Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-01
Observation-Disclosures

dlnJn1n1n1Tu0Iuu uSL y -
The well known actress, Rose Ely
tinge. is contributing to the Mirror
series Of personal recollecuons' when
are followed with pleasure by all m
terested in the stage. The Following
extracts containing an account Of the
first production Of the familiar old play
Under the Gasight' will be READ
with interest here:
The management under when /
played JEANNE Deans did not last long
and their yacating the New York thea
ter opened its doors To Augustlh Ddl!'
He. then d very young man. ana oc-
cupying the position OF dramatic clllv
ON the New York Evening Express loon
the theater as a weekly tenant
Mr.. Daily afterward told me tha'
when he became the .c5see OF that inca
ter his entire capital did not reach me
sum Of $500, GIhis was Daiy $ thlru
venture intov theatrical buslhess'
though his first Flep Into regular man
agement
His first was his arrangement INTO
dramatic form OF Mosenthal draiia
of Deborah, which he called Lean lle
Forsaken, for Kate Bateman.
This was followed by an attempt 10
make a successful star OF AVohla JoueS'
But DAILY had always been Inula-
ger. his mother told me that When ne
VAS a boy, a very small boy he played
at management and never wished 70
play at anything else.
When other small boys would evince
a very natural desire to play tag, or
"hop scotch" or any other OF the games
10 which small boys are addicted. Daly
would organize his comrades INTO
stock company and manage them
He never attempted 10 act himself
but ne cast his pieces. and handled his
company. even as child, with the
ngie-mindedness that characterized
him afterward.
So now. when his lifelong ambition
was In the inception OF It's realization
he was perfectly equipped for his work.
concentrated IN his methods, self-con-
tanned and self-reliant, knowing exact
lv what he wanted TO do and how ne
meant TO DO It.
He began his career as a manager
with the production Of his own drama
tization OF Charles Reade's novel,
"Gnfith Gaunt," then popular
The name OF the heroine was Kate
Peyton. and DAILY, having his own fixed
ideas OF Just what sort OF person he
wanted 10 personate this heroine had
experienced great difficulty in finding
her. His Offering the part to me, on
rather his suggesting to me the possi-
bInty that | might be Induced TO play
H. was quite accidental and occurred
at our first meeting
one OF the actresses whom he was
considering for the part was visiting
me. and Mr.. Daily called to see her. At
her request. ] received him
We discussed the story and the char
acter OF Gate, with the result that. with
one Of those gusts Of sudden resolution
that he was addicted TO, he asked me
II I would play the part.
was not free 10 consider Days offer
by reason OF the terms OF my contract
with Lester Wallack. But / was great
~ taken with and interested I'm this
serious-eyed intensely earnest young
manager De urged me 10 promise to
consider playing the part II Mr. Wal
lacks consent to my doing so could be
obtained.
This promise / made, In an incredi-
bly, brief time this man. young un-
known, without influence, managed to
see Mr. Wallack. and returned TO me
, armed with a note to me from Wallack
containing the desired permission, only
making the condition that / would not
play I'm New York later than within six
weeks Of the opening Of the regular sea-
son. There was no talk of terms be-
tween %. Indeed. az this stage OF the
negotiation. there could not very well
have been.
Daly now had his theater his COM
pany. and possibly his heroine. tie
/ had gathered about him company OF
/ eyceptoral excellence. his leading man
being J. x. Mortimar and we began re-
/ heaplng.
During the first rehearsal
| from time TO time interrupted me To
give me instructions as 20 this or that
! biz of business But ! was feeling my
way through the part. and these in
| terruptlons. though undoubtedly lu-
dicious and necessary, made me nervous
and uncertain iu my Work go ] went
| quietly TO him. where he sat al me
| prompt table. ] reminded hun mat
! This rehearsal was only @ trla, begged
! that be would allow me 70 struggle
! through the part uninterrupted ] SUE
gested that ho should make notes OF
any changes which he wished me 10
! make and II played The part We could
incorporate these changes In future re-
| hearsals To all these suggestions ne
promptly and amably ascsnted.
| PLAYED Kate The piece ran seNeral
| weeks. During lts run my serious
eyed young manager told me OF an
original piece which he was WnIing'
and which he wished to produce az the
close of the run OF Griffith Gaunt.
This piece was"under the Gas Light.
Al his invitation / went to MS home
In Horation street, where he liVed WIN
his mother and his brother and he read
me the piece.
Even then his artistic aspirations ana
longings were struggling Tor expression.
| The walls OF the conventional hlue