The sun., 1896-12-16

Tha elder Salvini had several children, of
whom two sons. Gustave and Alexander. were
actors. Gustave. in accordance with the con-
dition which his father granted him an al
lowance. never acted in his own country until
a ayear.ago. and that was the consequence of
his having received from his father what
would have been his share of the estate in ad-
vance. Until this time he had acted only in
South America. the Tomaso Salvini did not
want to have the lustre Of his own fame
dimmed by the efforts Of any other actors of
the same name who might not be SO eminent.
Gustave. who is older than his brother who has
just died. lost his patrimony in the attempt to
conduct theatre. Then he appeared last
spring In Naples. much to his fathers cha
grin, and was very respectfully treated. al
though the elder Salvini is said to have held
but a poo- opinion OF his abilities actor
But the son of the great Salvini known to
this country had succeeded In establishing
reputation for himself. and his fathers infu-
ence played no part In his creditable career
here. When he.came to tho United States in
1881, with his fathers friend and manager.
Charles Cnizzola. It is. .said to have been with
no idea of becoming an actor. He was 20
years old then. having been born at Rome on
Dec. 16. 1861. He went to school in Naples.
Florence. and Genoa, and later in Florence
and Switzerland prepared himself for the pro-
teablOn ne propOstu 10 aQOpt. Iuht OIL al euRl-
neer. 1t has been repeatedly said that his OBJ
feet In coming. here was to practise tho pro-
kssion he had learned. but there good rea-
Ions to believe that he found this country at
tractive because 1t gave him the opportunity
which his father had forbidden his sons in
Italy. He had acted some in amateur per-
formances. and the friend with whom hetrav-
illed was at that time the manager of Rossi. the
italian. who died several months ago. Young
Alexander apparently made no effort to follow
up his career an engineer. for he immediate
iy lined the Rossi company and played with
1t during most of the company's season in
the Cni:cd States.
Then Savni came to New York and settled
down 10 the serious study Of English. His en-
gineerine prospect. were probably not much in
was to learn the role OF Hamlet. one day.
at the old Union Square Theatre. in 1852. A.
number OF scenes from Hamlet" Then he
could speak scarcely a word OF coll loquial Eng
speare meant. and he delivered them with sur
prising freedom from accent: He was the
only person IN the theatre besides Mr. Palmer
and another and while they sat in cne of the
back rows the youtn OH the stage recited the
He was determined to act. and in English.
So Mr.. Palmer gave him an opportunity with
in a short time. Clara Norris was then giving
. series o.. matinees ut The Union square The
atre; and at one of these Alexander Salvini
made his FIRST appearance as an English-speak-
Article A." Atterward he acted with Mar
Raret Mather. and in her company he played
ser and cds Me Fl. Was strSS
Cling at this tine to free himself from his
fairly well. Little trace or IL was noticeable.
One night when he was acting Romeo IN Bal
this country and saw his son on the stage for
the first time. He was ayerse. as has been told
to s s9nG on he put acc s his sGs
ihe 1aternal consent because he believed It best
TO succeed first as an actor and then ask for
play Romeo without having sent any word OF
his intention To his son. and 1t was not until he
knew his father was in the theatre. After
one act his father went to his dressing roo N and
asked Alexander why he had made certain
gesture ih the way le did. The younger actor
thought y particularly graceful movement
We'll, hold your hands so."' ho said, irdi;
eating the gesture. That is natural and
This is all the advice about acting that AL
exender salyni says he ever got, from his
father. executing the scene thst followed THAT that
1omaso came behind the scenes, and kissing
his son on the brow, said simply. go on. my
After, leaving Margaret Mather's company.
Ale1ander salyini a." acted round ,1' Of mslodra-
Srated '0fH SSgsf orphans fRe fs
had proved successful at tho old Union Square
Theatre. In 1885 he joined the company
WnlCh MS Iather Drought 10 THIS country, ana
was an occasional actor IN II. as well as the
stage manager On rha "Or nights" when his
father did not play, young Salvini gave such
dramatic plays. IN 1886 Alexander Salvini
enjoyed the great est popularity he ever had in
this city. A. NJ. Palmer engaged him for his
stock company, then acting at the Madison
Square Theatre. now tIoyts. During that sea-
son he played a number OF character" roles.
and in this line OF work he was 30 successful
chat many people thought him much better
adapted to tnat species of acting than to the
romantic roles with which his reputation dur
ing the past few years has been chiefly ASSOC
ctated. As Baron Udrtzfeid in Jim the Pen
man" and as Henri BOrafeldt In Partners"
ne was most praised.
During that season lie played also LduncclOt
in George Parscn Lnthrop's dramatic version
Of "Elaine," " in which Annie Russell and Ma
rio Burroughs appeared and Minnie Seligman
nude her first pre- fessional appearance. For
three years more Alexander Salvini acted un.
when his father made his last tour OF this
country, Joined his company again. He CON
tinued to appear the star OF the company
on the nights on which his father did not APP
pear. and acted during that year in Don
Cesar de Bazan" and "A Child OF Naples"
After his fathers return To Italy young
salyiIi started out at the head Of his own COM
pany. THE Three Guardsmen" was perhaps
his best known play during his starring ca
reer. hut he acted ~ number OF other roman
Tic Inelodramas. which included THE Stu
don't of Salamanca "CavallerIa Rusticana,"
LAM Fritz" 'Tamar" and latterly Ham
let He was not often seen in New York, for,
while he WIS hiRhly popular in other cities,