The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-01-25
Jacob Fletcher in ..saints and Sinners" of

Jacob Fletcher in "Saints and Sinners" of
recent memory.
What book of "reminiscences he might
write! l urged it upon him, and pointed to
the remarkable success of Mr.. Jefferson's
autobiography, which l ventured to predict
would outlive his reputation as an actor,
and some day be regarded as an English
classic and model for its kind. But Mr.
Stoddard is troubled with complaint al
most extinct among actors-he is extremely
modest He has one of the gentlest, sun
NEST, most winning personalities l have
ever met He is a man OF such quiet
kindly. unpretentious demeanor, that he
wins the love and respect of all about him.
| This brings up the very interesting ques-
| tlon--how much of an actor 8 success is due
to personality! But this is another story.
Among many other interesting things,
Mr.. Stoddard told me of poor Tom Robert
son, who boarded in the same house with
him In Liverpool, and was member of the
same stock company. Robertson used to
read him the plays that afterwards became
so famous, but which at that time and for
many years after no one would listen to or
read. 1.-The most successful and diStin-
guished writer of plays of his generation"
was at that time eking out precarious ex-
istence as utility man on So week, and
was not accounted good actor either. Sad
| to relate, Robertson's great ability was not
years of his life, and yet 'for twenty
years." says blographer, there probably
has not been a week, hardly night. in
which some one of Robertson's plays has
not been produced somewhere in Great
Britain
A young actor of my acquaintance,
among his first dramatic experiences, was
once member of the same company with
Mr.. Stoddard and that genial man took suf-
ticient interest in the young stranger to
volunteer some kindly criticism and sug-
gestion. He began by asking the young
man if ever he saw anything in his (Stod.
dard's) acting to criticise he hoped he would
speak of it and that he would thank him for
it. For ours is an art,n said he, Sin which
there is always something yet to learn
He went on to say that in his early days
he had a friend with whom he used to ex
change honest and kindly criticism, an6
that afterwards his wife was his sternes,
and most exacting critic, and that he felt
he owed much of his success to her. 1t is
needless to say that no one could resist tn.
kindness of this approach aud Mr. Stod
dard made friend of the young actor fol
life. The evening of the same day | saw
! Mr.. Stoddard in "a Pair of Spectacles, ;
an English adaptation of French play by
Labiche and Delacour. The house was no
full.
The Home Dramatic club feel very much
complimented by the invitation from
Bosses board of trade to render number
of performances before the legislature
and if the details can be arranged, the tri,
will be made within the next three weeks
They will have their hands full from now
on, as they expect to ill date in Ogden il
the near future, besides being booked her,
for Washington's birthday. For the Ogdel
event, it is expected that chart of tn.
new opera house win be placed at both thu
Union Pacific and Rio Grande ticket Offices
in this city and reserved seats for th,
round trip and admission to the theatre
sold for 50 each. This very low rate wa
made by Messrs. Eccles and Bennett, VIII,
believe that many Salt Lakers will b,
anxious to see Ogden's much advertised
opera house. The train will return to tn,
city after the theatre.
The Choral society will take up gran,
selection from Normal tomorrow even
ing, including the Cdsta DiUd and the famou.
march. Mr. Stephens is much better il
health, and says that tomorrow evenins
he hopes to greet large number of new
members, who are expected to enroll thei
names for the work of the May festival
Juch, Whitney, Stone Barton, or SOM
artist equally as great is expected thu
year, and the chorus ought to be worked
up to at least 400 voices-500 if possible l
all the choirs of the city would combine, i
ought to be easy to raise the latter numb
In the mean time those of our public spirite,
citizens who desire to see the Choral per
manent fixture should join the honorar,
list. The fee is but tri1e, 81 month TO
J ticket admitting two, antthe monthly re