Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-24
BY BESSIE BEATTY

BY BESSIE BEATTY
A LMOST any actor might be par
II doned if he hesitated when such
a question was fired at him, but
the retiring leading man of the Bur-
bank stock company and the leading
duce an answer.
Are you a matinee idol?' 1 de-
manded of Mr.. Greenleaf, numerically
II should like to be-" he responded
in a rich, manly voice, accompanied by
a smile which bespoke perfect poise.
"And you, Mr.. Desmond-are you a
matinee idol?"
Sure / am" came back the quick
and characteristic response from the
Billy" whom hundreds, nay thousands
of girls have raved about since that
day, ages ago, when BILLY" with the
brown eyes and black, black hair first
made love to the heroine on the Bur-
bank stage.
The answers were characteristic of
the two men-the one reserved and
possessing a manly quiet, the other,
open-frankly conscious of his position
and not ashamed to admit it.
1t was after the performance of THE
Halfbreed" Friday evening.
Mr.. Desmond had just come off the
stage with the love of the heroine and
the applause of the gallery ringing in
his ears, while poor Mr.. Greenleaf had
gone to the ignoble gallows tree, carry
ing his own hangman's moose. He came
out of the ordeal flourishingly and was
just preparing to remove the makeup
when l unceremonio lsly Interrupted
with the question.
Seldom does 1t happen that retiring
leading man and his successor appear
in leads in the same lst, but such is
the case in 1.-The Halfbreed,' The two
men, bitter enemies in the play, are,
off the stage. the greatest friends. They
dress in the same dressing room, enjoy
the same sports and spend most of
their spare time together.
Say Welcome and Farewell
The audience that says farewell to
William Desmond extends welcome to
his successor.
1t is a case of off with the old love
and on with the new fcr the matinee
GIRL and yet, judging by a little con-
versation l overheard the other day,
NJ. Desmond is not to be entirely for
gotten.
IT don't know anything about Mr..
Greenleaf, but do know he will have
to be awfully, awfully nice if he is to
take Billy 7 esmond's place. Why, l
have had the same seats here every
Saturday for a whole year" said a
typical matinee girl, and her compan-
ions agreed with her.
To go back to the dressing room.
When he stands alone William Des-
mond looks like big man, but beside
Mace Greenleaf he appears to be small.
The fame of Mr.. Desmond's muscle
long ago went abroad. k.nent this he
had story TO tell
Pals for Years
"Mace and | have been pals for the
last six years." he said. "He is about
the only person on tie stage / ever
chummed with except my wife, but 1t
was the strangest thing the way we
came to know each other
1T was in Pittsburg. 1 vas playing
in the Quo Vadis' company and Mace
was in the Pittsburg stock at the
Grand opera house. One day ] heard
that he made come sort of remark about
my muscle. either complimentary or
otherwise, but the friend who over
heard 1t and told me seemed to think
it was a slam. 1 was hot-headed and
in a minute / was ready 20 fight a
dozen Mace Greenleafs.
THAT was before / met him.
THAT afternoon I went to the tn lter.
He was the leading man there, but l
did not care what he was.
II want to see you, Mr.. Greenleaf, "
l demanded at tho stage door, and then
l waited. Pretty soon he came out.
l gave one look at him.
II beg pardon, were you looking
for me?' he said.
He Was So Big
Yes old pal. I'm glad to know you
He was so big / forgot all about my
crouch and from that time IN we were
friends. We shook hands and then we
went ~ the pluh Neithar NJ MS drank