Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
REMEMBER THEIR LINES.
Popular Actors With Remarkable
Memories.
From London Tit Htts

From London 1it-Bits
When NJ Coquelin. the great French come.
dian. was asked short time ago II he ever
forgot a part he had once played. he replied
that he could at a moments notice repeat
any part he had learned In his early years
on the stage. Il have only to open my
mouth" he said. land the speeches como
out like a ribbon that Is being unwound
from reel But am OF opinion that after
forty a mans memory hardens. At ALI
events. II 1 have TO play part that I
learned in later life l require just one re-
hearsal in order to be sure of myself"
The astonishing nature of such a feat as
this Ia only realized when one remembera
the enormous number OF parts an actor OF
necessity has TO master In his early years.
During my FIRST four years on the stage
Sir Squire Bancroft. for instance. says. i
acted 3i6 characters, repeating many oil
them with various actors and in different
theaters-an average or between eighty and
ninety parts each year"
During his first season he played forty
fresh characters within six weeks, long
hours of the night. generally by the light
OF single candle. being often given to
copying out my parts from well-thumbed
prompt books" In one memorable fort
night he had to act the following seven
fresh parts: Cassie. in "Othello;" Gratiano,
In The Merchant OF Venice" De Mauprat,
In "kichelieu," Eugene de Lormo, in
Loves Sacrifice" Wellborn, in "A New
Why 10 ray bld Debts lClliuE, IN " IT.
ginius' and Leonardo Gonzago. In The
Wife"
Sir Henry Irving had still more amazing
record OF varied acting in his prentice
days During three years in the prov
inces he appeared in no fewer than b9<
partisan average Of nearly four new char
acters every week during tho whole period
Although more than forty years have gone
since ST. Henry committed these parts TO
memory, there are few OF them which rs
could not repeat today without even q
glance at the book. oddly enough, II ever
the great actors memory shows any inclla-
alton to play him false II Is in the charac-
tiers which he has assumed the oftenest.
1t Is curious thing" he has said. that
the more perfect you are in a part the more
likely you are 10 stick II is often the case
after you have been playing the same char.
acter a hundred or more nights The worst
part of it is that when you want thu
prompter he is never there"
Mr.. J. l.. Toole. the veteran comedian, is
another actor VINO has been lowered with
2 remarkable memory. and few men have
needed 1t more. His was a most labor'ou5
apprenticeship, and IL is doubtful wnct her
even he could say. within hundred. how
many parts he has learned in his time. Il
have played As many as eighteen parts in q
week. he stated not long ago. often I
have been studying another part while I
have been PLAYING a new one. and many
time after rehearsal IN the morning and act-
ing at night ! have gone home to sit up
studying a part for rehearsal next day"
Well might he say, Those were the days
when an actor had to work like the prUyer-
bal niger
The late Wilson Barrett was blessed with
such a remarkable memory that he was
letter perfect in part OF average length
after reading IT throrsn twice. and % his
last day. II Is said. he could repeat Without
prompting any part he had ever played.
But, so far from being content with master
ing the words Of character, he would
study the most insignificant impersouation,
even walking part. with as much care "a
If he We're about to appear In first per-
Torrance Of Hamlet before a London
audience.
Mr.. Beerhohm Tree confesses that he
has bad memory. Il never sit down 30
learn part" he confesses. Il have "a nat
urally bad memory. though II has improved
of late, and my words just come TO ne IN
the theater as | read them. l do work
away from the theater, neither do | think
out things beforehand. for the simple rea-
that | am unable to-" From which
statement II IS fair inference that Mr..
Trees memory is not such a bad one after
all
Mr.. George Grossmiths memory is little
short of phenomenal. and Yet more han
one occasion It has failed him lameutab bly,.
Some years ago he giving entertain
ment before Queen Victoria at Balmoral,
and at her majesty's request sang his pop
ular song You Should See Me Dance too
Polka" He sailed Away smoothly enough
until he came toward the end Of the second
verse. when. although he had then SUM the
verse over 1000 times, he came to a lull
and ignomiuious stop. He continued play
ing in the hope that the words would como
to him but not a bit of it-they refuSri to
he had to begin the verse again before no
could SurmOuut the obstacle