Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-12

E.+t..ff.f.y +.
week, which to Mr.. Collier at that time
seemed an enormous sum. Collier tells
of his final interview with Daily. "He
called me into his office after a mis-
understanding, and said, Willie, you
are too young to play old man, and too
old to play boys 1 was twenty then,
and told Mr.. Daily l was not too young
to play old men; L had played Starv-
ling in Merry Wives of Windsor; but
he gave me to understand that 1 had
said enough, and then I quit
After leaving Daly's he went to Chi
cago and joined Dave Henderson's
"Bluebeard, Jr.," company. AS Collier
puts it: 'I got an awful jolt when
Henderson, at rehearsal, said to me,
Here's where you do your speciality,
of Daly's. / had to hold my job; my
mother was a dancer, and L inherited a
little of her talent, 1 guess. Anyway
when they told me "a speciality meant
dance, 1 went down under the stage
and learned one, and then L had a
Speciality"
While he was playing in Chicago,
John Russell saw him and engaged
him for part in 1.-THE City Directory.
Dave Reed was a member of the com
pany and from that grew the partner
ship of Reed & Collier. They appeared
in a number of plays together; prob
ably "Horse and Horse" was their
greatest hit.
One of Mr.. Golfers best successes,
when he started to go it alone, was
in THE Man from Mexico" The sea-
son started off badly but finished big.
After playing in Brooklyn in Septem-
ber to less than $1,000 on the week, the
company went to Toronto, where they
again had few faces to greet them.
After playing a few towns to indiffer-
ent business, they struck Richmond,
Ind, where they played $66.75.
"On the Quiet" "Mr. Smooth "a
Fool and His Money are some of
the plays Collier has appeared in He
has evidently gained his greatest sue
cess in the Richard Harding Davis
farce, 1.-The Dictator" in which he is
to appear here.
Collier is very fond Of the country
and has a siXty-acre farm at st. James,
Long Island On his grounds he has
golf links, ball ground, tennis court
and an opera house, which he calls
"Collier's opera house." He is quite
"Poo Bah" in the town and is
thought highly of by the natives. AT
one time he published a newspaper,
calling it 1.-The st. James Pan" From
the name it can readily be imagined
what kind of matter appeared in it.
Many of Golfers friends know to their
sorrow, for they were often roasted.
In one issue of this paper, which be-
came quite famous, there appepared
the following in the advertising col
umns:
"Collier's Opera House. William
Collier, proprietor and manager. Open
time: January, February, March.
April, May. June, July, August, Sep
tember, October November and De-
cember. If you have not got a band,
useless to come"
Collier, in addition to being a come
dian, has many accomplishments. To-
gether with a grasp of German, music
and fencing. he numbers among his
attainments ability to manipulate the
telegraph keys, and to this knowledge
and the good graces or a particular
friend, he was indebted for his first
substantial salary on entering the
theatrical profession.
In Golfers earlier days in the dTa-
matte profession he was sent for by
manager, who desired to cast him i'm
part particularly fitted to him. He
went to the managers office. In that
worthy's suite there was a ticker. Mr..
Collier was a little new at the busi-
ness, and was in doubtful state.
The actor, though he did not disclose
the fact, wanted the engagement. He
dickered for a while and finally the
manager made him an offer. The ac-
tor was on the point of accepting,
when suddenly the ticker began to
send out a slogan Of advice A friend