Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-07-30

BOOTH AS HAMLET.
had devoted himself TO old comedy. II |
was thus that the late Mr.. Florence |
had become identified with him. AS o |
rule Jefferson's receipts in this line
were large, but as result he found
that the increased expense of a FIRST
class old comedy company outdid the
increased receipts
With play like rip" he would go
around the country at an exceedingly
slight expense, at the same time doing
very big business This is at least broba-
bic. IL Is true that the public shows
good deal of weariness over the revival
OF dramatic ''chestnuts." but IL may be
different with a man Of the celebrity
of jefferson.
The singularity OF the matter is the
more u good actor is versatile the less
he is apt 10 impress himself upon the
public and make money. The late r.
r. Davenport was one Of the most
versatile actors that ever lived. He
could play tragedy, high comedy. farce
or burlesque at will, and was equally
good in all Of them. He was recognized
as n great actor, but he never succeeded
very well pecuniarily. The same was
true Of the late Nv. Wallaclt, and, in
fact, of Lester Wallack himself. for
though that actor was best known
through "Rosedale," there was hardly
an artist on the American stage who
had appeared in so many different
pieces HIS roles numbered between
400 and $40. Bouclcault who made an
enormous amount OF money, frittered
himself away during the latter part Of
his life in lot OF different parts, and
I've di I'd leaving very little 20 his widow,
or rather widows.
The one part men have generally
been the gamers. The late Mr. Sothern
was closely identified with Our Ameri-
can Cousin" and IL never seemed to
pail upon the public. Occasionally he
would take fling at something else,
but the change was only of slight du-
ration; he would always return 20 the
best known part because the people in.
sisted upon It
Mr.. Booth has played Hamlet four
times as often as any other part of his
repertory, and vet TO the very end of
his active career he could always draw
twice as much money in that part as in
anything else In fact the public had
ceased going to sec him in anything
else, when he suddenly stopped acting
through increased feebleness.
Frank Mayo. after smashing around
in the legitimate drama and then in
sensational plays, found part TO suit
him in "Davy Crockett" He suddenly
began 70 make money; he stuck TO
"Davy Crockett" year after year. At
last his receipts went down TO hardly a
paving standpoint and MIR. Mayo took
to the legitimate. He desired 10 be
appreciated in Macbeth, and plays OF
that sort, He was dreadful failure.
He had played the one part so long that
he could not play anything else well,
and, although he tried "Nordecls" and
other things, his case seemed TO be
hopeless.
So, therefore, while the compensa.
ton may be large in keeping at one
thing long, IL is always great danger
Louis Harrison played Ty Foo fol
, Ave years. He played 1t too long. II,
found 1t difficult 20 get back TO any
thing else, and even now the manner
, | of Ty Foo often comes to him.
, James +. Mafiitt has completely sunl
out OF sight, from the fact that he h n
stuck TO the part OF the Lone Fisher
, man year after years and even he fol
lowed another man, Harry Hunter, VIII,
had been doing nothing else for eigh
! or nine years, when he died at 1t. An,
! George Fortescue in the same wa,
! played Catherine in that burlesqu,
, season after season, until It got SO tina
people would have him in nothing else
and will not have "Evangeline" with
out him. In fact since he went to Aus
tralia with Edward +. Rice, "Evauge
s line" has been gradually going 10 tn
s dogs,
n Ada Gray is another old-timer TIL
e dear creature has been playing "Eas
Y Lynne" ever since the war, and Their
q are chroniclers whose veracity regard
o ing most things can hardly be doubted
e who say that she first played it ahou
n 1860, right after Lucille Western bega
y her meteoric career with 1t.
I. But even Ada Gray cannot lay elair
e to being the real old woman of the pre-
fession; there is one left who bents hel