Evening star., 1897-02-13

w.
new era seems to have arisen recently
iu the history of thea;ricals. 1t was not
many years ago when a stock company
system was in vogue. when certain players
would remain permanently at one theater
during an entire winter. and would support
various stars. who Travelled fTcm place to
PA e These stock companies. which va
risd greatly i'll quality. were afterward dis
placed ~ the travelling organizations. and
the result that there were admitted
into the profession hundreds Of people who
had no legitimate reason for going on the
stage, being possessed of very little talent
possibly nOne-and having none of the
physical requirements for life before the
fOotlghts. The companies. excepting the
stars. were generally composed of people
of this Caliber. and the consequence was
that the audiences became heartily sick of
the bad acting which they were forced to
endure III order to witness a performance
by one celebrated actor.
Conditions have greatly changed within
the past three or four wears and the public
now expects. in addition to a great star an
excellent support 1t is hard to say what
circumstances brought about this change
in affairs but it is most generally attrib-
uted to the falling OFF in patronage. Henry
Irving. during his first visi, to the country
was supported by "A magnificent company.
ana vas doubtless one of the inaugurators
of this movement Modjeska fell in line
shortly after and appeared with phe-
HUmenal cast in The Chouans." This
charming lady is a devotee of the stage
ard her aim has always been to place before
heT dudlenceS the most perfect creations of
hlStrionic art that il Is possible to give
Only last season she seriously contemplated
the organization Of a company fu~ this
year which should contain nothing but
stars. and the only thing that prevented
us fuihiin= AT was her sudden and serious
Illness Every enc remembers the phenom-
ti al east which appeared in 'Theh Ri
NdlS last spring The Sporting Duchess"
Is hnc illustration of the movement TO-
ward great companies. 1t contains no less
than seven ltOp.e who have in wears pasr
been prominent aS stars. That these meth
oFs arr heartily approved by the theatrical
Puhilc ls shown by the immense audiences
which have everywhere been in attend
ance.
J. II. Stoddart is now in his seventeen
year. and. notwithstanding the MANY yic;s-
situdeS OF such a career he does not look
to'tay hke man OF more than fifty wears
being male and hearty in appearance and
thoroughly uD to date in all matters and
particularly III those pertaining 10 st.ge
life Moreover. Mr. Stnddart has a most
ICVable personality. and is highly respected
ana beloved by all who know him, HI, was
born i'll Yorkshire, England, in 1927. The
best part of his theatrical life has hen
passed ON the American stage as he came
20 th;s country ir 1854. and all theater-
Eofrs since that time are thoroughly famI-
lar with his many creations and Inimita-
be Chara cterizatIons He bore with him
from the old country a letter of recon-
meHaation 10 the elder Wallack and was
engaged oy MIN for small roles which soon
brought him into prominence Ii was dur-
Ing this engagement that he married Ma
tildd Phillips. and the death of this lady
dpout hFe Years ago was sad blow, as his
married life was one of great domestic
happiness He now lives in nth street
New York. with his daughter. who keens
house for him. Mr. Stoddart's greatest tri-
umphs have been old mems parts which he
has been playing since he was eighteen
years Of age He had five brothers all of
whom took TO the stage with more or less
success. but his brother Richard is still act
ing In England. From 1861 to 1856 Mr.
Stoddart acted at the Olympic Tneater in
New York, first under Laura keene. and
afterward under the management of Mrs
John Wood From 1861 to 1874 he was a
member Of Lester Wallack's famous stock
company After that he was principally
associated with the stock company produc-
tons of a ". Palmer at the Union Square
and the Madison Square and Palmer's The
ater. and was for scrle time connected with
Danlei FTohmans 5 Lyceum Theater Stock
Company Last year Mr.. Stoddart ioined
Charles Frohman's forces. Among his re-
markab!e creations were Pere Michel and
Jean RantZau- He is effective in parts that
have peculiar and striking traits, which
are outside of convention. He has riDe
intelligence. quick power of grim order
snd cynical sort of humor and real pathos
The intensity of his acting is the most pro-
nounced feature of his peculiar method.
Jessie Bartlett Davis has new song
called The Angelus'' in the Herbert and
Smith opera. to be produced by the Bos-
instant, which is said to be one of the
hest things Victor Herbert has ever com
posed To make the g more effective
the management has sent abroad for d
set of chimes. Miss Davis will have the
role Of yOurg duchess. who escapes in
male attire from a convent, where she
has Teen placed 10y her elderly husband
She will wear a very attractive boys cos
pecialiy fetcl ing
The one inciden; in my career that has
stamped itself most indelibly in my mind"
Thomas ". Keeue told a party of friends
recently, happened at the time | was
playing an engagement in Cincinnati when
President Garfield was his death bed.
The theater was crowded. and i was play
ing Richard III just as 1 had spoken
the line, How awful is this gloom" in the
tent scene. the manager whispered from
The wings. Garfield is dead / imme-
diately rose from my haunted couch. di-
vested myself suddenly of the char ict ter
and walked 10 the footlights. | said SOL
EMMY Ladies and gentlemen. the Presi
u.
Please go out quietly There was not
word spoken by any one. ard everybody
departed as i had requested them. Fre-
queIt Comments were made at the time and
have often been heard since the incident on
the singular ard appropriate expression
" hich / used in my lines Immediately pre-
Ceding the announcement OF Garfield's
death"
Have you ever been to Coney Island?
From the minute you buy your ticket at
the Rattery until You reach the glistening
strand over which the surf is ebbing and
flowing. you are pUs ned showed jolted and
pounfed- You can expect all this If you
arr determined 10 journey to Coney Island
The wedge is formed for Coney about 10
O'Clock every morning. If you want to get
a good position in the center start early
ou VIII not avoid the rush. but you Will
nave the impact Of those behind Won 10
hurry you along There is the fat German
baker who with his wife and six ROSY
children. is having n days outing at a
triting cost He and his family have been
going 20 this resort for years and he feels
as though he has the right of eminent do
ma n on the entire island. The Coney Is
land girl Is there in large numbers. She is
a distinct type from the South Beach Wis
nor Her white sailor hat is perched as
straight upon her auburn curls as though
get there by rule and compass Her hair is