The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-26

out of the famous play about 100000,
but he has very little of that sum now.
Mr.. O'Neill is a good actor but a poor
business sman. If he were a better
business man he might be a worse ac-
tor. Il have to be very careful with
Monte Cristo," says Mr.. O'Neill. be
cause l have played the part so often
/ am liable to forget the lines. The
mind is like photographers stone; the
more impressions there are taken from
ii the DINNER they are"
Mr.. ONeill has for many years been
one of the most prominent actors on
the American stage. He began his
stage career with Edwin Forrest at the
age OF 20. his duty at that time consist
ing of the exacting one of carrying a
spear. A few years later, however, he
supported Forrest at Ellsler's Academy
of Music in Cleveland. Afterwards he
supported Edwin Booth, Lawrence
Cushman and Adelaide Nelson. He
was in those days considered the
youngest leading man in the country.
Mr.. O'Neill took part in the only pro-
duction of the Passion Play ever
given in this country. That was Is
years ago at the Baldwin theater, San
Francisco. Mr.. O'Neill at that time
was leading man of the stock compa-
ny. 1t was his second visit to the
coast, his first visit having been made
as a member of the famous Hooley
Comedy company, on whose roll We're
enlisted such names as william H.
Crane, Harry Murdoch. Nellie McHenry
and Nat Salisbury. besides many 9TH
ers. 1t was during Mr. O'Neill's third
year of his second visit to the coast
that he appeared as the Savior in Saint
Morse's Passion Play" Tom Mcguire
was manager of the Baldwin theater
at the time and requested O'Neill to
play the part of Christ At first O'Neill
refused. although, according to the
terms of his contract, he was compelled
to play any part assigned him by the
management. O'Neill learned, howev-
er, that Salmi Morse's play had been
approved by Bishop Allemani of the
Catholic church in California, and then
consented to impersonate the charac-
ter. His makeup, ii was said, was so
real and so perfect that everybody,
even the rough stage hands. passed
him in silence, paying a forced tribute
to the holiness of his appearance. To
Mr.. O'Neill, that performance was not
acting; 1t was devotion. He spoke the
lines with all due reverence to their sa-
cred meaning, and the whole perform
ance was In the nature of great Bibli-
cal lesson 1t was said that men in the
audience fell on their knees in prayer,
and women were unable to restrain
their tears. On the day after the tenth
performance the whole company was
arrested and brought before a magis-
trate. O'Neill was fined $50, while the
Twelve Apostles were only fined IS a
piece After the play was taken off in
San Francisco, Mr.. Abbey decided to
produce it in New York at Booths the
alter. But the sentiment of the pulpit
and the press was against it and the
production was abandoned. After the
production in San Francisco O'Neill ex-
changed pictures with Mayer, the Ger
man actor who played the part of ODER
ammergau, and il was hardly possible
to tell who was O'Neill and who was
Mayer, so much did both resemble the
pictures with which we are familiar.
The only authentic picture of the whole
performance is the oil painting owned
by Mr. O'Neill which represents him.
self and the company in the scene of
the Lords Supper" The painting
now hangs in Mr.. O'Neills house in
New London.
Great interest is attached to Mr..
O'Neilrs present visit to Butte, as he
will appear in a play written around
the famous Lesurques case, which
deals with the adventures and vicis-
situdes of an honest French citizen,
who through an unfortunate resem-
blance to a celebrated bandit, is ac-
cused of a murder of which he is not
guilty. He is saved from the guillotine
by the successful endeavors of his
sweet daughter and her fiance. The
main character, or rather the main
Characters, the bandit and the gentle
man, are both interpreted by Mr..
O'Neill. AS the result, he is constantly
on the stage in two directly opposite
guises. To perform this role properly
is certainly required an actor of Mr.
O'Neill's vast resources. He has met
with fiattering reception in his at
tempt to impersonate both Lesurques,
the gentleman, and Dubosc, the bandit,
IL ID hof tn,
Courier of Lyons Mr.. O'Neil has
finally found another gold mine that
Will bring him as rich returns as Monte
Cristo did in the heyday of its pros
perity. Mr.. Common. Mr.. O'Neilrs man.
ager, has taken particular pains in sur
rounding Mr.. ONeill with a meritorius
company and in staging the production
in a worthy manner. 1.-The Courier of
Lyons" will be given for the opening
performance of the engagement to-mor-
row night, while Monte Cristo" will |
be reserved for Tuesday and Wednes- |
day. There will be no matine perform
ance.
Henderson's Famous American Ex- |
travaganZa company will be at Ma |
CURES opera house for three nights be- |
ginning April 80. In "Sinbad the Sailor, |
or the Maid of Balsora." TT will be the |
company's first appearance in Butte
1t is, beyond doubt the greatest of all |
organizations devoted to burlesque, and |
has been in existence about ten years. |
In succession 1t has produced the |
Arabian Nights" THE Crystal Slip |
per-" "Bluebeard, jr.,' "Ali Baba,"
Aladdin, jr.," and '-Sinbad." all being |
founded on the Arabian Nights tales. |
the salient points of which are burles- |
qued by Mr.. Henderson. He next Sc |
cured the best talent available in the |
way of musical directors, who wrote in |
the numbers of the piece. His scenic |
painters were the best that could be /
secured either in England of America /
lie had his costumes designed and made |
in London and Paris. The artists who |
made the plays were recognized as
leaders in their profession. The armour
for the different productions were made |
in Birmingham. The cleverest of stage