New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-13
THE HEAVY NAN.
THE PARTS he PLAYS AND THEIR EFFECT
ON Ills IASIES.

THE PAkIS HE PLA ID AMI HEN IN l
on HIS TASTES.
The Heavy Man is tho stage phrase for the
i'm poroonator OF villains All tho crimes in the exten.
svo catalogue OF sin fall his share and according TO
their nature Is pected to commit them with easy
grace appalling csruostnesA If he deals only Win
what may be termed "kid glove villany he is known
ns "gcnee heavy his crimes are generally no
dueon forgery swnding by cards or worthless stocks
or blackmang should he be involved In boder
nrpes he il ony tho brains or nsgator Of the plot
tor he does not like violence aud always seeks
10 have q loophole through which he may
crawl and his precious skim or course
In almost every play he ultimately
"dovned," for playwrignts are great believers
In nnal impartial distribution of poetical justice and
oven wero interests natural TO them, the sym
pahiss OF audiences always on the side OF virtue
Indeed the more tough" audience the moro readily
does respond to the OF virtue In distress FROM
thu parts Of the cheapest theatres where many
spectators believed TO have more or 1888 strong
Affiliations with the criminal classes. the loudest ap
pau.e will be given the Of uobe AMI ex
aed sentiaents and not infrequentIy some over-e1'
cited spcctitor will shout q to tho endangered
hero hsrone This country has not yet adopted tn"
English custom OF calling out the heavy man ana then
vigorously kissing him. American audiences genereHy
lot his efforts pass In silence. and IT Is very unusns
comp liinent for him 70 DO individually summoned oeio"
the curtain.
sesment than any other actor lie rarely tastes ,h'
s~oes OF applause seldom has The chance OF raising
laugh few Of tho bost genteei-hesvy parts 'ono
tiruss tonch comedy In their dialogue but II 10 sao
comedy OF sarcastic GOODNESS or inten'e IRONY ana
more likely smile than provoke isuEh.
Among the gcnteeteavios" Of tho modern drama arc
Capt Ra,cksi,y ia rs Still Waters Run Deep" Leriso"
In East Lynne" aud The Spider in 'Thc Silver king
The actor limo OF parts apt to value them In ac
cordanes with tho effectiveness OF toir hnal exit ""
repentant villain is generay vaueieSS 70
the actor All his earlier gooc acting Is upset ny sno
final change. and the duration Of tho last mooa LOO
short to leave an Impression the audience one thats
gaine to the end IL considered tho most desirable aho
while the actor wiling and prepared to be defoa;ed
he wants to exit speech which snail sno" that
spirit Is unau.ed and enable HIN to SUCK lev '"'
Pima the sides OF his then more OF less triumphant
ex-viotima He has objection to departure under
the guidance OF policeman, and does cot even SHRINK
from the handouts Perhaps he toys with the mansce'
and makes refeIcIce ladys bracelet that mas
ngvred 10 the play and with snile Oh hs iips and
hooking tauut his fades from view Then he
is thought worthy OF all Nil actor can do TO make him
stand OUT, but tho villain who wiDes for mercy or
rcpens or ia simply defeated and tWously eft
standing stage contemplate ne general bSopi
which he has Jailed to mar u.s. III the ishguage oil
the profession. no good.
The heavy man OF tho rorgher order Of drama hss
q rule much harder work tnan tbs "g-nteei villain
lie lis a murderer, burglar train-wreckrr moonehter
cla IN ju per and possibly outlaw general prnci
prs He always carries knives and shootus-irons ia.
generally to fight Two or three conbas IA The course Of
evening. and not infiequenty has pernous jumps
and fall. 10 make Actors OF This class often smuse
Themselves by keeping records OF tho number OF muir
drrs they II is not uncommon FOR one Oh get
part to look throuyh hastily and then say,
" only three murders. ana an usca 10 WIPE up 'ne
stage but twice. guess IT'S not very SNOWY IarL" 10
border dramas heavy mcn have dec!irdy onerons
M thew often have desperate struggles with
dogs ard bcarshe after sometimes ne; rem, thoIgs
bear easily aud naturally reriesenied oy
man, its heavy, numbering movements aud methods of
prod uctIon Generally rghts WITH dogs the animal
trained by he struggles WITH scented pad OF
piece o. meat concealed gu the persoh OI thc man |.
III. object OF the dos's apparently desperate enofts
Few accidents occuI with these an mails though
ronaliy the newspapers recount u msadvenIure to a
Ia which boodn0uuds are much advertised feature.
The dupcs Of the heavy man arc lot OF "A uaure to
Is generally OF tn, least ,ocinble men OF tho
psny Tue leading man ana he are seldom the best OF
friends the first place ther rivalry Is Keen and III
tas sseonu t.e r ,n. ,er hrrnc rdes Tram
.nsacory .cser aIr .me IKE Of n6os Of
eoquence. OF spp'sranee or oi grace OF manher ~ Is
hravles" than icsoug parts for what is not supplied
ny sympathy must be- made by greater art and sb'ity
Tns s a pact that the heavy to Console
himself with. and lpfrvqueuy gunts IN thr face OF
his nvsI. who cnscs tho ourled darins VI oppressed
rlghtiu hcif OF the ery-day play.
Bnguary enough the Villain is often more attractive
the foDininc clement In The audience than lie hero
Whether this arises from effort their pari
firm Pope's maxim that "every woman is at heart =
rake or from the fact that tens ilrcatment
woinan them TO believe that he IL really
conplsing some good on the old prlncip.e that
A spaniel a woman a walnut tree.
1hs they tIrashed the bet,er they DO
Il Ia hard to tell. But Is ihat Of the foolish
women aud uraronantic school girls who write letters
TO MAKE thrlr acQuIntancr-an |
ecauant which generally ends III complete dsillu
least half are cangGt by the Lothario'llkc pro
ties polished brutality OF ho genteeI heavy
man."
Iho tastes OF the heavy generally incline toward
sport Ito Ia necessarily somethDg OF boxor fencer.
nd raj
Ing him into contact with men u; various sporting
tendencies ffis connection with tho stage makes him
attractive to the ami their pursuits an"rd hin amuse
pisnt and excitement The heavy man OF the company
gonorsy DO best relied upod TO give accurate inor
nation lumber OF rounds In great ght the
pedigree a racer, hyerss best time at various DIS
ianccs tho present standing or al the lrsgue clubs
He may be reckoned on TO take hand IN little
game OF poker and sOnetiucs pureues his studies OF
natural history In me tigers lair.
Such being his tastes aud incliDaons. unlike the lead
Ing uy ho ID not seeker aitcr society and
OF lose fashionable clubs. Reer and
sausage are to him enjoy ablo than club supper
with Us yiOg formaltes and restraints His
ambitions seldom ae highorthan good parts and good
eeary. Ifs has generally resched tns where he |
enough recognise that docs not possess
that INA gnetsm OF hamcsss something which Ia In |
dispsnsabir TO success as star His life is simple and
biiioua he Is less nprsssOnsbo, and therefore
ess frequently married. than the other members OF
eompanyj ana when ho dVes venture into matrimopy
10 Ia almost alwsys with fellow professional possibly
VITA She cOurtonnc. who appears 10 be In all respects
his opposite and wha, tho at least, frequently
upsets his most cherished plans II they have children
tnosc generally And their way TO hc boards Cor tho
viii give than fair living. bSs Invariably
far loss against II than have whom She pub
lie fancy has raised Into fame and opulepca
--------~------------