Jack Langrishe

John Sewell Folds (September 24, 1825 – December 12, 1895), known professionally as Jack Langrishe, and nicknamed the Comedian of the Frontier, was an Irish-American actor and impresario who travelled extensively throughout the American West and later in life became one of the first State Senators of Idaho.

Early life

John Sewell Folds was born in Dublin, Ireland on September 24, 1825. His father, also named John Sewell Folds, ran a print shop and Folds learned how to set type at a young age. A fire at his father's printing plant forced the family into bankruptcy and they immigrated to the United States. Landing in Boston on September 19, 1845, Folds sought to make his living in America as an actor.

He made his way to New York City and worked for Horace Greeley as a reporter and typesetter for the New York Tribune. Because of Greeley's dislike of the theater, Folds adopted the Langrishe stage name, taking the surname from that of a judge and policeman that he knew in Ireland.

Acting

Langrishe was known to appear on stage at least once in his native Ireland, but made his New York acting debut on December 8, 1845, at the Chatham Theater in a play called The Irish Attorney as a character named Pierce O'Hara.

In 1847 he left New York City to become a full-time actor, comedian and magician. Two years later in 1849 he married fellow actor Jeannette Allen in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, both performed in J.H. Howell's Theatre company in Erie, Pennsylvania.