Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-10
NOTES BY THE
MATINEE MAN

editor again, and the sprightly
- Belasco News is once more to be
seen about the streets and in the bou-
doirs, where it is keenly read and en-
joyed. Jack ought to be real editor;
he is a graduate of the pastepot and
typewriter, anyhow; and his journal
istic ventures are always sure to be
we'll received. l see that he takes a
| fall out of his and my very good
friend, Otherman Stevens, in his open
ing number. 1 suppose Julian Johnson
will get it next. 1t is Jacks chance to
get even and no one can complain,
least of all his chief worries, the
critics.
\ Henry Russell is a mighty small
man to carry the burden of a great
opera company about on his shoulders.
He is so small, In fact, that he was
generally overlooked when he stood
about the rink last week and heard
his wonderful songbirds warble. But
| what Russell doesn't know about grand
opera isn't worth while. In fact, he
is the only impresario in the United
States today who stages and produces
his own shows. Conried is player,
but he doesn't know music when he
meets it in the road; Hammersteiu
/
actor and a musician of high class.
When he wants singer he doesn't
have to take any ones word for that
singers ability: he calls the warbler in
and listens. Then he knows, and his
decision is beyond cavil. He discov-
cred Constantine, and the worth of that
one find" is inestimable. Mr. Russell
is also a gentleman of many parts and
a delightful fellow all around I en-
| iOUa5 ratooxvi11or ir1fo xarit n
him; it is an honor to know such a
man.
John Daily Murphy, who joins the
Belasco forces, is going to surprise some
people in this town. L first knew Muir
ply when, as a youngster-he isn't
much else yet, by the way-he played
in an eastern summer stock company
in park. His ability to do character
work then was astonishingly good and
he has improved it since; so his re-
hearsals show. But how he turns his
boyishness into the similitude of senil
| ity is still a marvel to me, though
have stood by and seen him do it.
Another friend of mine is Eleanor
Carey, who will also add her talents
to the Belasco organization. I don't
know her so well, but have seen her
| in stock work back east and she cer-
tainly made good. Blackwood seldom
makes a failure in selections, by the
way-but if you want to arouse his
ire, mention Isabelle Evesson!
Speaking of eccentric and odd make
ups, l know two girls who will sur
prise you when they come here with
Mrs. Wiggs" this week. They are
mistresses of delusion in this respect.
Among the types which provoke the
heartiest laughter in Mrs. Wiggs" are
Mrs. Elchorn, the neighborhood cross
patch, who is built like a toothpick,
and Mrs. Schultz, the neighborhood
censor. who is constructed like bale
of hay. Both are played by young
women, and neither has to do much
making up for the parts. Miss Helen
Raymond, the tall and emaciated Mrs.
Eichorn, is 23 years old, just six feet
in height and weighs only 105 pounds
She is the despair of modistes who
seek to drape her with smart gowns.
Miss Anna Field, on the other hand,
who plays Mrs. Schultz, is "a years
of age, 5 feet in height and weighs 245
pounds. She doesn't use an ounce of
padding in making up for the part
she doesn't need any save what nature
gives her-and the audience usually
determines after more or less close
scrutiny that her shape is all her own.
Though in the play the young women
are more or less cross and quarrel
some, they are of the sunniest dispo-
sition imaginable Off the stage, and are
peacemakers among the children of the
Cabbage Patch. They travel together
and share apartments and in the COM
pany arc known as the Extremist
Sisters" Though each finds her earn
ing capacity increased by her physical
popularity, Miss Raymond consumes
fattening foods and Miss Field diets
herself. They are aiming at a common
halfway point, but with Indifferent
success.
I'm sorry / said what did about the
Marlborough girls gossiping at the Be
lasco matinees; / understand the Pen-
dragon who runs the school objects