The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 9, 1903

Blanden Scores a Success as Hamlet

Fort Dodge Man is Praised for Work Before the Footlights.

He Plays the Title Role

Lon Blanden, Son of Colonel L. Blanden, and a Native of This City.

Every little while, a new Fort Dodge man comes out into the lime light of fame. The latest son of Fort Dodge to attain noticeable mention is Lon Blanden. Mr. Blanden is the nephew of Col. L. Blanden, and the brother of the well known poet, Charles Blanden, who is also a son of Fort Dodge, though for years he has been a successful business man of Chicago.

Lon Blanden was a resident of Fort Dodge in his young manhood. He had a magnificent voice and was prominent in musical circles. His ability as an actor, both on the state and in real life, was often remarked by his friends and when he went on the stage some years ago it was felt that he would surely gain an enviable reputation. The hopes of his friends have been longer delayed than was expected, but the opportune time has come for Mr. Blanden to leave light comedy and melodrama and take upon himself some more notable parts. He is especially suited in his face, manner and gifts for tragedy, and the announcement that he is starring in Hamlet is not a surprise to his acquaintances here. The following is from the Providence Journal:

“It was a distinctly creditable presentation in which the feature was the strong and powerful playing of Mr. Lon Blanden, as the Prince of Denmakr. Mr. Blanden is a player of the legitimate school who follows in his characterization of the great Dane, the advice of Hamlet to the players and who gave a scholarly and remarkably able exposition of this great character study. His playing would attract attention in a more pretentious production; coming as it does in a week’s work of a summer stock company, playing at popular prices, it is the more unusual. His enunciation was clear and usually distinct; he gave the soliloquies with dramatic force and his whole conception of the role was apparent as the result of years of study of the most interesting of Shakespeare’s characters. It was a worthy effort, that stands out from the work of the other members of the company, although his support was uniformly good and in several respects especially so.” – The Providence Journal