Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-09
Personal Comment,

Gratitude is not a common quality in man
anyhow, and they do say that star actors
have less of it than most men. But John
Drew, the new star, very gracefully and
generously acknowledged his debt to Au-
gustin Daily in his speech at his first per-
formance in New York last week. Graft
tude expressed so happily, us in tho follow.
ing lines, is good business policy also: 81
feel that al these plaudits and this great
greeting might not have been mine but for
one who has taught me how to merit and de-
serve them. Whatsoever things are of good
report in me owe to his splendid direction
and friendly guidance. need not mention
the name OF my iriend and preceptor, Au-
gustin Daily"
John L. Sulivan's decadence as a pugilist
has been somewhat atoned Tor by the sur
prising Improvement in his acting which
some of the New York critics report. or
example here's the New York Sun saying
Mr. sullivan is not what would be called "a
bad actor He has not yet conquered his
old habit o. declaiming out OF the right side
o his mouth and, until his mustacne reas-
serts itself, that rather inc egant mannerism
will doubtless be conspicuous" Another
New York critic roasts the show
"The Man From Boston"-but in n post
script says OF Sullivan: And yet there was
a rich melody in his voice that was charm
ing. Could Sullivan once come to realize
that there is more than one man alive whom
he could not "knock a mile," that he no
longer has the magic OF frightening people
into worshipping him, that voice OF his
could alone charm an aud.ence,' From
which l infer that if Sullivan gets
another licking or two, he may become q
tolerable actor. 1t is u new method in his
trionic culture.
Perhaps after all the charming little Lotta
may recover her health sufficiently to give
us another taste of her graceful art. Her
present illness is the result OF bad fall on
the stage Years ago, and is in the nature of a
spinal affection. Her brother manager. ].
A. Crabtree, of the Boston Park Theater, is
authority Tor the latest report that she is on
the road to recovery. I'm sure lots of Pitts
burgers hope the good news is true
People are still talking about the 'Isle of
Champagne" 1t certainly impressed many
people 1avorably. By the way Seabrooke
ought to have had the credit for devising
tnat effective first entrance of his in Act /.
While the crowd is watching for the Kings
arrival on the right side OF the stage he ap-
pears alone on the drawbridge to the lett.
The humor of this incident was evidently
appreciated when it was shown here, for
here were roars of laughter when the
kim absurd predicament was understood,
but doubt ii many knew what sacrifice
Seabrooke made by this proceeding. The
star actor looks for and usually gets round
OF applause upon his first appearance
on the stage, but Seabrooke pre-
ferred to do without it, and start in VITA a
quiet piece OF hunor which put the au Ii
tnce in sympathy with the comedian and
gave him good basis to build upon. Sea.
and the result proves thai he was right. and
that the authors of the comic opera who op-
posed him were wrong.
1t is not said that Frank Daniels has had
the startling yet joyful things are waited
on the gale that he is at last aware that
Little Puck" is getting old. That respec.
able and in the early years OF its life laugh
able farce has loomed up of late as one of
the prime bugbears of the regular theater-
goer. When Little Pnck" approached last
year remarkable increase in the popular
lty of Here Comes the Bogey Man" as a
Whlstled chanson, was noted in this city.
Mr.. Daniels, it is true. still sticks to the
notion that there are few people on earth
who haven't seen "Little Puck" but he will
produce new upper-grade farce next month
in New York, for which We should be deeply
grateful.
Step by step. slowly but surely Julia Mar.
lowe is building up solid reputation as the
great Shakespearian comedienne of the age.
the Chicago critics tho last two weeks have
had nothing Dut praise for her in the come-
dies and find many beauties, If some insult
fciency of passionate force, in her embodi-
ment of JuliL
L. would nave done your heart good to see
Mana%er Charles L. Davis with his spike-tail
coat noatlng at right angles to his rotund
person, dashing about among the scene
shitters at the Alvin Theater on Monday
night. Someone had forgotten to connect
the electric chandelier in the second act or
at least to turn on tho light, and Manager
Davis was mad. Manager Gus Hartz, who
was 'behind" at the time, looked at Manager
Davis with admiration. That's the sort Of
manager like" said Mr.. Hartz; zone who
knows his business and attends to it," By
word of congratulation again upon the
beauty OF the Interiors arranged by him for
Friends" on the Alvin stage last week
Charles L. Harris has never been seen in
TINS city In the part which made him fu nous
last season in the West as well as the East.
namely, the homely, soft-hea rted Southern
Squire in "Alaba ma" but Pittsburgers win
remember his good work in Jim the PEN
man" and other Palmer Company produc-
tions. Probably We shall never see him
again, for be is lying in q hospital in a very
critical condition. The delicious richness,
as Wel as the subdued color OF his comedy
in Ala bama," made the impersonation one
Of the best bits of acting I have ever seen.
Tine performance OF Jim the Penman,"
mentioned above, it will be remembered.
was illuminated when it first visited this
city by the superb acting of Ada Dyas. Miss
Dyas has been engaged by Henry Irving to
play Go''c11l in "Klng Lear" at the Lyceum
Theater. This sounds like a high compii-
ment to America and in n measure it is, but
the Dramatic Neps reminds us that Miss
Dyas is OF English birth and had won con-
siderable lame in England before she came
to this country. Her genius is large enough
to make her the property of th6 world
Me.srs. Zimmerman & Nixon, managers Of
the Chestnut STREET Theater, Philadelphia,
set good example to their brethren last
week. A play that depended upon sheer
vulgarity and obscenity for drawing power
opened at their house last Monday, and
& Nixon closed the doors as
soon as the curtain fell for the rest of the
week 1t is better to take no money in at
all than to accept the public's dollars for
vile trash.
"The Masked Ball." in which John Drew
mas set sail as a star, appears to be a lively
Pile who want amusement before everything
slse in the theater, will flock to see.