The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-16
Mrs. Carter and David BeIasco.


Mrs. Carter and David Belasco.
Mrs. Leslie Carter's engagement at Eng
lish's in "Du Barry will come to an end
with matinee and evening performances to-
day. Another large audience applauded
the great me.odrara last night and indi-
cations point to two more great crowds at
the concluding presentations. d Barry"
is a production that playgoers cannot afford
to miss, as no play produced in this country
at least none that has been seen in In
dianapOlis-has been staged so lavishly and
with such wonderful regard for detail. The
play is emotional in the extreme and the
audiences at times become almost hysteri-
cal in their applause as Mrs. Carter does in
her acting.
Ii was said of Mrs. Carter when she first
came into prominence as the heroine of the
melodrama, The Heart of Maryland
that it was the ingenious stage director.
playwright and master-instructor of act
ing, David Belasco, to whom she rightly
owed all of her surprising successes. 1t
will be remembered that some Eastern
writer's on theatrical topics boldly declared
that Mr.. Belasco has literally pounded the
art of emotional acting into the head of the
ambitious novice-the head with the glor-
ious red tresses. Whether this is true or
not, the fact remains that Mrs. Carter. in
some way or other, has learned to thrill
an audience as few other American ac-
tresses have ever succeeded in doing. and
IN this mel0drama OF BelaScO's she has
every opportunity to work upon the feelings
of men and wonderland it is the wmen who
are the reader TINS a manner that
is all but mercilesS.
David BelaSco, who is the real power be-
hind the throne in this play of royalty,
stands to-day the most interesting figure in
American theatrical life. His career reads
like a novel. His was a boyhood of hard
work. He sold papers in the streets Of
san francisco until at last he realized his
first great ambition and became call-boy at
one of the theaters in the Pacific metropo-
lis. Finally, by sticking close to his duties,
he rose to the position OF property man at
the old Baldwin theater where a memora-
bic stock company was playing-a company
made UP of such actors as James O'Neil,
Louis Morrison, w. II. Crane and John
7. Raymond, and in this school Belasco
learned the true inwardness of his BUSH
ness and formed an intimate acquaintance
with current dramatlc literature. He be-
came stage director Of the Baldwin theater
in time and remained at that playhouse for
many years, gaining invaluable experience.
+ T +
His first work in New York was stage
manager of the Madison-square Theater,
and it was at this playhouse that his con-
nection with the Frohmans began-a con-
nection that was to endure for many years.
While at the Madison Square he rewrote
"Esmeralda," brought out his own melo-
drama, May Blossom" and later produced
his first success, The Charity Ball" His
salary while at the Madison Square was
$50 a week, barely enough TO keep himself
and family-nOr did he ever receive more.
He went to the Lyceum as stage director
for the Frohmans and managed to make
extra money, for which he was in sore
need, by giving lessons in acting. One
day a bright-eyed, radiant creature, whose
singularly mobile face was set off by a
wealth of red hair, literally blew onto the
stage. Would he teach her to act? He
didn't know. Would he please try? Well.
he did try, and he is not tired doing il yet,
for this good proportioned, handsomely
dressed society woman, who then had moth
ing but an instinct and a longing, was the
same one who is at present in the front
rank of American actresses-Mrs. Leslie
Carter.
But success did not come at first to the
new star and her teacher. 1.-The Ugly
Duckling," in which she first appeared, was
a failure, and Miss Helyett" was not much
of a success. She appeared in the latter
play at the Grand opera House in this city
and local playgoers who follow theatrical
matters closely will recall that the piece
had TO be strengthened by the appearance
Of Lottie Collins in her then celebrated
- - ~ ~ = oOAiS uo UlII
of it-Lottie Collins engaged as n special
feature to help out Mrs. Carter But later
on THE Heart Of Maryland proved 4
melodramatic triumph and here at last was
the great turning point. Mrs. Carter was
recognized as an emotional actress of abiI-
ity. Then followed "ZaZa," a fine plav. in
which she really did excellent work. giving
an even better performance, when taken as
a whole, than she renders in "Du Barry"
And then came this stage story of Jean
cite Vauberniere, which brought both man
ager and star great fortunes.
A good many years ago-it was a stormy
night-Mrs. Carter was about to leave the
theater when, as she opened the stage door
and observed the driving rain she hastily
retreated and asked Mr.. Belasco for q dol
lar to take a cab. He didn't have a dollar.
but by dint of going about to several mem
bers OF the company he collected the
money, called a cab and sent the actress
home in ii. But he swOre n great oath
that she should never want for a cab again.
Those were the hard, struggling DAYS that
tried his soul, but nightly ever since. no
matter where she may be, that dollar bill
is punctually sent. Were he to miss. he
would break his oath, and bad luck would
come of it. For David Belasco IS supersti-
Leslie Carter riding i'm a cab tonight. after
hotel, you will know that David Belasco Is
footing the bill.