The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-20
WOULDN'T PLAY SCENERY
Blanche Bates Objects to Being
an "Also Ran"
REASON FOR LEAVING DAILY
Her Friends in the West Regret That
She Has Contracted So Much of
the Frawley Feeling-How
It Came About.

Blanche Bates has number of per-
sonal friends and many admirers in
Butte who will regret to learn that she
has become a victim of that F'rawley
feeling in the head, which has resulted
in her retirement from Augustin DaIy's
company. Miss Bates is talented ac-
tress and when she decided to leave
Tim Frawley to accept position in Mr..
Days company, her friends in the West
We're glad, because they saw she had
then an opportunity for schooling that
was offered to very few ambitious
actresses. They felt certain that with
her talent and the experience and pres
ttge she would get as a member of Mr..
Days big company in New York she
would in a few years be recognized as
one of Americas great actresses. How
ever, she left the company after APP
pearing in two performances, to the
great disappointment of her friends
And such reason for leaving,
Some of the New York critics men,
toned her among the also rams" and
that was too much for the young woman
who, by long association, had absorbed
so much of that Frawley feeling that
she could not understand that she
wasn't the whole thing, or that even
Ada Rehan should be permitted to out
shine her in the DAILY company
The story of Miss Bates retirement
is told in last Sundays New York Tele-
graph as follows:
Miss Blanche Bates is no longer a
member of Augustin Days THE Great
Ruby" company, and naturally a tale is
attached to the fact. Miss Bates left
suddenly yesterday, and practically at
her own invitation. Mr.. Daily accepted
the invitation. by the way, in the
promptest r. S. V. P. manner imagin-
able. Still, Miss Bates seems entirely
satisfied, so there is, perhaps, no harm
done.
Miss Bates had played the part of the
adventures, Countess Sharlzoff, in the
melodrama, just two consecutive nights,
when she made up her mind that the at
mosphere which pervades a Daily stage
did not suit her: After the performance
Friday night she went to her apart
ments at the Dunmore, on West Forty
second street, and wrote Nh DAILY a
polite little note. In this note she very
frankly told the manager that she was
displeased with her surroundings, and
offered her resignation. to take effect
at his pleasure.
Mr.. Daily RESPONDED by first post that
Immediately" would meet his require
ments. Accordingly Miss Bates did not
appear at the matinee yesterday, nor at
the evening performance, her under
study, Miss Van Dresser, leading the
wicked diamond .thieves. Miss Van
Dresser did very well, although it was
not to be expected that she could, at
once, give SO finished a performance as
did Miss Bates at both of her appear
ances.
The Blanche Bates version of the
trouble was very frankly stated by that
young lady herself yesterday after
noon.
IF I We're talking to a bookmaker,"
she said, Il would say that my dissat-
isfaction arose from the fact that one
never knows in DAILY company
whether one is to be a | to 10 shot or
simply remain for time immemorial an
also ran That was my grievance. The
atmosphere was not congenial. I don't
know as ! have any real fault to find
with my part or my treatment at the
theater. l simply wanted to get out.
and that is what I have done. | like
Mr.. Daily personally, but you know he
never considers anything but the tout
ensemble of his plays; every man,
woman and child is a mere puppet in
MS eyes, ana tnat Is what l did not
like.
Il left the Frawley Stock company in
San Francisco" continued Miss Bates
''where I was the leading lady, and
Joined Mr. Days company solely with
the idea of learning Shakespearean
roles / supported Miss Rehan on the
road, and received much valuable in
struction. When they got me back to
New York. however, l was cast for
the part of an adventures. l don't like
to play such parts; I don't like to be
and that is what l am in this melo-
drama. / don't like melodramas, any
how" she suddenly exclaimed, land
there you are
Richard Dorney, Mr.. Days represen-
tative. said last night that Miss Bates
had not expressed dissatisfaction with
the part assigned her, nor had she any
complaint to make in regard to her
treatment while at Daly's, so far as he
knew.
miss Bates lehearsed her part in
The Great Ruby for five weeks pre-
vious to the opening performance, and
could have made up her mind in that
time as to whether or not she cared to
best in the piece. I remarked to Miss
Bates that the newspapers had treated
her very nicely. and she agreed with
me. but added that some of the critics
had punched her with the others in
reviewing the performance"