Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-01-28
A CONTINUOUS SUCCESS.
The History of the Prisoner of Zenda
Which Comes TO the Grand
February I'd.

N~
4 lers of England, America and Aus.
tralia is most unique and interesting
one. The book made an instantaneous
hit and edition after edition was ex-
hausted. The value of the story for
dramatization purposes was immedi-
ately recognized by Mr.. Daniel Froh-
man who at once secured the sole act
ing rights, made arrangements with
the author, Mr.. Anthony Hope, and
Mr.. Edward E. Rose, to dramatize it,
and in less than six months after the
appearance of the book, September
1895, he produced the play at the
Lyceum theatre in New York city
with the celebrated actor, Mr.. E. H.
Sothern, in the dual role of Rudolph
Rassendyll, and Rudolph, King of
Ruritania. Mr. Sotbern's success was
unprecedented. The praise of the
critics was unstinted, and the capacity
of the theatre was tested week after
week. After the New York run Mr..
Frohman toured Mr.. Sothern through
out the large cities of the United
States.
} About the same time that the play
was creating such a furore here, it
was produced almost simultaneously
in England, Australia andSouthAfrica
where it duplicated the tremendous
success of this country. Mr.. George
Alexander starred in 1T at the St.
James theatre, London, where the
play hid a remarkable vogue, and for
the past five years he has toured it
throughout England. The play was
the cornerstone of Mr.. Alexander's S
| fortune. At the close of Mr..
Sothern's season ON the road, Mr..
Frohman arranged to star Mr.. James
X. Hackett and later Mr.. Howard
Gould in this play which proved to
be the turning point of success in
their careers.
! Shipman Bros who had long Lad
the property in view were now en-
abled to purchase the New England
and Canadian rights from Mr.. Daniel
Frohman and, in a season of SO weeks,
the play earned them $4,000 and
demonstrated its unwonted strength
and popularity in territory that had
been covered by Messrs. Sothern and
Gould respectively. The Messrs.
Shipman next made arrangements
| for the indefinite rights to the piece
and this season have both an eastern
company in which Edwin Mordant
is starring, and western one which
is featuring Thos. B. Alexander in
the title role. Both organizations
have again substantiated the judg-
ment of Mr.. Frohman and the Messrs.
Shipman, for since the opening of this
season business, in the same cities
where the play has been presented a
number of times, is larger than ever
before.
"The Prisoner of Zenda was the
first of the modern romantic novels to
be dramatized, and it has proven the
most successful and shown the great
est longevity, for today it is more
popular than ever. has out lived all
other plays and dramatized stories
of its class, and it bids fair to rival
the uneauallad records of East
Lynne and "Uncle Toms Cabin" two
of what would be the most valuable
theatrical properties in existence if
they were protected by copyright as
is "The Prisoner Of Zenda. At pre-
sent negotiations are pending for the
French and German rights. 1t is
estimated that up to date the piece
has earned close to million dollars
for the various men who have been
interested in it,
The success of this remarkable
drama is not due alone to the admir-
able characters, Rudolph Rassendyll
and the Princess Flav;a, but to the
high and enobling motive of human
conduct ON which it's story of in
tense heart interest is based.
At the Grand. Feb. 2. Seats now
ON sale. Price 35-5O-75 and 81.
Work has commenced on the second
draw span to the Terminal bridge
which spans the Missouri river a,
Council Bluffs. The span which has
been in place since the construction
of the bridge more than half dozen
years ago is $40 feet long. fifteen feet
longer than any other similar 81 an il
the world, the next longest being one
J that spans the Danube in Europe
The new span is to be an exact count
erpart of the old span and will b'
, built on pivot, the pier of whicl
, extends 1870 feet below the surface o
this water. The total length of thu
, bridge including the span is roo feet
J At present over 200 men are employed
, on the work and every effort is bein,
made to complete the work before tn
ice breaks up in the spring.