The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-10
GREEN ROOM STORIES.
Theatrical Tales Told About Well
Known Actor Folks


Here is a batch of theatrical tales gath
cred about a round-table. They concern
men you have heard of. They are old in
the narration, but new to print.
Edwin Adams, while living, was at once
one of the most pleasing of actors and
charming of acquaintance. He diffused in
to parts he played an individuality which
made him acceptable at all times to his
audiences. There was a sadness in the
expression Of his eye and face which be-
lied the mrth ever in his heart. When in
almost the last throes of consumption.
friend asked him: Ned, do you never get
tired of doing The Marble Hearth ooh!
yes he replied, but my marble heart
never gets tired of doing me; besides, the
part is a sad one and very soon intend
to do nothing but the grave" Upon one
occasion, when he was starring in the
Walnut Street theater, he produced the
play of the Stranger" with marked sue
cess. One afternoon, during that engage
ment, while playing billiards in the house
of his friend the late Charles w. Brooke
the door of the billiard room opened and
in ran a little Dandy Dinmont dog which
Immediately commenced to bark at Mr.
Adams heels. Adams. who was of a
very nervous temperament, jumped back
in a fright, saying: Charley Charley
call him off! VIII he bite a stranger?"
NO" and Mr. Brooke "but he would tear
hades out of Mrs. Halter" (AIrs. Halter is
the heroine of the play Of THE Strangely /:
Adams said, "Then let me take him to the
theater with me tonight"
Frank MOrdaunt brought an action
against Manager William Sim of the
l. -.
salary alleged to be due The court room
was filed with actors and actresses. either
as witnesses or spectators. Mordaunt
after being called and sworn, was asked
his name residence and occupation An
swering each question in turn, to the last
he replied emphatically: Il am an ac-
tor" The words We're hardly out of his
mouth when from dozen different parts
of the court room came the subdued ex-
clamation of Perjury" Perjury" per
jury" which ELECTED considerable merri-
ment. The next witness called in corrob-
grafton was Edwin Adams, who. being
asked his name and where he lived re-
piled unhesitatingly, but when asked
what was his business or profession. he
paused for a moment, then, with a twinkle
in mis- eye, looked aroundsthe court room
into the faces of his sisters and brothers
of the profession; then, with mild. meek
manner and downcast eyes, as though too
tinct tone said: II am striving to be-
come an actor!'
There We're no cries Of Perjury" to
that answer
The Original Chestnut Street theater
or "Old Drury,' as it was called. was sit
uated on Chestnut, just above Sixth
street, on the north side. In the "sixtiesn
It had run down and long been vacant.
James or Jimmy Quinlan kept a saloon at
the southeast corner of Ninth and Mar
ket streets, where actors in those DAYS
congregated. The habitues Of his bostelrie
persuaded Quinlan, who knew nothing of
theatrical business, to lease the "Old
Chestnut" But while Quinlan was an ip-
norant, uneducated and illiterate Old Irish
man, he was sharp and shrewd. so when
he did take the lease of the theater he
engaged William S. Fredericks. at thar
time the best stage manager in the conn
try, who surrounded himself with the best
stock company to be had at any salaries
Thus "Old Drury' became at once a
paying institution and Quinlan was MAX
ing money rapidly. Not satisfied to leave
well enough alone, he undertook to re-
duce Mr.. Fredercks salary, which was
$500 per week, very large salary for
those days. This caused a break and
Fredericks left and began PROCEEDINGS
against Quinlan for breach of contract.
in which he was successful. Then began
"the decline and fan of the Quinlan en-
pire." John Gilbert succeeded Fredericks.