The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-12
ADOLPHE D'ENNERY'SL LUCK.
STRANGE LIFE I'M DEATH OF THE
OR or 1.-THE TWO ORPHANS"

Vast Number of Plays Written by Him-A
Great Fortune Left for His Heirs to
Fight Over-DramRtic Conditions Under
Which His VIII Was Mnde-His Success.
1t has frequently been said that The Two
Orphans" has been acted more frequently In
this country than any other play. That IL
probably true. 1t il always difficult to be
exact in such matters. or its kind and period
there are two other pieces which may dispute
first place with it. These are Uncle Toms
Cabin" and East Lynne" II might also be
necessary to take Camille" into con-
sideration. These three plays were acted
here before Tho Two Orphans" was ever
seen. but 1t is doubtful II they have
remained in such continuous use. On Dec.
81. 1874. A. NJ. Palmer, then manager
Of the Union Square Theatre. gave the play for
the first time In the United States. 1t was
acted continuously until the middle OF the fol-
lowing June. 1t was revived three years later
for a few weeks. During the quarter OF a oen-
fury that has followed 1.-The Two ORPHANS"
has been acted almost without interruption.
The career of one popular American actress.
Kate Claxton. is identified with the popu-
larity of this melodrama. Its representa-
ton. however. has not always enlisted her
services. Stock companies all over the
country have acted the play frequently during
their existence. which began about three
years ago, and now gives signs of drawing to
a close. The piece made a fortune for Miss
Claxton. and. compared with plays produced
since in times that are much more profitable
to theatrical enterprise. It doubtless deserves
to be counted among what are called in theatre
cal language the great money makers. Proba-
bly, few other plays are 80 well known by name
to persons who are not generally familiar with
the theatre.
Adolphe D'Ennery. who wrote this play and
some others that we're successful here. has Just
died in Paris. He was the great author Of old
fashioned French melodrama. He was SO
years old when he died. and the struggling
ramatist ought to find consolation in the fact
that he was more than 90 when his most sue
cessful work was produced. He was born at
Paris in 1871. and his real name was Jacob.
His mothers name was Dennery. He was
a clerk in a shop which was known
as the "Malvina." His family name
satisfied him until his literary career
began. When a patron interested in his tai
ents took him out of the shop and made a Jour-
nalist of him.. the Hebraic patronym was no
longer impressive enough, The young writer
changed his mothers maiden name by putting
an apostr2phe after the first letter. and the
most prolific and versatile dramatic writer OF
his age In France was known to the world as
collaborators. dramas. reviews. librettos ior !
grand and comic operas, vaudevilles, and about
to The stage t 81 He ta% Was the Fefar rst to MAKE k a oIs1
FER France out Of Mrs. Harriet Beecher, stoves
play agf from Toms ONE v eaS,n G f. 3 b. wro Hus a three React act
the play whieh, furnished the libretto Of Don
hand in, making the .libretto of Gounod's
:" Faust" wrote q comic libretto for Auber.
than once. lie put Jules Verne's Michael Strooo
Gor, into a play; prepared one Of Balzac's works
Ar"6ia taSSN ights.""' Esa omatimes Se out W t9fts9
. cSofnborator and used a" a %ac NR t
irife to s give ed the impreiTsion that his pToduc-
1 IAN "a as IA, fEare in the literary life Of France.
and that was, probably compensation for any
that his reputation had to suffer.
a collection of ,porcelains and Chinese curios.
T Thn F ne has Left to the French Government.
result of the legal proceedines ftSt'i are Inc Inc
ended e., hidt to g, break the win aud that may affect
s Inn s,sf or which fis boGI 81 sniG IS to to The French nc Gov.
and refuse the worthless ones: the latter are
It is the sentimental side o the proposed iitiga-
lion in which the public Is most Interested.
stroke o. apoplexy which robbed him of the
!, i've r Of Speech He H. wrote on a piece OF paper
him. and by diligent practice learned to repeat
his mind gradually failed. and in these he
hat would certainly. arise after his death.
His wife died during this period, In order that
InHEe m a VIII he he went RS atittBB9 qoss dSa @ n6 nis e ae sbnla to
'orm to establish his sanity Shortly beiors lis
Ms bedside. Two Of these had been attending
I'm. The two others were brain specialists.
RilL also Tba had doato notary Tgra ready slyg. to make his
which ME he Esnted to dispose Of T his
many questions as possible to prove his men
ability TO dispose Of his property; He, was
them. and about his friends and enemies.
II E 5ySEy az Sa tho wi Viz S3 Wa ! pro Sis Of P his ll RsS9liT;
1 NV ehre ne o anfs o"2 @sn nw o,. ny ~ S enem ~. sTSe'spt-
I6ourth we're Alexandra Dumas. father and son.
But ba LA l always WAYS ! hated h the problem pieces which
The doctors decided that his. mind had not
been SO affected by the stroke q paralysis that
o remember that he had not seen his daughter
i'm. '" 70 her 1 VENT the S SoTtu 81 fR bis n estst snef sse
vas vas n, MS y aaruraI hanghter and he had no. seen
. : It n IS thisH viii! j. wh & fhaS Wifi BE- eents atsdG By
he other heirs. The chief OF these is Pierre
hat he can estsbiifsfho S Sis u ind e ins WhG Sa Ss
means Of q monograph. with which he was
ion; D'Ennery never imagined a more dra-
matte situation II all his plays.
he author since his death which are enough
o make It plain that he must have been loved
his relatives more for his fortune than for
lis personal qualities. He was a terror to his
,ollaborators, They usually had to write the
dialogue. as that work was most diffcult for
lin. He. never hesitated to swear at them
when their words did not At the scene he had
written or were notin accordance with his ideas.
They were Usually much less eminent than he.
had 10 put up with his conduct for the
AXE o. the reputation that might come TO
nmm from such an ASSOCIATION. One Of his
1ne, OF the actors at a rehearsal Of Jeanne
iarhette" was not, satisfactory. He was
ct plays that had proved popular.
.You seem to be q pretty bad actor. young
DEnnery, said. and I think you'd do
letter as an author. You manage to make
bout S450 a year now. Come and work with