The record-union., 1897-10-16
FROHMAh'S ULTIMATUM.
SAN FRANCISCO TO BE DROP
PED FROM HIS LIST.
Comment On the Managers Action
and the Causes Lead
ing to It.

(Special Correspondence of Record-Union.)
The death knell of the drama on the
Pacific Coast has been rung by the an
nouneement of Charles Frohman that
San Francisco is TO be side tracked, and
hereafter none of his companies, nor
the attractions controlled by the syndi-
cate Of which he is the head, VIII be
sent to this coast. Inasmuch as almost
all the great actors and best companies
in the United States are booked by this
syndicate, there is indeed a gloomy out
look for theater- -goers in the far West.
San Francisco is responsible for this
action on the part Of Frohman, Hay
man, ETC., and the whole State, includ-
ing Sacramento, win have to suffer ac-
cordingIy. With the principal theaters
of this coast shorn of such brilliant
bookings as John Drew, Maud Adams,
The Lyceum Theater Company, The
Empire Theater Company, Never
Again" Secret Service" etc, the the
atrfcal horizon will be surprisingly dim
nothing but stock companies and Sec
ond-rate troupes.
And what is the cause Of all this ?
It is interesting to investigate the
charges of Charles Frohman, and see
whether sound business principles ac-
tuate him, or whether it is a case of
pique or animosity. He says that dur
ing ''the past two years the attractions
we have sent to the coast have cost us
100000. Up to to three years ago we
made money in San Francisco" Three
years ago the California Theater and
Baldwin Theater were both paying well,
the former being the home of second
rate performers, and the latter devoted
to standard companies. Al Hayman
was at the head of both, and had things
all his own way.
It was about this time that T. DAN
lei Frawley appeared, and, with little or
no newspaper advertising, modestly
made a bid for San Francisco favor,
opening in Sweet Lavender" The the
ater which had formerly been Stock
wells was rechristened and called the
Columbia, and from the opening of the
Frawley Company it prospered. The
company gave even performances and
soon had large following. The earnest
ness and constant Improvement Of the
acting, mounting and stage mana ge-
ment forced recognition, and at the
end of the first season they had paved
q clear road for their return. The sec
ond season opened auspiciousIy, and the
company was treated not as strangers
and transformers, but as local favor
ties and artists. The company was
strengthened with new members, and
the plays produced reached a higher
standard than the preceding year.
McAllister, Hope Ross, and other fa-
vorites, the handsome Maxine Elliot
and her sister were added, and the
newspaper gossip and controversy over
her acting and every movement, served
to boom the F'rawley Company Frank
Worthing, formerly Of Daly's, New
York, was chosen as leading man, and
his work is classed with the best
drawing actors on the stage to-
day. The management left no stone
unturned to gain success. "The Two
Escutcheons,'' a play but a season old,
was brought out as the opening attrac-
tion, and it was followed by 1.-The
Charity Ball" Brother john" Lon
don Assurance" a new play by Ram
sey Morris and Hilary Bell, The Great
Unknown" and a number of other we'll
known successes. When their season
closed, San Francisco gave them a
rousing farewell and waited with ex-
pectation for their return.
This season the company was again
reorganized and, while some old favor
ties were retained, foremost among
whom may be mentioned Frank Worth
ing. Blanche Bates, Harry Corson
Clarke, Phosa McAllister and Madge
Carr Cooke, the new recruits who made
hits were the new soubrette, Gladys
Wallis, Eleanor Morettf and Theodore
Hamilton.
The opening play was a blood-curd-
ling melodrama, THE Fatal Card, .
which. while it became popular from the
standpoint of the box-office receipts,
was not suited TO the company A few
moss-grown plays, such as Men and
Women" Held by the Enemy" and
Shenandoah" were produced, but the
majority of their presentations were de-
cided novelties. "a Super1uous Hus-
band" THE Case Of Rebellious Susan" /"
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