The times., 1899-06-11

|
| ent co-worters ten years from now and
extending courtesies to the writer's who
have kindly sought to point out his numer-
| Gus demerits. He is plucky, adaptable,
and energetics and deserves success.
| Three members of the company Just
| closing the summer season here were bo n
| on British soil. Each entered the theatri-
| cal profession through a roundabout
course, and each has been quite successful
This trio consists of Harrington Reynolds,
| Alfred Hickman, and Augustus Cook. The
| first became involved in private theatri-
| Gals while serving in the army and from
that indiscretion soon fell to greater evils,
and ended as Washington has seen, in do
ing leads in summer stock. Young Hick-
man came from family inclined toward
dramaties, yet opposed to his entering the
profession. At the tender age OF sixteen
he ran away from home and did short
stunt in the business, finally undertaking
the study of vocal music under Garcia. the
eminent instructor of London and Rome.
His professional debut was made in the
character of the clown in Twelfth
Night" the singing habit of the amuse-
ment maker being pronounced in the pro-
duetion, which was by the lamented Daily.
For quite time young Hickman continued
his singing tactics to the dismay of his
neighbors, and the delight of the fluffy
haired English matinee girls, in the mean
while playing a small part with Sir Henry
Irving, and finally coming to America
under the management of Daily. The in
evitable trouble followed and he was just
about to take steamer for London, hav-
ing procured his passage, when one of A.
NJ. Palmer's outlooks espied him and cor
aled him for Little Billie in "Trilby,"
Fifteen months run In Gotham made Hick-
man well-known young actor, and he has
had little difficulty in securing excellent
engagements ever since. 1t is not surpris-
ing that his season with Mr. Frawley has
been beneficial to him, since it has given
him abundant opportunity to develop his
versatile talents. He has returned to Eng
land nearly every summer, but likes
America well enough TO remain here il
necessary.
The white tent was the avenue of intro
duction through which Augustus Cook en-
tered ttl theatre. Gus is Scotchmau by
birth, and ran away from home at the age
of ten, to carry water for the elephant,
drive tent stakes, and make himself. other
wise useful and unornamental. This line
OF work prepared him for the hard knocks
which were to come later. The age OF six
teen found him in the dramatic bSsiness
proper. and he has been at ii every summer
and winter since. Without doubt his Ma
poleon in Nine. Sans Gene" was his best
Characterization. and five months steady
study enabled him to reproduce the eccen-
tric personality of the Little Corporal"
to the letter. The chief objection to Mr.
Cook as a stock actor is his inability to
learn lines readily. He acknowledges this
defect himself. but declares 1t impossible
to teach aged CANNES novel performances.
Previous TO this recent engagement he was
los In, in, do he
Bonnie Brier Bush, which went into Chi
cago and lost money steadily for a month,
and has since been rewritten. and re-
gained all the lost finances. Mr.. Cook goes
to Milwaukee, and an attempt has been
made to secure Nine. Sans Gene" for that
city. Miss Bates being seen in Miss Kid
der's part with Gus as his original Napo-
leon.
While there have been more astounding
athletic feats performed here than those
of the Naveros at Glen Echo the past two
weeks, certainly cleaner act has never
been witnessed. The young woman of the
trio is especially pleasing in appearance,
lacking the apparent masculinity of 9TH
ers in her profession She is a sister OF
one of the male performers, and is about
sixteen years of age. The Naveros dress
their act plainly and neatly, do not in
dulge in any vocal description of what is
coming or gone, decline to kiss their hands
in response to the plaudits OF the audi
ence, and otherwise behave as well-man-
nered persons should. This is good deal
of relief after the combination of sing
ing -acrobatic instrumentalist PERFORM
ers. The vaudeville stage can stand lot
more like these mild-mannered Germans.
Seldom is an author found guilty of pla-
garism by the evidence of a single weeks
repertoire yet that is the finding of two
bills presented at the Columbia last week.
David Belasco is the culprit. and would
likely gracefully plead guilty if personally
accused. 1t is a single line, for whatever
may be said of Mr.. Belaseo no one can
gainsay the fact that he is an admirable
and courteous purloiner. The line stolen
is in the second act of The Wife" Major
Putnam has just proposed to Mrs. Ives,
and as she starts to rejoin the dance she
says: DO 1 appear at all embarrassed?"
to which the major gallantly replies: only
more beauteous with a tinge of added
color" Yet two nights before Charles
King, then in the character OF Sir Har
court Courtley. in response to a similar
question of Lady Gay Spanker, says:
only more beauteous with tinge of add
ed color" Mr.. King has the line on both
occasions, in the old comedy addressing
Miss Bates and in the new her mother.
The sudden death of Augustin DAILY is
nothing short of national calamity. Those
who have loved him; those who have hated
him; those who have quarreled with him
and for him, will all recognize in the de-
parted a man of mammoth intellect and
colossal potency. Undaunted by the re-
peated reverses of an uneven career, win
ming and losing fortune after fortune,
fighting his way to the top Of the ladder
only to fall again and again, Augustin Da-
ly will live as typical example of &C.
centric and energetic genius. His death
at this season leaves all his business en-
terprises incomplete and in turmoil.
Without the master hand to guide them,
no one can foretell their future. The lead
ers Of the profession today in a great
measure owe their positions to him, for
besides making famous actresses and ac-
tors, he inspired his rivals to strive and
surpass his efforts. The professional en-.
nifty between Mr.. DAILY and another pow
erful New York firm has brought out some
OF the grandest productions America had
seen. Many are there on both sides OF the
Atlantic who will shed a silent and unno-
ticed tear when they hear of the death of
Augustin DAILY. To him, the lovers OF art
in both America and Great Britain owe an
inestimable and unpayable debt OF graft
tude.
Two years ago managers held up their
hands in holy horror when someone sug-
gested a sketch with three people in it,
Even then, one OF the number vas a
super" or maid OF something of that sort.
Now three people sketches are really the
rule, and those requiring four are not
sufficiently extraordinary to cause COM