Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-29

who adopt the stage as living, espec-
tally IL they are young men, all want to
do the leading parts; that is to say; the
leading romantic parts, where they can
be pretty and romantic and get "mash"
letters, and pose on Broadway, and
otherwise satisfy personal vanity.
But there is more money in villains.
Here is II case in point. The New York
debut Of Frank Carlyle and Wilton
Lackaye occurred in "Allan Dare" at
the Fifth Avenue theater about year
and half ago. Mr.. Carlyle had the
choice Of parts, and naturally chose the
hero, in which he could make himself
very handsome, for he is q handsome
man, and otherwise give himself
an opening to q frst-class chance
of success. Wilton Lackaye
had to take the other part,
which was that Of the villain of the
piece, who was supposed to be n twin
brother of the hero. Being the villain,
in place of the love-strlcken scenes
played by Mr.. Carlyle, which went for
very little before the audience, Lack
aye had all the strong dramatic situa-
tions; dominated them and hit very
much of u success, even though the play
was failure, Now, therefore, Lackaye,
the impersonator of villain parts, is em-
ployed in the Rose Coghlan company at
the highest salary paid in that organ
iaation, and Mr.. Carlyle is half his time
looking for something to do without
ever pretending to such "A salary as that
received by the man whom he thought
had the short end of the measure fifteen
months ago,
The fact is, that while good leading
men are rare, good leading villains are
rarer still. 1t is comparatively easy
matter to take the heroic scenes OF IL
piece and the love scenes as we'll and
gain sympathy; but to carry through II
commendable villain and not be laughed
at by the audience is a much more diff
cult feat. Look at what Lackaye ac-
complishes in "Jocelyn" ana what Louis
Morrison has been able to do with any
number Of ridiculous parts that he has
been compelled, often unwisely on his
part, to play.
Herbert Archer has been playing the
villains in the Lyeeum summer COM
pany, aud he is tired of the job, so he
will leave the organization at the end
of the present season, with his pretty
wife, Belle Archer, in the hope of get
ting back 10 the business to which he
thinks himself best fitted, that of lead
ing man. But he is u little too fat for
that, and in reality Il tritle too mushy
manly scoundrel in 1.-The Highest Bid
der" exceedingly we'll, and was hardly
second to Mr.. Sothern. the star. Mr..
Frobman will find it hard to get two
other people as good as these.
G.. =. Flockton, of the Madison
Square, is another of the good stage
villains full of Irving traits, with full
and conscientious knowledge of his
business. Though often doing minor
work in the Madison Square theater, he
has been one of the most valuable coad-
tutors of Mr.. Palmer's and is never a
fifth wheel to coach.
What is said about the male villains
applies almost equally we'll to the fe-
males. When a manager puts a pretty,
we'll built woman like Grace Henderson
in the part of q CoQuine, he does a first
rate stroke Of business, for the male
contingent OF the audience is always in
doubt whether to sympathize with her
dire projects or with the milk-and-
water platitudes of the heroine. The
wicked womanly nature must have the
strong scenes, and let her be a shade
more attractive than the heroine and it
becomes great question as to which
way the audience goes.
1t is pity that so good an actress as
Grace Henderson has had so litIle to do
in the company. Her voice is a deep
diapason, and only the fault of overact-
ing spoils her. She is the wife of David
Henderson, of the Chicago opera house,
at present the most prosperous theater
in that city. 1t is reported that there
is a Inference of opinion between them
as to whether she should act or not. He
is most willing that she should not and
she is determined that she shall. 1t is
the usual old story of a woman getting
sniff of the footlights. 1t is the pleas