The morning Astorian., October 25, 1908, 2ND SECTION, Page 11, Image 11

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1903.
TUB MOllMJNG ASTORIA.
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4
The Jeffersons and The Rivals
Vfrwra liAPn A fip.nr in ted for 1 33 Years ?
The Jeffersons and Tho Rivals or so
dourly HHNoeiated thut ho who would
write a history of one muni write-tho
history of tho other. ' ""
Tho Jeffersons and Tim Rlvalnl I'or
just 133 wan those names have turn
linked toi;rther. Ifof 133 years thin
distinguished family of 'I lu'ipuma have
handed down from intlifr to ion tl.u
lrt xtm.-tion of Richard Urhmlcy Sliiri
diiti'i nidHtprpif'T until now, vwtli
the fifth generation jufitiu it, it
In almost a prt ',( Jillerson family
The . . Itelf,
It wss h Augnst, 1774, that Richard
Hnimtey Sdioridun, ttu-n boy in Jus
twenty-third year, was commissioned
by tho manager of the famous old Coven t
Garden the.ure in London to write u
comedy. With' tho exception of a very
few minor scenes, younjr fclwidan hud
no Mm whatever in to what thould
constitute the comedy.
Despite hit youth, he was a writer tt
considerable note, and,- confident of
hi ability mid strong in his hoju, he
let to work. ' 'Early in December - of
thu samo year, he deljvcted to J lie
Covent Garden theatre manager the
manuscript of The Rivals.
, A masterpiece of comedy hd tx-en
bom nd wondeiful win the career Unit
awaited it,-a career thut would have
been lost to the world but for the per
liitence of ita boyish author.
FlrstJIme Failed.
The play wna immediately rut
Into rehearsal and on Jan. 17th, 177.1,
it waa prxluced for the first time on
any stage, it win a aisrnai laiiurr;
a failure becnuw of the wretched
performance of the actor to whom
was allotted tho role of Sir Lucius
OTriggcr, , .
Ilia performance waa ao bad, and
it marred thd work 6f the other artists
to such an extent, that the play wn
almost hooted from. the itago on tho
aliening night. ;
Young faherldan had faith in hi
TJioinai Ji'fTernon," n actor who wai
born in 1710 and who waa the fint of
tho distinguished family to adopt a
stage career, became a member, of
the company then under the manage
ment of David Carnck, who wai, at
that time, convidetsd the greatest
ictor of hi day.
Mr. JcffrMon waa estientlully a come
dian, and about thia time Garrick,
who had a fond new for the heavier
styles of playing, decided to refrain
from appearing in any comedies. Thia
. nnrvirt.linif V foe Tl'fTprilon. wllO
at once awnmcd the principal comedy
rolei in all of the David Garrick pro
duction, i; i .i ' ,
It waa about 1779 that Gamck
produced lhe Rivals for. the first
time. Of course it waa only natural
thnt P.nrrieV'i nrinrinlll prmirchutl should
'be allotted the part of Bob Acres.
Here It was that tne combination oi
Jefferson portraying the part of "Fight
fn? 13ob began and ever aince that
memorable mght that combination has
continued, j,
I ? A Joseph Jcflersoa.
Thomaa Jefferson, the first, died
In 18t)7, having; behind him a wife
and two sons, the elder of whom waa
called Joseph, lie waa born in 1774.
As a young man, Joseph evinced a de
cided talent for the stage, and in 1705,
trayed liob Acres in one of the small
i . . .. M ! A 1. A
KnglisU cities, ue appearcu in ute p.in
for several performances and then, for
some reason which ia now unknown,
abandoned tho play. . -
Comes to America ,
He came to America in 1797, brinRina
with him - a carefully constructed
prompt-book of The Rivals. This he
never personally used in America, yet
he treasured It and Rave H to hii son,
who was born in 1S04.
This younj man was alio named
Josephalter his father. Thia makes
It happened 'that eventually the
boy saw i'. D. Hie, a popular per
former of that period, who wn
creating a furore as a burnt coi!
cornelian. Mr. Rice's performance iv.-iK
filled with littlu jnarnieririins cafiable
of imitation ait'l to tin; surprise of
everyi'tic, our Jowjilj Jeffi rsm then
only thrive vur old --bewail Rivif'k'
Imitathni of Mr. Rice that were scrcani
iii'ly luriny.
