20
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JANUARY IS, 1903.
HOW DAVID WARFIELD WON FAME
Surpasses All Other Actors in Delineation of Jewish Character.
IN MANY respects, the greatest play so
far presented at the Marquam Theater
thla season was David Warfleld in "The
Auctioneer." It "will grow. If It has not
already grown to be, an American classic
which faithfully describes the lights and
shadows of a Jewish merchant and his
family in a manner not before attempted
In this country. It has the Belasco touch,
and it is no surprise to know that this
wizard of modern American drama is re
sponsible for some of the really fine dia
logue dealing with the domestic felicities
of Simon Levi and his wife. He added
this after the comedy came from the play
wrights. "Warfleld personally invented a
great deal of the funny dialogue, and his
genius is clearly of the highest order. He
- was ably eupported by Maria Davis, Marie
'Bates, Robert Fisher, Harry Rogers and
Eugene Canfield. The other attraction at
the Marquam last week, the English
comedy, "The Tyranny of Tears," with
Paul Gilmorc as the star, is a pleasingly
intellectual treat, although some critics
were heard to wonder what it was all
about Curiously enough, as the comedy
is now written. Miss Rose Tiffany, as the
secretary, made her part the leading one
on the stage, although it Is supposed 10
be subordinate. She is a clever young
woman, with a golden future before her.
"The Little Minister," presented by the
Nelll Stock Company at Baker's Theater,
'has made the artistic success of the sea
son. The house has been crowded at all
1 the performances, and possibly if the
play were to be allowed to run this week
the same conditions would prevail. The
.scenery Is splendid. George Alison, the
new leading man, was responsible for the
part of Gavin Dlshart, the Scotch minis
ter In love with Lady Babbie, the gypsy
girl, and Mr. Alison can be congratulated
on his good work. He has made many
friends already. When Barrie wrote "The
Little Minister" he did not make his chief
hero an Impetuous, loud-voiced young
man, storming because genuine hard luck
and circumstances darkened his little love
affair. Mr. Alison looked the quiet, cul
tured Presbyterian, to whom love comes
for the first time suddenly. Miss Coun
tlss as Lady Babble gave a charming ren
dition of the wayward Scotch lassie.
"William Bernard as Lord Rlntoul made a
hit He gave a finely finished portrayal
of that dashing, blue-blooded aristocrat.
Mr. Bernard does good work anywhere
he is placed. The Scotch accent of the
entire company won compliments from
the "real" Scotch In the audience.
Cordray's Theater was well patronized
Jast week on the presentation of a home
play, "Down by the Sea," a romantic
comedy - drama, principally Illustrating
fisher life along the New England coast
The action In the first act Is slow and
the Interest drags while history Is being
made around Preston's Inn, at East
Haven, where a hard-hearted father
steals money belonging to his daughter's
lover, but is fortunately caught and Jailed.
The real story and Interest develop in the
second act and the scene between Fanni?
Curtis and Daniel Reed, in which the for
mer acts the part of a daughter welcom
ing a convict father. Is really a good
piece of work. The fourth act contains
the best storm scene presented in th"s
city for a long time, and was wildly
realistic The comedy was well taken
care of by Ed Arderson, who was
amusingly entertaining as a Hebrew
sport
AT THE BAKER.
"For Fair Virginia" "Will Be the At
traction All Tlits Week.
A L. Whytal's famous play, "For Fair
"Virginia," will be the offering of the Nelll
Stock Company, at The Baker Theater, all
this week, starting with matinee this
afternoon. "For Fair Virginia" is a play
of rare merit, and has been successfully
produced by the author himself. The ac
tion of the play takes place during the
period of '62 to 'Go, and Is full of stirring
incidents of the- Civil "War, which gives
ample opportunity for thrilling situa
tions, sensational climaxes and strong
comedy. In this piece Mr. Alison will
appear in the role of Stephen Dunbar, In
which character he will repeat his tremen
dous success of' "The Little Minister" the
past week. Miss Countlss has a good part
in Virginia Esmond, and will, as usual,
acquit herself most admirably. As John
Laughlln, William Bernard lias the char
acter of a villain and his work in the
past is sufficient proof that he will give
an excellent rendition of the character.
