The San Francisco call., 1904-10-18
James j. Jeffres Turns Out to Be a Better Actor
Than Many Expected to See.

James J. Jeffries, champion pugilist
of the world. was a disappointment to
many of the folk who witnessed his
five-rOund go with Thespis last even
ing at the Central Theater. They who
went to scoff remained to applaud.
Instead Of being convulsed by the at
tempted acting of a man who had can
didly disclaimed ability to act, they
saw a histrionic exhibition that COM
PEELED their respect, at least. When
they laughed it was not at his reading
or action, but at the way in which
their less cultured neighbors received
his rehearsed sentiments and gestures.
The audience afforded more amusement
than the stellar mime
1t was in the titular role of 'Davy
Crockett created and played for many
years by the late Frank Mayo, that
Mr.. Jeffries made his stage debut in
the city that has seen so many of his
ring triumphs. The character is in
tensely, if not impossibly, heroic, and
one would naturally suppose that the
Jeffries temperament would fairly
revel in its many opportunities to con-
vey thrills to the upper tier. The fact
that the Jeffries temperament did moth
ing of the kind, but was constantly
held in most discreet restraint, was the
cause Of the disappointment herein
before alluded to. If anything, the
part was underacted. Even in the ia
nous wolf scene that closes the second
act and opens the third one, the big
| fighting man never rose, or descended
to the ranting and striving for claptrap
effect that was practiced by his illus
trious predecessor in the personation.
| While his brawny arm barred the door
and his mighty torso seemed to heave
naturally under the strain, his lines
were delivered with the calm deliber-
ateness of a man suffering more ply
sical agony than he cared to reveal.
| His failure to overdo that scene was
what convinced the critics that worse
actors with greater pretensions to act
than James ]. Jeffries are rather COM
mon.
In his love scenes with the leading
woman the leading mans studied
self-repression stood him in admirable
! stead, for it would have been easy to
spoil the effectiveness of their roman
| tic dialogues by the least show of
overexuberance. His seeming awk-
wardness on those occasions was con-
sistent with his part. An illiterate
! backwoodsman, strange to the ways
of educated city folk, could not feel
/ entirely self-possessed in presence of
| a lady who spouted 'Lochinvar's
Ride" with the charm of a profession
! al elocutionist, especially when he
felt enamored of the lady and suspect
ed that she returned his passion. To
make a Chesterfield of Daniel
! Boone would be a crime against ma
/ ture. The filters from the auditorium
were not provoked so much by what
I the swain on the stage said or did as
| by the murmurs of approval that
waited from an unquestionably sin
/ cere gallery.
Whatever else may be said of Mr..
Jeffries as an actor, he must have
credit for appreciating his limitations
| in that profession and abiding within
! them. What he lacks in grace of
stage department and knowledge of
the technique of the craft is compen-
sated for by his intelligent modesty-
quality that NO other man who
| doffed the mitts to don the buskin
has shown in any marked degree. He
is a more admirable actor than he
would be if he believed he could act.
j. c. CRAWFORD.