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DAILY EAST OREGONIAN, PENDLETON, OREGON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1908.
SIXTEEN PAGES.
History of the
Jefferson- Family
The Jeffersons and The Rivals are so
losiMy associated that he who would
write "a history of one must write the
l'istorv nf tV. -.
The i y Itself.
It was in August, 1774, that Richard
Brinsley Sheridan, then a hoy in his
twenty-third year, was commissioned
by the manager of the famous old Cover.t
Garden theatre in London to write a
comedy. With the exception of a very
few minor scenes, young Sheridan had
no idea whatever as to what should
constitute the comedy.
Despite his youth, "he was a writer of
Considerable note, and, confident of
his ability and strong in his hopes, he
set to work. Early in December of
the same year, he delivered to the
Co vent Garden theatre manager the
manuscript of The Rivals.
A masterpiece of comedy had been
born and wonderful was the career that
awaited it, a career that would have
been lost to the world but for the per'
sistence of its boyish author.
First Time Failed.
The play was immediately put
Into rehearsal and on Jan. 17th, 1775,
it was produced for the first time on
any stage. It was a dismal failure;
a failure because of the wretched
performance of the actor to whom
was allotted the role of Sir Lucius
O'Trigger.
His performance was so bad, and
it marred the work of the other artists
to such an extent, that the play was
almost hooted from the stage on the
Opening night.
Young Sheridan had faith in his
play and insisted upon its being pre
sented the second night. It was pre
sented and failing again, was then
withdrawn. The author took his manu
script, made several minor chances.
secured another actor to portray Sir
Lucius O'Trigger and prepared to try
again.
A Dramatic Triumph.
The 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 the one idea of hooting the play
from the stage. But nothing of the
kind occurred. This night, the genius
of voung Sheridan was to be vindicated.
The new actor,- in the part of Sir
Lucius, had fully grasped all the deli
cacies of the role and added suih
finesse and artistic atmosphere to the
entire performance that the audience
sat spell-bound. They left extolling
its merits and the talent of him who had
cre.ited it.
The play became a fad. The best
people of London became enamored
of it to such an extent that it was
not long until the fame of the play
had reached the ears of the king.
The royal family witnessed the pro
duction and with the approval of
royalty, The Rivals soon developed
Into the most astounding comedy
Success that London had ever known.
Sheridan's fame was established and
In The Rivals one finds that indesfrib
sble something that is a combination
of boyish charm, youthful under
standing, boyhood philosophy, and a
knowledge of life that is totally different
from that exploited by the writers
whose vouth, with its optimism, is
lost to them, and upon whom the pessim
ism of age is steadily encroaching.
A Jefferson Enters.
In 1774, while Sheridan was working
on the manuscript of The Rivals,
Thomas Jefferson, an actor who was
born in 1746 and who was the first of
the distinguished family to adopt -a
stage career, became a member of
the company then under the manage
ment of David Garrick, who was, at
that time, considered the greatest
actor of his day.
Mr. Jefferson was essentially a come
dian, and about this time Garrick,
who had a fondness for the heavier
styles of playing, decided to refrain
from appearing in any comedies. This
was the opportunity for Jefferson, who
at once assumed the principal comedy
roles in all of the David Garrick pro
ductions. It was about 1779 that Garrick
produced The Rivals for the first
time. Of course it was only natural
that Garrick's principal comedian should
be allotted the part of Bob Acres.
Here it was that the combination of a
Jefferson portraying the part of "Fight
ing Bob' began and ever since that
of all that talented family of Thespians,
the Moved actor whose name has
been vntU:; on even' heart.
Joseph Jeliersun the third (repte
anting the fourth generation), was born
in Philadelphia on Feb. 20th. 1S29, and
at the early age of three years, made
his theatrical debut.
His first appearance on the stage
was a very unexpected affair, so far
as the audience was concerned. He
first 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 was
imitating everything and everybody
that came to his notice. Genius began to
show its presence early in Joseph Jeffer
son, the third.
MimiciJT. D. Rice.
