The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-27
Room t a1Ik.

[ Such was the sad ending of the Iris
. comedians once brilliant career.
Billy Seaman, as he was familiarl
known was born in Springfield. Mass
IN 1896. and went upon the variety stag
when 20 years of age at Harry Hill
noted resort in New York as a singer
he mad common school education ant
an ambition to gain a place in the the
atrical world which was never gratified
even when at the top of his fame. HI
was early associated with Tim Cronil
on the variety stage in series o
sketches of New York life Seaman ane
Cronin worked together for about eigh
years, when they parted. Seaman wa!
ambitious to fill the place left vacant
by the death of Barney Williams tn,
famous Irish comedian and brotber-in
law OF the late William j. Florence. ana
lie determined to star. He borrowed
S45O and secured a play called TEDDY
| ODowd." He played just one week ir
Jersey City and lost the $3.50. He was
| convinced that he had made an artistic
success and still refused offers to return
TO the variety stage. He joined the
! company of Minnie Palmer in our
| Boarding House." While playing with
| MISS Palmer the late Barley Campbell.
the playwright, saw that Scanlan had a
| talent for refined Irish comedy. and put
MN in the cast of MY Geraldine" in
the Standard theater, in New York.
Seaman was still anxious to star, when
| w. ii. Powers came along. They Sc
cured a play from Campbell called ON
the Rhine 1t had been tried before in
Chicago and in San Francisco. 1t was
partly rewritten by Sydney Rosenfeld
and rechrstened Friend and Foe"
Powers had the late Fred Marsden write
Inc Irish Minstrel for Seaman and
ne won success and money with it
throughout the season of 1881 1882. At
the END or the season he and Powers
secured Scanlans management.
Under Pitou's management lie APP
peared in Shane-na- Lawn" "Myles
Aroon, The Irish Minstrel" and his
latest play. "Mavourneen." great fac
TOR III his success, in addition to his own
personal magnetism, were his songs
While not trained musician he had an
innate gift for composition. He wrote
MS own verses. and while travelling
about the country got his inspiration
TOR their musical setting at pianos in
hotel parlors. His most popular song
was Peek-a Boo and among the other
ballads he had made popular are over
the Mountain" MY Nellie's Bua
Eyes The Rose" Gathering MYRTLE
With Mary" Bye Bye, Baby. Bye
Bye and The Swing Song"
The presence of the brilliant Miss
OPP at the Lyceum theater and her
New York, says the New York SIM
she mas tanned into fame the embers
OF theatrical ambition which long have
been siumberlng III the breasts of
many young women here. Several who
nave been conspicuous as society anna
teurs nave been aroused 10 announce
again that they will take to the pro
ressional stage, and this is entirely the
erect or Miss Ops triumphant return
70 her old nome. Never was an actress
so beseiged by stage-slruck Young
women, and never dia one do more TO
stir up these unhappy creatures. The
fact that after one years experience
MISS opp has made a name Tor herself
IN Two countries, her efforts before that
time to earn living in other ways and
her maj triumph have all made their
impression here with SO much force !
that an uprising of stage-struck anna I
teurs has been the result The stage
door Is beseiged by girls trying to talk /
with Miss opp, ana there is a daily /
avalanche of letters such as the disni- |
neu Lyceum has never known before
Some OF the young women succeed in
making her acquaintance ana they are
the lucky mortals who send in their
cards ana are admitted to her dressing
room, rare privilege and very potent
IN It's effect on their ambitions Miss
opp is a Womans taVorite 1t is the
women who admire her beauty and the
charm of her manner more than the
men VINO go To the theater 1t is they
who write her notes and call at the
theater to see her. She is as powerful
4 matinee attraction as any of the var
lous = heroes" who are from time to
time described. All ages seem TO be in
rIuded among Miss Ops followers
and inquiries about her at the box Of
ice come from grayhaired grandmoth-
ers as we'll as school girls.
Sol Smith Russell, the comedian,
says: "A great many funny things
happen at the door of a theater. al
-hough most Of them come 10 ME sec
md handed, as am not at that end Of
he house very often. Recently a gen
leman stepped up to my manager. Mr.
oerger, VINO is quite young-looking
nan, as you know. although we confess
o about the same number of years.
md exclaimed:
Your father likes his new play
cry much, doesn't he?
Beg pardon, said Fred, who had
lot the slightest idea in the world what
lie was talking about
say your father. MIR. Russell.
GEMS to like his new play.
Oh, yes, replied Berger, who be-
IAN TO see through the blunder. In
Iced, l think he was so fiattered by
MS suggestion of extreme youth that
lie gave the man a free seat.
This reminds me of another case of
mistaken Identity" added the come I
Ian. MY wife's father was the late
William IT, Adams, the oliver Optic {
u juvenile literature, who published 5
MS first book more than 40 years ago {
ND who would now be - years of age 5
Sot long ago gentleman halted at the I
oor ana asked for the manager. MIR I
berger was pointed out and his visitor ]
reclaimed: [
!" Will you be kind enough TO tell me /
nsa "a ~ .
daughters Oliver Optic married.
AS Mr. Russelfs daughter is a bright
Mss of ten summers only. il may be G
imagined that this question created q
ONE amusement when il was repeat \
in the star dressing room !
a change has come over the music (
ais within year. says the New York G
un. This may be because there are s
o more Guilberts, Chevaliers Barri- y
ons, Oteros or Fregolis. The pro- a
rammes contain little that is of for c
ali IL g..