The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-31
NIB. ROBERT B. MANTELL.
WHAT HE HAS TO SAY OF HIS
CAREER,
How He Entered Upon the Life Of an
Actor-His Rapid RIse-His
Faith In Woman.

thirteen years fgo," said Mr.. Robert
B. Mantell, the actor, yesterday, a. ne
occupied chair in the rotunda OF the
Southern and sank into Illuminating
mo- d "iwelvs or thiItsen years ago
went on the stage at Roc1dsle, in
lancashire, England. l appeared
with the company supporting MI
George .. Clarke, the comedian, and
played Father Doolsn' in his Mau
ohraun. After that was for some
time with Mss Marriott, doing the
heaviest and character parts. Then i
enlisted with Charles Matthews, who,
by the way, taught me great deal
about dramatic art, and then | sup
ported George S. knight for brief
tour. In the year 1884 l first came to
this country, and remained in Boston
ten days only. You see l wanted an
engagement at the Boston Museum,
but l found no vacancies, and so re-
turned home. Daring the season OF
17S 70 / came again to America in
the supporting company of Nine. Mod
jesks, playing the fiery 'Tybalt'
in Romeo and juliet, 'PitoI' in Frou-
FrOa and 'GustaVe' in Camille. l still
have some Of thu kindly notices given
me then by the press of 1t. Louis,
After that engagement l went back to
England and supported Miss Wallace,
playing line of legitimate characters.
which included Orlando r. meo,
Sir Or aries Surfsce' and ttbers, and
FIR three yerrs following l appeared
steadily in the legitimate. l have even
played 'Macbeth'-that is to say,
went on as Macbeth 1 must have
made a very youthful looking king,
despite the attempted disguise of a
stage beard. But it was while doing
this elsss Of acting that ! fell into GER
tain traditional mannerisme, which
have not yet left me, and which
cling to unconscoualy. About that
time in nay career, however, Mr.. Bou-
cicaHlt came to England and joined
me to his company. He was so pleased
with my work that on his return 10
New York he spoke on my behalf to
Mr. Field, OF the Boston Museum, and
to Mr.. Wallack. Shortly afterwards
Mr.. Slinson, representing Mr.. John
Stetson, Of Booths Theater, engaged
me and came again to America.
But on my arrival Mr.. Ste son claimed
be had mistaken me fer smother gen.
tleman OF whom he had heard, and
without more ado he turned me over
to Brooks Il Dickson. These gentle
men, finding that Mr.. John W. Nor
ton Unlisted upon retiring from the
cast Of RemGny Rye, gave me the prin-
eipal part, in which made success.
After a tour with Romany Rye / re-
ceived an offer from Miss Fanny
Davenport and did the best work /
was then capable of as 'Loris' in Fe-
dora. also appeared for season in
Called Bask. Now, that's the history
Of my 81 age career"
"Wben did you adopt this method
of quiet, repre!sed action ?"
"That would be difficult to say. /
got some hint Of it from Charles Mat
thewF, and l saw that the tendency OF
people was toward an appreciation OF
the natural on the stage, and the more
! watched audiences and actors the
more convinced 1 was that rational
acting would become a popular de-
mand! You have seen Mr.. Booth as
'Iago;' how quietly and yet how nat
urally and impressiyely he reads big
lines; nothing can shake his purpose
TO be natural, and not even at his exits
or curtains will he raise his voice to
the deolsmatory, as other lagos do. l
had seen a great deal OF Mr.. Booth,
and / saw enough to learn that he was
entitled to unusual praise for getting
out of the traditional and into the
realm OF the actual. Mr.. Booth
thinks; that ia the wonderful source of
his art"
"Mr. Nantell, you are credited with
remarkable grace in wearing dress
suit; ia that natural, tooP"
81 presume 3d." he answered, smil-
iDgly; you know that in London q
young man spends half his time in
full dress, knocking around at the
clubs and balls, and swallow tail
gets to be as natural as ones hat. But
for a period of six whole years l never
played part that did not require me
to wear tights, and the first trouser
character / had after that made me
feel trifle i'll at ease. However, ]
coon readily fell into the old habit,
and / have since preferred that line Of
work"
"Is it true that you receive numbers
Of admiriAg letters from unknown la.
dies 2"
mo, sir; no cir! During the past
Eve years ] have never received more
than ave or six gushing letters-snd
I cannot say that they were from
ladies. Indeed, l know they were
not. 1t strikes me that men ought To
have higher appreciation Of women
than to believe that q pure, good
woman would address letter Of love
or aHe etion to man with whom she
was not acquainted-no matter who
the man might be. OF course / re.
ceiVe letters from both ladies and gen.
tlemen ssking for my autograph, as
nearly all actors do at times, but such
requests are above suspicion, l have
heard great many stories about such
actors as Montague and Rignold re-
ceivipg 60 many letters from admiring
women that big mail bags were re.
Quired to carry their mail from the
theater 70 the hotel. 1t is my be-
lief that they are all lies. A
great fault of certain members oi
the profession is to magnify their
own importance by such deepioable
means ] have enough respect fol-
women to feel and know that they
could not be guilty Of such a Ltrnas-
gression Of the prophecies as Is i'm.
Piled to them in the charge that any
number of ladies would deliberately
write TO an unknown man, expressing
love or affection for him. 1t is simply
an insult to the sex, and 1 want ia
resent It with all the emphasis in my
power"
And Mr.. Mantell meant every word
Of 1t. His face Redeemed as be talked
and his resentment was plainly ap-