The San Francisco call., 1908-08-30
LEFT AS POOR BOY;
WON FAME IN EAST
Noted Player Will Begin 9
Months Engagement Under
Belasco's Management
Departed From This City :
Score of Years Ago to Gain
SucceSS-and Succeeded

A score of years ago youth OIL ~
left the homes and friends he knew
since boyhood and went far INTO lne
east His family was poor, ana ne
was poor, and his comrades were lne
boys of the neighborhood that knew
no luxuries. Even an elementary edu-
cation had its high price, and was not
to be had without sacrifice and strus
gle. Yet the youngsters OF that n.lle
San Francisco street were happy. Ihey
played their games, they dreamed their
dreams, they worked hard, ana oe-
tween times. they snatched at the tree
| of knowledge.
There was a yearning among most OF
them for the atmosphere of the theater,
and for at least one it was not lne
mere lure of the cleaning lights. for
! this lad there was fascination IN the
shadows, too-in the lights and shaues
of the drama of life, but particular
fascination in the mirror that reieceeu
them.
The boy was always a dreamer IL
he could not dream his dreams IN the
green fields, under the open SKY, ne
was happy to be with the mimic WoIio'
when there was more to stimulate the
imagination. But even dreams are
luxury to some, for they consume tlIne
that otherwise might be more prac-
/ tically employed. 1t was loglcai.
therefore, that the dream boy shouio
seek employment where his magma
ton could be fed instead OF retaroeu'
So young David Warfeld, the dreamer,
became an usher in the Bush street
theater.
1t is here where many of the older
San Franciscans first saw David War
field, the smiling accommodating usner'
who was as polite as he was attentive.
Attentive until some scene on the stase
carried him far away into announcer idno
! "a land that only the soul eyes OF the
artist can see. So here in the dlnsy
| little theater the youth earned ms
| paltry wage; here he mingled with
/ the sons of old San Francisco; here
he saw the lights of far of World,
and here he builded his ethereal cas-
| ties and painted his canvases on the
| iridescent moonbeams of child poet
imaginings. When young WarneIo an
nounced that he was going TO leave
San Francisco the managers "eIs
sorry. for David was a good boy ana
attended properly to his duties.
nm .erHE BOYsv FAREWELL
1t was hard to say goodby to the
/ dark old walls, the mystic glow OF the
dim footlights; it was a fearful fare
well to the familiar streets and the
old home. When he shook hands with
two or three of "the boys" that were
dearest to him, it wasn't exactly
gleam of mirth that lurked behind the
/ tender smile And when his mother
! isissed him he wondered why she held
him so long-and how tightly she
clasped himl His own eyes could not
mass for some moments from the gray
! that was streaking his mothers halr
He had never noticed those gray
streaks so much before. Three thou
sand miles away he saw-those streaks
of gray.
Next Saturday night David Warheld
will arrive in San Francisco, after an
| engagement of two weeks and hall
in Denver. He will play at the Alcazar
| theater an engagement of four weeks,
under the direction of David Belasco,
his friend and manager, who gave him
his first part as star. He comes
back to his home city, which he LETT
a poor boy one of the most popular
actors in America. 1t is the opinion
of many that he is the greatest de-
! lineator of old men characters that the
modern stage has ever known.
Warfield is man of wealth. He is
! the recipient of the most remarkable
! ovations that any American actor has
| ever experienced. People stand in line
at the box Office for hours to buy tick
j cts to see him act; critics, artists, fell
low players and the theater attendin g
/ public hail his great art with loud
| acclaim. He has priceless art treasures
in his beautiful, homelike apartments
in New York city, where he lives.
DEFY THEATRICAL COMBINE"
David Warfield and David Belasco
have succeeded in defying a combina-
tion of theatrical managers who COM
pose one of the strongest trusts in the
history of American commerce-the
combination can scarcely be alluded to
as an artistic combine" Yet under
this brilliant covering. in the depth OF
that great artistic soul, beats the heart
of the David Warfield that those of old
| San Francisco knew more than a score
of years ago.
Do not be surprised If some of yor