Charles T.Aldrich was born in Cleveland Ohio in 1869. He was a comedian who appeared on the vaudeville circuit. His act consisted of being chased around the stage while he was pursued by a red handkerchief. He was also known as a magician and quick change artist. Many considered him America’s top quick change artist.
In 1901, he became a Broadway actor appearing in a play produced by Lamb Charles Frohman called The Girl From Up There (1901) at the Herald Square Theater. In 1918, he appeared in the spectacular extravaganza Everything (1918)—a show that included Harry Houdini, Opera singer Belle Story, and Lamb DeWolf Hopper. He returned to vaudeville with an expansion of his red handkerchief routine though his sixties.
Around 1904, He married an actress named Gloria Gordon (1884-1962). They had a son who they named Charles T. Aldrich, Jr., but who changed his name when he became an actor. His son adopted his mother’s surname and called himself Gale Gordon (1906-1995). You may remember Gale from his many roles in radio and television. Gale Gordon was the first actor to play Flash Gordon on radio in 1935, but he was most famous for his roles as Mr. Mooney on The Lucy Show and as Mr. Wilson on Dennis the Menace.
Charles T. Aldrich passed away in New Jersey in 1955 at the age of 86.–RET