It happened that eventually the
boy saw T. D. Rice, a popular per
former of that period, who was
creating a furore as a burnt cork
comedian. Mr. Rice's performance was
filled with little mannerisms capable
of imitation and to the surprise of
everyone, our Joseph Jefferson then
only three vears old began giving
Imitations of Mr. Rice that were scream-
nglv funny.
Kice himself saw them and
The Jeffcrcon Favorite.
During the many years that Mr.
Jefferson wus before the public, al
though he was well known for his
rendition of several other parts, Uiat
of Boh Acres was always his favorite.
He claimed be found more pleasure in
portraying Bob than any other char
acter in his entire repertoire'. He played
It more than one thousand times and in
each performance, found something of
new interest.
When Mr. Jefferson and W. J.
Florence formed their famous com
bination, Mr Florence found in the
part of Sir Lucius just as many things
to interest him as Mr. Jefferson founds
in Bob.
The Boys Follow.
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
abandoned this idea, and even to-day,
either of these two young actors ad
vance argument after argument in
support of their contention.
When , Jefferson and Florence were
at the height of their fame, the two
young Jeffersons never missed a pro
duction of the old play. Joseph, the
waxed enthusiastic. Much to the boy s ' euer Df the two, from the time he was
delight. Rice helped him to perfect his j a boy had but one ambition, the one
imitations, and it was but a few weeks dens to plav the part of Sir Lucius
until this mere baby could accomplish j O'Trigger in his father's company.
nearly every move made by Rice him- The youn(Ter son had just as great
, . .. ... 'ambition, only his dream was to live
Rice suggested the idea of having out aRain the i,fe o( Bob AcreSi as his
me fjuv api-eur on vac aiagc wuu nun ancestors, for generations back, had
ana tne iatner, realizing uiai tne ; ijved jt out for tnc d
Thespian mantle was to fall upon the
shoulders of his son, interposed no j
objection and the stage career of i
Joseph Jefferson, the third, began.
Thrown on Stage. j
delight of thousands.
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
It had not been publicly announced j realized for. At List, he w:s Uir Lu.-ins
that voung Jefferson would appear with How thoroughly artistic was his
Mr. Rice, and only a few of the actors fal performance can .be attested by
themselves knew that the boy was to ! lhe tremendous ovation he received
appear. 1 hose who did, however, were j on hjs tlrst appearand. Both press
thrown into consternation when Rice, I ani public, the country over, had
in grotesque make-up, and carrying I been fairly imbued with the idea that
his old carpet bag. appeared on the sir Lucius O'Trigger had virtually
stage without the bov. I died with Mr. Florence. How erroneous
Rice began his performance as usual was tW8 jdea can t,e appreciated when
and after about three minutes, opened j the vounger Jefferson fairlv electrified
the carpet bag to get, as he stated, his i the theatre-going world with his per-
handkerchief. Then came a gasp of
feigned surprise and after a severe
shaking of the bag, out rolled young
Joe Jefferson, m The audience fairly
shrieked its approval. It may be said
with all truth that the greatest actor
America has ever known was fairly
thrown on the stage.
formance of that role in his father'
company.
Critics attended the first night to
ridicule the young Jeffersui, to kill
him by comparisons of his work with
that of Florence. Nothing awful hap
pened Those who were prepared to
belittle the efforts of the young player
Rice recognized in the boy a worthy j changed their ridicule to praise and' he
rival, for his work that evening was as
clear cut, as distinct, as much imbued
with personality, as that of any pro
fessional could have been.
Appears in Chicago.
In 1838, the boy's father, after
negotiations with the manager of a
theatre in Chicago, then a town with
a population of a little more than
20O0, journeyed to the city for which
such a brilliant history was just be
ginning. With him, over that memorable
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 were given
every advantage possible at that time.
The father, with his great fondness
for drawing and painting, instilled his
knowledge into the mind of his son, but
always the longing for the stage was
uppermost in the boy's mind.
As Legitimate Actor.
