The record-union., 1898-05-15

law have scarcely died away when
comes the news that she has just lost.
a suit involving 5000 on a forfeited
contract. She was to have appeared
at a music hall in, Paris, the astute
Partisan manager inserting a forfeit
ure clause should she fail to appear.
She yoided the contract Monsieur sued
She appealed and lost Hence the de-
cree. Comme ca.
When New Workers think of Sol Smith
Russell they are apt to shake their
heads in sympathizing sort of way and
say, Too bad that such capital actor
of quaint, whimsical roles can't afford
mind you, can't afford-to play in New
York" They imagine him as knocking
about playing one night stands and in
summer retiring perhaps to some small
farm to nurse his grievances and re-
|cuperate for another road" season
What will they say when they hear
that Sol Smith Russell contemplates
putting some of his spare cash into
handsome country seat at Tuxedo. be-
cause he is growing a little tired of his
magnificent residence in Minneapolis.
For know, We i'll informed ones, Mr..
Russell's wealth is estimated in the the
atrical profession at a million and
half. If he doesn't play as much in
New York as other actors it is because,
having only million and a half, he feels
he cant afford" to leave the road,
where he is probably the most popular
actor in the United States
The first plays In which Mr. Russell
appeared We're written for the purpose
of introducing his speciality acts. He
did a tramp act long before Walter
Jones, who is so well known in this spe-
cialty, was born. Then he branched out
into the quaint, whimsical plays with
which his name is best associated How
much the success of these plays has
been due to his own personality is shown
by an anecdote which he relates of how
he once by mistake began performance
OF April Weather" with the second act,
and though he followed this with the
first, thus reversing the sequence of the
acts, the play went so we'll that he says
ne has given it that way ever since.
Most of Mr.. Russells investments
have been in Minneapolis real estate.
He made most of his great fortune by
investments there at a time just before
great land boom set in. His property
doubled, quadrupled and quintupled,
and everything he touched in real estate
seemed to turn to gold.
The latest and youngest actor-au-
thor is George Bancroft-son Of Sir
Squire and Lady Bancroft-whose most
important work thus far will be pro-
duced in London on Monday, May 10Th.
1t is in three acts, and on an Italian
subject. All the scenes take place in
and around Florence. The name is not
yet decided 1t may be Teresa" or
Angela Teresa" or even THE Spillo."
The cast includes Arthur Bourchier,
Lawrence Irving and Violet Vanbrugh.
Forbes Robertson speaks with ad-
miration of the principal German the
ters in which he played, declaring that
there is nothing like them in England
in point of size, beauty or convenience.
He was impressed particularly by the
superiority, simplicity and power of
! the stage mechanicism, the excellent
acoustic qualities and the enormous
seating capacities. There is nothing
like little experience for widening the
view
Verdi has decided to live in future in
Milan. He wishes to supervise in per-
son the construction of a home for
aged actors and actresses. The great
master has devoted the largest part
of his wealth to this project, and now
he is to give all his time and thought
to it's execution. e
Colonel j. Hustling Mapleson bobs up
serenely again; this time with a scheme
to put on high-class opera at popu-
lar prices. The scene of his proposed
venture is the Olympic Theater Lon
don. The impressario appears to have
been spared the blighting touch of time
and is said to be as energetic as ever.
"Cyrano de Bergerac" was produced
at Monte Carlo recently with the
French company that was organized
under the authors supervision for
tour of the French provinces The play
met with an enthusiastic reception.
Both sons of Sir Henry Irving pos
sess literary as well as fistrionic ambi-
tions. Laurence Irving's play, Code
frey and Yolande, has recently been
published in book form, and now Hen
ry B. Irving, the elder son, has pub
lished, through William Heinemann,
large octave volume on 'The Life of
Judge Jeffreys." A.
The latest biography of Verdi, though
written by an Italian Gino Monaldi, in
the Italian language, has appeared first
in a German translation, because the
author believed that the Germans would
be best able to appreciate the book.
Lorraine Hollis, supported by her own
| company, is touring the East and is
meeting with success. She continues
to be her own stage manager, and in
this respect she is commanding atten-
ton.
Lottie Williams is now a confirmed,
helpless invalid and has been placed in
the French Hospital on Thirty-fourth
street, New York. A few words of
cheer from her coast friends would
doubtless prove acceptable at this time.
-
Mckee Rankin was recently up before
Boston court petitioning in insolv-
ency. He swore an oath to have lost
100000 in the past four years alone,
which would leave one to wonder just
how much of loser Nc is altogether.
Fanny Davenport is still in Chicago
and fast recovering. 1t is now authori-
tatively stated she will not make any
further appearances this season. not
withstanding all rumors to the con-
trary.
Mrs Leslie Carter has COMPLETELY