The San Francisco call., 1908-12-20

and she was not exactly graceful She
was just a slip of a girl with burn
ing fire of ambition which she kept
locked and out Of sight But her
mother, Annie Adams, was member
of the same company That was at
the Stockwell theater, which later be-
came the Columbia. Annie Adams
played character roles and old
women's parts. 1t was 10 or 90 years
ago. Stockweu thinks, when Carrie
Clarke Ward, who was then an in
genue-how time niesi-was taken sud
denly ILL., Maude-little Maude, she
was then-knew the lines. and as no.
body else did she played the part Then
Stockwell raised her wages. She got
SIS week, and in the next piece. "si-
beria," was given the ingenue role.
1T was just the sort of a role which
fits Maude Adams to this day. 1t is
comedy dashed with sentiment. said
stockwell And we saw that Maude
Adams was an artist-that she had
that something called magnetism; that
she had brains. OF course, we could
not keep her long. She fitted east.
lured there by Duncan Harrison's bet
ter offer. He took mother and daugh-
ter. But I did not forget the impress
sion the little girl had made in her.
first speaking and acting role. and
later something came of my recollec-
tions of her art.
Meanwhile I produced for the first
time on any stage Charley Hoyt's "A
Midnight Bell Hoyt was an un-
known then, but the success of the play
was enormous. Hoyt wanted the piece
back and I wanted his second play, "A
Texas Steer so we traded, and 1 went
to New York to assist in the produc-
tion there of "A Midnight Bell
Hoyt was perturbed about who to get
for the soubrettish role of Dot There
was Loie Fuller, who was then a be-
ginner; and there were several others
now notable, but none seemed to suit
Hoyt
why not Maude Adams? I suggest
ed to Hoyt She had just arrived in
New York with Harrison's production
of The Paymaster,' and Hoyt saw her.
That's how Maude Adams became Dot
Frohman saw her and waited for two
years till her contract with Hoyt ex-
pired, then he took her and she has
been a Frohman star and popular
favorite ever since.
Mckee Rankin was handsome
fellow % years ago. You would stop
and turn around to get another glimpse
of his stalwart figure, black piercing
eyes and military carriage 1t was
worth going distances to see him and
John Mccullough together on Broad
way, for they were great friends. OF
course ]. with my Romeo heart and my
comic singers face, cut a poor figure
in their company, but they tolerated
me, and maybe found me good contrast.
They were great men in those days; I
was not much to brag about, but we
made a congenial trio.
~One day l met them on Broadway.
They were both in a highly exhilarated
mood. / had not seen Mccullough SO
joyful for a long, time. He had been a
bit hard up, you see. Of course / re-
sponded to McCullough's invitation and
over the wine the story of the good
luck came out.
william Ralston had always been
a great admirer of Mccullough He
had furnished funds to open the old,
old California theater for Mccullough,
you know, and they had been pals
in this city. After leaving San Fran
cisco for the east McCullough's bad
luck set in. Like a receding tide, his
funds ran out and left him fat broke. !
He thought of Ralston and wondered
If the banker would help the actor: SO
he wired him as follows: May / draw
on you for SCOOP
Here's the answer, said McCul- !
Tough, showing telegram across the
table to me- Yes, dear john, read the
message. 100000 if you need it,
Mccullough was celebrating the
wire"
Here's a Hoyt story. 1T will interest
actors" said Stockwell
''They were rehearsing for the sec
ond season of "A Milk White Flag
Mitchell was the stage manager One !
of the girls had been in the production
the season before and Mitchell was
making some changes in the staging |
which didn't please her. Formerly she |
had been in front and near the center; /
now she was in the second row Of |
beauties and almost out of sight in a |
corner. Her protest was audible and
visible to Hoyt, who wandered into the
theater. He waited until the young
lady's wrath had spent itself, and the /
stage manager who was deaf had !
answered as much as he wanted to of |
her tirade; then Hoyt yelled, please |
tell that young woman that have per-
sonally inspected the stage It is as |
strong in the corner as it is in the |
center, and she will be perfectly safe
where she is"
Stockwell was with Hoyt when tl1el
latter married Caroline Miskeli Hoyt. !
Bert Dasller, Peter Blow and SfockweIl
went at once to Hoyt's home in Charles
town, the New Hampshire Charles
town. where Flora Walsh, Hoyt's first |
wife had been the idol of the town.
II. r,i..f ltrs ,sn1.oI fIal. xstaIls. laf 4l.lnl