Mr. Riee himwlf saw them and
waxed crilhiMiaii'.ic, Muih t) the boy's
deli'iht; Rico helped him to perfect Kis
Imitations, and it was but a few weeks
until this mure baby could accomplish
nearly every move made by Rice him
self. Rice S!ii:,(:d the idea of having
tho boy apiM'.-ir, on the etag'? wiih him
rihI tne fatli'-r, realizuiK that the
TlnKpian mantle was to fall upon tho
shoulders of his son, ' interposed no
oljmion and the stage career ol
Joifc-ph Jefferson, the third, began.
Thrown on Stage.
It had not been publicly announced
that young Jefferson would apear with
Mr, Rico, and only a few of the actors
themselves knew that the boy waa to
appear. Those who did, however, were
thrown into consternation when Rico,
in grotesque make-up,, and carrying
his old carpet ba;, appeared on the
stai; without the boy.
Kice began his nciformance -as usual
and after about three tmnul-es, opened
tlie carpet bag to net, as he stated, his
handkerchief. Then came a gasp of
feigned surprise and after a acvere
shaking of the bac;, out rolled young
Joe Jefferson. 'ihe audience fairly
shrieked its approval. It may be said
with all truth that the greatest aclor
America has ever known waa fairly
"thrown on the atajre."
Rice recognized in the boy a worthy
rival, for his work that evening was s
clear cut, as distinct, as much imbued
with persrmalitv, as that of any pro
fessional could have l-en.
.. ift piay per-
f ormaft' es U y in at CM ur.d (5 o'tlo. k
in lie cvernii'4 and !.i:.ed until nud
fli;:ht, Uifi't talky SCfitK'S were, at
that time, prevail, us; maiks of drumaMc
coiiKtiuetion. It was on thefus anti'
quatcil lines that Micridan hud con
structed 'lhe Rival. 'lhe original
endmi of the comedy was not in &(
cool with modern ideas, so young
Jciferson ic-t to work to revise the play
and make it conform to the demands oi
the modern audiences.
The Graceful Epilogue.
With him, tins work w a labor of
love, ' .
(''ir"fully he did his work and wrm
deri ally well, too. 'l he abrupt ending
of the old piay he thanked and, thankn
to his effort, The Rivals can now boast
of a grateful and biautiful epilogue. -
The All Star Cast.
Thia. version Mr. Jefferson usd for
upward of (ifu-cn years, during which
time the p'.Hsibiiities of the role of
Rob appealed to him to such an extent
that he was continually making minor
i improvements, and studying1 out and
I planning' a generally reconstructed
version, ,
! About twenty years ago, Mr. Jeffer
! son finally completed a manuscript
of lhe Rivals. In it, he had eliminated
tvery talky secne and every super-'
fluous word, lie gave the play ita most
delightful ending, and it was this
version that he uned during the remain
der of his life, and which he banded
down to his son and namesake, Joseph
Jefferson, the fourth. -
It was this version that the famous
all star cast uud during their memor
able tour of this country in 1&90
This company, composed of Joseph
eflcrson, Nat 'Goodwin. Wm. H.Crane,
rancis Wilson, Joseph and E. M. Hol
land,' Robert Tuber, Mrs. John Drew
Julia Marlowe, and Fannie Rice waa
it must be admitted, the greatest com
pany that ever appeared "in any one
plav and the full value of Mr. Jeffer
son's version of The Rivals waa in
every way worthy of their ability.
i J' ffer':,u i'vorUe.
luring rh many years that Mr.
Jeit. rvm v;'J before the public, al
though he was well, known for his
r.-nditwii of S'.-vcral other parts, that
of ISo!) Acres was always his favorite,
lie claimed be found more pleasure in
r .), than any other char-
' rx he Honeymooners 1
' Cohan's Best Show I
'. d' !th Mr. Florence. How erroneous
ti.is idea r.nn e appreciated when
the yotmg'-r Jeiicrson fairly electrified
)':" t.t '. ! i'.'Mig world with his per
forwoce of that role in his father's
M 't'.iy," .... ,' ' ....
