Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-18


OF sne high scnooi yoaug hantofa We
selected 20 denver me vailed Glory. lie
dsd thss with sucn fefs0r aud dramatic
strength that Mrs. Jobn A. Logan. VINO
was N the audience. among Tue many
sn0 were impressed by hansera de-
livery, sent Tor him at the conclusion
OF the exercises and urged him 10 adopt
the stage as a profession. Several
years after thls hanfofd Was discovered
ty Stafford aud engaged by him 10
play small part.
Ii was while Hanford was with this
organization that he first gaiaed
thorough insight into the life of an
actor. lie Was only Ia the cast on Ger
tam nights, and the lights he was not
Ca The bills ne Sss compelled 10 &C.
cupy IN taxing tickets at the door and
afterwards in counting tue house"
Then Stafford and his wife aud young
Hantort, who Was then Is years OF age.
would assemble IN >lafford's room aud
talk over the day's. or rather the
n ghs's business. each one making some
Suggestions. So well did yoang Han
ford iii the parts assigned hsm that
Stuart Robson, who saw some OF hls
perform anees, engaged him for mis-
support in the Two Dromios." While
with that company he received an offer
from Lawrence Barkett, which ne &C.
cepted. and from ~ Time he has
PLAYED the leading roles with Booth
aud Barrett, Booth aud Modjeska and
Julia Marlowe.
While Mr.. Hanford was with Messrs.
Booth and Barrett. at every perform
ance of "Jullus Caesar" he played
Marc Antony TO the Brutus of Edwin
Booth and the Cassius of Lawrence
Barrett. His work was so good in this
heroic role that the newspapers invarl-
ably divided tne honors equally be-
tween Booth, Barrett and Hanford.
Barrett was always more or less re-
served and beyond being polite to the
members OF MS company he never
went further. Booth, on the other
hand, was genial. One night III Balti-
more, after the curtain had rung down
on Julius Cesar" Mr.. Booth sent for
Mr.. Ranford to come to his dressing
room. On that night the peroration of
Marc Antony had received seven cur
tam calls and the audience mad insisted
upon Mr.. Hanford's taking two of
them alone. Mr.. Booth, after compli-
menting Mr.. Hanford upon mis- work,
suggested that at some future time he
star in Julius Cesar" "It Is" said
the eminent trsgedian, "the greatest
of all Shakespeare's historical TRACE
dies. The work is more satisfactory
and the appreciation of any audience
geener than in any tragedy ever enacted.
Y.ur conception of Antony has never
oeen surpassed and predict for you q
brilliant future"
uaar lat vcan thu daafh nf
Lawrence Barrett dissolved the part
nership between these two famous ira
gedians, Mr.. HanfOrd, acting upon the
advice of Mr.. Booth. purchased from
the estate of Mr.. Barrett all the seem
cry. properties, etc., used by Booth and
Barrett In their production OF "Julius
Caesar" He was then under contract
TO Julia Marlowe for the coming sea-
son. AS soon as that contract expired
Mr.. HanfOrd set about his first starring
tour. He secured from Buffolo. f. X.
Spencer, VINO had been with him with
Booth and Barrett for the role Of Cas-
sius. and Bennett Matlack of New York
for that of Brutus. His friends wanted
him to play either Cassi us or Brutus,
arguing that they were the star parts.
Mr.. Hanford refused, however, and
with good reason.
Said he: "The public would say OF
my performance of these parts: oh!
yes he is pretty good. but then we have
seen Edwin Booth or Lawrence Barrett
and they are beyond comparison.
Now, my part of Marc Antony is an in
dividuality, the same as IS Booths
Hamlet and Barrett's Cassius."
The scenery used In Mr.. Hanford's
production of "Juhus Caesar" is the
same that was used by Booth and Bar.
rett in their presentation of this trag-
edy. On account of its size, however,
it was never used except on stages
where there was mOro than the usual
height and width. For this reason this
scenery was used only in New York,
Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston.
The newspapers In the cities where
Mr.. Hanford has used 1t speak highly
| of il not only for its beauty but from q
| historical point Of view. 1t was painted
by the celebrated Gerome from viewl
| now III possession OF the British mu.
| scum.
This evening "Natural Gas" with it,
slde-splitting funnlness will be seen il
The Powers.
Tomorrow evening the incompatible
Modjeska Will act "Rosalind" IN The
| Powers.