The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-09

The San Francisco Bulletin gives the
following highly interesting account OF
the professional career Of Wilton Lack
aye. an actor whose excellent work has
often pleased the theater-goers Of
Scranton: Some years ago those who
attended the performance of She at
! Niblos Garden, New York, saw a fine
looking young fellow playing the part
of Leo. He had but very little to do. but
everybody remarked his grace and ex-
tremely handsome figure. He was set
down on the bills as Wilton Lackaye,
but very few people in New York had
even heard of the young actor. A short
time after that, as the New York sea-
] son was closing, Admiral Porter'S AL
Ian Dare was brought forward at the
Fifth Avenue theater, and, on Its first
performance. Wilton Lackaye. as Rob-
| ert lie Diable, made a prominent hit.
| He was now for the first time seriously
considered by the New York critics-a
most interesting thing for him. He
| would either make himself by 1t or
break himself by 1t. Young Lackayes
| success in this was only cut short. how
| ever. by the brief run Of the play. or
course, 1t must not be understood that
Lackaye was merely an amateur at this
time, for he had the best sort Of train
ing in this connection with several
travelling companies. To be sure. he be-
| gan as an amateur when he was men,
| ber of the Lawrence Barrett club, Of
| Washington, and his first opportunity
came then, for the patron saint of the
club engaged him, and he did good and
hard work with Mr. Barrett during the
season of 1885, The summer following
he went to Dayton. where he played
about twenty parts in the stock COM
pany. The following season he Joined
| the Carrie Swain company, and subse-
| quently appeared in May Blossom. y
| During the season OF 1SS6-87 he had
valuable experience with Fanny DAY.
enport. ..
| -:ll:- f
| uIackaye's next important character
in New York after his debut In Allan
Dare" was as Gouroc In Steele Mack
ayes play of paul Kauvar." He acted
this role with great power. 1t was not
the everyday heavy villain of the
stage. He put into 1t many original
touches, and gave great satisfaction
to the author, although the startling
reality OF his portrayal prevented him
from having any sympathy from the
audience. Another distinct hit was
made at the Star theater, in New York.
when Lackaye appeared for a couple
of weeks as Saviani in "Jocelyn," with
| Rose Cogihlan. This was really the
talk OF the town. among those who
were watching the advance made by
this young actor; but afterwards,
when he opened with "Featherbrain"
| at tine Madison-sQuare theater. his Don
Stephano was a new revelation or his
| ability. 1t was remarkably we'll drawn
and 1t was by this portraiture that he
| attracted more special attention among
managers. Presumably, 1t was because
of this piece of acting that Mr.. Daily
| engaged him for his stock company.
| Then he played In Bootle's Baby"
n Ci1fss sfc mia nf v,io lxy
drawn subtlety. Lackaye's association
| with Mr. DAILY did not result with gen.
| eral satisfaction. A disagreement be-
tween the aStute manager and the am
bilious actor caused a rupture after a
| few weeks. In that time, however. Mr..
| Lackaye made a great hit as De Noir-
will In Roger La Monte" at Ndblos s,
| under Mr.. Days management. He
| was Withdrawn from that however,
and given the part OF O'Donnell Don
| at Mr.. Daly's theater in 1.-The Great
Unknown" At the close of this run
Lackaye's association with the COM
pany was at an end. Since this he has
played in money Mad" 1.-THE Dead
Heart" The Pembertons;" my Jack"
Shenandoah" Colonel Tom," 1.-THE
Power OF the Press 81
jill ~.
Mr.. Laclxaye went to England and
became a member of the St. James
Theater company and appeared In 1.-THE
Idler." His stay was very limited, for
| several CT the managers on this side
| were continuously demanding his SER
| vices for the creation Of the leading
roles In the new plays that were to
be produced. In this regard he has
been the original leading character de-
lineator in more presentations than any
| actor in New York. After his return
from England he appeared in up to the
present time for Charles Frohman,
''Pompadolr," "Mr. Wilkinson's Wild
ows." "Aristocracy." and others. Dur
ing his stay with A. M. Palmer he has
enacted s1: the leading roles in Lady
"Saints and Sinners" Alabama" "a
womans Revenge" 'The American
| Heiress," "Blue Blood" "The District
Attorney" "The New Woman" "Jim
the Penrra n" and many others. His
present role of Svengali in the play OF
''TrIlIby' is played by him in a man
ner that calls for the greatest praise.
| duction, and the many who have APP
peared In 1t since In the various com.
paniea presenting "Trilby' are but
faint reflections of his mastery work,
His portrayal OF the hypnotizlng vii
Ian shows careful study not only in
regards to his acting. but as to his
makeup as well, which IL without
doubt one OF the cleverest we have
seen in many days;
-:ll:-
One Of the evils OF the theatrical pro.
fessiOn Ia the bad practice Known as
Knocking" To knock" means to run
| another player down, and 1t is a verb
which Is prominent in the vocabulary
Of good many players, more the pity.
1S.psrs ln ~ xaA1 ~..ll
from the Buffalo Neys: When May
Irwin and Pete Daley were acting to-
gether in 1.-The Country Sport" they,
always gave the audience the impress
sion that they were the very best OF
friends. In point Of fact, they never
got on at all. When Miss Irwin left
Daley to start out as a star on her own
hook. the entire DALEY company Jour
neyed to Lynn, Mass, to see her per-
formance. DALEY bought up ali the
boxes and distributed his company in
them with implicit instruction to look
serious:. Mr.. Daley seated himself in
a stage box, with his back towards the
stage. The play began; Miss Irwin
made her entrance. But not hand Of
applause did she receive from the
boxes
II always knew that Daley had a
large back" said May. in telling the
story afterwards, but that night It
seemed to me that the whole theater
was Daley reversed. / could see noth-
ing else. Mysteries Is feminine lux
ury, which don't often indulge In; but
I did have q jolly good cry between the
acts that night. It was without any
exception the most unprofessional cx-
hibition ever saw. I would rather
have died than let Daley know I
noticed It, though. Afterwards he
came behind the scenes. Miss Lewis,
| Mr.. Sparks and the other members OF
his old company ..e ignored utterly.