The Washington times., 1903-10-18
Opening of New Season Is
Marked by More Failures
Than Usual Book Plays
Used to Exploit Stars Fall
Short Of Passing Mus-
ter--Great Need Of Lead
ing Men in the Field.

NEW YORK, oct. 1.-THE new season
is now in full swing, and IL is striking
IL ominous fact. that in an autumn when
New York sees the opening of more new
theaters than ever before in it's history
there should have been more failures
than usual But. nevertheless the game
goes merriIy on. Who pays the piper
nobody seems TO know. Certainly the
public is not doing it to any large
extent.
Take the first week in October for
instance. Three book plays were then
trotted out for judgment, and every
one fell short of passing muster as a
thoroughbred. OF course each was used
to exploit a star.
] often wonder whether we should
have any plays or any theaters in this
country If 1T were not for the over
weening desire OF the actor to see his
name in big type. No wonder there is
such trying need for leading men in
the field. AS soon as a young man
gairs any sort OF a following, he wants
to head a company Of his own. and
generally he succeeds in finding some
body TO put up the money for him to
do il.
0rrin Johnson's Case.
There's Orrin johnson. / remember
him first about ten years ago. playing
in Clyde Fitch's April Weather with
Sol Smith Russell, when Mr.. Russell had
such hard work eking out his term Of
100 nights at Days. Johnson had pre-
viously been with Charles Frohman at
Proctor's In Men and Women" and
THE Lost Paradise" He told me last
spring that he left Frohman because he
wouldn't give him 800 a week
After that he went with Richard
Mansfield. when the latter took over
Harrigan's. renamed II the Garrick, and
opened with Bernard Shsw's Arms and
the Man" that clever play which so few
people seemed 20 understand. But Mans
field was able TO run theator OF his
own in New York for only a single sea-
son-although IL had bee.l the dream Of
his life 20 manage such a house. and
Johnson went back TO Russell agaiu
this time in "A Bachelors Romano"
which played long engagement at the
Garden he was Romeo for the last
weeks in Maude Adams special tour as
Juliet. and followed Robert Edeson with
her as Gavin in The Little Minister"
Mr.. Johnson halls from Kentucky and
his first appearance on the stage was
made in Brooklyn with Efie Ellsler. He
replaced Charles Richman as leading
man with Annie Russell I'm her second
season with "A Royal Family" and re-
NAMED as chief support 20 Miss Russell
in Tho Girl and the Judge" and last
winter in Mice and Men" He seems
10 be having an elegant time in Hearts
Courageous and possibly the play may
do well on the road. For myself. I fan
10 find any thread of continuous inter
est in the thing. 1t is all for effect.
Players Fatuous Folk
Isn't it a pity these players should be
such fatuous folk? The night OF my
attendance. with only a meager house.
johnson was called out again and again
by a few jealous partisans. and finally
made a speech with a bea1ning counte-
nance. quite as IL he were Iiackett him
self But his box-sheet should tell him
that he is no such thing. and what can
he 90 more than make another speech
when he becomes a very Mansfield him
self?
Willie Collier, now q cannot think OF
him as William, even in this autumn Of
his discontenD, takes Things altogether
differently. The audience can tell al
once from his manner that he knows
he has frost on his hands II was ap-
obvious in Are You My Father" he
allowed himself 10 be seen as little as
possible out Of his part can fancy his
muttering as he listened to the per-
functory applause from the other side
OF the curtain:
No, thank you; none OF your sympa-
thetic hand-clapping for me. I'll stick e
my contracts, but L won't be pitied."
Tovob Time of II
Poor Collieri He certainly has had a
tough time Of Il this fall oddly enough
bad luck seems 10 wait on all the mer
from Weber & Fields who strike out
FOR themselves after a term in the little
music hall. Sam Bernard came a crop
per in THE Marquis OF Michigan" and
after "A single season Of prosperity Peter
Daley struck a frost I'm Champagne
Charley" and HE'D him back 10 the
Weberfeldian fold. Dave Warfield IS
the only one who has won out 1 won.
der II Fay Templeton Is trembling In bel
shoes as she looks forward TO her ven
ture I'm The Infant Prodigy"
What a triumph for the rejected play
wright. though 10 have Collier nov
take up with "A Fool and His Money.
a piece that he turned down som,
months ago. and which was written Will
NM especially IN nina. But the hes
news Of ali is that Mr.. Golfers wife
Louise Allen. has decided TO forsweal
leading women's parts. and return 1,
character work. as the slavey who eat
ice to make her eyes beautiful II vii
seem good. too, 70 see Collier in every
day clothes again He has risen from
being call boy at Days. from which DO
sition he was Ousted by his success =
Initiating Mr.. DAILY himself. For som
years he toured the country IN Hos
and Hoss," and was not known I,
Broadway. Then. in the autumn OF lSg
he appeared at the Manhattan in a com
edy OF his own writing. Mr. Smooth.
and made such good impression tina
ne paved the way for ION the Quiet"
Cranes New Piece.
II is too bad Cranes new piece, 9Th
spenders. has PANIED out so badly. II
mas done so much toward entertaininl
us all that he deserves not 10 b
Obliged 10 worry over a poor play. Blu
that Is the lot OF those who deterrnin
70 Keep up with the procession and Civ
US novelties. II is very like putin
ones hand In a grab bag Mt n churcl
1air, this investing I'm n new r,rod,,c