The San Francisco call., 1896-06-08
Acting yesterday, as he lit another cigar


"Well, 1 should rather say he did.
THAT was one proof of the labor be de.
voted to making Mrs. Carter what she is
81 was in New York when he was pre-
pairing her, and was present at all the re
hearsals, and | know of what | speak. He
trained her in all manner of stage falls
and would throw her to the ground re-
peatedly until she was perfect master oi
the art of falling gracefully. And falling
is not the easiest thing in the profession
either.
''She and Fairbank both came from
Chicago. She knew absolutely nothing
about acting until my brother aught her.
When she first came to New York Dave
watched her at the Berkeley Lyceum. II
was hot, sultry New York summer
weather, and yet they would begin prac-
ticing at $50 o'clock and continue until
IL 80; begin at 1:30 in the afternoon and
work until 7:30 in the evening. At night
they would rshearse at the Madison
House, and do this after working all day.
l was present at the time and held the
book while they rehearsed.
This was before the Ugly DuckIing'
was put on the boards. She made an
artistic success in this almost financial
failure. My brother is a tireIess worker
when he begins on anything of this kind,
and hardly stops to sleep or eat.
Il remember on the first night of the
Ugly DuckIing,' while Mrs. Carter was
entering the theater some one handed her
telegram. 1t said her baby had just
died. One of her enemies had sent the
telegram to prevent her success, and there
was no truth whatever in it. This was
about the time of her divorce proceedings.
We knew there must be something wrong,
ana wrote some bogus dispatches, saying
what afterward was found to be the truth
that the child was all right. That same
night she received two curtain calls the
first act, three after the second, and, what
is without precedent, seven after the third.
lE'People came to guy ner, but they were
won over by her wonderful acting and
stood-actuaIly stood on the seats to APP
plaud her. E. ]. Henley said to Dave
that night, Mr.. Belasco, this lady has
done tonight what it has taken me a
whole lifetime to accomplish
why, in preparing her for this play and
for Miss Hellyet he went over the parts
with her at the theater and at home.
Even on the streets they would go
through the scenes. One day on Broad
way they were carrying on this way and
people would stare and look back, until /
became little bit put out. | said, Dave,
why not wait until you reach the hotelP
III you do not like it, go on ahead,
said he, and the scene was continued.
The same thing occurred one time in LIN
coin Park. Mrs. Dudley, Mrs. Carter's
mother, and l were walking with them.
They became wholly distracted from prac-
tical life and drew quite crowd.
During their rehearsals in theaters and
halls [ was obliged to remind them to eat,
even. Two or three times Dave said
You can't fool me. have already eaten.
am going to finish this scene, anyway.
when Mrs. Carter was preparing for
the bell scene in the Heart of Maryland
she visited a gymnasium in New York
daily for six months and practiced on
bars, rings ano trapeze for several hours a
day:
81 have had seventeen years experience
in this business, and yet | have never
heard of another man and woman who
worked as they did. A person can have
no idea of the intensity and perseverance
they manifested who has not actually wit
messed them in their work.
''In the realistic bell scene, should Mrs.
Carter slip her hold from the clapper OF
the bell it would mean death to her. Only
the bare floor of the stage is underneath.
Many morning | have heard the
ianitor ask how long they would use the
stage that day. Dave would answer: oh,
two or three hours
" If they are off at 6 this evening 1 am
in luck the ianitor would remark to him
self, and it would turn out as he
thought
'0ne night, while the ugly Duckling'
was being rehearsed, we left Mrs. Carter
shortly after midnight. On the way
home Dave stopped suddenly, saying: by
Jove, have neglected to mention GER
tain point that is important, and, ex-
hausted as he was, he insisted on return
ing, and they did not cease practicing this
idea until nearly 3 o'clock in the morn