C 1 1.'.3 attended the first ni;ht to
t''.ii': the young JcfTerson, to kill
l.i rt by comparisons of his work with
t i t of Florence. Nthing awful hap
p vd. 'I ho who were prepari-d to
L 'it Ic the efforts of the young player
chained their ridicule to praise nd he
was nnviimously pronounced a dis-ti!i';'jia.it-.
S'jcc-f.s.
unce a;;ain The Rivals had changed
n'difule to prair, as it had done away
back there in England, more than a
, century ticfore. As long as the elder
Jefferson appeared upon the sUge, his
son was prominent in his supjx.-rt and
naught but praise has been showered
upon his efforts. .
WiJlio Jefferson's Daring.
Meanwhile the younger son, Wil
liam, was begging for tho opportunity
to play Bob Acres, his father' role.
He knew every line, every gesture, of
the entire play, lie had faith in his
ability and his father shared it with him.
, In IS'Jfl, when the father was ap
pearing in Pittsburg, Pa., Willie
went to visit him. That trip to the
Smoky City is an epoch in the boy's
life. The father was taken suddenly ill.
. It was impossible for the old gentleman
to appear tht evening, and, with every
teat in the house sold, disaster seemed
imminent.
Willie begged for the opportunity
to play the part; to take the place
, of him who stood foremost on the
I American stage. It was the height of
daring, but Imally the father, believ
' ,ng in his boy, and his boy's faith,
jonwpted that Willie should appear
aa Bob.
1 ' A Pronounced Success.
; What dreams were his that night
' Willie Tefierton aVme can tell. Ho
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play and , insisted upon ,its being pre
sented tho second night. It was pre
sented and failing again, waa then
withdrawn. The author took his manu
script, made several minor changes,
secured another actot to portray Sir
Lucius O'Trigger and prepared to try
again. '. ; . ).
j A STftmatlo Triumph.
f Tho play, which had received the
widest notoriety on account of its
first night's fiasco, was again presented.
The audience assembled at the theatre
with tho one idea of hooting tho "play
from the stage. But nothing of tho
kind occurred. This night, tho genius
of young Sheridan was to be vindipated.
. The new actor, in the part of Sir
Lucius, had fully grasped all tho deli
cacies of the role , and added auch
finesse and artistic atmosphere to tho
entire performance that the audience
lat spell-bound. , They left extolling
its merits and the talent of him who had
created it. .- '5"';: . '-.-,
Tho play became a fad, The best
people of London became enamored
of it to, such, an extent that it was
hot Ions until the fume of the play
had reached the ears of the king.
IBe royal family witnessed the pro
duction and with tho approval of
royalty. The. Rivals soon .developed
nto tho most astounding comedy
'juccess that London had ever known.'
Sheridan's fame was established and
fn The Rivals one finds that indescrib
able something that is a combination
oi boyish charm, youthful under
standing, boyhood ? philosophy, and a
knowledge of life that is totally different
from that exploited by the writers
whose youth, with its optimism, ia
lost to them, and upon whom the pessim
ism of age is steadily encroaching. -
' ' "' A Jefferson Enters. '' '
In 1774, while Sheridan was working
en the manuscript of Tho Rivals,
him Joseph Jefferson tho second al
though he represented the third genera
tion concerned in this narrative.
This young man, at a very early
ago, showed a decided talent for paint
ing., This talent was fostered by his
parents, and it was not until he was
nearly twenty years of age that the
family trait asserted itself in a yearning
for the stage. -. .-
Throughout his entire life, he never
abandoned his , first love, painting
He was a distinguished artist and sonic
of the most precious heirlooms now in
the possession of the Jefferson family
are specimens of the artistic handiwork
of Joseph Jefferson, the second.
While still a young man, he married
Miss Cornelia Frances Thompson, at
that time the most noted singer in
America. There were four children born
of this unirm, two of whom died in
infancy. The other two were Joseph
Jefferson, the third, our Joe Jefferson,
and Cornelia Jefferson. ! ' f, . .
The Great Jefferson. 1
We are now down to our own deal
old Joseph Jefferson, the best knowr
of all wit talented family of Theajdars,
the beloved actor whose name has
been written on every heart. .
