The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-10-06
Actors Assume Physically the Parts
They Garry On the Stage

Does an actor assume the character
istics Of the character he plays? Yes
and no. Physically | contend he does,
mentally I maintain he does not. AS
the seal leaves its impression on warm
wax so does the assimilation OF CHAR
acter leave it's indelible imprint upon
the subject that reflects it, and the
more the actor absorbs the charac-
teristcs of the character the more
outward evidence he is sure to dis
play l do not mean to convey by this
that the actor while playing a part
must for the time being, live the char
acter oh no, / have upon many oc-
casions expressed my negative views
upon this subject therefore 1t is I'M
necessary TO refer to that here, but
do mean, that by constantly depicting
the eccentricities or Municipalities OF
a certain part the actor inconsciously
imbibes portion of that artific, and it
hourly develops until it assumes the
proportion of a reality. Now this real
ity may be the result of study, affec-
tation, association, or even assimila-
ton, although the latter cases are rare,
nevertheless there are cases upon rec
ord that disclose the fact that this alb
normal development was acquired by
assimilation.
| can cite many instances where the
physical man has undergone a COM
plete metaomrphosis by specializing a
certain line of work Numerically OPP
posite to the field of effort in which
he had previously labored. One friend
of mine in particular. who but few
years ago devoted his labors to the
field of light comedy, changed to the
heavier methods of Shakesperian dra-
ma, with the result that today this
comparatively young man has aged to
a degree of stoicism that is positively
appalling. He takes his stage life
home with him and lives his charac-
tiers off the stage to the extent that
he has become an old man. Another
gentleman l know, who has achieved
such phenomenal success in a cerain
Characterization on Broadway where
he has been playing for over two years,
that he has become SO thoroughly i'm
bued with his character study that on
the street you can single him out as the
actor who plays that part, simply by
his assumption of the outward mani
festations of the character he essays
professionally.
Now years ago this was not so much
in evidence as it is today, this state
ment l make advisedly notwithstand-
ing the shopworn idea that the old
time actor, acted off the stage as well
as on. l have been an actor for forty
two years and know whereof 1 speak.
In these days when all branches of the
professional life specialize-medical
legal or histrionic-the constant asso-
citation with one line of work must
naturally leave its imprint upon the
practitioner. In the days gone by
when the actor had to assume all
kinds of characters. Things were differ
ent, then he had no timehrdluhrdluu
thoroughly permeated with one char
acter that any outward manifesto
ton was visible. Now we live in an
era of types it is not a question of
can You play the part, it is question
of do you look it?
In the modern school there is no
curriculum, no fundamental basis to
go by. In my young days the actor had
to act, there was no excuse for a bad
actor. Now the general trend of things
is to go to types. Actors and actresses
are passed before scrutinizing eyes
seeking types in much the same man.
ner as a flock of sheep is passed upon
at the stock yards. A few are selected
and the balance cast aside because
they are not peculiarly fitted to the
SJCNOR DE CAPRIO