Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-04
GREATLY ADMIRES
MARTYR PRESIDENT
BENJAMIN CHAPLIN NEVER TO
PLAY ANOTHER ROLE
vote His Stage Career to Exem-
plying Character of Abra-
ham Lincoln

Clad in a long khaki colored dressing
gown and seated before his dressing room
mirror at the Orpheum, Benjamin Chap
in was making up" for his Lincoln
sketch.
Not having known Chaplin previously
the interviewer had a sort of idea that
the Lincolnesque whiskers and hair that
accompany Chaplin onto the stage were
Indigenous to Chaplin. Not so. They're
phony. The interviewer knows, having
watched the process of donning them.
"I did grow a beard once" said Chap
in, "but did not wear 1t long. 1t looked
all right except that it was a little sparse.
AS to the hair, about half the time L
play with my own hair. l did SO all last
season. But it Is hard on the hair and
takes longer to arrange than wig
After adjusting wig and whiskers the
next operation was to build a ridge of put
ty on the nose to make it of Lincolnesque
proportions. The heavy eyebrows were
then outlined and the eyes deepened un-
til they looked wearily out of their shad-
owy hollows. Last came the lines or
care in the cheeks, and though the visitor
had watched the transformation, a sort
of reverence wel,ed UP into his irreverent
bosom for the moment, so like was the
resemblance to the ideal.
Disclaims Resemblance
BENJAMIN Chaplin discaims any person
al resemblance to Abraham Lincoln, but
he is perhaps the worst possible judge.
He has the same gaunt figure, the same
height. the same shoulders, the same
long swinging arms. His hair and eyes
are a replica of the presidents and his
only makeup is a slight ridge OF putty
added to the nose.
4I,1t CT
appearance is more than a suggestion or
Lincoln. yet when Mark Twain went be-
hind the scenes to meet the actor at the
Liberty theater in New York, his hrst
words were: "I am delighted to meet
YOU again. Mr.. President. You have
changed very little in all these years.
To the ordinary observer the resem-
blance, both on and off the stage, Is re-
markable.
Chaplin Is enthusiastic on one sup1ect
only. He will talk, If you insist, on any
of the ordinary topics of the day. pul /
YOU wish to see real enthusiasm intro
duce the subject of Lincoln in any as
meet historical, political, personal. Cnap-
in knows that such things as pasepaH,
politics. railways and trusts exist today
but thew are only incidents recalling mat
ters that concern Lincoln.
..It was not with the object of playing
the role of Licoln that l began the IN
innate study of his life and character
said the actor. '"The play was an AFTER
thought an inspiration born of my love
for the subject
"Don,t vou think YOU are treading on
dangerous ground in presenting the char-
acter on the stage before he mas IKE
Napoleon and Washington, faded INTO the
past; while there are thousands VINO naVe
intimate and personal memories OF the
man which might be offended by your
view of his character was asked
LincoIn's Friends Approve
"Thst has frequently been suggested
yes r have been criticised on that very
ground. but to offset that L have the
stronr Endorsement of men who were
very close to the president. -.
"But the greater part of the criticism
concerns insignificant detail of dress. one
critic recently drew attention TO the hrh
buttons which 1 wear at times. now,
there is no authentic record or the Klnu
~ cuff buttons that Lincoln wore and at
fret took great pains to use the old
foshioned buttons instead OF the more
rscent-as I thought them-links. But
ono dav was told by man who was a
leader in Washington society In Lincoln 5
tin,a that the links were worn then as
now The hat and collaR that, wear are
conied from Lincoln's own. Inc clothes
are patterned after those which ne wore
and which are still preserved.
"The presentation of Tad Lincoln IN
,ieutenant's uniform has also been crli-
cised. Yet it is true that little rad was
actually a lieutenant. 1t was probably
as a Joke that Lincoln sent his son with
a note to Stanton saying: Please nave
the bearer appointed lieutenant,
whether the matter was taken seriously
or whether it was to make the joke worth
while, the fact is that Stanton actually
appointed Tad a lieutenant, ana nau
a uniform made for him. This was tne
outcome of the boys teasing his fatner
for a soldiers uniform.
Hair Is Correct
again many have wondered why
play Lincoln with black wig. Yet 1t Is
fact that when Lincoln was assassinated
he had not gray hair in his head
us this the first character you ever
played?" asked the interviewer.
'Yes. and 1t will be my last" was the.
answer "At any rate that is my pres-s
ent intention. do not love the profess
sion of an actor. 1 love Lincoln, and as