Miss Esmond, by one of those coinci
dences sometimes seen In stagecraft will
have a part in which she carries her own
name. Fred Mower will be a splendid
Sergeant Mclntyre, and Frank Weslyn in
the hands of Howard Russell will be a
well-acted character. Little Dot Bernard
will give one of her charming interpre
tations of the part of Julian Esmond, and
WIHlam H. Dills, as the sentry; Bennett
Southard as Uncle Zeb, and Robert Siddle
as Colonel Lester will all be up to their
usual high standard of excellence.
"For Fair Virginia" embraces two very
pretty love stories which are interwoi'en
with the plot In a most delightful man
ner. It tells of a misunderstanding be
tween the Northern sympathizer who has
iiarrled a Southern girl and settled in the
xKorth; of his leaving a friend in charge
wf liis interests and home to Join the
Northern forces. The story tells of the
loyalty of this friend who Joins the South
ern Army, yet protects the Esmond fam
ily in the .fact of his commanding officer.
who Is in love with Mrs. Esmond. It
pictures the securing of Important mili
tary papers by Nell Esmond, who delivers
them to her brother In command of the
Northern forces, her being championed
in this by Dunbar, the friend who is sub
sequently tried and sentenced to be shot
The Touting of the enemy and the relief
of the harrassed one by the approach of
Esmond's forces is one of the greatest
climaxes ever produced. The play closes
with the news of the fall of Richmond.
The management of The Baker is to- be
congratulated for securing for Portland-amusement-lovers
tills wonderful drama
which will be produced by the Nelll Stock
Company with all the attention to detail
and excellence fbr which It has becomo
noted.
"A GA3IBLEIVS DAUGHTER.''
Successful Drama to Be Presented at
Cordray's Tltlu Week.
The new successful drama, "A Gam
bler's Daughter," will have Its first pres
entation in this city at Cordray's matinee
today.-by a cast of actors and actresses
of exceptional merit and marked ability.
The play will undoubtedly be well re
ceived here, and prove one of the choice
events of the present theatrical season.
The company presenting it is headed by
Miss Lillian Hayward, who, althougn a
young woman, has won most enviable
laurels as an emotional actress in the Inst
few years, and for whom critics are pre
dicting a brilliant histrionic career.
"A Gambler's Daughter" was written
CzrfhririE Counties h'
- r- c' ' " r: " J
jBxAer Th eater.
by the eminent playwright, Owen Davis,
author also of tho popular dramas.
"Through the Breakers," "Lost In the
Desert" etc., and it has been pronounced
the best of the many clever and popular
works from the pen of that skillful writer.
It tells the story of a Chicago Board of
Trade man who surreptitiously conducts
a magnificent Michigan-avenue gambling
house, who, with his partner, plans a gi
gantic and fraudulent wheat deal on tho
Board of Trade, and whose nefarious
schemes are circumvented by his beauti
ful .daughter, Kate, whom he really loves
and who. In turn, loves her father and
faces every danger to save him from him
self. A very pretty love story runs
through the plot and after many thrilling
"THE DEVIL'S AUCTION," AT THE 3tf ARQUAM.
escapes and adventures the hero, who Is
her father's clerk, finally wins Kate In
spite of the conspiracy against them.
A special car Is required to carry the
elaborate scenery for the piece, and there
are many beautiful stage pictures, one es
pecially realistic scene being an exact re
production in every detail of an exciting
day on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Miss Lillian Hayward, the talented lead
ing woman, who plays the title- role in the
play, is well known and extremely popu
lar among theater-goers, and in the char
acter of Kate In "A Gambler's Daughter"
she has every opportunity for making
the best use of her unusual attainments.
Her gowns, as well as those worn by the
other female characters, are said to be
wonders In the modiste's art, having been
imported from abroad.
The cast includes, besides Miss Hay--ward,
Camilla Crume, Marie Laurens, El
sie Frazee. James Norval, Walter Stan
hope. J. J. Hyland, Allan Foster, C. "W.
