Article on Fanny Herring

“NEW SERIES.—NUMBER FORTY-FOUR. WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE NEW YORK CLIPPER.

Fanny Herring was born in London, Eng., April, 6, 1832, and is the daughter of the late Thomas Herring, the famous English comedian, and Mrs. F. Herring, well known to the habitues of the Old Bowery, New York, when under the management of Gates. Her father died when she was but seven weeks old, leaving the widow with two children—a boy aged two years who died two years afterwards, and our heroine. In 1841, accompanied by her mother, Miss Herring visited this country, and during the season of 1842-43, made her debut on the stage at the Old Bowery theatre, under Thomas Hamblin’s management, as the Boy, in the play of ‘The Bottle,’ and in 1844 appeared at her mother’s benefit at the Bowery Amphitheatre, while under the direction of John Tryon, as Prince Agib, in ‘Timour the Tartar.’ Soon after this her mother died, leaving her alone in the world. When Messrs. F.S. Chanfrau and Mr. Ewen (husband to Mary Taylor) were conducting the affairs of the Old Chatham, Miss Herring became a permanent member of the stock company, and in a short space of time became a great favorite at that time-honored institution. Leaving here she started South, and finally stopped at New Orleans, where she appeared as first chambermaid with Ben de Bar, and remained a fixture of that establishment for several seasons, constantly improving in her profession, and making rapid progress towards popularity. Returning North once more, she was duly installed in the company of the Old National Theatre, New York. On the 7th of June, 1858, she started on a starring tour, making her first appearance at the Arch-street Theatre, Philadelphia, playing Susan Nipper, in ‘Dombey and Son,’ to the Capt. Cuttle of John Brougham. She then started out West, visiting several of the principal cities, and fulfilled lucrative engagements, and then returning to the scenes of her former triumphs, she became one of the leading lights of the Old Bowery; thence to the New Bowery, under Fox and Lingard’s management, and back to the Old Bowery, when opened by Mr. Geo. L. Fox, where she has remained up to the present time, one of the greatest favorites on the east side of the town. Her appearance on the stage is always a signal for applause, and the way the pitites come down with their feet, and the manner in which they show their approbation of this lady is a caution to all malcontents.

            Miss Herring is a child of genius, inheriting all her mother’s impulsiveness of character, and that strange love for the stage which has run through the Farren and Russell families for generations, throw around her impersonations of character an air of thruthfulness that is really refreshing in this cold, scholastic age of art. She is a thoroughly educated actress, learned in the rudiments of its art, and if she is sometimes carried away by the intensity of the subject beyond the strict rules of dramatic government, it is to be attributed more to the impulsiveness of her own genius and character rather than to any defect in her study. Her voice is clear and resonant, and her personnel for stage effect is capital. She is one of the most versatile actresses on the American stage, and among the Bowery-ites is an immense card.”

Portrait of Herring included on page 361. Caption beneath reads: "MISS FANNY HERRING. VERSATILE COMEDIENNE. For Biographical Sketch, see another Column."