Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-25
OBSERVATIONS BY
A FIRST-NIGHTER

~ week will not be soon forgotten
by those fortunate enough to have seen
1t, once worked for Lincoln J. Carter.
Scott was younger then than he is now
and he is doing his best to live down
that fall from grace, but the fact re-
mains as a blot upon his theatrical
escutcheon.
Lincoln j., as you probably know,
was at one time the king bee sensa-
tionalist of Chicago His melodramas
paved the way for Theodore Kremer,
owen Davis, Hal Reid and the rest OF
them His greatest success was The
Fast Mail" a concoction that is said to
have made $4,000 in it's first season OF
forty-six weeks That fact may give
YOU an inkling Of just how bad 1t was,
measured from critical standpoint.
Finally Carter took The Fast Mall
to New York The highest salaried
actor in the company drew down $50 a
week. but the scenery and effects
made New Workers open their eyes in
amazement They f1ocked to the thea
ter, despite numerous newspaper
"roasts."
Now. Carter, for a man in his bust
ness. was particularly thin skinned and
when the papers said that he was
afraid to pay real money for real actors
he decided to show them. Chatta-
nooga was MS next pt :,
decided to present IL Win an al a.,
cast The play was to be put on In
Chicago. but Chicago actors werent
good enough Tor Lincoin d. d. ." IL
and he HE'D him to New York again.
there to secure the best the hiaito d
forded.
That was the year wilton haon na
had made his big hit as Svenball. CON
sequently Carter hired MIN TO pay ~
heavy" in Chattanoos 81
Richman had been leading man
Days, and he was secured LOT 'ne
Blanche Bates became ieao p. 800
edy role, oscar Eagle played tramp
and managed the stage, and Florence
Gerald. since famous as the creator OF
a character part in THE County Chalr-
man" was employed as the character
woman. There were one or two others
of almost equal prominence.
Back to Chicago went Carter and MS
all-stars. Then rehearsals began and
those Broadway actors had the time OF
their lives. In one scene Richman was
tied to post in an old barn by Lack
ave. who then proceeded to set the barn
afire. whereupon Oscar Eagle rushed In
and cut the ropes which bound him.
Lackaye wore a frock coat, surrounded
fours and a bowie knife. just WHAT
scott did or wore he has conveniently
forgotten. but he remembers Lackaye's
get-up and the wonderful acting Lack
ave did in his role.
This all-star cast was retained Just
two weeks. Then everyone of them
was fred and Carter hired another COM
many Of s25 a week transformers to
take their places With these people
he sent the piece on the road and
reoned more thousands. the newspaper
stories printed in Chicago during the
two weeks run serving him for press
stuff throughout the season
Speaking of Cyril Scott wonder II
any of you noticed how complete and
dainty little playlet the first act of
",The Prince Chap" made. Had the play
ended then and there 1t would have told
n complete and delightfully."- charming
story. BY this do not mean that the
last two acts were unenjoyable, or that
thew should have been omitted. but
merely that the first was complete in
itself. If Scott is ever tempted into
vaudeville he could scarcely do better
than to use this act in sketch form 1t
would require little. If any, tinkering
and haven't doubt in the world that
1t would ego big"
Claiming Pollock. who wrote "The Lit
tie GRAY Lady" this weeks offering at