The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12
IS 49, lNt1IH ITP MER6


Probably not more than one person
in ten thousand takes the trouble 10
verify the extravagant assertions OF
theatrical managers with regard to the
long runs enjoyed by certain plays.
writer on New York paper has gone
into the detective business on his own
hook and has discovered some very
amusing as well as startling discrepan-
cies between the advertised number of
performances and the actual presenta-
tions Of some of the plays heraIded as
having enjoyed Ions runs. He tells of
one attraction on Broadway which kept
the other managers figuring when it
opened and when it would close. This
show opened on October 81 and on De-
cember 1 it was advertised that it was
now in it's third month"; The piece
had been playing at the theater for ex-
actly thirty-twO days, or a trife over
one month. yet the managers could
scarcely be called jugglers of truth for
saying that il in its third month.
inasmuch as il had been played in Oc-
tOber. November and December. An
other attraction which opened on De-
cember "a was advertised on January
was really true But the boIdest at
tempt to deceive the public was the an
nouncement on January OF an attrac-
ton that opened on December "a TO
the effect that il was in it's second
year in New York" The press agents
Of some of the plays which are reputed
TO have long runs in the metropolis
must burn the midnight oil in their eff
n 1frry-,
sound mighty big. but which is really
very small when investigated.
Frank Mckee. who went abroad sew
eral weeks ago to pave the way for
The Prince Of Pflsen" Company At
the Shaftesbury Theater. London. has
returned and will spend the summer at
his country place. arranging. mean
while, the details concerning the tour
of Nine Bernhardt. with whom he
signed contract for a season OF
twenty weeks. commencing next Jan
uary. with a possible extension of four
or five weeks, if business warrants IL.
Nine. BernhaTdt will appear in The
Sorceress," and inasmuch as Mrs Pat
rick Campbell will use this play un-
der Charles FrOhman's management at
the Herald Square Theater in October.
there viii be a French and English
version in operation after the first of
the year.
While John Drew was on a visit to
Paris last week as guest of Charles
Frohman. a conference was held with
Augustus Thomas, who has a home in
the Latin Quarter, and il was arranged
for Mr.. Thomas to write a new play
purely American in locality. which Mr.
Drew will use as soon as it is COM
pleted. which wil1hOt be until about the
first Of January, and it is expected that
Mr.. Drew will follow the example OF
his niece, Ethel Barrymore. and make
London appearance next summer.
, May Yohe has gone into vaudeville
at the TivoH Theater in London in
dancing speciality. assisted by John
Ford. who was Mayme Gshrues part
ner in this country. -
A funny suit was sprung on Miller
and Kaufman Of Philadelphia by a
woman who claims $4,000 damage on the
ground their house (Forepaugh's) was
so crowded it caused her to become i'll.
and that the crowd was so great she
could not get out to the fresh air. or get
medical attention. There are quite a
number of managers who would have
been glad to have risked such a suit.
There is an old saying, Don't mon
key with the lions" It looks as II
Weber and Fields have failed to heed
: the warning. They secured two ami
mails and a trainer as features OF the
English Daisy, and now they have been
: sued for eleven hundred dollars back
) salary, because the cOmplainants al
lege that the animals were contracted
for thirty-five weeks season. and the
r tour ended after short time at the
: Casino.
. Polly Stockwen has been engaged as
? leading woman for the stock company
at VaIlamOnt Park. in Williamsport,
; Pa. which opens with The Wife"
: Sarah Truax viii be the HsrrTsrrs Of
! the aH-star cast Of THE Two Orphans"
, next season
According to the New York Dra-
: matte Mirror. the generally unfortu-
5 nate outcome of the last dramatic sea
son should not be accepted as due on
4 the whole to inherent causes for which
the theater and it's administration are
to blame.
? It is a fact that the public showed
+, by. the peculiar character Of its pat
= ronage that II had become weary OF a
? certain class of shows" that have
G differed mainly in names. and that
have appealed solely to the eye and
? not at all to the intelligence. This
fact has been emphasized by many
failures Of such attractions, the public
: turning quickly for relief from the su-
} perficiaI and inane to revivals OF old
4 plays-made in desperation by man
ayers to Offset the LEX of vitality OF
D certain new pieces-sOme Of which old
2 plays, although by no means we'll suit
D ed to this ganaratfon still possess ele- !