Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-29
JOHN L. AS AN ACTOR.
There was n Great Crowd to Sec Him
Make His Debut.

tor good ana that MS path IN life IN future
would be the fowery one OF an actor. This
declaration was only an incident OF John L.
| Suliivan's debut. and was made in a speech ad-
| dressed to q big crowd at Bridgeport that
had been wrought up to the highes. pitch of
| enthusiasm by the histrionic ability dispIay ed
by him. Bridgeport, that hay been the sink of so
many new plays, has had irs theatrical history
lifted to the top notch of grandeur by Honest
! Hearts and Willing Hands" which is the title
| OF the play that has claimed Johns maiden
EFFORT Considering the brief trial in which
the big fellow has had to prepare for the play
and to rehearse, and the worry of Duncan b.
Harrison. the earnest actor" who shares with
him the honors of the production in appearing
with novice In an important part after an i'll
ness oil four months, the success was great
enough TO start every pugulist from Fiddler
Neary to Jack Dempsey out on the road with o
stock COMPANY
The only indication of nervousness that John
showed was tho doubt of his ability TO make
up. lie had never done it, he pathetically re-
marked to Harrison and he never thought he
would, but IT he ought to it went: that was all
Harrison said he ought to and that settled it,
SHORTY after 6 o'clock this big pair of Thes-
plans went around TO Proctor's Grand Opera
house ana sat IN n box looking at the titful
rehearsal OF Fred Eustis orchestra and of a
lew members OF the company who were
shaky IN their parts. A few dim gas
nights nlckered fitfully in the gloom. stage car
penters were hammeriGg and making a big
ado ON the stage, and the big fellow. grow
ing discouraged. went 10 his dressing ROOM
messenger boys kept struggling in with big
bundles containing all sorts of properties. The
question OF what TO wear III each act had not
been definitely decided upon. John didn't
want to look like a jay. he said. and he kicked
Siclously against walking around in sooty
clothes, In spite of the fact that he is a black
smith In the play; then he drew on pair of
wooden stockings, silk corduroy knee breeches
ana pair OF patent leather shoes. That's a
funny rig for a blacksmith to wear" remarked
Harrison We'll, my dear boy" said John,
you don want me to change my clothes every
| second. do youT have to look pretty in one
| act and I'm going to suffer enough as it is
without coming in this hole and changing
| rigs"
Then John pulled on a heavy wooden sweater
and said he was all ready Can you make
yourself ur?" asked Harrison. ..Of course"
| sad the champion, ''show ME something can't
90; but II you want TO paint, why go ahead"
Harrison sat on bis knee and creased his face,
] ana then. daubng 1t with red, shaded it off to
the forehead chin and ears. Several members
OF the company stood about III the doorway
looking IN curiously do l look prcttyf'
| asked John. ''Oh lovely" everybody ex-
claimed. Then his bristy moustache, his eye
brows and eyelashes were blackened, and red
! paint was smeared artisticaly on his lip
1
SAID that he felt pretty enough to be kissed
DO you think you'll be frightened?" he was
asked Frightened" he hoarsely exclaimed.
lat wha2 At the audience? don't see
anything to be frightened Of he said scorn-
fuliv. Il am not a bit nervous, and I'll do
| anything in the way Of business Why. this is
just picnic; the thing to try mans nerve is
TO prepare for big fight. If you can keep cool
then you've got nerve; then you can just do
anything. Then you are going against some
q IN trxr 90 h.ar&
| lot OF money. l never felt any worry then.
and am sure don't now. How do look?'
| He looked spendidly, although trife fat
Great big punches of muscles stood out on his
| arms ana shoulders and neck and other muscles
| seemed to ripple about all over him.
From his great spread of shoulders TO his
| neat patent leather shoes he was q wonderful
| looking man. Harrison is big man. too. but
when he stood by the champions side be
looked small. All this time a great crowd had
| been gathering in front of the theater As
| soon as the box office was open there was a
| wild rush for seats, and the people poured up
| the stairs and spread over the building like a
| torrent Of water that had broken loose and the
| suspense and expectations could almost be felt
while the orchestra was tuning up and there
was a suppressed oh as the curtain slowly
| lifted. The plot of Honest Hearts and Willing
| Hands" Is of no moment. Enough of
1t Is explained when it is said that it consists of
! four rounds and wind up, that Sullivan and
| iWF.soH IRE b-otHef D!acBSmithS. who are
working to pay for the old homestead in Ire
| land; that when they ready to pay for it,
the owner, influenced by his villainous son, re-
| fuses to sell. Then there is a rich girl who
| loves Harrison, a poor girl whom Sullivan
| loves, but who has been stolen from him BY
the villainous son. and last and best of all is a
! three-round sparring contest between Sullivan
| and Joe Lannon. There are several villains in
the play, and altogether too much anguish.
When the big fellow first stalked on the stage
he was greeted with loud cheers and several
| baskets of flowers. The first words he said arc
recorded here SO they may go down in history
| with Give me liberty or give me death" and
| He who pulls down the American flag shoot
him on the spot He helps carry in the
right girl and crowd follows. Friends" said
/ the champion to the crowd. IF you will kindly
| go around TO the kitchen you will find plenty
to eat and drink. III join you shortly" The
true merit of the words cannot be shown in
| cold type, of course. but those who have seen
| the big fellow in his early efforts at speech
making, which he used to confound with his
early efforts at letter writing. will be able to
| form a picture of him in their minds He
| stood in the white WOO en- sweater. the dark
| knee brooches and stockings, and patent
leather shoes; his great shoulders were ben,
forward SO that his mighty arms hung con.
| sidera5ly in front of his body, permitting the
dangerous hands to sag past his thighs lie
| looked suiieniy at the audience and
spoke the sentence without the slightest
attempt for effect Here are some other things
he said during the first round: If you speak
again, by heavens. I'll brain YOU" What YOU
here yet? Get out. the pair of you. Well
everybody is billing and cooling. and I'm left
out in the cold world alone" There are not q
great many words in all the sentences. but John
| said very little more. In fact, his part took
more OF the impressive character than of the
! speaking. He was not the stage at all in
the second round. During the third and fourth
rounds he said these things and very little more