Goodrich, Andrew Quirk. Louis Epstein.
L. P. North and many others. The usual
ladies' and children's matinee will be
given nec Saturday.
"EVERLASTING DEVIL'S AUCTION."
Slanagrcr Yale This Year Announces
Three Grand Ballets.
Next Friday and Saturday nights, Janu
ary 23 and 24, with a popular matinee Sat
urday, tho attraction at the Marquam
Grand Theater will be Charles H. Yale's
"Everlasting Devil's. Auction." Manager
Yale announces three new grand ballets
for the 21st edition of his "Everlasting
Devil'fl Auction." For the first act a danse
eccentrlque, which includes "Le Danse
Sensatione," by Frauleln Jennie Prager
and Aurelio Coccia. For the second act
"The Feast of the Lanterns," the gor
geous Chinese dlvertlsement, in which is
Introduced the new European novelty,
"The Danco to the Moon." For the third
act a radical departure is made from the
stereotyped ballet, in "Echoes From the
South," which, as Its title Indicates, savors
of rag-time melody and dance. All these
dlvertlsements are produced under the
able direction of Aurelio Coccia, the noted
maltre de ballet and male dancer, while
Emma and Frauleln Jennie Prager, two
exceedingly beautiful and clever prem-
teres, head a bevy of clever and pretty
secundos and ballcrlne. who Illustrate
.them. The advance sale of seats will be
gin next Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock.
Trro Jolly Shorn Next Week at Cor.
dray's.
Of the many farces playing Portland
last season, none was funnier than
"Whose Baby Are You," which returns
this season better than ever. Its rapid
fire action and witty dialoirua Is calm
lated to keen an audience ih n stvxAv
1 gale of laughter. Another play, "My
MM
Friend From India," also a great rhlrth
provoker will be put on the same week.
Dramatic Notes.
Mlnetto Barrett of Portland, Is playing
'Lizabeth In Augustus Thomas' "In Miz-
zoura, ' at the Berkeley playhouse In
Kansas City.
1 Miss Lillian Lovcrn Davis arrived from
New York last week to visit her mother.
Mrs. Phoebe . Davis, of this city. Miss
I Davi3 has been In the theatrical profes
! sion in New York for two years, and Is
gaining considerable recognition In George
W. Lederer's company. She returns to
New York shortly to Join Mr. Lederer's
new show, "A Jewel of Asia," which
features Jimmy Powers at Daly's Theater
in the near future.
Mrs. Flske is now in the third month
of her appearance In "Mary of Magdala"
at the Manhattan Theater, New York.
and .the vogue of that play Is so great
that from all present tokens It can run
there Indefinitely. With nil the constantly
Introduced elements of dramatic interest
that characterize the metropolis, "Mary
of Magdala" sustains Its supremacy as
the most uniquely interesting and Impres
slve drama within memory, and as a pro
ductlori on the highest plane of art, with
pictorial features exceptional for their
appealing beauty and the dramatic qual
ity, it stands unchallenged by tha ever
varying and elaborate offerings of a very
notable season.
CORBETT AS A MINSTREL
Former Champion to Be Interlocutor
Gossip of the Stage-"v7brld.
EW YORK. Jan. 12. (Special Cor
respondence.) Perhaps the most
Interesting role which James J.
Corbett has assumed Blnce he left his
desk in a California bank will be enacted
next season, when the former champion
will occupy the Interlocutor's position
In a mammoth minstrel organization, and
say: "Gentlemen, be seated." Corbett's
tour at the head of a vaudeville com
bination, entitled the Empire company,
has netted him about 51000 a week for 40
weeks during the past two seasons. In
return he has delivered a 20-mInute mon
ologue xvhlch has been really meritorious.
But his 'value as an attraction will have
waned by the end of this season unless
ho Is able to present some novelty. His
managers, therefore, are planning to star
him in a big minstrel company, and to
entrust to him the position of Interloc
utor. Jim Is said to be already study
ing the dictionary for words big enough
to meet tho requirements of the position.
and he has declared that by the time
rehearsals begin he will be able to hurl
polysyllabic adjectives at the end men
until the gallery gods will encore him
again and again. One of the end men,
by the way, will probably be George
Wilson, the old-time favorite. Tho ag
gregation Is to be called Cleveland s
minstrels, taking Its name from the old
William S. Cleveland minstrel company.
