The times., 1901-04-14

given at the Academy OF Music in New
! York, but as yet we know little of the
plans Doubtless the cavalry will be pro-
| vided with real horses instead of foot
Ing il on. and then a number of other
| features Will be added by way of en-
| hancing the realism
Miss May is very entertaining little
| woman and tells a number of interesting
| anecdotes relative TO her career in the
! same vivacious and bright manner that
| characterizes her impersonation of Bonita.
! She Is enthusiastic on the subject of golf
] and pushes Mr. Thomas heroine close
i when 1t comes to managing horse. She
/ is absolutely satisfied with her present
| work and environment and declares that
| she has not the faintest desire or inten-
| tion to star. SO she may be counted
| among the few bright leading women Of
/ the season whose sound Judgment governs
| their aspirations rather than vice versa
Maurice Barrymores unfortunate men
| tai condition remains the same notwith-
! standing the expressed assurances of his
most intimate friends that Barry will
soon be himself again" There is now
every chance that the stage viii know
no more the brilliant player, writer, wit,
Bohemian, and matinee idol. whose mind
| is among the shadows, while his fancies
| conjure UP enemies even among his best
! friends
i Local theatregoers who witnessed the ad-
mirable work Of Barrymore in The Bat
! tie of the Strong a the Columbia Thea
! tire two months ago. little thought that
| the once brilliant fellow was about to de-
! liver his last lines, to indulge in his f1naI
| merry quip at the festive board at the
/ Lambs, as he strutted about manfully,
| seemingly in the possession OF his full
physical and mental strength, in the sup
port of Marie Burroughs. At the time OF
his appearance here the actor. in speak
ing to the dramatic editor of The Times
about the stories that had come from the
Dr.err s4fff In fafa 10 "a
the Strong had first been presented and
in which the performances had practi-
cally been ruined by his inability to
remember his lines, thereby greatly dis
concerting Miss Burroughs and the other
members of the company, said:
They even went so far as to say Bar
ry was losing his mind-they said that
couple of years ago, too, didn't they. and
then the old boy went in and played
Rawdon with Mrs. Fiske and they came
around and said Barry was all right.
Wait until / get to New York now and
listen TO what the gang on the papers
will have to say about me. Crazy? Yes.
crazy, for I've always been crazy; every
man is crazy; ever see brilliant intel
lect that was not called crazy? Crazy?
Huh"
Barrymore was born in India in 1S47,
and his name is Herbert Blythe He was
educated in Lincoln College, oxford, but
devoted more attention to athletics than
to books and was not graduated. Later,
he studied for the East India civil service
to the bar when quite a young man. He
was not successful as disciple of Black
stone, and soon left the legal profession
in disgust, and, changing his name, went
on the stage. His first American appear
ance was in New York City in 1875 He
was leading man for Mrs. Langtry, Mod
ieska, Marie Burroughs, and dozens of
other feminine stars, and was for many
years the chief and most important mem
ber of a. NJ. Palmer's company-in its
day the best on the stage. He married
rrris. ~f7fn nf TO6
Drew, and their union resulted in three
children. Ethel. who is at present star
ring; Lionel, with one of the Arizona"
companies, and John, an artist of con-
siderable repute The Barrymores sep
arated, although the big actor always
spoke lovingly of his wife up TO the time
of her death in California, in 1893
Barrymore will be remembered longest
for his wit. his dissipationS, and his dare
devil escapades. He nearly lost his life in
one of these. 1t was In Texas in 1879.
He was playing in Galveston or Houston,
and after the show one night went into
a saloon with fellow-actor named B. c.
Porter.
The place was crowded with the breed
OF tough" peculiar to that territory, and
they began to guy the StyIiShly Dress
ed actors. Barrymore endured it for
time then chose the biggest and tough
est of the crowd, and, with one quick
blow. knocked him out. There was free
and fierce fight. and presently the Texans
realized that they had made mistake.
of England. but they oidn't know about
that He literally cleaned out the place,
for ne was in liquor and was ferOcfOuS,
but as one of the toughs went down he
pulled his gun and fired. Barrymore's |
companion. Porter. fell dead. while he re-
ceived bullet in the shoulder.
The oldest story of Barrymore goes
back to his Modjeska days AT rehear-
sal In London one day the madame pro-
tested that he had a wrong conception of
his part, and she persisted in correcting
him. He refused, and she, in great wrath,
exclaimed:
How dare you. What do you know
about it? Who are you? l made you
what you are.
me-" he cried in derision. Why. l was
known as an actor before the people knew
whether you We're a woman or a tooth
wash" And as all London was billed
with papers containing the one word
''AIodjeska" the retprt struck home
On another occasion, abroad his mana
ger said to him: TT very much grieved.
Mr.. Barrymore. but your American accent
is so decided that. while satisfied with
your fitness for the role, the London pub
lic-eh--
Yes. I know" barrymore interrupted
I'm America they won't have me because
I'm too blasted British. and here I'm too
American. Do they expect me to confine
my dramatic efforts 10 the tranS-Atl6n-
tic steamers p
Perhaps his last escapade was in Kan
sas City only a few months ago. He
tel with a group of friends. and the talk, !
which had been on historical affairs, turn |
ed TO the battle of Waterloo. one of the |
company, q German by descent, credited |
the victory to the German soldiers Bar |
rymOre at once leaped to his feet. and in I
his Ioudest tones cried out upon the Ger |
mans and every other nation but his own, |
as towards, liars. and everything that |
was mean and low.
IT CHANGED that the Grau Opera Com |
pany was in town and the room was fill |
ed with Frenchmen. Germans, and Ital |
ians When Barrymore began his TRADE |
there was a simultaneous movement |
among them to swoop down on him. See |
ing this he talked louder and more fierce |
ly until. when he had proved to his own |
satisfaction that the British alone had |
won the battle, he swung gracefully out |
of the place. and the foreigners looked at /
one another for a moment and sat down. |
Charles Frohman will present William |
al a star next year in Capt r. |
Marshalls successful comedy, The Sec
ond in Command.
Very few who are interested in matters
of the theatre, il asked, could name the |
most important duties of the operatic /
They do not involve any busi- |
ness detail. engagements are made in |
advance, routes arranged by the advance /
agent, and everything tends to become
routine and comparatively easy to handle |
The difficult and essential duty of man
ager of a prima donna is to keep her in |
effective artistic condition. When the |
Sylvia opera company arrives
in this city today, il will be found that
John z. Slocum has the direction of its
affairs. In a recent conversation, Mr..
SlOcum told his experiences as manager |
n d0nnHS