The San Francisco call., 1897-03-15
Much to Be Expected From a
Woman Who Can Keep
a Secret.
A Wonderful Nsme!ess New Pay
and an Author Whose Identity
She Conceals.

Fanny davenport, actress, mas earnou
the right to the title of 1.-THE Fearless.
She has two great fights On hand. With
a true artists inherent love of Justice and
the fairness of things she is prepared TO
enter the arena single handed and meet
the two greatest theatrical powers, Sardou,
the famous French playwright, and the
equally famous and all-grabbing great
American syndicate, with Hayman, Froh-
man, K!aw & Erlanger and four other
minor powers as the head and front of the
offending.
the same day. Sardou is to get his pun
ishment frst-he was the first to chal-
lense-and the famous actress will attend
to the great theatrical trust.
According to Miss Davenport the French
playwright is an lncongruous personality.
In his home he is charming, delightful.
generous and hospitable. but in his bureau
d affalres he is exacting, discourteous,
unreasonable and grabbin
81 never spent such charming three days
as those / passed as Sardon's guest at his
lovely castle at Marry lie Roi," said Miss
Davenport. "There is something enchant-
ing about his home. From the moment
that you enter the doorway. bordered on
either side by a row Of sphinx, you feel
you are in an atmosphere of art. Sardou's
home life is beautiful, surrounded as he
is by everything that taste can suggest
and wealth purchase. But in HIM you
find the artist and the business man
strangely and inexplicably comb bined.
"Wnen / took cleopatra from him, !"
continued the actress, lit was after that
most delightful visit To his country home.
With one hand he extended to me the
manuscript, tied and sealed, and he never
let go until | placed in his other hand my
check for SIC. 000-bonus for the play.
Each plaIe, with its mean little water
color sketches of either scene or costume,
represented grateful thank you and
$l00 note, and suggestions as to business
were forthcoming at the same modest
price. And. withal, had 10 be extremely
careful. There could be no demurs. The
great playwr.ght's feelings are easily hurt,
and ii your notes are not forthcoming
quickly enough he flies into a passion,
PAGES the floor. and while tearing his hair
cries: You think | am thief. l would
rob you.
And that, it appears. is exactly what
Sardou is trying 10 do. When Miss Daven-
port secured "Gismonda' there was the
usual bonus and 10 per cent royalties ex-
acted. "Gismonda" was not 10 be done
IN French for two years, after which the
royalties were to drop from 10 to per
cent.
The two years have passed. "Gismonda"
has been produced by Sarah Bernhard
to whom, by the way, Miss Davenport
waived all her American righfs-and now
sardou wants his 10 per cent, like Tenny-
sons book, to go on forever.
Through his agent, Miss Marbury, he
has brought suit in New York, but la
Davenport defies him and is ready to bat
tie and prepared to win.
Fighting the great com bine will proba-
bly, be not such an easy wakover. The
syndicate has secured chain of the lead
ing theaters OF the United States. Man
ayers have been forced to agree to Its
terms. The syndicate controls the lead
ing panles and most of the stars, and
the management which will not come to
terms with them is going to find itself
in the EMBARRASSING position of having a
theater with no attractions to book.
When the theatrical trust first became
a power an opposition party of actors was
formed, with Nat Goodwin at their head.
The convlvial Goodwin has, however, gone
over to the enemy's camp, and in the
brave little army of rebeis are only left
Joe Jefferson, Francis Wilson and Miss
Davenport.
Il will never submit to the syndicate, !"
explained Miss Davenport ITO fall In
line means for them to book you when
and where they please, for which they are
entitled to 5 per cent of your gross re-
ceipts and another 5 per cent for permit
ting you to play in their iheaters. Joe
Jefferson Is going to hold aloof, but that
is com paratively easy for he only PLAYS
ten weeks a season. Another who will
not consent TO enrich company Of un-
scrupulous managers is Francis Wilson.
Wilson is determined not to submit, and
if it must be, next season he'll play one
night stands. As Tor myself | need not
worry for another year. l am booked for
an indefinite run at the fremont Theater,
Boston, booked before the day of the
com bination, and if after that I cannot
get an independent tneater. I'll 60 to
Australia"
1t is easy for Miss Davenport to be in
dependent In the first place, she has a
snug little bank account. and secondly.
she has wonderful new play. This play
is from the pen of writer whose name
or sex she will not divulge. The play is as
yet unnamed. ut is historical melo-
DRAMA" says Miss Davenport, land that
is all am at liberty to say. The author,
who has pledged me to secrecy. is not un-
known in the field of literature but is new
to the stage. have received already three
acts. They have passed from me to the
author and back again many times, and
when say l am now satisfied that means
the play must be tremendous success. -
A woman and an actress who has q
wonderful new play in her possession and
won't say one thing about it is a wonder
full rarity. She is made of different stuff
from the majority. Let Sardou and the
syndicato beware