Clyde Fitch Is a Bnsy Man.
The ends to which a busy dramatist
Is permitted to go these days and the
exact position a successful one enjoys
In metropolitan theatrical life was well
exemplified last week, wnen uiyao Kitcn
summoned 24 members of Amelia Bing
ham's company from Boston, in order
to hold the first reading of Miss Bing
ham's new piece, "The Frisky Mrs. John
son." Fitch, of course, might far more
easily and at exactly one-twenty-fourth
of the expense. Journeyed to the com
pany and held the hour's reading, but
ho excused himself from this on the
pretext of being an exceedingly busy
man. He is usually referred to as the
playwright who dashes off a drama be
fore breakfast and writes a new scenario
before the luncheon hour, but requiring
24 players to come to him Instead of sim
plifying matters uy going to mem 13
amusing, to say the least Twice again
the company must take similarly long
Jaunts for tho same purpose -before the
piece Is actually put Into active rehears
al, because no playwright in the city Is
moro exacting about the preliminaries
than this same Fitch.
Elconora D use's Spaghetti Dinner.
Eleonora Duse varied the monotony of
the usual dinners at which actresses pre
side, last week giving a spaghetti dinner
In a private dining-room of tho luxurious
Hotel Savoy. Covers wero laid for 30.
Of course, all the members of her Italian
company were present including a re
cently married pair of the uusKy players;
and Viola Allen also was among tho In
vited guests. Julia Marlowe had been
Invited, but sent a note of declination
at the last moment with the explanation
that "spaghetti and chop suey were, not
of her regular bill of fare." A special
Italian chef had been engaged for tho
occasion, and while tho affair was sup
posed to be kept a secret the menu was
learned to consist principally of spaghetti,
served In various disguises; cheese, cof
fee and red wine. Tho great Italian act
ress sails for her native land on the
steamer Philadelphia, January 21, and It
Is safe to assert that she will not return
soon. While her engagement has not
been In the least disastrous, It has not
aroused undue enthusiasm.
Ed Hnrrlfcnn Returns to Broadivay.
It really seemed good to see Ed Har-
rigan, of the old team of Harrigan and
Hart, back on Broadway ngaln Monday
night when "Tho Bird In tho Cage"
made Its local bow at the Bijou Theater.
The reception which Harrigan received
when he stepped out as Michael O'Brien
In his first scene must have dono the
veteran's heart good. It was equal to
any demonstration of the season, and
the best-known stars of tho profession
have already competed for Broadway's
applause within the past few months,
Tho play Itself Is not unlike In treat
ment many others of Fitch's. It tells
a love story, and It introduces some novel
features. As usual, there are many witty
lines, and Fitch has not forgotten to In
Ject a few satirical remarks about con
temporaneous high society, with which
he seems so familiar and yet which he
doesn't hesitate to criticise boldly. Judg
ing from the first njght's audience, tho
play is destined to a successful career.
Much interest was attached to tho work
of Sandol Mllllken In the leading role.
Miss Mllllkcn's rise has been rapid, and
within another season or so she will un
doubtedly attain istcllar honors under
Charles Frohman's management
Wagrcnlials' and Kemper's Scoop.
In getting control of the version of "xhe
Resurrection," held by Oscar Hammer
stein for their star, Blanche Walsh, Wag
enhals and Kemper executed one of the
cleverest pieces of business on theatrical
record. Although Hammersteln valued
the play more than any piece of sim
ilar property which has come Info his
hands In years, he practically entirely dis
posed of It to the other managers on
terms much more advantageous to them
than to himself. The play Is to be pro
duced at his Victoria Theater and all he
Is to receive is his percentage as owner
of the house.
