Nathaniel Carl Goodwin

Nathaniel Carl Goodwin (July 25, 1857 – January 31, 1919) was an American male actor born in Boston. In his early career he was chiefly known for his performances in musical theatre and light opera; making his Broadway debut in a musical burlesque version of Black-Eyed Susan in 1875. He was a leading member Edward E. Rice's light opera company, The Surprise Company, from 1876 until early 1878 when he left to establish his own theatre troupe headlined by his first wife, the actress Eliza Weatherby. He toured the United States with theatre and light opera troupes in both established light opera and in roles written specifically for him over the next decade. In 1889 he switched from portraying musical theatre and opera roles into playing comedic parts in farces of the legitimate theatre; a switch which brought him fame. The next year he made his New York debut on Broadway at Tony Pastor's Opera House as Captain Crosstree in a lauded burlesque adaptation of Douglas Jerrold's Black-Eyed Susan.

The success of Black-Eyed Susan earned Goodwin a contract with Edward E. Rice's light opera company, The Surprise Company. He starred in several musicals and operettas with this group in the years 1876-1878, including Captain Dietrich in J. Cheever Goodwin's Evangeline, Yuseff in Goodwin's Le Petit Corsair, and Paidagogos in Pippins. His tenure with the company ended after a heated argument over money, and Goodwin left to establish his own theatre troupe in February 1878 which was headlined by his wife the actress Eliza Weathersby and went alternatively by the names Nat Goodwin's Froliques or Eliz Weathersby's Froliques. This group toured the country in farces of various kinds, sometimes including music and sometimes not.