The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-08-31


|Rip Van Wrinkle in the "Never-Never
Land"
Poor Beaul We never shall see his
like again. Dramatic columns will
TEEN with the names Of candidates
for the mantle of Mansfield; but,
indeed. the true artists are scarce
nowadays. As in all lines of activity
these modern times the general av-
erage among the players is higher,
but few stand out prominently above
their fellows. But aside from this,
no one can take the place of an art
list like Mansfield; for he had inji-
lviduality, a quality that can not be
duplicated. His was a nature above
the common level of mankind. Those
who knew him best and were most
closely associated with him, loved
him. Mansflelds fame for developing
stars from among his leading women,
was second only to his personal art
and his stage craft. He was exactins
in the minutest detail of his actors,
and those, who obeyed him, won his
regard and became masters or mis-
.tresses Of their art. Others less dill
gent, but possessed of business acu-
men, conspired with Mansheld's own
press agents to give him a reputation
for Feasibility wholly undeserved.
But these are matters, with which
the public has no concern, aside from
natural curiosity about the pri-
yate life Of one with whom they were
so well acquainted on the stage.
Mansfield was an extravagant produc-
er, grand actor and worker for
arts sake. IL will be interesting to
learn how big an estate the Mans
field left. His audiences everywhere
were the largest that greeted any
regular star. He might have amassed
an immense fortune playing an an
nual round, of Beau Brummel. Pari-
sian Romance, Prince Karl and
Richard Ill, but he spent money law
ishly producing pieces, that In some
cases, he knew would not attain the
popularity Of his famous characters.
His very love Of his art impelled him
TO the financial sacrifice. He may not
actually have been money out of
pocket on the ventures, but he null
iiplied his expenses and divided his
profits.
Methods and customs initiate
against the development of actors
like Mansfield. They are commercial
ly exploited now by a trust, like SUI
gar, steel and Standard oil When
an actor attains popularity in a role
on account of some physical charm,
that settles him as long as his popu-
larity remains. He is fitted with a
custom made play. by a writer skill
ed in the business, who studies the
actor, instead of making the actor
study the part. Consequently, devel-
opment is retarded, versatility sacri-
feed and Intellectually stunted. The
actors become nothing more than de-
tails of a production, in which the
scenery and properties play just as
important parts.
Fiouted by managers, because of
his lack Of physical charms, Kissed
in his early efforts by unsympathetic
audiences, kept down to minor roles.
until his indefatigible genius assert
ed itself, in spite Of or by virtue of
his impediments. Mansheld's art was
rugged as the skill Of the backwoods-
men, his self-confdence drilled in to
his very being by conquest over ad-
versity, and his love Of his art
strengthened by the early cruelty
with which the muse met his ad-
vances.
Beau Brummel, King Richard
Prince Karl, Baron Chevrial-these
are dead.