Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-01-21
SKETCH OF An EMINENT MAN.
Daniel Z. Bandmann the ShakespeaF-
can Tragedian COnyerses With
Journal Reporter Read li

Journal Reporter Read II
Beyond all question the most en-
inent and distinguished Shakespear-
ian dramatic artist and wOrld-trav-
eller of this age is Daniel +. Band
mann, now in the city and billed
TO play the leading role in the Mer-
chant of Venice tonight at Reeds
opera house. 1t may be some time
before Salem shall be honored by
visit from this eminent tragedian
again, and his presence in the city
was deemed of sufficient Importance
10 cause the JoURXAL to solicit an
interview. The reporter found Herr
Bandmann the soul Of goOd-fellow-
ship, and was enraptured with
the intonatlons Of his powerful,
sweet, yet charming musical voice,
betraying as it does in free flow of
conversation n rich yet refined Ger
man accent. The actor was arrayed
In slouch hat and ranching costume,
with loose flannel shirt open at the
throat, and told with pride of his
| 100 acre ranch at Missoula, Mon
tana, where he is engaged in rearing
/ Percheron horses. His converse in
the mother tongue is still more
charming than his English, and
| his versatility as an actor is largely
| due to hls perfect training in these
two most powerful and graphic of
modern languages.
HIS CAREER.
Daniel T. Bandmann ls a native
Of Prussia. Coming to New York as
boy Of rs he at once entered upon
! The German stage. His career OF
distinction was so rapid that in the
three years he returned TO Germany
and played leading parts in Berlin,
| Sprague, Pesth and Vienna theatres.
Here he laid the foundation of his
| Shakspearcau studies. He returned
to the American stage and in a
series of farewell concerts attracted
the attention Of the dramatic crit
les Of New York, who urged him to
enter on career of the English
stage. In six weeks he appeared at
NeblO's Garden as Shylock, support
ed by McCullock, Frank Mayo and
the most eminent actors Of the city.
He has played on the English and
| German stage ever since. His
| phenomenal career attracted the at
tention of Edwin Forest who in
vited him TO play at his home theatre
in Philadelphia, and on his first ap-
pearance threw him bouquet
| plucked with his own hand, enter
tanned him "a his guest and travelled
with him for years. Forest regarded
| Bandmann'5 Hamlet as the most
wonderful Interpretation of his day,
and competent critics continue to 50
regard It. The presence of only
about $50 people at this play last
night must be explained in part by
the hold la grippe has on so many
of the first citizens. For the rem
ditiOn of this masterpiece of Shake
spear the citizens of San Francisco
presented Bandmann gold medal
set with diamonds.
After n career of thirty-twO years
as actor, this ilustrious man has lost
none of his versatility, vigor, or
| boundless enthusiasm for the great
| English master of human passions.
He has played In London, Australia,
India, and with party of twelve
people went to the principal cities of
China, Burmah, and the Malay
peninsula. His passion for travel
and the stage Is unabated. Tho
time has tinged his flowing hair IL
has not dimmed the luster of his
flashing eye. This man who has
been the guest of the Duke OF Edin-
burg; the guest of the late Emperor
FIitZ for n week ut the Kaiserhof;
who was the personal friend and
companion of Horace Greely, Bay
ard Taylor, Emerson, and for whom
Longlellow wrote his drama "The
New England Witches, surely
should receive "A cordial welcome at
the capital city this evening,
IL is worthy of note by the JOUR-
! NAL that Herr Bandmann entertains
the highest ideals of dramatic art.
To the reporter he said: "rrue de
votiOn to dramatic productions of
the highest merit suffers more neg
lect in America than in any other
country, The uneducated elements
of society here az elsewhere prefer
the low comedy and minstrel, while
p large part Of our highly educated
aud religious people condemn the
theatre altogether. IL IL II sad fact
that hypocrlcy plays some part in
all this. The true attitude for all
intelligent people should be- 10 sus-
tain the noble, the pure, and the
true In the dramatic, as in any other
art, but frown upon the low, per-
nicious and vulgar"