Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-01
NOTES BY THE
MATINEE MAN
taaa..sN.Es..s..f..t.F.tas.H.

shrine of amusement.
| Matinee days are dress parades for
the women and have their uses out
side of the demands of the Thespians.
| Merchants and business men therefor
| look upon the matinee as an institu-
| tion to be fostered and encouraged.
| They want to see the women out OF
doors, because when woman goes out
she buys. The theater proves a force
for commercial good. Seeing others
means envying their possessions-the
word seems harsh, but is correct
and the dear sisters dearly love to
make displays of their finery before
and after the matinee and in the play
house between curtains. Envy means
a desire for emulation.
Do I blame them? Not at all. Life
is but a show for mortals in which
some have favored parts and others
mere chorus work
Thus having unused some by way of.
introduction / commend this column as
the observations of one man.
Nat Goodwin has had the hardest
| season he has experienced since he be-
came successful star. Last fall, in
quick succession. he had two failures.
| The first was "The Beauty and the
Barge" a comedy brought over from
| the other side. The second was the
dramatizaton of AL Lewis Wolfville
stories. Both were costly. Then Good
! win went over to London. He revived
some of his old plays, relying chiefly
| on "a Gilded Fool" but he had to close.
| Conflicting rumors attend him now.
| Recently it was reported that he was to
| make a long jump from London to Chi
cago and was to appear in a new play
| in the latter city, with a raging beauty
from the English chorus girl ranks as
his leading woman. Now this is denied,
and it is said that he is to try it again
| sibly new play or two. Goodwin's bad
| luck commenced with his expensive
| production of "a Midsummer Nights
Dream and his attempt to star as Nick
| Bottom. That was FOOLS fancy, and
most everybody knew that 1t was before
Goodwin found it out. 1t is almost
wholly matter of plays.
The death of Edward J. Morgan, the
| actor, and husband of Helen Bertram,
reminds Los Angeles playgoers and
theatrical people that it was David
Belasco who gave the young man his
| first real opportunity. 1t was when
Mr.. Belasco was preparing to produce
| 1.-The Heart of Maryland" ten years ago.
He wanted someone to represent the
headstrong southern spy, and it was
requisite that the actor should have, be-
| sides youth and good physique,
boundless energy and strong voice.
All these qualities were combined in
young Morgan. He had been playing
a small part in Shenandoah" Mr..
Belasco, with his unerring discernment
in all matters connected with the stage,
had recognized the promise in the young
| man. Morgan was crude, but there was
talent which only needed development.
MIR. Belasco coached him thoroughly i'll
| his character in 1.-The Heart of Mary
land" and soon critics and public be-
gun to recognize him as coming
man." Later he became member OF
the old Lyceum stock company, and
eventually was it's leading man. MI.
Morgan never forgot what he owed to
David Belasco.
George NJ. Cohan-the man who
claims to have originated the "23 for
you" expression-has been immortal
lied by having a club formed in his
honor known as THE 23." A party OF
leading theatrical managers of New
York, so Len Behymer tells me. held
a "beefsteak" in honor of Conan.
Those receiving invitations were re-
quested to appear shortly after mid
night made up in funny hats and false
Whiskers. A. l.. Erlanger, who led the
party, entered with large black
beard and tiny plug hat; Marc Klaw,
his partner, covered his own beard
with blue whiskers" and had a large
feather stuck in his hair. A. w. Ding
wall wore a Spanish sombrero. Frank
Mckee a Chinese hat Sam II. Harris
an Uncle Sam plug hat, Charles Os-
good tam O. shanter and Otis Har-
Ian "a Scotch cap. William Harris made
a speech and proposed to start per-
manent organization to be known as
the Twenty-three club in honor Of
Cohan, who is responsible for making
that popular expression famous. The
suggestion was Immediately carried
unanimously. The following were elect
ed officers: A. L. Erlanger, president;
Marc Klaw, vice president; A. w.
Dingwall, treasurer; Sam H. Harris,
corresponding secretary; Frank Me-
Kee financial secretary; Charles Os-
good, sergeant at arms.
; Harry Bulger, the comedian with
Pixley & Luders' Woodland" once
told Press Agent Bartlett of the Or
pheum of an lrishman noted Tor his
droll answers.
This Irishman had friend call ON
him at his shack who was greatly in
terested concerning a brick upon the
mantelpiece, around which was tied
ribbon, and inside the ribbon a faded
bunch of flowers.
whats the brick for, Mike?" asked
his friend.
ooh, it's brick 1 got against my
head at the last election replied
Mike.
Whats the little f1owers?' pointing
to the little nosegay.
Said Mike. smoking: Those are
from the grave of the man who threw
the brick
A professional matinee of "The Gal
loper" Richard Harding Davis farce,
in which Raymond Hitchcock is ap-
pearing with great success, was ten
dered to the members of the profess
sion and friends of the stage at the
Garden theater, New York, on a recent
| Tuesday. Among the well-known fac
tors of the stage who occupied boxes
were FRITZ Scheff, Maude Adams,
Francis Wilson, Ethel Barrymore,
David Warfield and William Faver-
sham. Also noticed in the audience
were Frances Ring, Gertrude Quinlan
and other prominent players in the
different successes about town.
Manager Rowe of the Norris e Rowe