The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-16

tice in caseof s~icknessor other necessity.
Every big travelling organization gen.
orally carries two understudies while on
the road. Some companies dispense with
their services, however, by requiring the
members q thezcompany to make them
selves proficient in two OF more parts.
Thus.n the first comedian should sud-
enlysbeincapacitated the second come
dian Jumps Il. and so on all through the
cast. The understudies who travel regu-
larly with the company are usually a
man and woman. The former under
studies all the actors, while the latter is
perfect IN all the feminine roles. Their
salaries and expenses are on q par with
thoeeo Of The principals
Although many of the stars now con-
spicuous IN the theatrical armament be-
gan their dramatic career as understud-
les, It is not often nowadays that the
stars themselves are understudied. It is
generally assumed by the managers that
the star is the attraction for the public,
and to substitute somebody else is to
practice 8 deception which is injurious
to the show. In some instances, how
ever, where the star has had to be re-
placed by an understudy, the latter has
made even 3 better hit than the star.
Billy Crane was an understudy in the
beginning, and Manager Joe Brooks tells
an amusing anecdote of the actors first
experience as an understudy. deserved
In that capacity with q company that
produced s'The Daughter Of the Regi-
ment" in this city some years ago.
Among the parts which Crane had to
commit to memory was that Of the no
tary. Hwasa particularly hard part be-
cause the notary had to begin by de-
claiminga long legal notice. Crane got
the part pat, but in order that there
should benopossblity of his making a
break he copied the process into a book
which the notary was supposed to carry.
The notary wore a robe that. trailed or
the floor. In making his entrance Cranes
foot became tangled up in the robe and
he pitched ~headforemost on the stage.
The book with the prompt lines flew
across the stage. Crane pulled himself
together in q moment, and without los
ing his presence of mind began firing
the process off. He went through with
out a break, and his original entrance
made q hit with the audience.
One of the most notable instances of
understanding was that furnished while
Denman Thompson was in the midst of
his long run with s'The Old Homestead"
at the Academy of Music. Walter Gale,
whose Characterization of Happy Jack,
the tramp, was supposed to be mimi
table, was i'll, and at the eleventh hour
the manager heard Of the trouble. The
part was a most important one in the
cast, and nobody could be found to take
it among the members of the company.
Finally a young Irishman named James
Fitzgerald, who was acting as dresser to
Thompson, astonished that actor by de-
claring that he. would take the part. It
seems that he was understanding Gale
right along unknown to anybody. Fitz-
gerald went on that night and initiated
Gale to a dot in everything except the
latter's soul racking cough. Young
Fitzgerald madea hit and played Happy
Jack many times, but his career was
brought to an untimely close by an at
tack of pneumonia, to which he sue
cumbed.-New York Sun.