The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20

Here s with merry CHRISTMAS from
Foxy Grandpa, AS one Y , contributes
aboundingly 10 the seasons festvity he
has perhaps more right than most of
us TO the wish. Obviously Foxy is the
person Of the week Others may be
Glasers. but these are Of the flowers
that bloom in the spring ira Ia. Foxy
is a plum pudding. He is a whole
Christmas tree. He is turkey, dressing,
oysters. icecream. cranberries-aH you
want Of everything without repentance.
Therefore as a wholesome Christmas
dish I went to Joe" Hart. his creator,
hoping as an entree to encounter Mrs.
Hart, VINO is Miss Carrie de Mar on the
bills.
I found AIr. Hart foxily saving him
self trouble by debating letters TO the
hotel stenographer. She seemed TO be
enjoying it. but as she didn't tell me
why. I can't tell you. II augured well,
however. The business Of comedy sits
so seriously upon the usual comedian s
brow that interviewing him is as wildly
festive an affair as being a lost dog.
Mr. Hart ] found soberly cheerful,
with a vein Of fun not too far under the
surface and-but we anticipate.
I wish Mrs. Hart were here, Joe"
began. as he. the artist and flew heav-
onward in the California Hotel elevator.
We stopped at the sixth floor and found
our way quickly TO the Hart domain.
Our host continued: Hope you don't
mind the smell Of gasoline. I dropped
of bicycle the other day and hit Cali
fornia pretty hard. Ny boy has been
cleaning il of" and the farceur apollo
getically removed the leg gear that
draped the back OF my chair.
took the denuded seat as he re-
peated. "Awfully sorry Mrs. Hart
isn't here. You gave her a whole page
when we were here befOre-dO you re-
member? ID like her 10 be in this"
Would j.: be. nicer (for you) if I
were 10 put her in, MIR. Hart?' I
laughed.
Perhaps" he grinned. but I think
IL would be nicer for you, too"
Not a doubt Of it, ! hope she'll
come IN"
She is Dut Christmas shopping"
said Miss de Mars husband She
promised 70 be hack. but I wouldn't
trust the angel Gabriel at Christmas
time. Mrs Hart has a new coat and
cane for a new sketch that we are go
ing TO use that I'd like you 10 see.
Canes are going TO be it this sea-
son"
"Ah. thanks" I say hungrily. And
the sketch2"
.'Oh. we shall use it in Foxy Grand
pa You see" Foxy's interpreter ex-
plained. .'the piece is elastic. Every
now and then we change things a bit.
II keens uD our own interest in the
thing. as well as the publics."
You don't seem 10 have much
trouble with public interest so far
Not that you can notice" Hart
averred. We'll. it's a good piece. good
frothy stuff. and clean. Then, 1 think
this viii sound odd 10 you'll think
Foxy Grandpa's' success is due to the
fact that it possesses heart interest"
go"
Yes. heart interest" Hart insisted.
There are the children. Every time I
put my arms round those kids feel it
I'm fond Of children and domesticity
and so on-and the audience feels it,
too And Foxy is a possible and Iowa
bic character. believe that every play
that lasts. lasts because of its heart
interest. Way Down East and Sol
Smith Russell's plays. for example.
That's what keeps en- alive"
Foxy Grandpa is where the chill
dren come in advanced then. I
hadn't then seen it
They do. but people are mistaken in
thinking the piece is cnly for children.
The critics were surprised TO find that
out Ny what a first night we hadi
Billiards by the bunchi Even the
passes wouldn't come in. The critics
came. ] suppose they said TO them
selves. oh, we've got to cover this.
suppose. and they came expecting TO
be bored. But they weren't / felt the
surprise after the first act. and every
notice in New York next morning was
an Endorsement of the show"
You ran a long time, too.
Two hundred nights"
Are these boys the same you had
them"
Lord. no, You've no idea how boys
RroW-"