During the awkward age, from 12
to 15, young Jefferson appeared but
seldom. In the meantime, the first
theatre in Chicago burned and on its
site was erected a more modern play
house.
Is was in this temple of amusement
that our Joseph Jefferson, whose name is
reverenced throughout all stageland,
first appeared as a legitimate actor. It
was in Chicago, too, that he was eiven
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
memorable night that combination has i unfit for modern presentation.
continued.
A Joseph Jefferson.
Thomas Jefferson, the first, died
In 1807, leaving behind him a wife
and two sons, the elder of whom was
called Joseph. He was lorn in 1774.
As a young man, Joseph evinced a de
cided talent for the stage, and in 17'Jo,
in a very mediocre company, he por
trayed Bob Acres in one of the small
English cities. He appeared in the part
for several performances and then, for
some reason which is now unknown,
abandoned the play.
Comes to America
He came to America in 1797, bringing
with him a carefully constructed
prompt-book of The Rivals. This he
never personally used in America, yet
he treasured it and gave it to his son,
who was born in 1804.
This young man was also named
ioseph after his father. This makes
im Joseph Jefferson the second al
though he represented the third genera
tion concerned in this narrative.
This young man, at a very early
age, showed a decided talent for paint
ing. This talent vas 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 nevev
abandoned his first love, painting.
He was a distinguished artist and some
of th? most precious heirlooms now in
the possession of the Jefferson family
are specimens of the artistic handiwork
of J'fseyh Jefferson, the second.
While still a voung man, he married
Miss Cornelia f ranees Thompson, at
that time the most noted singer in
America. There were four children born
of this union, two of whom died in
infancy. The other two were Joseph
Jefferson, the third, our Joe Jefferson,
and Cornelia Jefferson.
The Great Jefferson.
We are now down to our own dear
When Sheridan wrote the play per
formances began at 5.30 and (i o'clock
in the evening and lasted until mid
night. Long talky scenes were, at
that time, prevailing marks of dramatic
construction. It was on these anti
quated lines that Sheridan had con
structed The Rivals. The original
ending of the comedy was not in ac
cord with modern ideas, so young
Jefferson set to work to revise the play
and make it conform to the demands o'
the modern audiences.
The Graceful Epilogue.
With him, this work was a labor of
love.
Carefully he did his work and won
derfully well, too. The abrupt ending
of the old play he changed and, thanks
to his effort. The Rivals can now boast
of a graceful and beautiful epilogue.
The All Star Cast.
This version Mr. Jefferson used for
upward of fifteen years, during which
time the possibilities of the role of
Bob appealed to him to such an extent
that he was continually making minor
improvements, and studying out and
planning a generally reconstructed
version.
About twenty years ago, Mr. Jeffer
son finally completed a manuscript
of The Rivals. In it, he had eliminated
every talky scene and every super
fluous word. He gave the play its most
delightful ending, and it was this
version that he used during the remain
der of his life, and which he handed
down to his son and namesake, Joseph
Jefferson, the fourth.
It was this version that the famous
all star cast used during their memor
able tour of this country in 1800.
This company, composed of Joseph
Jefferson, Nat Goodwin, Wm. H. Crane,
'rands Wils m, Joseph and E. M. Hol
land, Kobert J aber, .Mrs. John IJrew
Julia Marlowe, and Fannie Kice was
it must be admitted, the greatest com
pany that ever appeared in any one
play and the full value of Mr. Jeffer
son's version of The Rivals was ia
Old Joseph Jefferson, the bm known I emy way worthy u kbiUty
was unanimously pronounced a dis
tinguished success.
Once again The Rivals had changed
ridicule to praise, as it had done away
back there in Engl. mil, more than a
century before. As long as the elder
Jefferson ap;eared upon the stage, his
son was prominent in his support and
naught but praise has been showered
upon his efforts.
Willie Jefferson's Daring.
Meanwhile the younger son, Wil
liam, was begging for the opportunity
to play Bob Acres, his father's role.
He knew every line, every gesture, of
the entire play. He had faith in his
ability and his father shared it with him.
