The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20
STORY OF JAMES 0NElLL AND 'M0NTE CRIST0"
HOW EAGH AGAPEG T4IE

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
How did you happen to adopt the stag
as Ercfession?"
James O'Ne,I the distinguished actor
quit putting cigar. which had nearly out
lived it's usefulness, looked intently at hi
auestioner for a moment. and answere
+. frankly: Il don't know
Il don't know how 1 happened to go Of
the stage" continued Mr.. O'Neill. NO
one of my ancestors had ever trod tn
boards. ] don't believe that my fathe
and mother. who were born in ireland
ever saw a theatrical performance.
My first recollection of the play date
from my eleventh year. My brother. VIII,
was several years my senior, took me t.
the theater one afternoon. The actor wa:
an freshman named Collins. He was {
singer. He came to this country and
made a tremendous hit. His play wa:
The Colleen PAWN Between the acts he
sang Irish ballads, and he sang them
beautifully. AS / remember him he was
the sweetest singer 1 ever heard.
II had anticipated the visit to the the
ater VIII, VII much interest ! was , curious ns !
Tor j did not know what the inside OF
theater looked like, and ! was ignorant
as to the meaning of the drama.
We went TO the matinee, ana l was
! Thought the PLAY. the scenery. the sing,
ing and the general effect constituted
quite the most remarkable thing that 1
had ever seen or heard OF.
PLAY DELIGHTFUL TO HIM.
Il did not appreciate the actors as peo-
pie Of my own kind As 1 watched the
performance / imagined that ] was in
some strange and remote district 1 was
carried far away.
when the curtain DESCENDED on the
: last act l remained in my chair My
brother arose and joined the people who
were leaving the theater. With my eyes
fastened upon the curtain, which hid from
view the strange scenes that had 50 in
every one had departed / was finally
aroused by a touch on the shoulder. and,
turning. l saw my. brother. He asked me
how long ] intended to remain there. I
didn't know that the play was over
You've seen all that you can see this
afternoon he said. Hurry. and get out
out, or you may be locked in
II got up reluctantly and made my way
from the theater. but my mind was still
working under the great impression that
speak to my brother COR several minutes.
Finally he asked me. What are you
thinking about?'
And have made up my mind to be an
actor
My brother laughed. and the subject
was dropped.
came ambitious to be an actor and never
lost the desire to go on the stage.
went to many PLAYS after that. I
read books and plays and finally. when /
was is years old, I applied for position
with local stock company. l got 3 small
part and eventually worked my way to
4 good position in the ranks of the stock
actorS.'
FIRST MONTE CRISTO."
Ny first achievement" continued Mr..
o'Neill. was with the Hooley Stock COM
pany in Chicago. and strange as 1t may
seem. the part was Monte Cristo. which
afterwards became my standard character
and which made me a fortune
The version We put on was sort Of |
it was with a feeling on the part of the |
manaGement that it would not be we'll re- |
ceived. 1t was more of filler than any |
thing else.
1T was to run for one week. The first
nights attendance was light but the box
office receipts began to increase steadily |
and at the end OF the week We had done
the company decided to run it a second
week.
This production was made during the
second week, which was even more of a
success than the first, the season closed,
and l went to Frisco to fill a summer en-
My success in Monte Cristo' had given
me good standing as an actor. 1t gave
me position that had not before held,
and when arrived in California 1 WIS
given better attention than I had been
used to.
at was while there that a starring tour
vas suggested. These events, 1 might say. |
nat first produced Monte Cristo." and |
t was in 1879 that I received an offer to |
tar. My financial hacker. however. was
more interested in an aspiring playwright |
han ln In and If tho |
purpose Of promoting the interests of the |
'oung author that he came to me rather
han to hoist me as a leading American
lctor.
Il accepted the starring proposition and
onsented to use the play: which had been
written by my managers young friend;
md the author was c. I. Darcy. who
ears after became famous as the author
II In Old Kentucky I
ne good opportunities, but too many, {
night say. / was on the stage most of
he time. which would have been all
light. If the author had kept some Of the ,
ther characters there with me.
MANAGED BY STETSON.
I've started East from Frisco. and at | I
Jew Orleans and other Southern cities !
i'd fair business. We finally found our /
'ay to New York State, where An Amer !
ran King finally died a natural death.
1t was at this time that l planned, to
roduce-on my own account-'Monte =
,risto.' l was making my plans. when
ohm Stetson, one of the best-known man. I
gers of the early days. came to me with | h
n offer.
He wanted me to do new play, but :
told him that 1 had decided to put on q
Monte Cristo.' Stetson said that Monte
'risto' would he acceptable to him, and r
l would allow him TO manage my tour =
e would give the play a fine mounting !
nd engage company Of good supporting a
ctors. q
Il signed a contract with Stetson for !,
ne season. which proved "A most success
al one. The following season. however. !,
tetsoH was afraid that Monte Cristo y
couldn't win. and gave UP the manage g
lent insisted that the piece would still ~
rove popular. l.
.'Stefson was so convinced to the con- :,
rary that he told me that il / insisted :,
pom producing the play he would not | n
i've me time in his Globe Theater in Bos- b
IN. /
Acting directly against his wishes. how n
yer. ! bought the scenery. engaged a
of my own and started a second | "
'nr in the Dumas drama My success a,
as so pronounced that Stetson finally | 81
ooked me for the Globe Theater, stiil d;