Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-02-15
DUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Richard Mensfeld's Observation-Disclosures
popular Despite His Great Tai
en5-Eis Odd Jokes.
Especial Cor-espondence.]

city were asked to name the best actor
in this country, it is likely that at least
go of them would sesect Richard Mans
field. To any person vino is a discriminate
ing and unbiased critic this conclusion
would seem an eminently just one. And
yet it is fact that when Mansfield plays
here, there is not nearly the rush to see
him that there should be when his posi-
ton in the dramatic world is considered.
Mr.. Mansfield realizes this fact and is
sorely puzzled thcrelg. He cannot un-
derstzyd why things should be as they
are, and those who are sufficiently near
TO him to explain the trouble either are
afraid or unwilling to do so. The cause
of Mansfield's tremendous personal un-
popularity, which has got to such
point as to interfere seriously with his
professional reputation, is well known
to everybody remotely connected with
theatricals, excepting only Mansfield
himself.
His Craze For Notoriety.
There are many things which have
conspired to bring about this condition
of affairs, but the most potent, without
a doubt, is the great actors inability to
distinguish notoriety from publicity.
He loathes oblivion, so far as the news
papers are concerned. He must see his
name in them constantly. No matter
how it may get in, it must be there. He
is also possessed with mania for saying
and doing things which he fondly mag
ines will cause talk At first his odd
conduct had this effect, but latterly it
has got SO that no one pays any atten
ton to it, no matter how strange it may
be. But Mansfield is very fertile in ex-
pedients for at least arousiEg anger, if
nothing else. The Rialto of this city,
for instance, is just now all torn up by
the discussion Of an interview which
Mansfield is said to have had with a re-
porter of another city. On this occasion
it appears that he was asked to give the
true significance of his extraordinary
and frequent speeches before the curtain
and of his queer comments on the
achievements Of cCntemporaneous ac
tors. Here was an opportunity which an
artist Of good Judgment would have put
to one side. But, If the interviewer is to
be believed, Mansfield rushed at it like
a trout at q Fly, and then follows the
most absurd of all the Nominations of
this very Illuminating gentleman.
He Loves to ChaT People.
81 have been Il joker all my life, - he
said, land suppose l shall continue to
have my joke until the final curtain
falls. That is why I begin to chaff
man when he GENES and asks me, Mr..
Mansfield, what do you think Of art?' I
see he can be gulled and wants to be
gulled. SO 1 say that since the days of
Garrick there have been no actors ex-
cept myself It's all pure chaff, you
know. l am simply having fun at his
expense. But he dOesn't see it. Then he
says to me, Mr.. Mansfield, what do you
think of Irving?' Now, it is never cour-
teous in our profession for one actor to
comment on another, and do not want
to be guilty of breach of manners. So
/ give him q grapdiloquent wave of my
hand ard say in deep, impressive tones,
oh, we never speak CT Irving, you
knowr And this ass absolutely swal
lows every bit Of it. >
Why Ee lakes Speeches.
As regards the curtain speeches Mr.
Mansfield said: 81 10 not see why ]
should not &c allowed to make pleas
number is net large 1t seems to me
that the joke IS Oh me, because the peo-
pie will net Fay to come and see me, and
not an intimatiCn that the people of
that particular city do not appreciate
dramatic art. Yet, when.I made some
such light remark IN z speech before the
curtain at Atlanta, it was announced to
the world that Mr.. Mansfield had in
suited the intelligence Of Atlanta in a
most incorporate ard unca1led for
speech. That was another of my jokes
which was taken seriously.
There arc many dramatic critics
who are enemies Of mine, for what
reason kEcN ret, unless they are the
friends OF sc1>-c person CT ether \. 10 has
been discharged fcCln my company for
incompetency CT Cisagrceablencss or I'M
less they have Lcen ted, a-d are willing
to believe without meeting NE, that
Mr.. Mansfield is . s1icb, a butte and a
villain Men Of this type take these jest
ing statements CT l,line and twist them
until they are positively appalling.
How E-snsfeld Could Win.
The theatrical writer's, it would ap-
pear to me, should take Mr. Mansfield
at his wor(l AID assume that everything
he says is = joke. They would thereby
be doing H.. actor & genuine service.
Mr.. Mansfield docs not consider New
York city 1t is only provincial vii
lage in a formative condition. The peo-
pie have TO appreciation of art, and he
would much prefer to be off the stage,
or at least away from America And
this is not hearsay. I have had it all
from his own lips. Still, in spite Of
much that he does and says that is in
bad taste, venture to say that if Mr..
Mansfield would come to New York
with new repertory of plays exactly
adapted to his personality and ability he