Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-05

ea4-t...s-.s...f..s ..ss s.-s 50:
ity. But certainly if an art is expected
to invigorate with flesh and blood bodi'
less ideals and evanescent human emo
tions, acting is an art. An art GER
tainly with no set rules of technique
no mechanical rules, that is; that act
ing has its inviolable canons no one
will deny. First and last the actor
is an observer IAN imaginative OBJ
server, and the better observer he is
the better actor; he knows there are
thousands of ways of saying the one
word yes and can say more to the
observer with his back turned thar
the average man can with his face
Perhaps without technique, but cer-
tainly purely temperamental art
Real tears on the stage. you know,
affect nobody; it is a bad actor who
has not self control; it is stimulation
that makes acting an art. little
vaseline is better than all the real
tears she'd Those who advise the actor
to lose himself give bad advice; moth
ing is more wrong. Where without
self control can there be art?
Speaking for myself?" 1t was a
topic Mr.. Barnum had all this while
been trying to evade. "Oh. it is the
greatest of all arts to me. That is why
1 have given my whole life to it, and
without one single regret or back
looking. l love it, l tell you, all the
rough and the smooth of it, as one
loves a child. 1 was educated for a
naval officer, but l think l was born
to be an actor. ran away from my
profession when a boy and have been
living the life l love ever since. There
is nothing else for me. Without the
disappointment and joy, the slavery
and the half success of this living I
could not exist If your art is an art
to you. you learn to love it in this
way, learn to be willing to work and
suffer with it.
Actors Are Sensitive
II think very few people realize the
sufferings of an actor; it is a calling
that makes one sensitive. You would
hardly believe me if 1 told you of some
of the insults that we actors are sub
mitted to in this enlightened twentieth
century, the personal affronts, the in
sufferable audacities from people to
whom the word art says absolutely
nothing.
Then there is the attitude of the
clergy always to contend against Not
that it hurts the business of the thea
ter; it is the actor that it hurts, the
personal slight in it. | know that there
is as much charlatanism in the pulpit
as there is out of it, and as many fine,
noble men and women on the stage as
there are off it. The clergy know this,
too, but it does not change their atti-
tude. They will continue to the end
of time to make themselves an ad-
visory committee to the Creator, to the
belittlement of the actor.
"Much DeporabIe Stuff"
There is much deplorable stuff on
the stage today; but it is there be-
cause the people demand it; and, as
stores must cater to customers or
starve, so must the theaters. We are
trying to give the people the best.
ITO resign ones self to being looked
upon as a pariah is one of the lessons
the actor must learn early and If
he really believes i'm and loves his art,
that it requires self sacrifice only
makes it dearer. l love a good book,
love a fine flower, 1 love a good dim
ner; but my real love first and last has
been my love of the actors art and if
YOU have a real love like that rough
and smooth are both alike to you.
"One's career, ones past-why is the
public curious about that? Why is
not the present enough? Yes, l was
with David Belasco two years just be-
fore l came out here; with Frohman
five years and with Augustin DAILY a
number of years more. Yes, l played
some time in London. To tell you the
truth, l am proud of my training
proud not because Of the we'll known
names, but because l realize | have
at least had the opportunity to realize
the best, realize that acting is a great
art, even if l may not have made
others realize It,"
And those that have seen Mr.
Barnum's "Brabazon," his Papa Bell
iarti," his "Dr Juttner," realize that
they are absolutely vital creations and
could not well be bettered; they feel
they have to thank Mr.. Barnum for
a very complete realization of his art