In 1S98, when the father was ap
pearing in Pittsburg, Pa., Willie
went to visit him. That trip to the
Smokv City is an epoch in the boy's
life. The father was taken suddenly ill.
It was impossible for the old gentleman
to appear that evening, and, with every
seat 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
American stage. It was the height of
daring, but finally the father, believ
.ng in his boy, and his boy's faith,
;onsented that Willie should appear
as Bob.
A Pronounced Success.
What dreams were his that night
Willie Jefferson alone can tell. He
dressed for the part, and, with 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 realized.
So masterly was his performance;
so accurate was it in every detail;
so closely did it resemble the 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 jumjied 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.!
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
comedian. '
To 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-
fiaring for the presentation of a play,
le would cold-bloodedly figure out
every possibility. He was a thorough
master of every bit of dramatic tech
nique. He knew what was possible and
how to obtain it and it was this sort of
careful preparation that made him
famous. Q
On the other hai., when occasion
demanded it he was the personifi
cation of spontaneity. Almost uncon
sciously, he could grasp the possibilities
Of a situation and extract fiora it ths
comedy element. This is, beyond a
doubt, a wonderful talent, permitting,
as it does, its possessor to do what he
wants to do in arT almost unconscious
manner.
The possession of this dual per
sonality stamped Joseph Jefferson as
a genius. He possessed those three
greatest things an actor can hope to
attain: a thorough knowledge of all
that can be attained in theatricals:
a knowledge of just how they could
be attained, ana the power of in
stantaneously grasping a situation in
order that none of the comedy points
be lost
The Young Joe Jefferson.
These different talents are the price
less heirlooms of the sons, and to one
has been given that which was denied
the other.
Joseph has a most brilliant under
standing of the technique of the drama.
In this line, he was always a most pro
found student, and in it, he was greatly
helped by his father.
YVhen the old gentleman was work
ing on a play, young Joe was his con
stant companion. It was nothing else
than this close study of his father's
methods that perfected him in his
knowledge of theatricals and the drama.
The elder Jefferson, too, was a most
astute business man always upright
in his dealings, never making a bar
gain unless it was entirely satisfactory
to him, but, once that bargain was
made, fulfilling it to the letter and de
manding as much of him with whom
it had been made.
Young Joseph inherited too, this
talent, and although business docs
not appeal strongly to him, when
he does enter its realm, he is keen,
shrewd and his father over again.
Genial Willie Jefferson.
The younger son, Willie, is the
personification of the characteristics
of the father that were best known
to the intimate friends of the loved
actor.
In the language of the day, if there
was ever a little imp of merriment
mischievous and prankish full of
effervescent humor and an uncontroll
able and gigantic fondness for practical
jokes and good fellowship, it is Willie.
In a professional way, he is bubbling
over with merriment and can grasp the
comedy situations in an instant, Yet,
when he endeavors to arrange thing?
beforehand, to map out a campaig., j
to be strictly followed, his plans al-'
ways fail. , j
Willie Jefferson is spontaniety it- j
self, l lis methods of procedure during
a performance are totally different
from that of his brother, yet his results
are as eminently satisfactory.
Favored of Providence.
For business, he has not the slight
est desire and to enjoy himself is his
delight.
After his work, .a the theatre is
done, and for a goodly portion of his
time before it has commenced again,
his entire idea of his private life is
to enjoy himself to the absolute limit.
Willie Jefferson is one of those lucky
individuals whose geniality, whole
souledness and absiHute loveableness,
seems to have won the gods themselves,
and Providence takes forethought for
his welfare.
Every business venture in which
he embarks seems to turn out success
fully and Joe insists that if Willie
fell down in a well, Willie would
probably find a half-peck or so of lost
diamonds at the bottom.
Willie Jefferson is the hannv-co.
lucky side of his father, with all of
the illustrious sire s catch-as-catch-can
methods, while Joe is the busi
ness man, the artist, the planner, and
the possessor of the father's marvelous
knowledge of technique. These are the
mental legacies inherited by the young
men, men whose place on the stage is
already amply secured and whose
names will be long remembered.
