Joseph Jefferson (1829-1905) was an American actor, well known and widely acclaimed in his time. In Chapter 22, Helen talks about going to his plays and meeting him in person. She and Anne Sullivan saw him portray Rip in Rip Van Winkle and Bob Acres in The Rivals. Anne must have signed the dialogue to Helen during the play. Then later, they had a chance to go backstage, and Jefferson re-enacted some of the motions for Helen to follow. He had come from a long line of actors, and Rip Van Winkle became his signature role. In spite of his celebrity status, he must have had a soft spot for Helen, as he interacted with her and gave her personal performances from the plays. You can hear his voice as Rip Van Winkle – something Helen could not — through the link provided below.
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