contain language and situations that would be considered politically incorrect
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
today, theatre troops performing his plays can still be found over a century later.