The Physical Resemblance.
The physical resemblance of these
two boys to their father is marked.
Features are absolutely the same
and one who has looked into the face
of the lamentexl Joseph Jefferson sees
the dear old features again in the faces
of the boys.
In the atteorapsnying profile pictures
of the father and his sons, this resem
blance is easily sequ. In the center is the
father. Before htM W Joseph Jefferson,
his elder son and on other side is his
younger boy, Willf All that is kn the
face of the father is found in the fact of
the one boy or the other. Did one not
know that these pictures had been made
from three photographs, taken from life,
it would be easy to believe that some
artist, studying the two boys, had
drawn a composite picture for that
central figure.
In Joe, there is less of the humor
and the twinkle of the eyes which were
so characteristic of his father.
In Willie Jefferson, this is found
to a marked degree, and though the
years have not yet been sufficient to
work the familiar wrinkles about the
face, one knows of a certainty that will
come there. f
In Willie, there is less of the
sterner sides of the father, and this,
in its turn, is found more fully develop
ed in Joe. It is a fascinating study this
study of portraits, with its contrasts
and resemblances, its likenesses and
its opposites. The more one studies that
picture the more there is that he sees
hidden there.
"I Am a Jefferson."
This, in brief isf the wonderful life
story of the Jeffersons. This is a little
insight into the romance of The Rivals
and the jeffersons and the more one
thinks over the story, the more wonder
ful it becomes.
A play and the names of the players
inseparably connected for 133 years!
Five generations of actors in one fam
ily! That in itself is a wonderful record,
and yet, how doubly wonderful is it
when one remembers that each repre
sentative of each generation has ap
peared in the same role.
Each father has, in turn, handed
down to the son a priceless legacy
of talents, genius and a knowledge
of technique of the drama, linen has
handed down likewise, his own prompt
book of that master piece, The Rivals.
The first Jefferson he with whom
we began the story away back there
in 1774, walked penniless into London
and the second and third generation
found it necessary to act as a means
of livelihood. The fourth generation
was more favored with the goods of this
world and the elder Jefferson, at the
time of his death, left a goodly fortune.
This the lxys among whom are
Toe and Willie have all turned to
- . IF M .
eood account, xei one ana an insist
Mm Oregon Theatre
Mr. Mitchell takes pleasure in announcing
Joseph and William W.
JEFFERSON
and Jan exceptionally talented company in
Richard Brinsley Sheridans' classical comedy
THE- RIVALS
Sunday, October 4
New Oregon Theatre
TONIGHT
Georgia Harper
in
)
"All the Comforts of the Home'
Prices 50c and 25c, on sale at Pendleton Drug Co.
Orpheum Theatre
J. P. MEDRNACH, Proprietor
Change of Program
Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
Absolutely New Pictures.
Johnson's Orchestra will Play Even ngs. j
Best Picture Machine Made.
SHOWS AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS.
Adults 10c, Children 6"to 10 years 5c,
Children under 6 years, free.
See the Twin-Dime Across the Street.
THE NEW
DIMB
Moving Pictures Like Life
Entire change of Program- every Sunday, Tuesday
and Friday.
Absolutely'fire-proof'and the best
ventilated theatre in the ci.ty.
A Better Show at the Same Price
ADULTS 0c CHILDREN 5c
that the most valued leracy left them
ts the fact that they can look the world
in the face and say proudly and in ail
mkfulnM. "I am Itfaiaoa.!!
CAKKLESSNKSS IS HKSrONSIUMO
for the soiling of many nice dress
and other garments, but llttlo satis
faction can be obtained from the cul
prits. You can, however, have the
satisfaction of having your clothing
carefully cleaned so they will look
like new at Sullivan's dying and
cleaning establishment. When spots
cannot be removed, our skill and ex
perience enables us to dye the gar
ment a darker lilinde of most pleiislng
effectiveness.
ssasamau'wuey bt -s .
CifygSteam Dye Works
Phone Main 169.
Its E. Alts ?l
COPVftlOHT. A ..e
I