New-York tribune., 1905-11-12
IRVING And BEN GREET.
Sir Henry Often Went to See His
Friends Performances.

"If the report is true that Harry B. Irving Is
soon to TO America, hope It viii be to
play of the characters in which his father
won renown." said Ben Greet. the disciple Of
Shakespeare untrammeled by the scene paint
err Harry Irving is the legitimate successor
to his father. and that he richly deserves his
priceless heritage IS, 1 think. sufficiently indi-
Gated by the ovation which he received as Ham,
let last spring in London. especially when
realizes that his work in that role had to stand
comparison with Forbes Robertson's beautiful
Hamlet.
Both of Sir Henry's were in my Shake
spearian company in England for several years.
Harry played for me Hamlet. Romeo. Orsino.
Othello, Orlando. Leontes in the Winters
Tale and several leading roles in the old Eng
lish comedies, notably Charles Surface in The
School for Scandal When we played 'othello'
Laurence Irving was the Iago to his brothers
Othello.
"Sir Henry Irving was always deeply inter-
ested in Harrys career. An incident which In
dicated his interest and, as well the extraordi-
nary mind for detail Of that great actor-nan-
ager occurred in 1891, when Harry Irving
played Hamlet for the first time in my COM
pany For months previously both father and
son were enthusiastic over the part. but Sir
Henry was to be in America at the time it was
to be played. Just before sailing he asked mo
where Harry was first to play Hamlet told
him at Sunderland. and gave him the exact
date Weeks afterward the scheduled PERFORM
ance took place. and ten minutes before the
curtain rose a telegram of good wishes was re-
ceived by Harry from his father IN San Fran
cisco.
.srhe night we played Hamlet at Sunderland
there was in the audience sweet old lady who
had not been in the Sunderland theatre for
ATrc Vvbo Mat
tie Rinehart was leading lady in the company
in which Henry Irving won his first iaurels at
Manchester. She came to applaud the younger
Irving Curious1y enough, the son Of the man
ager Of the rival Manchester theatre, Lewis
Calvert is a member of my company now play
ing at Mendelssohn Hail.
"Sir Henry used often to come to see my per-
formances and not only when his son was IN
the company I remember dozen OF my
performances which he attended in three years,
and 1 am sure he did not a dozen other
plays in twenty years. for he was a very fnfrs-
quent theatregOer.
"I remember an amusing incident which &C.
Cured at Richmond one night when we were
playing The Lady of Lyons a fete Of soms
sort was in progress. and at times through ths
windows of the theatre, the audience and play
ers caught glimpses of gorgeous fireworks. Juss
Harry Irving came to the words palace lit
ing to eternal summer an army of skyrockets
arose with a whiz and set the heavens ablaze~
1 could not resist Deeking out from the wings
to see the effect on Sir Henry. who sat IN tne
fourth row, and 1 will never forget the look OF
amusement on his face as the words uttered oy
his son were so literally realized. He often re-
ferred to that eternal summer at Richmond
Harry Irving's charming wife. Dorethea
Baird, was in my company when they hrss
met"