Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-15
DaSheS Into House
WhereDynamite
Threatens
Rescues Precious Book
and Runs for
Safety
Thrilling Incident In History of Great
Drama Which Will Be Produced
at the Burbank This
Afternoon

I1arry IL. Cottrell, the playwright, who
rar the gauntlet of half dozen rifles
in the hands of reckless miltiamen in
order to save a manuscript, the plny
'The Halfbreed," around which so
much interest centers, would mt have
been produced at the Burbank theatcr
today-perhaps it might never have
seen the light.
The play, which everyone knows was
written by oliver Morosco and Harry
Cottrcll. was in Il very primitive state
on the eighteenth of April Just hctore
that time Harry Cottrell, who was in
San Francisco, received the scanerio
from Manager Morosco of the Bur
bank. The gers plans for the
play had been carefully worked out and
skeleton made so that his colleague
might go to work on 1T at once.
On the morning of the 18th, that
"Wednesday which dawned upon day
fraught with an awful tragedy Harry
Cottrell, like all the others of his San
Francisco brothers. was driven from
his house by the first shock of earth
quake. He gave no thought to any
of his possessions until later in the
day when the soldiers gave the COM
mand to dynamite the house in which
he had lived.
idJ"l iSiii Lie
There was not a minute to spare.
Everyone out of the way!" was the
command.
Mr. Cottrell remembered the play.
He made a dash for the houseS but two
soldiers caught and held him. For a
second their attention was called in
another direction and the playwright
made a second attempt to gain the
property that was more than life to
him. Just as he was entering the
house some one caught sight of him
and commanded him to come back.
Instead of needing the command he
dashed up the stairs to his desk,
snatched the manuscript and was on
the first floor again and out of the
doomed house.
In less than a minute there was an
awful explosion. The deadly dynamite
had done it's work, but the playwright
had saved his copy.
With a heart that was light Harry
Cottrell worked like every other San
Francisco man, throwing bricks or
bringing aid to the injured. But all
the time he was happy, for the seem
ario was securely buttoned in an inside
pocket of his coat. At night it re-
posed with it's owner in Golden Gate
park along with other treasures res
cued from the flames.
At the first opportunity Mr.. Cottrell
came to Los Angeles, and he has been
working on the play ever since.
In it are the highest hopes of him
self and oliver Morosco.
Play Opens Today
Today their efforts will be placed be-
fore the people. and whether the
crowning reward of success or the bit
ter sorrow of failure is to be only the
hour can say. From all Indications
one would judge that the play is to
be a tremendous success. Certain it
is that the manager of the Burbank
and all his assistants have spared no
effort. Every member of the company
is enthusiastic and each is deter
mined to do his or her best to make
the production a finished one.
Fifty extra people have been en-
gagged and all have been rehearsing
early and late.
The play deals with a romance of
the Indian territory, though there is
only one full-blooded Indian in the
cast. Several of the leading parts
have been written around the person
alities of the men and women who will
assume the roles. and this fact should
insure a Well-cast production.
Desmond Has Good Part
Mace Greenleaf, the new leading
man who has come to Los Angeles to
take the place of William Desmond
while Mr.. Desmond goes to New York
to open on Broadway in The Judge
and the Jury" is deeply impressed
with the part in which he will make
his initial bow to Los Angeles. He
will be the Halfbreed,
There are two leading roles, and
William Desmond will assume one as
Ross Kennion. The part is particular
ly to his liking. Harry Glazier's lit
tie son will make his debut as a Los
Angeles actor, and he and Mr.. Des-
mond will have several scenes to-
gether.
Miss Blanche Halls Evelyn ought
to be numbered among her most win
some representations, for the dainty
little leading woman was in the minds
of Mr. Morosco and Mr.. Cottrell all
during the writing of the part. II. j.
CHM has a role which should afford
a chanc for good character work, and
Brenda Fowler will be seen in a part
which should he well suited to her.
Mr.. Montrose Composes Music
/, Della Pringle, who is in Los Angeles
on a vacation attended a rehearsal of
the play the other day and asked to-
be given the part of Mariana, a maid,
Miss Pringle travels with her own
company and had made up her mind
not to do a bit OF work this summer
until she saw the rehearsal 81 would
just like to create that role" she said,
and thus she is going to do 1t.
BY no means tht least interesting
part of the performance should be the
music, which has been composed by
Joseph Montrose. Mr.. Montrose sur
prised everyone when he composed the
beautiful music for THE Judge and
the Jury" and much of the "Mizpah"
music so that much is expected of
him this time. Julius Bierlich is re-
joicing In the possession OF an espe-
cially large orchestra.
The mechanical portion of the pro-
duction was built by William Jarrett
assisted by his regular staff. while
Fred Miller whose freely scene in