The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-22
COaUELIN TO PLAY "NAPoLEON.r
CrRnks Who Have Played Emperor
on the Stage and on the Street.


on the Stage and on the street.
From the Courier des Flats Unis.
According to the gossip behind the
scenes, Coquelin is now training for the
role of Napoleon in the play PLUS que
Refine" which viii shortly be brought out
at the Porte Saint-Martin. After the re-
incarnation OF Cyrano de Bergerac, tbs
great actor. aspires to that OF Napoleon 1.
But the nose presents a great difficulty
Cyrano de Bergeracs nose was long and
deformed and the way that Coquelin man.
aged to reproduce IL is well known. But
the nose of the Emperor was aquline,
of purely antique beauty, and just how
Coquelin will manage 10 put it before the
footlights is a puzzle. Naturally he has
the nose of his trade, wen turned up and
possessing the energetic nOstrils of an or
ator. The trumpet-shaped nose might do
very well for an ordinary warrior, but not
foHa Napoleon. So Coquelin will be oblig-
ed to stick his facial appendix into a
false affair thai viii give him the profile
OF the great French Caesar-a delicate
and difficult piece of work which the ar,
fist will doubtless bring to perfection. Az
ter having sought in vain through al
Paris for an actor with a head that re-
sembled more or less that of Napoleon.
Coquelin determined at last to usurp the
throne and become the Emperor himself.
In old times when the cirque of the
Boulevard du Temple, presented military
pieces every year III which the imperial
epopee was given out in slices, there were
plenty of Napoleons. The choice was the
only embarrassment. There were actors
who looked like Bonaparte when he was
first consul. others who looked like Napo-
la Of AFrarr
who resembled Napoleon at st. Helena
Almost al the young actors endeavored
to look like Napoleon, because a little
success in the effort was always rewarded
by an engagement. \ few were con-
tented If they managed to look like Junot.
Mural or even MaSsena, but they were the
least ambitious, or men who statures
were too tail or too low.
The most celebrated of all the Napo-
Icons was Colbert an artist of consider
able talent. who had the good fortune TO
be born with features wonderfully like
those of the victor of Eylau. People who
theh remembered the Emperor said that
the actor had even his very gait NV con-
stantly playing the part he acquired The
airs and mannerisms of Napoleon. He
might often be seen on the boulevard walk
ing along with his hands behind his hack
and saluting his friends in imperial STYLE
In truth he was the great mans double
In private life he loved TO talk like tho
hero. When he had 10 appear in new
piece he would say: 4 hope this evening
Will be my Austerltz and not my Water
ioo! And when he spoke of retiring from
the stage he would always say, when I
shall be at Saint Helenaw One evening
as he was passing through the Place Ven
dome he stopped TO gaze upon the great
men in bronze, and one of his friends
heard him murmur. well, no matter
my gray overcoat is more elegant than
that fellows"
Edmond Galland. who was admirable IN
the role of Murat( commenced his career
on the stage by playing Napoleon but he
was too tall and never could assume the
classic pose. He was fond of PLAYING
dominoes, and when it was his turn to
lead he would always give the order. "A
cheval, messieurs, a cheval"
In the company of the Cirque. in which
Galland was playing, there was an an
fortunate actor who had a passion for
gambling The moment he finished his
part ne would run to the little coffee house
near by where he would lose all the nonav
he had and most of what he expected into
the bargain. He used to play the part of an
old grenadier, who was killed every even
ing about 10 o'clock.
one evening, when a big game Was "a, a,
the coffee house, he requested Galland 10
hurry the piece a little and give him a
chance to be in time for the card battle
tie was killed at about the usual time
and lay dead" upon the boards anxiouslv
waiting for the general-in-chief. Galland.
TO give the order for the removal of the
dead bodies from the battlefield. Galland
gave the order as usual but when the
supers reached the body of the grenadier
Galland commanded them to stand back
Don't touch that man. SAID he, II don't
believe he is deadl"
"Oh, you" Kissed the dead grenadier
And you know 1 am in a hurry to GET
off" SCI
But Galland in solemn tones remarked.
1T is bad enough TO have TO bury the
dead, without running the risk Of burving
our heroes who still breathe! The supers
went off astonished, and during the entire
act the unfortunate gambler had to re-
main grinding his teeth on the field of
battle. When the drop fell he rose in a
rage and wanted to kill the general for
making him late at the game.
But it was not among the actors alone
that men were found who eudeavored TO
look like Napoleon. On the bouievards
ard In the streets people often laughed at
the fools who tried to ape Napoleon. In
the time of the second empire there was
fellow In Paris who succeeded in copying
Napoleon III in an extraordinary manner.
He not only wore the same kind of mus
tache and imperial. but he managed to
initiate the dreamy and vague expression
of his models eyes. When he passed
along the street, walking just like the
emperor people turned round to look at
him, thinking that his majesty was out for
an airing. Nothing delighted the fool more
than to be saluted with resDect nv rNeor,la
In the street Even after the 4th OF Sep
TENDER he struck to his hobby and puzzled
many Parisians.
The great naval celebrity was on his
WaY 10 the safety denosif vnnlts with SOL