The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-17
THE LATE EDMOND GOT.

1t Is rarely that fame moves quickly
with an artist in this d-famous
home of the artist, and M. Got, like
many men who went beforehand like
many who will come after-was des-
tined to wait until 1S48 before he
scored his first great success. The part
was that of the Cure in Alfred de Mus
sets II ne faut jerer de Rien." Into
this he impaired qualities that agreea-
bly, surprised even the author The
Cure was intended to be very much
what Sothern's Lord Dundreary was in
tended to be In later years-a character
of no Importance, and introduced into
the piece chiefly as foil to the Bar
onne, with whom he played picquet,
But Got took the part to heart, gavelit
his best study, and succeeded in MAX
ing it type Of the village cure-a good
Inatured somewhat awkward priest, in
nocent of the world and it's ways, who,
while submissive to the domineering
Baronne, felt all the time the spirit of
self-respect revolving within him.
I Here was another instance of an ac-
tor making more of part than the au-
thor had intended-an agreeable vari-
ant to the stereotyped charge THAI All
actor often makes less. Alfred de Mus
set generously and spontaneously de-
clared that the unfathomed possibili-
ties of the Cure had been plumbed by
Got, and that life and character had
been breathed into what was conceived
as little more than lay figure. The
ophile Gautier said Of the performance,
Got Acknowledgement Crime, a fait du
parsonage tout a fait episodique de
Fable une silhouette animee ct vivante
pleine de betise, fine ct de bonhomie
cafarde cane la monindre caricature."
This verdict was unanimously declared
to be simply just. The reputation Of
Got was established, and in 1850 he be-
came a societaire. From that time on
ward he increased in favor. Emile Au-
gier, the best of whose characters he
created, became his firm and steadfast
friend Paris admitted that he was un-
rivalled as a creator of character.
There are such, parts" it was said,
"such as our friend the Cure. Giboyer
and Poirier, who are so essentially Cots
creations that they have become in a
manner detached from their literary or
igin. When you read the Fills de Gil
boyer you are not particularly struck
by this literary free lance; you think
that this combination of roguery and
good nature and genius is neither origi-
nal nor quite true to life. Got had seen
Giboyer in flesh and bone, living, pal
pable type of man, and so he made him.
His impecunious Giboyer, struggling
against circumstances, always reduced
to dirty work to earn living for him
self and his son 7Fjealously watching
over the education of his child, through
whom he seeks his own moral redemp-
tion--is a masterpiece Of truth" After
the first run Of popularity Of the Fills
de Biboyer' had been exhausted the
piece lay idle for some years, Angler
feeling that when the clergy were in
poor odor they were no longer fair
game" for his pen. After the death of
Angler and the cessation Of the ceri
cal struggle there was no reason for
postponing the revival Of a piece in
which he had gained one Of his most
famous successes 1t was said of Got
that he had filled during his lengthy ca
reer more parts than any living actor
in France. He estimated that he had
played between two and three hundred
parts, and about half of them for the
first time. We who have insular pref
udices may take some comfort from the
reflection that some Of our own players
and younger men than Got-have
done much more than this, although it
Is to be feared that few of them rose to
the same high level Of distinction. Mr..
in his admirable essay on the
of the actor, says:
CRITICISM has found fault with some
of Mr.. Cots Interpretation Not all
parts lend themselves to playing with
His Georges Dandin is one
of these: and there are others, most of
them now forgotten. NJ Got has never
been a light comedian. All parts
heavy, medium or light-are serious for
him. The parts that suit him are those
In which he can bring out the living
droll or not. The buffoon is
not in his nature, though he has tried
even that species with success. In
some cases, with logged persistency, he
has faced all criticism, and the public
has given against him. This was the
case with Balzac's 'Mercadet.' For the
last twenty-five or thirty years, howev-
er, the public has taken M. Got as he is,
and the critics have had little to say,
n,,l 1ny Il WI 70 hot