The record-union., 1891-08-22


tfons of Stage Lovers-Kissing and
Clawing Flashes from the Foot
lights.
Bronson Howard drove George S.
Knight into lunacy, and in sorrow fol
doing it has given sum of money tc
him. That is the days news among the
idle summer actors in upper Broadway,
and it is the subject of the days talk
Like most of the bold, bald assertions on
the Rialto. it needs explanation and
qualification, although it isn't lie out
Fight. Sophie Worrall-Knight, the act
ress, had come to town to seek an en-
gagement She had met Bronson How
ard, who had recently returned to Amer
lea.
''And how is George?" he had asked o.
Mrs. knight, as they met casually at
theater.
''We have removed him from the Burn
Brae Asylum to his mothers home, in
Philadelphia, the wife replied, ''and
there he will die before long"
A witness Of this dialogue reported
that, while further conversation was
going on, the playwright gave q roll o.
bank notes to the actress. Howard is
rich and generous. Knight is dying in
poverty. So the incident was reasonable
But it is hardly fair to accuse the play
wright of driving the comedian into
Iunacy, although 1t is fact that a drama
by Howard crazed Knight The play
was "Baron Rudolph" and it was
through the impersonation of the princi-
pal character that the actor became q
maniac. As the reader may remember,
the Baron became a demented tramp,
and was depicted with great fervor and
vividness by Knight, but without sue
cess as means of diversion. Audiences
found the tramp an unpleasant fellow,
and all the more so by reason ofthe
actors clever imitation of the genuine
thing. They had been accustomed to
merriment in this dialect actor, and they
wouldn't accept his pathos in rags. Only
one speech Of his was satisfactory in the
whole play.
What do you want?" he was asked
by man into whose door-yard he had
strolled.
Thereupon the scarecrow of a wanderer
surveyed his own plight ruefully and re-
sponded: "Blease dell me Something's vat
] dond Vant.''
Knight now occupies himself day after
day in meandering through his role in
Baron Rudolph" dazedly and indis-
tinctly, except when he comes to the one
utterance which used to gain a round OF
laughter and applause; but the passage
he delivers invariably for its full dramatic
worth, and he imagines that he hears the
responsive noise of an audience. After
ward he muTmurs incOherently about
the fate of the piece, beseeching imagin-
ary friends and enemies to give it one
more chance, and huctuating weekly be-
tween elatiOn and despair.
Knight had saved about $4,000 from
his stage success since quitting the va
riety shows and going into comic farce,
when he hit upon man who as he be-
ieved, constituted a good character for
the stage. This person was a tatterde-
malion who, although driven by mental
and physical weakness to thoughts ot
suicide, proudly resented an offer ofalmS.
He spoke the broken English Of an edu-
Gated German, and wore his rags with the
air of a gentleman. Knight encountered
him in the street, and at once concluded
that he had found the stage parsonage
whom he had been seeking. He paid
5000 cash down TO Bronson Howard to
write a suitable play, and subsequently,
as much more III royalties. Public critics
and judiciOuS personal friends alike de-
cided at once that, though the work OF
pay " IL anu eiCLOl Ntlt JI dlSCN OIlLlN,
their best joint efforts could not put a Ie-
pulsive looking tramp into general
dramatic herOism. Knight wouldn't ac-
cept the verdict and lost his last sense
and cents in trying to reverse it. He
dies a lunatic, like the man in whom he
discovered the fatal character of Baron
Rudolph"
STAGE LoVE-MAKING.
One of the few actors who have not
gone to Europe this season was treating
his artistic soul to softshell crabs and beer
in a Broadway restaurant the other night
and TO the admiring crowd surrounding
him he gave some interesting ideas of the
fascinating trade he follows:
'One OF the pleasant things in our busi-
ness said he ''iS having to play the lover
to woman you would ike to boil. Oh
it's lovely 10 caress and swear eternal af.
fection to a woman who is doing her best
TO queer you at every point. | suppose
that it is the usual thing for the leading
man of every company to dislike the
leading woman. They clash at the start
you see. In a sentimental play the cues
tion is whether the hero or heroine vii
be the central great character The lead.
ing woman is sure TO believe the play is
all hers, and the leading man has pre-
cisely the contrary notion. Hence the
enmity. There has been any quantity O
men come TO me and say: BY jove, deal
boy, l envy you your chance of playing
your part with such q sweet creature a:
Miss So-and-SO.' All the time Miss So
and-SO and | simply loathe each other
and / would just as soon kiss q door ma
rs kiss her. I've had some tough expert
ences Of this kind. l have more thar
once played leading business in q theateI
where the leading lady and l never adj
dressed a word to each other except OF
the stage.
Il have had to kiss lips that had del
uged me with gross insults and offer L
die defending the good name Of woman
VINO hated me rs though ! were a snake
One ease in particular was very painful
I and the leading lady had had q fright
tul row, the elimination Of weeks o
jealousy and squahhling. She had called
me some OF the hardest names l had evel
heard, and ] had threatened to call ;
policeman and have her elected from thl
promises. 1t was that sort of q wild
vulgar fight, you know. That night VIZ
played our lover parts as usual | hal
gone through the most difficult scenes
heroically, not shirking the caresses a
any point. She had little to do but sub
NIT, but in the third act she had bit o
sentimental business all to herself.
consisted of coming up behind me as
sat on sofa, putting her lips 10 the tor
of my head. Well, / was wearing
toupet IN the part. She came up behint
me, clapped her fingers over my eyes
and / knew there was going to b.
trouble. In the first place she nearly
blinded me with the pressure of he
fingers, and when she drew back / fel
my toupet separate from my head. In
stantly ] threw my hands up and caugh
at whatever l could, as a drowning mal
will catch at a straw. My nails dug int,
her cheeks, but | saved my toupet, which
she was dragging from my head with he
teeth. My next piece of acting was t
spring up and catch her in my arms, n
the same time smothering her in kisses
rEhia I did Int tLrnumh my 10Th