stened Eugene Gladstone O’Neill and baptized at Holy Innocence Church on 37th Street. His name reflected his father’s pride of Irish heritage. Eugene’s early life consisted of long theatrical tours with his father James O’Neill. James was one of 19th Century America’s most popular actors. Eugene and his mother Ella would travel with James on the long, almost endless train rides. His summers were spent in New London being looked after by a maid named Sarah Sandy. Because his family was always on the move, arriving and departing at all hours, it was sometimes impossible to feed him properly. As a result he suffered from rickets-----a disease generally confined to the poor-----that left him with “rachitic flair” to his ribs. He gave his parents and Sarah some worrisome moments. One winter night in Chicago the company’s advance man, Mrs. O’Neill who thought her baby was dying called George Tyler, out of bed. A doctor was called in and diagnosed it as a slight case of colic. Eugene was a little over one when he had measles, two when he caught typhoid fever, and others far under normal conditions. A week after Eugene was born; his father was already placed in numerous plays in the area. Almost Eugene’s first breath was the breath of the theater, his father’s theater. Eugene once said when asked about his early life: “ I was nursed in the back wings of dressing rooms.”(Sheaffer 10) James became well known for his role in The Count of Monte Cristo, which entered its sixth season after Eugene was born. Night after night James would receive thunderous applause when he proclaimed: “Saved! Mine, the treasures on Monte Cristo! The world is mi-n-ne!” Eventually after numerous performances of Monte Cristo, James would tell his friends that this was the line in the play that he hated the most. (Sheaffer 8) Ella soon became tortured with her marri...
