The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-30
Walter NJ Lemnu.

fHOTtS NJ mat periOu were mucll more pTOuuC-
tive of amusement than OF any other emotion
in my auditors. In my younger days had
reveled with lads of my own age in the gar
ret and cellar theatricalS, which have been
ever SO fascinating TO youth. AS with ac-
tors of mature growth, there was conten-
ton for the best parts. My especial Mt
ness in my own eyes was for tragedy,
the more pronounced the better, and, If
tragic tyrant, the better still. AT later pc
Rod felt highly aggreved when my teacher
selected as my theme for defamation Lu-
Gus speech for peace while particularly
wanted Sempronius' speech for war. My
schooldays were passed at Brantford Acad-
envy under the direction OF Benjamin Green
leaf, the eminent mathematician. and the
period of my leaving school and entering the
theater seems In memory to be surrounded
with a. halo of brightness which no after
time has ever equaied," and the good old
man paused, and his noble coqnienance
seemed illumined by the light of other days.
Il was only a st0re-bov, 10 be sure, con-
tinued MIR. Lefnan, recailing. himself, to the
listener, but l lived in "a realm Of Dreams
bright With antcipations Of a great future.
when should cast my shell and be an
actor. Play books, play-bilIs, the theater
pit or cutlery, it mattered not whichever
best suited my finances, absorbed all my
spare time, and my cash. This growing
fondness for the theater highly displeased
| my employer and one day matters were
brought to climax in this fashion: A friend
of mine was clerk in a neigGboring store,
whittier was sent on an errand. The pro-
prietor was out, and as | had been tolu to
await his return. my friend, the clerk, who.
! like myself. was stage-struck, suggested that
| it would be good time to reheaTse. 1t was
| just between the dusk and dark of summer
| evening, when few customers were abroad
1 gladly seconded his proposal. and in the
midst of a terrific duel with yard sticks l
| CHANGED to glance toward the door, blocked,
is pppIlpSs tn with a crOWd of
passers-by, who had gathered to enjoy our
| performance. Among them saw the angry
| face Of my employer. Within weekI was
| free to fellow my theatrical bent unham-
pered by any business engagements.
My theatrical career began as call-bOy
| at the OPENING of the fremont Theater in
1927, at salary of So week. NY first ap-
| pearance was as Nicholas, one Of the mob Of
| menials in the Tanning of the. Shrew. l
believe ] was as awkward as the require
| ments of the character called for and that
is saying a good DEAL"
In your time, MIR. Leman, you must have
seen great many changes take place in
| your profession suggested the reporter.
| You are right, have. | remember the
| building of the Bunker Hill Monument.
almost forgotten. l have played with many
actors of worldwide fame, and oh, how
many, many have l followed to the grave"
| and his face saddened at the thought. But
| | love to think of them all what collec-
| ton of talent and genius they represent
| Among them | may name just few
| Thomas A. Cooper, j. b. Booth, Edwin
Forrest John Howard Payne. Charles and
Fanny Kemble, James Sheridan Knowles,
Anna Bishop, Charlotte Cushman, Fanny
Elsler, j.. L. Murdoch, the Seguins. Ma
cready, kean.- Mrs Sinclair. Mrs. Judah,
| Lola Montez, Sophie Edwin, Frank Mayo,
Barton Hill, Edwin Booth, Mexican Bu-
! chanan, the Florences, Julia Dean Hayne,
| Agnes Booth, the Maudviile sisters, Lolita,
| Adah Isaacs Menken, the Thornes, j.. E.
| Owens, John neutrality-suspicious. the names
| and faces surge before my mental vision I!
| And then there were those halcy0n days1at
| the old California. All, those were
| the times to remember! You see, am an
| old Californian myself. l left New York
| for, San Francisco in August, 1854, and al
| though | have been away from San Fran
| cisco at different times, and for some length
| OF days, l have never lost the feeling that
| the Golden State is my home"
Further conversation with Mr.. Leman
| disclosed the facts that he had played in
| nearly every theater that. has ever been
erected in California. and in the leading
| ones of the United States and Canada as
| well. As playwright his dramas were re-.
| ceived with fattering success; most Of them
| were OF a stirring patriotic nature, and so
| have been his poems for special occasions.
When urged to give his opinion on the
stdITIuS question:, MI Leu!dn Ttplleu i.
Even as eally In the century as. when l
began my theatrical career the starring
| system had been in vogue for many years,
| but the stars of that day far exceeded in
| magnitude and effugence most of the blink
| ing luminaries of today. Every tneater of
any importance had its permanent dramatic
corps, in which the local favorites were
| continued from season to season; this was
| of mutual benefit to the actor and manager,
| and changes were infrequent 1t was the
| day of established stock companies of
| actors, not Of travelling combination of per-
| formers. In those days the stage was a
! profession. Theatrical advertising did not
f! then run riot as now. kean and Cooke and
| the Kembles and their compeers were an
| nounced to the public by three-sheet
| posters-net by 300 square feet of printers
ink, with colored pictures to match, in all
| the hues of the rainbow"
"When did | leave the stage? All, well.
| in the middle OF October, 1899. left the Pa
| cific metropolis, playing in the cities of
! Oakland, San Jose, Stockton, Sacramento
and some others; also in Virginia City,
| where Ada Cavendish joined us for week,
and Frank Mayo for another, and return
ing homeward closed at the California The
alter my. last engagement, and practically
| terminated in San Francisco a theatrical
|. career which commenced fifty-two years
and four months before in Boston, Mass.
| There have been since then occasional re-
newals as for the benefit Of charity, or TO
serve an old friend, or to assist In the pro-
duction of new play, the last of which
| occurred in February, 1886, at the Bush
street Theater in Boucicaults comedy of The
/ jill On Monday night, the 1st of Decen-
! Der. shall make my appearance once more
| before u San Francisco audience, and who
! knows if after that 1 shall ever tread the
boards again?"