Charles Joseph Kelly (February 18, 1859 – June 15, 1918), known professionally as Charles J. Ross or Charley Ross, was a Canadian-American entertainer, composer and theatrical producer who performed in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

, and on the stage. Ross and his wife, Mabel Fenton, became popular for their parodies of classical plays.

Early life

Ross was born Charles Joseph Kelly to William and Caroline (née Brown) Kelly at

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, Canada East, where his father was employed as a carpenter.Staff
"Charles J. Ross Dead. Prominent Travesty Actor Succumbs at 59 at Ross-Fenton Farm"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', June 16, 1918. Accessed February 9, 2012. "Charles J. Ross, many years ago a member of the Weber and Fields Company and later a headliner in vaudeville in the team of Ross and Fenton, died at his home in North Asbury Park today."The Players Blue Book, 1901 pg.128
/ref>

Career

Ross began as a circus entertainer with

P. T. Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding with James Anthony Bailey the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He was ...

before his stage debut on April 5, 1885, at

Miner's Bowery Theatre Miner's Bowery Theatre was a vaudeville or variety show theater opened in the Bowery of New York by Senator Henry Clay Miner in 1878. History The theater was known for its method of encouraging anyone to get on stage and perform on amateur ...

in Manhattan as a singer and impersonator. Next he performed with Herman's Transatlantic in a variety act at the Atlantic Gardens Bowery Theater. Over the next few years, Ross would develop his talent as a farce comedian playing with vaudeville companies in New York and on the road. In 1901 he portrayed the drag role of Queen Spadia in the Broadway musical '' The Sleeping Beauty and the Beast''. Charlie J

Ross married actress Ada Towne (known professionally as Mabel Fenton) on June 9, 1887, during a stopover at

Deadwood, South Dakota Deadwood (Lakota: ''Owáyasuta''; "To approve or confirm things") is a city that serves as the county seat of Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It was named by early settlers after the dead trees found in its gulch. The city had its ...

amidst a vaudeville tour of the American West. The couple soon created the act Ross and Fenton and within two years became a staple of the Weber and Fields Company in New York performing their farce productions of classic and popular plays of the day. Ross later formed his own company and continued to perform well into the early decades of the twentieth century. The couple appeared in at least two films: ''Death of Nancy Sykes'' (1897) and ''How Molly Malone Made Good'' (1915). In the late 1890s, Ross and his wife opened Ross Fenton Farm, a resort hotel in

Asbury Park, New Jersey Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 15,188, a decr ...

that also doubled as their primary residence. For a number of years, Ross Fenton Farm was a popular mecca for New York area artist and entertainers.Mabel Fenton Dead Former Stage Star New York Times - Special to The New York Times.; April 20, 1931; pg. 16The New Jersey Coast in Three Centuries: Volume 3, By Peter Ross, Fenwick Y. Hedley 1902 pg. 22
/ref> Most of the resort burned to the ground in 1950. Some of the original houses are still standing, including the main house of Charles Ross and Mable Fenton.

Death

Ross died on June 15, 1918, at Ross Fenton Farm after a long illness and failed operation. Ross' wife Mabel died on April 19, 1931, in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

at the age of 66. They are buried together at Glenwood Cemetery in West Long Branch, New Jersey.

Broadway credits

Filmography

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Charlie J. 1859 births 1918 deaths 19th-century American male actors 20th-century American male actors 19th-century Canadian male actors 20th-century Canadian male actors American vaudeville performers American male musical theatre actors American musical theatre composers American male musical theatre composers American male silent film actors American male stage actors American theatre managers and producers American burlesque performers Canadian emigrants to the United States Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States Canadian male musical theatre actors Canadian musical theatre composers Canadian male silent film actors Canadian male stage actors Canadian theatre managers and producers Male actors from Montreal People from Asbury Park, New Jersey Canadian vaudeville performers 19th-century American male singers 19th-century American singers 19th-century American businesspeople