The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1894-04-05
THE: i:jiI: UN UNDERsTUDY.
SuBAcTORe WHO MUST BE READY
TG5TAKE; :PRlNCIPALS PLACES.

study young aotrSss,; who was an un.
deTstudy In s6n6 oftShe psincipal stock
,companiea IN town, ,gave up her position
the other day because during all that
time che never got an opportunity to dis
play her talents before the public. She
was on the salary list of the company,
and as wages are paid, 80 weeks In the
year by that particular organization IL
seemed rather like quitting good thing,
but it was not q question of finance with
her. She is an actress of recognized abil-
ity, and understanding was not particu.
lsrly suited to her taste. She had part
after part in new plays and reproduc-
tions,4but the. principal somehow or 9TH
er.managed to get through without being
i'll, or never suffered any mishap, so it
seemed as If the actress was destined to
become permanent understudy. This
instance is only one Of numberless SINH
lar experiences showing the trials and
'tribulations of understudies.
ALI the. big stock companies are we'll
supplied IN the matter Of understudies,
and while they are required to keep 4
certain number Of professionals Oh hand
they have innumerable applications from
amateur aspirants for histrionic honors,
who are only too willing to serve as un-
derstudieS ON the chance that some acci-
dent will tako them to the front. Most
of these come from the different schools
for the training Of actors. The under
studies receive their parts almost at the
same time they are delivered to the prin-
oipals. They are rehearsed regularly
with the company and are presumed to
be as we'll prepared for the first night of
play as the principals.
Manager Charles Frohman's company
is probably one Of the best equipped Or
ganizations in the country In tho way Of
pnderstudies. Eight Of these are en-
p1oyed .as regular members Of the COM
pahy tile year round, and while they are
probably, not seen moro than once: or
twice. d}lring q season they are always
ready foT any emergency that may arise.
kugustih Daly's and A; M. Pallner's COM
panies are also well supplied with under
studies, and both have long lists Of anna
teurs ready to 60 on at moments no
tice In case Of sickness or.other necessity.
Every big travelling organization gen.
orally carries two understudies while on
tho road. Some companies dispense with
|, members Of the company to make them
selves proficient in two or more parts.
Thus'if the first comedian should sud
denly be inoapaoitated the second come
dian jumps in. and SO OH all through the
cast. The .understudics who travel regu-
larly with tho company are usually a
man and a woman. The former under
studies all the actors, while the latter Is
perfect in all the feminine roles. Their
| salaries and expenses are on par with
those of the principals.
| Although many of the stars now con
| spicuous In the theatrical armament he
/ gan their dramatic career as understud
les, it is not often nowadays that tn,
stars themselves are understudied., 1t il
generally assumed by the managers tina
the. star is tlio attraction for the public
and to substitute somebody else is tc
practice deception which Is injurious
| to- the show. In some instances, how
ever, where tho star has had to be re-
placed by an understudy, the latter has
made even better hit than the star.
Billy Crane was an understudy in the
beginning; and Manager Joe Brooks tells
All amusing anecdote of the actors first
experience as Oh understudy. He served
in that capacity with company that
produced "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. IT waSa- particularly hard part be-
cause the notary had to begin by de-
claiming long legal notice. Crane got
the part pat, but in order that there
should be no possibility Of his making o
breh3r lid copied the process into book
which. the notary wassapposed to carry.
The notary Wore q srobea that trailed on
ths'fioot. In making his entrance Cranes
foet became tangled up in the robe and
he pitched headforemost on the stage.
The book with the prompt lines few
across the stage. Crane pulled himself
togetheg in O moment, and without los
Ing his presence of mind began firing
the process off. He went through with
out break, and his original entrance
made hit with the audience.
,. One of the most notable instances Of
understanding was that furnished while
hfs long run with :..The Old Homestead
at the Academy of Music, Walter Gale,
whose characterization Of Happy Jack,
tho tramp, was supposed to be mimi
table, was i'll, and, of the eleventh hour
| the manager hoard Of the trouble. The
part was, @ most: Important one in the
cast, and nobody could be,faund to take
it among tho members Of the company.
Finally a. young IrIshman named James
Fitzgerald, who was acting as dresser to
Thompson, astonislied that actor by de-
claring that he would take the part. 1t
seems that he was understanding Gale
right along unknown to anybody. Fitz-
gerald went on that night and initiated
Gale to q dot in everything except the
latter's soul racking cough. Young
Fitzgerald made a hit and played Happy
Jack many times, but his career was
brought to an untimely close by all at
tack OF pneumonia, to which he sue
cumbed. New York Sun.
The Word Mother.
Here are is varieties Of the word
mother. all bearing Il distinct resem.