Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-24
AMUSE MENTS.

1t is generally accepted as a rule that
persons of great fame and talent or gen.
Jus do not transmit their artistic excel
lence to their children. The SONS Of
eminent writer's are OF usually common
place mentality. Great fortunes are
amassed by shrewd fnanciers and dissi-
pated by their spendthrift sons. Among
painters there has never been Raphael
II or Junior Rembrandt, Titan, Corot,
Rubens or Turner. On the stage the
greatest artists have not had illustrious
parents. In fact, there are numerous
instances, easily pointed out at the pre-
sent time, which tend to show that
the offspring of great stage artists are
apt to be utterly devoid of histrionic
talent. But, like all rules, this one has
its exceptions. Now and again stage
genius leaves worthy representatives of
his name. These cases, however, are 30
rare that they very properly occasion
much comment. One of these instances
is exemplified in the children of the
house OF Davenport. When the Ameri-
can stage was somewhat younger than
today it was graced by an actor whom
veteran play-goers love to talk about.
They place him on a footing of unques-
tionable equality with Forrest, Mac
ready, Booth, and the foremost ones of
his times. This actor was E. l.. Daven-
port, whose name lives, and will live, as
one o. the greatest tragedians developed
by America. The first of his children to
win honor on the boards was his daugh-
ter Fanny, the eldest of the flock. Her
standing in the public's eye is that of an
American Bernhardt.
The boys are younger. but they are
now in fair way to bear honorably and
with distinction their fathers name.
Edgar is strikinely handsome-tall,
finely moulded and full of manly grace.
He come from fve-year engagement at
the Boston Museum, where he played
upward of 300 different leading roles.
At the termination OF his engagement in
Boston, Manager Lederer wisely secured
him for leading light-comedy roles
in his new stock company, of
which organization Harry Daven-
port was member. In the
latter the histrionic quality took an &C.
centric shoot. From his earliest stage
experience, while he was yet in his
teens, his prediction was for grotesque
character parts-shambljng old men,
excitable, irascible fathers, and excen-
trio individuals of quaint appearance
and odd manners. These he did go we'll
that he was singled out for uncommon
praise, while his efforts in the line OF
''straight" juvenile work were highly
unsatisfactory to himself. AS conse-
quence he gravitated to those roles in
which he excelled, and in a part of this
description he will appear when Mrs.
Romualdo Pacheco's new comedy will
be produced at the Grand opera house,
beginning Thursday evening, October
9th, with the George W. Lederer's
stock comedians.
M'FEE OF DUBLIN.
The attraction at the Grand Opera
house tonight, and Tuesday and
Wednesday, will be the popular Irish
comedian, John T. Kelley, who will pre-
sent, for the first time here, his new
comedy, McFee of Dublin. Mr.. Kelly
is we'll known to our theater-goers, by
his very funny performance in U & l.,
last season. His new piece is said to be
the best comedy he has ever been seen
in, and his part of McFee fits him to
perfection. The play made a decided
hit in San Francisco last week, where it
played to one of the largest weeks bust.
ness ever done at the California theater.
Among the supporting company are
Florrie West, Adelaide Randall. Harry
Kelly and others.