Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-01-25
Famous Actors Behind the Scenes.
Boston Herald.

Mr.. Bouccault is very fussy and diff
ficult to please Mr.. Raymond is the
same genial, good fellow off the stage
that he is in Col. Sellers, and he is new
er fussy or cross at rehearsal John E.
Owens is very difficult man to please;
once, while playing Solon Shingle, he
nearly frightened out of his wits a young
actor by scowling at him and muttering,
What id mummery is this? Did
you ever hear such voice?' etc, until
the poor fellow forgot his lines entirely
Geo Rignold is another man very hard
to suit He is of nervous tempera-
ment, and the work required to ''break
in j fresh army Of supernumeraries at
every place where he produces Henry
Y" is no light task, to say nothing of
the fatigue of his part and the general
oversight of the piece, which he refuses
to allow any one else to look after. Not
long since, when, as King Henry, he
was on his knees uttering the we'll
known prayer, calcium light was mis-
manged, and he intermingled a few
words of his own, sOtto rOce, with the
lines OF Shakespeare, something after this
fashion:
20, God OF battles.
Hang that fellowD
Steel my soldiers hearts!
Possess them not with fear;
Cant you shift that light?l
Take from them now
The sense of reckoning if the opposed numbers
Pluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O.,
Lord,
Q, not to-day, think not upon the fault
My fathe I made etc. etc
Barry Sullivan is reported a very I'M
comfortable star to get along with; he
will allow no one to differ with him on
the least point without getting into Il
towering passion. Edwin Booth is care
full at rehearsals, but never forgets that
he is gentleman; a lady who has acted
with him in Boston many times declares
he is the incest man she ever saw on
the stage Where do you want me to
be at this point, Mr. Booth?" she asked
at the first rehearsal with him, and he
answered: You have played the part,
stand just where you think you will be
the most effective, and Ill find you.
John Mccullough is another gentleman
who remembers that actors and actress
es are human beings, as sensitive as
himself, and he takes care never to give
offence in stage directions. Lawrence
Barrett, of late years, never goes to re-
hearsal, sending a deputy to read his
part and give directions. Clara Morris
also sends deputy, oftener her hus-
band. and III consequence, frequently
finds that when she comes in to play,
her business is entirely new to the com
pany, and prevents them from doing
justice to themselves or properly sup
porting her. The late f. l.. Davenport
was very courteous to the members of
any company with which he appeared.
+. L. Bangs is a nervous man. hard to
rehearse with He would not speak
with Davenport or Barrett during the
latter part of the season in which they
played in Julius Caesar and they
would not speak to each other or to him.
a gentleman who was with the combi-
nation states that they were as jealous
! OF each other as so many operate prima
donnas, and were no more chary of show
ing their feelings. Perhaps this may
explain some conspicuous absences at
Mr.. Davenport funeral. Fechter is
courteous, usually, but has an occasion
al attack OF lll-tempef, during Wmcn he
shows no mercy to the man, woman or
child who chances to do otherwise than
according to his directions. Montague
is very nice" and easy at rehearsal, but
those placid eyes of his can shoot fire,
and his mouth, that the ladies declare
is too sweet for anything can utter
biting sarcasms upon occasion, which
are sharper than oaths or buster. The
Florences are good-natured and easy,
but insist upon strict attention to
stage directions by the company sup
porting them. Frank Mayo is thorough
ly good d-natured also, and when he
makes up his mind not all the powers
of earth or air can move him; something
must yield, and it is not he. Frank
Chanfrau is the genial Kit at Kits
best, and is liked by all who have play
ed with him. His wife is also much
liked, and has very decided way of
making herself understood if anything
goes amiss. So with Mrs. Bowers and
| Miss Rose Eytinge and Kate Claxton.