The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-10-12

possessed the strength necessary to portray
the character. The part of the hero, Lord
Travers, was always an object of dread to
leading men-it was universally regarded
as thankless character, and the manage
ment always had to pay heavy price toln-
duce good actors to attempt it. Plympton
received Sl50 week, and had his maine put
first on the bills, i'as if that amounted to
anything" said Mr. Couldock humorously,
and Gus Levick had to be paid the same
amount. The said Edith Clawson had all
the talent and feeling necessary for the
part, everything in fact but the physical
strength.
It viii be of interest to the public and to
Mr. Wells, that excellent amateur actor. to
hear Mr.. Couldock's opinion of his ability
"Wells was intended by nature for an
actor said he eff he had embraced the
profession he would have been shining
success He has the face, form and voice
necessary and his bearing, now little de-
ficient could be made as good with little
training. In fact" said Mr.. Couldock, 81
don't know of any young leading man ON
our stage today, whose prospects would
1 have excelled his, had he chosen TO follow
the theatre as profession"
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Like all actors of the old school, Mr..
Couldock is an advocate of the stock sys-
tenn, and regrets that the CON bination sys-
TEN should have succeeded and supple
mented it as II now does. He says, an
actor plays one part the year round, anu
gains no experience in other lines: i'll TACT
the versatile artist has no chancs what
ever, to show his Nersataiity. "TEere are
but few organizations IN the United States
to day. he stated, like the Salt Lake
Amateur club-that is. which attempts al
sorts of comedies and dramas and eXer
cises the abilities of its members il vary
ing lines and roles. l hope it may long re-
main together and flourish
4 Mr.. Couldock live very quist, unossen-
tations life in a New York fat. He sci,
dom ventures out TO the theater and doesn't
even keep up with the dramatic papers, as
he takes little or no interest in the reading
OF the doings of many of the dudes who
Claim 10 be the actors OF today. He is
taking llvelier interest now. though. as
ne hopes to enter the arena once more in
Palmer's production Of The Viilngc
Priest an English play said to be vastly
suited TO Couldock's style.
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who acknowledge tie debt we owe him fol
the many hours Of delight we hare bad
from his ''SEaughraun," 'sArrah-na-
Pogue," Life OF an Actress" Long
Strike" Colleen Bawn," Lied Astray, >
Jessie Brown" Streets of New York, y
London Assurance 'The ssorsicar
Brothers." 'The Octoroon,'' MP Va,
Wrinkle" After Dark ana the host o1
, other plays from his pen, will read with in
, tersst Sol Smith Russelrs narration OF t.ls
cause that led to his death. Ii is found il
the Mirror:
people are saying that Mr.. Boucicaul
4 died OF a broken heart, caused Ivy the laiiCrs
n OF "A Tale OF d Coat,'n said hr. Russell
land, fguratively speaking, believe thi!
to be true. Ii you have rev minutes,
would like to tell you how he cains to write
that play, and how its failure affected hin
For some years past it has been openl,
stated on all sides that BoOcicault's in
tellect was waning, and that great draBlat
ist had written his last play. His enemies
naturally made the most OF these reports
and, in short, when they aliuoed to MIR
Boucicault at ali, spoke OF him as being n
the last stage Of ola age. and even OF i'm
becility. MIR. Boucicault, was ssnsitiy
man, as all artistic natures are, and he fel
these Ihrusts ke,nly. He would soow III
these paragraphs IN the papers long befor
he thought seriously OF writing play TO
me- ana would mutter: 4 win snow tier
that the BRAN is Still there. l will sho,
Them
'.One day he called me to his house an
told me the story OF "a Tale of Coat @
as it was then ca led. James Watt, Tailor
liked it. ] thought l saw in .JeInm
Watt" something that could do justice K
and MIR. BouciCauit began worR On th
play that was to answer his critics just
year ago. y
$50 IS to be near him l came with IN
family to New York, ana saw MIR. E.ouc
caultalmost daily. But, strange as it ma
seem, and although l was az his house a
all hours OF The day, never once caugh
him actively at work on the play. Hi
wife used to say TO me, Il don't know VINE
he writes your play, MIR. Russell. He Leli
ne its getting on, put he never lets me Sc
him working
'.Dion Boucicault was an extraordinar
man He would work TIL O'clock IN IN
morning-shut up alone in his study-ail
yet be Up before daylight. Three or fou
hours sleep was all he required. once,
remember, i got M myself at + and wen
over to his house thinking TO surprise hin
He had already been dressed TWO hours.
"Well time went on and the play VS.
completed. He read it to me and was g,
lighted. He seemed confident himself. 'ill
win answer, then, he used 20 say, elIuci
ling like child, this viii teach taem I'll;
!, if Dion Boucicauit is an oil mao, hi
brain is as young aid as strong as ever
He dwelt on this a great deal, and who
the disappointment came it was ha,d der 10
him to bear
re ''Severai titles were suggested for til
ce play "a dozen at least. James Wat
Elk Tailor The Crank 'The Colleen Grank
as Jenny Watt and finally, A Ta.e o.
s. Coat which was adopcd. Mir. Boucicaul
ne however, never liked this title, and afte
m wards thought it had something to do wi;
ne the failure. That Is why We kept csans
nv Jag the advertisements iu the pa rfs, I0s
lis ing greater feature OF JeIumy Watt TIA
in OF the req. title.
vn ''Ihe day for the FIRST production ia PHI
OF ladelpbia arrived anu MIR. Soncieaalt WI
.r ia the best of spirits. No doubb seemed
ey be in his mind as to the result nev,
IS saw him look bstter and have more Of u
h Old days brightness about MIN than ON u
IL day we three Mrs. BoncIcault. Mr. BouC
I. cault and went On to Phlis,islphia /
en- gether lie laughed and chaJted as ne M
ne not done fer a long time. ISQt the reacliC
,ol was inevitable and he succunted 10 1t. 4
err was suffering too much from nervous c;
Mt cltement and prostraticn TO be present
es the performance, and had to remain at h
cy hotel, where l sent nm frequent bulletin
We of its progress. The play, as you kno,
xt was s success in Philadeiphio, and the
IL were loud calls for the author l w
tn obliged 10 go before the curtain and OK pla
X that hir. Boucicault was too weak to a
an pear. The play went On, and the curta
ge fell to immense. applause. Phiiadelph
ed pronounced IL a success.
is 1.-THE following morning / went to Il
N hotel very early without even waiting
IN. look ct the papers / found Mrs i5oae
IS cault ard the dramatist taking their brea