Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-30
THE ARGUS. MONDAY, DECEMBER 80 1896
ECCENTRIC JOHN DILLON.
The Veteran Actor Has m Aversion 70
Talking About HIS Profession,

The Veteran Actor Hss nm Avsesion 20
Talking About His Proiesslon.
John Dillon on the stage and John
Dillon of the stage are two distinct
people. One who sits in the forum
Of the theatre and is At once con-
vulsed with laughter and enraptured
with admiration of the veteran come
dian, would not for an instant think
Of him as an unapproachable iceberg
in the social world. Yet such is
true. When Dillon steps before the
footlights he enters new world.
He forsakes himself and with the
earnestness and originality charac-
teristic of the man he ceases to be
John Dillon the citizen and becomes
John Dillon the actor. In the latter
role he is known to the public, and
hence it is that the eccentricities
Of his everyday life are concealed
from the public. John Dillon has
been coming to Rock Island for
great many years. In his palmiest
days-and he is at the top of his pro-
fession still-Dillon played in the old
Darts hall. How many times he
has been here since he does not
know himself, at least he pretends
not to know. Dillon is older now
than he used to be. the relentless
hand of time having narrowed his face
and whitened his hair. He is an old
man now, safely on the shady
side of 90, but his countenance re-
fleets the remarkable career through
which he has passed. Yet he is as
vigorous to all appearances as ever.
Dillon is Eccentric.
Dillon in the profession has
the repu ration of being one of
the most eccentric comedians on
the stage and those who APP
proach him will not DENY that his
reputation is we'll earned. An AR.
GUS representative ventured to make
some inquiries of the great comedian
at the Harper this morning as to
when he first came to Rock Irlaud.
You must talk to my manager, !"
was the actors abrupt reply to the
first query.
well, but your manager perhaps
does not know about this" persisted
the scribe.
"You can't talk to me anyway,
talk to my manager. I am nothing
but q hired man. and have nothing
to do with it,
"But the public would like to
know something of you perhaps. :"
further Intercepted the reporter
who was beginning to get interested
in the man.
II don't care for the public. I've
got nothing to care for. What do
care for? I've got some grand chill.
dren-I care for them"
"When did you first come to Rock
IslandP"
II don't know"
''But can you not tell about the
timer" .I,3.n ~
swell, in 1901" d,
Impressed with this huge joke, the
press representative became more
solicitous in hopes of drawing forth
another funny crack, so the coined
ian was humbly asked to be more
precise about the date.
"Oh about twenty or thirty years
ago." came the curt answer.
"How many times have you played
here?"
Don't know, don't know. I'm
nothing but a Kelley comedian" ex-
hibiting a badge of the Kelley insti-
tute.
"How long ago did you become a
Kelley COMEDIAN"
Give years"
The reporter, feeling gratified that
he had learned SO much, withdrew.
Dillon is working on a salary and
has nothing to do with the manage
ment Of his company, and he adheres
to his accustomed policy of having
no intercourse whatever with the
members of the company away from
the theatre. He is said to be en-
phatically opposed to playing to pop
ular prices. but the present engage
ment here and in Davenport was
put in merely to ill out, as at
Galesburg New Years day the CON-
pany returns to one night stands
aud regular prices.