Marshall P. (Marshall Pinckney) Wilder

Born in Geneva, New York, in 1859, Marshall P. Wilder became known in the United States and abroad as an actor, monologist, humorist, and sketch artist. Contemporary reference sources and library records connect him with a long stage career as well as a body of humorous writing, including books such as The People I've Smiled With and Smiling 'Round the World.

Wilder's appeal seems to have come from the same qualities readers find on the page: quick wit, a warm public voice, and a talent for turning everyday encounters into entertaining stories. The Library of Congress preserves his papers from the 1880s through 1914, including correspondence, diaries, humor notes, and clippings that fed his performances and writing.

He died in 1915, but his work still offers a vivid glimpse of turn-of-the-century popular entertainment. For audiobook listeners, he is an engaging guide to an era when stage humor, travel anecdotes, and personal recollection often blended into one cheerful, polished performance.