Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Bellew, Harold Kyrle
BELLEW, HAROLD KYRLE (1855–1911), actor, was youngest son of John Chippendall Montesquieu Bellew [q. v.]. Born at Prescot, Lancashire, on 28 March 1855, he was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Lancaster, and though originally intended for the army, he drifted into the navy, and for some time served on the training ship Conway under Sir Digby Murray, leaving it for the merchant service, in which he remained intermittently for several years. Subsequently he went to Australia, and during a four years' sojourn amid very varied employment made his first appearance as an actor, appearing at Solferino, New South Wales, in 1874, as Eglinton Roseleaf in T. J. Williams's old farce 'Turn Him Out.' He returned to England in August 1875, and almost immediately secured an engagement with Helen Barry, making his first appearance on the English stage at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, on 30 Aug. 1875, as Lord Woodstock in Tom Taylor's 'Lady Clancarty,' performing under the name of Harold Kyrle, by which he was known until the end of 1878. Coming to London, he made his London debut at the old Park Theatre, Camden Town, on 16 Oct. 1875, as Roseleaf in 'Turn Him Out,' and was next engaged at the Haymarket Theatre, where he first appeared on 17 Jan. 1876 as Paris in 'Romeo and Juliet,' with Adelaide Neilson [q. v.]. He was then engaged by the Bancrofts for the old Prince of Wales's theatre in Tottenham Street. Returning to the Haymarket, he made his first notable success there on 3 Feb. 1877, when he played Belvawney in Gilbert's comedy ' Engaged.' The following year he supported Adelaide Neilson as leading man in ' Measure for Measure,' 'Twelfth Night,' and other plays. In Dec. 1878 he was engaged by (Sir) Henry Irving for the opening of his Lyceum management, and there he played Osric in 'Hamlet,' Glavis in 'The Lady of Lyons,' and De Beringhen in 'Richelieu.' In Sept. 1879 he joined Marie Litton's company at the old Imperial Theatre, achieving success as Frederick in George Colman's comedy 'The Poor Gentleman' and Jack Absolute in 'The Rivals,' while his Orlando in ' As You Like It 'was universally regarded as one of his best efforts. Subsequently he was seen to advantage in London as Charles Surface in 'The School for Scandal' and in less important parts, while in the provinces he achieved success with his own company as Fabien and Louis in 'The Corsican Brothers' and as Romeo. Leaving for New York in 1885, he played at Wallack's Theatre there, chiefly in old comedy parts.
After his return to London in 1887 he commenced at the Gaiety Theatre, on 27 June, a long artistic association with Mrs. Brown-Potter. Forming a company in the autumn, they toured for ten years through England, Australia, America, South Africa, and the Far East, their repertory including such plays as 'Antony and Cleopatra,' 'Romeo and Juliet,' 'Camille,' 'She Stoops to Conquer,' 'As You Like It,' 'La Tosca,' and 'David Garrick.' Brief appearances in London during this period were made in three plays of his own composition: 'Hero and Leancbr,' at the Shaftesbury, June 1902; 'Francillon,' at the Duke of York's, Sept. 1897; and Marat in 'Charlotte Corday,' as well as in Sims and Buchanan's 'The Lights of Home,' at the Adelphi, July 1892, and Claude Melnotte in 'The Lady of Lyons,' at the Adelphi, Jan.-Feb. 1898.
At the termination of his partnership with Mrs. Brown-Potter he appeared at the Criterion, Nov. 1898, with (Sir) Charles Wyndham, in 'The Jest,' but soon rejoined Irving at the Lyceum (April 1899), where he appeared as Olivier in Sardou's Robespierre.' Later in the year he returned to Australia, and interested himself in mining ventures, which proved profitable. From Jan. 1902, when he reappeared at Wallack's Theatre, New York, until his death he was entirely associated with the American stage. His new parts, which were few, included Raffles, in the play of that name (1903), Brigadier Gerard (1906), and Richard Voysin in 'The Thief (1907).
Bellew was an actor of ease and distinction, with a beautiful voice, handsome, clear-cut features, and a courtly bearing. He died of pneumonia while on tour at Salt Lake City, Utah, on 2 Nov. 1911, and was buried in a cemetery on the Boston Post Road, New York. He was unmarried.
[Personal recollections; private correspondence; The Theatre, Nov. 1882 and Dec. 1897 (with photographs); M.A.P., 13 Sept. 1902; The Green Room Book, 1909; The Bancrofts' Recollections, 1909; New York Dramatic Mirror, 8 Nov. 1911 (with portrait); The Stage, 9 Nov. 1911; New York Dramatic News, 18 Nov. 1911 (with portrait).]