Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-14
america. and English Actors.


Mr.. Lester Wallack was recently inter-
viewed as to the relative merits of English
and American actors, and he said:
Ny duty is 10 the public who come here
and pay their money to zee my plays ard
my company. My business is 10 give them
the best / can for that money. l engage
Mr.. Tearle, Mr.. Eyre and Miss Coghlan, not
because they are English but because they
are better artiAts than can get elsewhere.
III they came from Kamchatka it would be
all one to me. 1 am not responsible for
their nativity. If you will find me better
actor than Mr.. Tearle or a better leading
lady than Miss Coghlan / should be glad of
it, but DON'T know where you will find
them. "Just as soon," said Mr.. Wallsck,
Gas an American actor or actress gets repu-
tation in my theater he or she goes starring
on his or her own account. Suppose Mr..
Tearle and Miss Ceughlan should do the
same thing, where do you think l would find
the people to take their place.? Not here
surely, because even the mediocre actors
in this country are stars. L should
get capable substitutes if I could, no
matter whether they were Austrian
or Russian, or Prussisn, or English, OF
American. 1 have nothing whatever to dc
with their nationality. 1 know nothing
about their national feelings; they are their
own property. A little while ago a paper
| published fictitious account of q meeting al
the Lambs Club, in which facetious speeches
denouncing everything American were at.
| tributed to me and Mr.. Tearle. 1t was in.
tended for fun, but it would not be 90 under
stood by many readers, and it serves to keeT
alive this petty national feeling. am 60
| ing to see my lawyer and ask him whether
can't make that paper psy for its fun. Lux
uries ought to be paid for. 1 am not speak
ing now, mind you, of this general ill-feel'
ing. Iwon't have anything to say about it
/ am speaking strictly of Wallack's Theater
Why should /, who have been so we'll treated
here, seek TO antsgouize the people among
whom am living? Moreover, the charg'
that am engaging only English artists il
untrue. If you could go over the list of al
| my engagements you would find that tn,
members of my company in the many year
gone by have been American at least in th,
proportion of two to one. OF nine or tel
ladies in my present company only three ar
English. Two of the most important mem
bers-Mr. Gilbert and Miss Germon-ar
| Americans. Ii l could get from Englaut
better talent than 1 have now 1 would no
retain a single American in my com
tpany; or, on The other hand, il coult
get better material here l would hav
| none but Americans. II two play
came to me, one English and the othe
American, / should read the American pla,
first, and if the two were of equal merit
should produce the American play first, be
cause il would best suit my audiences. !
the English play were better should pro
duce that. No, mop Mr.. Wallack concluded
"this whole TRADE against my theater is IN
founded and foolish. had letter yester
day from some one who signed himself !
Friend warning me to beware, that my ar
pearance here tonight would not be safe
he had told me 1 was going to have bs
house, should have been really concerned
am glad to have an opportunity of sayin
what / have on this subject. This absur
prejudice ought TO be put down, and 1 kno,
OF no more effective instrument than th
Herald for doing it,"
II don't know of any reason,n said Mans
ger Palmer, of the Union Square Theate
''for ill Feeling between American and Ell
glish actors. like English actors, mysel
when they are good actors; and when the
are bad / hate Them. Why, here a lot 9
men get together on the eve of New Year
They FIRST get very sociable and then the
get TO fighting. don't see how people ca
construct an International dispute on sue
material. Anyhow, they cannot inveigl
me into it."
mr.. John Gilbert ON the Stage
The Boston Saturday Etcning Gozsae prin
| IL. losfar fror, NJ I'll G.l6.-.