The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-11
JOHNSTON AND THE COUNT.
What the Actor says Who had mn Egg
Thrown Mt Him from the Audience-A
Cau.tic Review of n Nobiemnn's History.


Robert Johnston, an experienced aud excel
lent actor. is member " the dramatic company
supporting tho Count Jounucs in the I.yccum
Theatre. While some of his ,omuauions have.
in retaliation for abusive treatment. epat at.
cursed ut and offered to fight the audience he
has rctortcd In better manner. On Friday
evening while he was playing f1'onius. an egg
was thrown ut him. lie walked to the foot
lights. and in dignilcd way. said TINT he was
earning his living. and that he mcritcd no such
jndignity. A SUN reporter talked with him last
evening. He said: 81 didn't care how much
they yelled. but when they mad" ne Il target for
missiles-,hough | am morally certain tina, the
egg that hit T1lonius was not indicative of any
opprobrum Individuality gave them to under
stand that wouldn't have it. and they seemed
u think the better Of me Tor having spoken my
mind. 1t Is only fair that they should consider
The force Of circumstances which compel an old
actor like myself to support tho Count Joanncs.
after an honorable career of thirty years"
You were. perhaps. n contemporary Of tho
Count when he was regularly connected with
the stage '' said the reporter.
Not exactly. as he was n lltta before my
time; but knew much Of him Us n boy, and
have had friends in the profession who wore ON
the stage with him. and were never weary Of
telling funny stories about him. first wont
on the stage IN William T.. Burton's Arch Street
Theatre in 1917: assumed the loading business
at the Chestnut Street In 1919; became manager
OF the Arch street in 1852. first appeared in
New York as W. DDaLrp at Burton's Cham
bers Street Theatre in ISIS. and started my
starring career ut the Bowrry in 1858. Since
then haVr starred. of and on. pretty much all
over the United States. besides managing vari
GUS theatres; hut II lat" years hay" not Irnc-
nsed my profession very steadily drImnti" uu-
thorShin taking NJ some of NV time. though 10
Is almost imios~ible Tor an American author to
xet any show rom the manager. 1rre.'
Did yOu not construct Il new Snnkespearean
play on novel plan not long aeo,
49," Col. John Garnet mi huili up n play en-
All the lnneuasc is shak'-rrarc's, hcipr taken
acted portion Of Richard III whiir tho nrchi-
tecture of the play Is our own. But somehow
fhe managers have always fought Shy of the
IDEA. Yes. ~ MY rHp"ri"n.". have had the
pleasure and honor ~ supporting nearly al Ia"
EreM hls'rloui' c'"irltlrs mn, nave appeared
ON the American stage from MnrrcHiy down.
and including the elder Booth Forrest Jamos
Anderson. Davenport. and the rest. anI her"
nm nj INST supporting this man-this Count
Joanncs.
Mr.. Johpston laughed little bitterly. but
recolections ofthr Counts history.
think II must hr fort, odd years ago that
George Jones first cnmc o. this country from
England of which country h. j. q native" said
Mr. Johnston. Probably tive idea Of being
representative Of Enrop,an nobility had never
al that time entered his mead. and he was sim
ply known n. George jun"- the actor at tho
Old Bower Theatre, wh.r,. | thinS. he first
actor. he wns always oNcDp llnclv uupornlnr
and those WHO knew him mon Iitv. riyrn M,
many amusing accounts oi ila tricks that vera
PLAYED urgn him. Atom" time he was nlaving
= role IN which re was REQUIRED t. 40 hastily
other cont. exchange hi shippers for pair ~
enormous TOP boots brand II W yrliow-toprod
ones. In the Possession f which he took
vast amount 81 ptidcl. and then rcap-
pear behind thu looiiiehts-therc iaiiig
when he had run m. those who were in
the joke heard a howl OF rage and norti-
Lcation issue rom his dressing room >non aitcr
its door hal closed on him. and when his che
was called his trunks and hose looked a. il he
ne made cansed quar- or two OF muddy water
10 splash ont FROM tno-" gorR'olis top orts
which some practical Joker probably in re-
Nenge had illl'd during MS @ls.nc". You can
Judge what figure ~ cht. mn how the audi
about the country for some time with his wife
Mrs. Melinda Jones. who WITS a ruod aetr"s-
But he WAS nearly always IN hot water with
managers. actors. supernumHrarics. and nll by
reason Of his disngreeahc mqnner. He was once
at Norfolk. Richmond. and. | think. Peters
burg He 'qll' his theatr" q The former place
The Avon. which has always been :. w.ldly-wor
shipped name of Li- hy reason Of its astoria
ton with II. Imwortnl Bard. as was
pellat ion ber,"wci ON bis .:, tedd'' dausR
Ter POW dr,,"t; AM. ,iiil NOR rccsn,iv.
later Ian Viii ss, fr@E S 'Hs 'wh 1arnE "a s s
Avon Theatre, at Noroik. NJ painted curtain
posed Ia represent the Arronoli~ M Athens
though. from the inct of Ga. Grrcian warriors
IN the foreground wearing modcrn. Nrcmrn
hats instead of ancient helmets, aud carving
their shields on thor right arms. while inakin.
enthusiast lcft-handcl ADMINISTRATIONS with
their swords and spears. it WIS ralhor valunhi'
as burrsque than a. an accurate reprodu' tiou
of bygone and heroic a:c Yet tho prepu-ter-
Gus actor w'is So vain oi his peri 'ruanrs thut.
IN shifting fTom ono theatre to- another. lace car
Iied his curtain with hin, and had lis rombina-
0on billed. IN gigantic letters a-
Mr. AND MR. GEORGE JONt~.
the IEAtTSr LIVING A'Fbi.>
WITH THEIR ORIGINAL i'Enp 81 Hr NN
PAINTED By GEORGE ZONES HlN~lLF