' Joscp.i Jefferson, the- third (repre
senting the fourth generation), was born
in Philadelphia on Feb, 20th, 1829, and
at the early age of three years, made
his theatrical debut.' ;.: s . ' ,
His first appearance on the stage
was a very unexpected affair, so far
as the audience was concerned. Ha
fvst really began in what was then
the. rage, Living Statues. : The boy
witnessed many of these entertain
ments, and won a juvenile reputation
for himself for his imitations of these
statues. In fact, young Jefferson waa
imitating everything . and everybody
that came to his notice. Genius began to
show its presence early in Joseph Jeffer
son, the third. .
ill
'A
In . j luiiier," attcr
negotiation i mti; the manager of a
theatre in Chicago, then a town with
a population, of a little more than
20!ld, journeyed to the city for which
such a brilliant History was just be
ginning. 9
Witn him, over that memorame
journey by canal and on horseback,
he took his son, the family, paying
for their passage by giving a number
of entertainments on the old, slow
moving boat, the proceeds of which
went to the captain.
In Chicago, the children wero given
every advantage possible at that time.
Tho father, with his great fondness
for drawing and painting, instilled his
knowledge into the mind of his son, but
always tha longing for the stage wus;
uppermost in the boy's mind.
V(' .'As Legitimate Actor.
During tha awkward age, from 12
to IS, young Jefferson appeared but
seldom. In the meantime, the first
theatre in Chicago burned and on its
site was erected a, more modem play
house.
is was in this temple of amusement
that our Joseph Jefferson, whose name is
reverenced throughout . 11 stageland,
first appeared as a legitimate actor. It
was in Chicago, too, that he was given
the treasured manuscript of The Rivals,
which the father had brought from
England..
The boy had often heard his father
talk of the possibilities of the part
of Bob Acres and he remembered
that his father, grandfather, and great
grandfather, had all achieved success
in the role. Then came the idea to
follow in the footsteps of his ancestors
the ambition, to again give the world
another Jefferson as Bob Acres.
. Carefully he read the play and
learned, with something akin to abso
lute horror, that it was almost totally
unlit for modern oresentation.
'! . ,. .i :.. lluil',-. i.e ) C
it r.-ors t.i.m -A.c Us.-awind times and in
ach tH!r!oi':n.ujcot found eumiahiug of
;oe interest ' ' .
When Mr. Jefferson and V. J.
Florence formed their .famous com
bination; Mr '. Florence found in the
part of Sir Lucius just as many things
to intcrctt. him as Mr. Jefferson found
in Bob. , ' " ' '
, The Boys Follow. ;
i And now comes the most peculiar
coincidence of the entire romance of
The Rivals and the Jeffersons.
Two of Mr. Jefferson's sons, Joseph
and William, each considered the play
the finest example of theatrical litera
ture in existence They have never
a'nndoned this idea, and even to-day,
(wt of these two young actors ad
vance argument after argument in j
support, pi their contention, ,
When Jefferson ' and Florence were '
' at the height', of their fame, the two j
y x Jeffersons never missed a pro- J
: in ot tne old play. -Joseph.,, the i
' of tho t.vo, from the time he was
,y had but otio ambition, the one
i to plav the part of Sir Lucius
W in lit? father's company. .: -. I
vuu'::er s.n had just as great!
; -V c .:' his dream was to live
, , ; , i t'.'.o life of Bob Acres, as his I
, for -fenerations back, fmd j
livvd it out for tho delight of thousands. I
... f
, Joe. Realizes Ambition. , .
After Mr. Florence died, young Joe
Jefferson was chosen to succeed him as
Sir Lucius. ' He .claimed at that time,
that his life's ambition had been j
realized, for, at last, ho was Sir Lucius I
How s thoroughly artistic was his
first performance can be attested by ,
the 'tremendous ovation he received
on his first appearance. Both, press
and public, the country over. . had
been fairly imbued with the idea that
dressed "for the part, and, witn a vast
audience waiting there to see the great
Joe Jefferson (for the. substitution was
not announced), he stepped out upon
the stage as Bob Acres. For him, too,
ambition had been realiztd.
So masterly was his performance;
so accurate was it in every detail;
so closely did it resemble th work
of the elder Jefferson; that few in the
audience were aware that a change had
been made. Voice, eyes, gesture, every
movement of the body, were identically
the same. The long years of waiting
and patient study had borne fruit.