Hammersteln agreed to these terms be
cause it was only thus that he could have
the satisfaction of seeing Blanch Walsh
In the leading role, and he was so con
vinced It was better suited to her than to
any one else he refused better offers rath
er than be party to a crime against art
jciS a further concession to get Miss
; Walsh at the Victoria, Hammersteln
1
ji
P
M' C-
2
AMERICA'S GREATEST ACTOR IN JEWISH CHARACTERS
Tm not a Jew. I was born In San
Francisco, and so were my people be
fore me. In fact I'm a good mixture-
like Blank's pickles," laughed David War-
field, the star in the character comedy,
"The Auctioneer," that played to crowd
ed houses at the Marquam Theater last
week. Warfleld's famous portraiture of
Simon Levi, the Jewish merchant. Is a
strikingly realistic bit of acting, and he
has lifted comedy In which a Jew Is the
principal character to a plane not pre
viously reached In this country. v
"A young author recently sent mo a
play, on approval, and I have just finished
writing to her stating that her venture
won't do, In Its present form," explained
Warfleld, lighting a Havana.
"Why?" asked the Oregonlan reporter,
wondering if he could get a "tip" that
might prove useful.
"Too quiet action, and the story is too
sad. There's not enough laughter in it
and the laughter there Is generally comes
up in the wrong place."
"You wish to create laughter, then?"
"Yes. People like to be amused. But
understand me. It wouldn't do to arrange
for too much of thatisort of. thing. It's
the quiet, pathetic bits of home life, etc.,
that take, after all, and they are remem
bered the longest Hke a flower with a
fragrance. Take any farce, pure and
simple, and It lives at the moment Peo
ple laugh and applaud it, but say in a
year or so, where Is it? Forgotten."
agreed that the famous Tolstoi drama
should bo played there only six weeks
after which she could have the house for
an unlimited time for revival of her pres
ent play. "The Daughter of Hamllcar."
Wagenhals and Kemper would not agree
to taking "The Resurrection" at all with
out this proviso. They spent nearly 520,
000 on "The Daughter of Hamllcar," and
expect to use it for Miss Walsh's starring
vehicle next season. Therefore they
feared If it wa3 retired Indefinitely this
Winter the idea would get about that it
is a failure, which would hurt its future
chances.
It now Is definitely settled that tho ver
sion of the Tolstoi novel made for stago
use by Franklin Fyles for Charles Froh
man and David Belasco, will not be pro
duced this season If at all. These two
"managers now are at loggerheads and
neiiner exhibits a disposition to buy the
other out
- Elizabethan Play Revivals.
Frank Lea Shortt has leased "Mrs. Os
born's Playhouse," the theater conducted
for a few eventful and unprofitable months
as a place of entertainment for the "400."
He purposes pushing a scheme which does
not seem any more promising than that
of the caterer to society. He Is arranging
for a series of revivals of Elizabethan
plays done In a manner suggesting the
olden time with enough latter-day Innova
tions to bring them more nearly within
the realm of modern taste.
While this idea Is most commendable
and deserves encouragement there Is
more than a reasonable doubt that enough
people will bo interested In It to help It
return a profit It has been demonstrated
again and again New York does not care
for the classics unless It Is Shakespeare
staged most lavishly. While revivals of
Ben Jonson, Congrevc, Marlowe, Green
and of others who contributed to the
golden age of English literature will thor
oughly delight students and scholars and
those interested In the history and devel
opment of the drama, there are not enough
of these to moro than make the venture
pay for Itself.
A series of Ibsen revivals at the Prin
cess Theater, with Mary Shaw in the
leading roles, will bring delight to an
other small coterie of followers of serious
drama. Miss Shaw Is one of the few play
ers with a self-sacrificing devotion to her
art. She gave up an easy and high-salaried
position with Klaw and Erlanger
In "Ben Hur" to head the Fawcett Stock
Company In Baltimore at less remunera
tion, because she was to be made artistic
director of tho organization and was to
have a.n opportunity to produce several
of the Ibsen plays. Those to -be done at
the Princess are "Ghosts" and "A Doll's
House."
Empire Company's Neir Play.
