English-born John E. Dodson (1857-1931), who came to New York in 1889, played comic and vaudeville roles on the City stages. Among his noteworthy roles were that of Cardinal Richelieu in Under the Red Robe (originating the role, 1896), Simonides in Ben-Hur (1903), and Fagan in Oliver Twist (1905). The Stratagem of Cardinal Richelieu was written specially for him, for performance on vaudeville stages.
Dodson was elected to The Lambs in 1896.