The next day the change was an
nounced to the Pittsburg papers and
with one voice, the critics sounded
the praise of another Jefferson. Willie
Jefferson, playing in his father's very
shoes, had jumped into fame. - Another
Jefferson had been given to the world.
So faithful was his performance
that from that night until dear old
Joe Jefferson closed his eyes forever,
Willie always went with his father's
company as his father's understudy.
- A Strange Contrast.
Heredity, strange law that governs
so much in this universe of ours, has
played a wonderful part in the life
story of the Jeffersons. But the story
is not yet complete, for, aside from
this handing down of talent from
father to son, of the passing of the play
from generation to generation, there is
another side, a side as intensely in
teresting, if not even more so, than that
which has been related, f
The elder Jefferson was possessed
of what might be called a dual per
sonality. To his intimate friends, he
was more like a grown up schoolboy
than anything else. Always fond of
a practical joke and with a merry
greeting and a joyful demeanor, he
was the embodiment of all that one
would expect of the world's greatest 1
comedian.
"THE honeymoone:;2."
When Geo, M. Cohan, the young
est and most popular of Americas
dramatists and composers, was in
formed by Klaw & Er'awgcr that he
was to play all last summer at ths
New Amsterdam Theatre in New
York he set himself to work to pro
duce a starring vehicle, which would
be the biggest hit of his career. He
wrote and composed "The Honey
moon rrs" and made the grcate:,t
triumph of his crowded life playing
throughout the heated season o
Broadway to capacity at $2 prices.
"The Honeymooners" comes to the
Astoria Theatre tonight, with the
original Broadway production. It
will be presented by a powerful cast
of metropolitan favorites assisted by
40 of the cleverest and preStieit
.
U i
chorus girls who ever left New
York. ' Thi3 latest and greatest
Cohan song show is a typical Cohaa
piece effervescent with action and
bubbling over with humor .and
laughter and instinct with the joy of
life. It combines melodrama and
music there being a strong story and
no less than 20 lilting musical num
bers. It is said by critics that "Tht
Honcymoners" is the strongest mu
sical production on the road thia
year and that as a . play pure and
simple it has few rivals in interest
Geo. M. Cohan is the apostle oE
happy breezy confident young Amer
ica and his ideals are the ideals of
the men and women who do things
and are happy about it. Scores of
Cohan phrases have been added te
the current speech of the nation and
his songs are heard all over the
world. In "The Honeymooners'
there art such song hits as "Kid
Days," "I'll Be There in the Public
Square," 'I'm a Popular Man," "In a
One Night Stand," and "Make a Lot
of Noise." The story requires a bisf
cast to tell it. The plot is laid ia the
town of Tigerville, Vermont, and
Hoyt never wrote anything whose
satire approaches the genial dissen
tion of rural village types in "The
Honeymooners." It is a melange of
love, politics, sport and mistaken
identity and the tale is fascinating.
In the classy cast are such prime fa
vorites as Will Dunlay, Walter Ches
ter, Daniel Sullivan, Jack London,
Thomas A. Hearn, William Singer.
Annie Wheaton, Gertrude Le "Brandt,
Rose Gildea and Dolly .Vardennia.
The costumes and staging are magnificent.
lo the stranger he would casually
meet, he was the dignified and sincere
gentleman, straightforward in all of
his business dealings, and always
possessing an attitude that demanded ,
respect. ,
In Other Ways.
In a professional way; he likewise
possessed a dual personality. In pre
paring for the presentation of a play,
he would cold-bloodedly figure out
every possibility. He was a thorougl
master of every bit of dramatic tech
nique. He knew wjnat was possible aJ
how to obtain it and it was this sort d
careful preparation that made hia
famous.
On the other hat..., when occasir
demanded it he was the personifi
cation of spontaneity. Almost uncon
sciously, he could grasp the possibilities,
of a situation and extract Uom it ti
comedy element, 'i Ins is, beyond S
doubt, a wonderful talent, permitting,
as it does, its possessor to lo what Lis
wants to do ia aa almost unconscious
manner.
The possession of this dual pf-p-sonajity
stamped Joseph Jefferson at
a genius. lie possessed those three
(Continued on page 12)