The Empire Theater Company began its
14th season at the Empire last Tuesday
evening, with the first American produc
tion of "The Unforeseen," a drama by
Captain Robert Marshall, author of "The
Second In Command," "A Royal Family"
and other excellent plays. His latest pen
product promises to add much to Cap
tain Marshall's American reputation, to
enhance the prestige of the Empire Com
pany and especially to go another long
step In establishing the fact that Margaret
Anglln Is one of the most gifted actre?sea
In this country.
"The Unforeseen" tells a strong stoy
of a young woman who elopes with a
young man from London to Paris. Two
hours before they are to be married they
meet two acquaintances of the bridegroom
be in the Champs Elysecs. To escape in
quisitive questionings, he introduces her
as his wife. A few minutes later he hears
that a speculative deal in which he is
"Which parts in The Auctioneer do you
like best?"
"Those expressing relation to the family
life,, the home life and Its pathos. Par
don me, but yau have seen 'The Auc
tioneer?' "
"Oh, yes."
"Then I can illustrate. You remember
tho parts where Levi bids good-bye to
tho old store, where he and his faithful
wife, talk of their love for each other?
I see you do. Also the place where Levi
finds out that he Is a ruined man finan
cially, in his grand house on Lexington
avenue, where in his sorrow, he turn3 to
comfort his weeping wife and daughter?
Thirdly, the place in the last act, where
the old butler walks up to poverty
stricken Levi and offers him money?
These are the parts I Hke best, and I
am sure they linger longest in the minds
and hearts of my audiences."
"Were these parts in the play as you
originally received it from Lee Arthur and
Charles Klein?"
"They wero placed there by David Be
lasco, whom I consider to be the greatest
constructor of plays and the best dra
matist In this country. He stands alone.
I admire him -Immensely."
"How about the dialogue In your com
edy?" "Oh, I made up a lot of it You see
now that 'The Auctioneer,' as presently
played, differs from the comedy when I
first received It from the playwright"
"Will you kindly explain how you can
Imitate so perfectly?"
Warfleld laughed, and then he began to
Interested did not turn out as expected,
leaving him a ruined man. He breaks
the engagement and commits suicide.
One of the men to whom the clrl was
introduced wa3 being treated for failing
eyesight Soon afterward he goes blind.
Later he meets the girl again, not know
ing sh is the one Introduced to him In
Paris as "Mrs. Tarqyalr." In time they
are married. Finally he recovers his
sight and recognizes his wife. The com
plications come through this situation and
the endeavor she has made to keep her
Paris escapade from becoming known.
Mls3 Anglln's success was unmistakable.
Excellent work also was contributed by
Charles Richman, William Courtleigh,
Fritz Williams and Ethel Hornick.
Stage Notes.
Bijou Fernandez has at last succumbed
to the attractions of musical comedy, and
joins "Tho Silver Slipper" company with
in tho week. Miss Fernandez seemed
well on tho way to success in tho legiti
mate drama when she changed her course.
Rehearsals have been started of "Nancy
Brown," the musical play by Frederic
Ranken, music by Henry Iv. Hadley, In
which Daniel V. Arthur Is to launch
Marie Cahill upon a stellar career. The
piece Is expected to spend the Spring at
tho Bijou.
James T. Powers, who has been Idle
THE 5ENSATI0NAL MELODRAMA -jZM
JWggr PATHETIC r- T-.o-.- HEART TOUCHNO
AT CORDRAY'S THEATER
illustrate In Irish, Scotch, Italian and
German dialect with wonderful correct
ness. His visitors held their breath.
"Now," said the comedian, with a smile,
"If you wish me to explain In any more
dialects, why, I'll do so. I'm a natural
born mimic, and can imitate most peo
ple. That's one of the reasons why I
succeeded as 'Simon Levi.' I'm on my
second season in 'The Auctioneer, and
wherever we have gone we have played to
appreciative audiences, large numbers of
Jews being present, and I noticed that
the Jews laughed as heartily as other
people, and some of them more so. I
don't think the Jewish people get 'sore' be
cause I Imitate one of their great race to
whom the world owes so much. I imitate
an Irishman, and the Irish people in my
audience are amused. I had large Jew
ish audiences In New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Baltimore, etc., and they treated
me kindly."
"And Boston?" queried the reporter.
