The record-union., 1897-06-27

World-Pauline French and Mabel Gill
man, a former Sacramentan and we'll
known among the younger set. He
took Miss Gilman with him to London,
where she made her debut in a small
role, having but little to say and a
ditty to s ng. However insignificant her
role in the Countess Gucki' was, she
succeeded in. gaining recognition. The
London Topical Times an authority
on the drama in London, said: "Of the
recent recruits TO the Daily forces, Ma
bel Gilman seems to be the most prom
Using. Her little song is well rendered
and encored nightly" At the opening
of this season she appeared in the
chorus of The Geisha," and when the
company started ION the road she
was given a minor role At the close
of the tour she returned to New York,
and in the Herald of last week
notice a paragraph saying that she had
taken Virginia Earle's part as Dora in
The Circus Girl'' at a matinee. Doubt
less she is acting as her understudy.
and when the piece is sent on tour will
be given the part which Miss Earle
has made so fascinating.
Pauline French, another San Fran
cisco girl, who made her debut With
Henry Dixey at the Columbia Theater
in "A Railroad of Love-" also made her
first appearance under Daily in THE
Geisha' in a minor role, and later sup
ported Ada Rehan when her season be-
gan. She is a talented young lady and
in the revival of The Magistrate" re-
ceiyed flattering notice from the crit
h. ito 10 of
the New York Journal said of her:
She is a pretty girl, with delightful
genuine American accent, who made
hit in the role of Charlotte She
more recently appeared with the DAILY
company in their engagements in Bos-
ton and Chicago, and is to go to Eng
land in August with them.
From this it will be seen that the
East, while it looks upon California as
Jay" nevertheless recognizes the abil-
ity of her daughters. There is GER
tainly consolation in this. A peculiar
thing about the successful Californians
is the fact that they are nearly all of
the gentle sex. With the exception of
Denis O'Sullivan. who duplicated his
London success in New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia and San Francisco, it is
to recall any new actor who
has won name for himself this sea-
son. HAROLD FRANCIS.
E. NJ. Holland. the accomplished
actor, thus writes to the New York
HERALD: Just at this particular sea-
son of the year, while the Recording
Angel will be kept very busy with
broken 1st Of January pledges, a little
in re the theatrical angel
may be .opportune.z The theatrical pro-
fession is, perhaps. more severely af-
ficted with the angel than any other
profession or calling. 1t is subject to
a semi-annual attack of angel.
The autumn angel usually makes his
appearance in August or September
with elaborate plans for the general
elevation Of the stage-and the ad-
vancement of some one particular fe-
male In looking over the field for a
number of years past L fail to find
any evidence that the angel has
evinced any particular partiality for
any particular line of operate or dra-
matte female.
If I were to make exception among
the aspirants it would be in favor of
her of the soubrette variety. If she
leads a long list of aspirants for his
trionic honors for whose stellar ap-
pearance some particular angel is re
sponsible, she certainly is not very far
in advance of the prima donna. who
seems to be almost as much favored
as her less artistic but not less ambi
tious professional sister, the soubrette.
Now. for one, 1 am strongly in favor
of extinction-total suppression is i'm
possible-of the angel in connection
with the operate or dramatic profess
sion, as his connection with either the
operatic or dramatic profession cannot
possibly produce any permanent ben
eft. for the reason that almost invari-
ably he is actuated by personal mo-
tives, and frequently those of the
basest character, and does not care
one jot or title about the permanent
artistic advancement of those who par
ticipate in the ill-advised theatrical
ventures for which he is responsible.
The angel is numerous. He is not
confined to time or country, but more
often makes his appearance in the aut-
umn than at any other season. The
less important spring angel is the
hacker of snaps" that usually come
to grief too early in their career to
assume any decided Importance
The coast of the theatrical profession
is strewn with wrecks. principally
caused by the determination of the angel
IT, invest an insufficient amount of
money to insure the permanent prosper
ity of the organization he is backing for
the entire season, and the sudden with
drawal of the hacker at the critical per-
iod when his services are most in de-
mand.
This usually necesSitates the discon-
tinuance of the season by the failure of
the management to get from town to
town; the major portion of the actors
engaged lose their time and salaries, and
rot infrequently hotels, railways, prin-
ters, costumers, newspapers, bill post
ers and numerous others, directly and
Indirectly connected with every theat
rical enterprise, are heavy losers by the
failure of the angel to fulfill his prom
ises before the actually demonstrated
fact that there was no money in the
venture.
The stage struck angel is quite as
liable to be a woman as a man, and
numerous instances are on record of
wealthy women suddenly discovering
that they are eminently qualified for the
Interpretation of the grandest roles fur
nished by the greatest dramatists. After
a few lessons in elocution and a short
coaching by some teacher of dramatic
art. they proceed to engage manager
and agent. and surround themselves
with a company; provide scenery, cos
TUNES, order printing, cause a tour to be
booked and the enterprise launched in
a manner that usually savors very
strongly of band wagon methods, only