James T. Powers

Powers, James T. [né McGovern] (1862–1943), comic actor. The small, red‐headed, rubber‐faced comedian was born in New York and spent time in vaudeville and with circuses before calling attention to himself in a series of farce‐comedies: Dreams (1882), A Bunch of Keys (1883), and A Tin Soldier (1886). One critic called him “a thorough genius run wild, with a face quite as grotesque as a gargoyle,” and added, “This clever actor, in addition to his natural vis comica, has a broad sense of humor which animates both his features and his gestures.” For several years Powers was a comedian with the Casino Theatre company, then returned to farce‐comedy in A Straight Tip (1891), A Mad Bargain (1892), The New Boy (1894), and Gentleman Joe (1896). With the coming to America of the English Gaiety musical comedies he became the principal comedian in many of the best importations, including The Circus Girl (1897), The Geisha (1897), A Runaway Girl (1898), San Toy (1900), The Messenger Boy (1901), and Havana (1909). Thereafter, his career began to fade, although he appeared in a number of all‐star revivals such as The Rivals (1922, 1923, 1930); Henry IV, Part I (1926); and The Beaux' Stratagem (1928). Autobiography: Twinkle Little Star, 1939.