"You don't see so many Jews In Bos
ton," hinted Warfleld. "That la Yankee
land." And comedian, reporter and artist
laughed. Two in the little party had re
sided in Boston.
"When did you first start in 'The Auc
tioneer' ?"
"In September, 1902. at the Bijou The
ater, Broadway, New York. The comedy,
as you may have heard, was a great suc
cess, and we played at the Bijou for four
months. We then had to leave on tour,
as the theater had been engaged ahead
for other attractions. We then played in
Philadelphia, Washington. Chicago and
other Eastern cities, and then worked
our way to San Francisco, where we
opened December 22 for a two weeks en
gagement at the Columbia Theater. We
were kindly received, and I was much
touched in receiving such a hearty wel
come at my old heme, the place I had left,
years previously. a poor boy. My mother,
sister and brother witnessed our first per
formance, and they could not understand
the first act so they came a second even
ing, and then they understood it. Then
we came to Port'and, and from here we
go to Seattle."
"Where did you first start in the busi
ness?" "At the Wigwam, San Francisco, In spe
cialties, but my first appearance was not
successful. So I left home, went to New
York about 1S91. and appeared as 'Hannah
O'Grady,' an Irishwoman, in 'O'Dowd's
Neighbors.' Then I appeared as a dule
with Russell's comedians, as a country
boy In 'The Nutmeg Match, took a pan
tomime part with Russell's people where
I didn't speak a line, opted In 'The Re
view' at Russell's, which wasn't a suc
cess, and thon I played at tho Casino for
three years, where I appeared In musical
burlesque?. Next I appeared with Weber
& Fields' aggregation, and x then began to
star for myself In 'The Auctioneer.' "
"You have got a good wig and beard in
'The Auctioneer," ventured the reporter.
"Do you like them?" asked Warfleld,
smiling. "The wig is a good fit, isn't It?
I use some of my own hair. Now for the
beard. It is an odd one. I simply pick up
prepared loose hair every night when I am
making up. and place the hair on and
around my chin, using a composition to
make Jt stick. After each performance
I pull off the 'beard, and it's sometimes
hard work. I wash my face and It's all
over until tho next night."
"Do you think 'The Auctioneer' will
live?"
"I hope so. I hope It will live In the
hearts of the people as do 'Rip Van Win
kle and 'The Old Homestead. But it will
likely be off the boards at the end of the
present season. The public might tire of
It If repeated In continuous dosea"
"And then?"
Warfleld paused, and then added., reflec
tively: "Then I expect to appear In a
new attraction now being written for me
by Mr. Belasco. I do not yet know what
It is about. It Is enough for me to know
that it is being written by Mr. Belasco."
"You didn't make a speech before the
curtain when asked to do so at the Mar
quam Theater the other evening?"
"I don't like to make speeches," repl'ed
Warfleld. "I'm not a public speaker. I'm
an actor. To step out from the stago
and from a character you are representing
spoils the Illusion. That's why."
thus far this season, opens on January
21, In Boston In "The Jewel of Asia," a
clever musical comedy with book by Fred
eric Rankin and music by Ludwig Eng
lander. The play Is being staged by Geo.
W. Lederer.
Louis Mann's comedy, by. Charles F.
Nirdilnger, originally called "Hoch der
Consul," has been renamed "The Consul."
It will have its first New York production
at the Princess Theater, January 19, suc
ceeding "Heidelberg," which goes on a
tour of the larger cities.
Sunday-night concerts at the various
theaters where vaudeville Is served on
Sunday nights are rapidly becoming tam
er in their character. Police commis
sioner Greene has issued strict orders
against appearance in costume or make
up, and many of the numbers suffer when
the players are reduced to ordinary street
attire.
The Hengler Sisters, dancers, have been
sent to London by the Shubert Brothers
to see "The West End," the new musical
comedy,, by the authors of "A Chinese
Honeymoon," the American rights to
which those managers have bought lntend
inir to stago It at the Casino when "A
Chinese Honeymoon" run Is over. The
latter has been here 250 nights and still
is drawing crowded houses. It promises
to surpass "Florodora's" record.