The Washington times., 1906-06-03

Mason came into vGluebIe stage as
sociation. A letter from Barrett 10 Field
secured Mason a pOsILoa in the Bos-
ton Museum stock company in 1879 and
kept him there for five consecutive years
IN association with William Warren. the
last OF the famous old stock company
comedians. Annie Clarke. Charles Bar
roE. and players Of like versatility and
capacity The first five years OF Mr..
IasOn's career az the Boston Museum
is regarded by him as the most valuable
period IN the formation Of his stage
career In ISss r left the Museum tenn
porarily6 TO JOS a NJ PaIner's stock
company at tIe old Union Square Thea
ter. when f. was launched by the late
Steele Mackaye anu Gustave Frohmar.
the father OF Charles and Daniel Froh-
EIaU He was in the original cast Of
7 -ko-ar.'' a version by Mackaye Of
Georges OhneJs lie Maifre de Forges."
tie play With which the Lyceum curtain
was rG--.< up on E.pril 6. ISS5- The cast
on the evening Of the brilliant opening
included Viola Allen. Sadie Martinot.
Emma Sheridan. Laura Johnson. the
beautiful Geo-gianpa Roberts, Maud
Banks, Mary Saunders. Robert Nianteu.
who soon afterward became a star. the
late Joseph Frankau. and John Mason
Mr.. Mason after that went hack 20 the
Boston Museum. where he served an
other five years. except during the sea
son Of ISIS. which he spent with Nat
GOODWIN in Turned Up" In 1890 he left
the museum on account Of the death of
his mother and went abroad for rest and
recuperation. While there he was sought
by George Alexander, manager Of the
~
20 become a men Der Of the company
then being formed for the original pro-
duction OF The Idier.'' Mason consent
ed to serve and was the only American
in an English cas; playing the only
American part in the play. that of
Simeon Strong. which made one OF the
hits OF the production The way the
English managers wished the part played
would have been an exaggerated bur-
Iesaue On the character. That was not
becaus,. they wished 10 burlesque the
a., part, but because they did not have a
! clear under standing Of American char
| acter ana conditions Mason played in
this part sncre than 100 nights and intro
| duced 20 the LONDON stage an American
/ type never svv2 there before
! Upon his retur 10 America he toured
! in "The Tar ana the Tartar" Friend
Fritz" md other pieces. and after vari-
| Gus ventures he was engaged TO create
| the -arf nf Drake in the original prOduc-
/ tiOr The Christian" He then re-
| ioin- Lyceum Stock Company. tax
! ing ; organs part OF John Wrench
/ in %" .aey of the Wells" and Gre
| ated ant roles N Wheels Within
| Whe- "fhe Interrupted Honey
/ moon e Ambassador" in which he
/ was the lbassador. and Lady Hunt
worth's Experiment" After starring in
] TIE Altar of Friendship he appeared
| with Elsie De Wolfe in The Way OF
| the World" until Miss Annie Russell
was to be starred in Mice and Men,
! when ne Joined the company OF the lat-
ter for the original production OF Ihe
/ play when made at the National TheateT
] here Since leaving Mice and Men, IN
/ which he played nearly two seasons, Mr..
/ Mason has been Mrs. Ffske leadlns
| man, creating the parts OF Eilert Low
/ berg in 'Hedda Gabler." and the ele-
CANT Paul SYLVAN in Leah kleschna,
in addition TO appearing IN her revival
/ Of Becky Sharp" and in Dolce. one
act piece by John Luther Long, and -
| Light from St. Agnes" one OF Mrs.
| Fiske's one-acT plays which created e
( profound sensation in New York.