The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-15
POWER OF The PHANTOM rs.
1T BRINGS FAME TO THE AUTHOR
AND THE ACTRESS,
willow WeApsS Drama May Never Really
he Acted. but II serves 10 Interest
Society In Him and 10 Attract Atton-
tlOn 70 Nine. knOekemOvA, the star.

'You must meet Mr.. Willow Wsaps,' said
the hostess. Hes there in the corner with
the teacup in his hand. With the long hair.
yes. He's the young poet who wrote that
play for Mime. Knookemova, Very tai
ented, everybody says
This little note, critical and explanatory
~ 70 the personality Of Mr.. Willow Weaps,
travels about the room all the afternoon.
Every hears II al abe enters the
room. MIR, Weaps 10 easily the lion OF
that gathering.
do introduce me to him. murmured
one woman. Il want TO talk TO him about
Mime. K~nockemova.'
Interesting az he lie TO the guests. his glory
10 reflected from the more brilliant person
atty Of the Bohemian actress who happens
10 have New York's attention Just At the
time, Everywhere the young author goes
he IL introduced as the person responsible
for the new play, That turns conversation
at once 10 the subject Of the interesting
foreigner who has accepted the drama.
Never saw her. said bluntly one uni
'KnookemovaY What a name. Don't be-
lleve I ever heard Of her
well. you're very much behind the
times came from her companion. shes
perfectly splendid. She's the greatest
Ibsen actress | ever saw. She's much
better in other plays, though, where she has
a chance to dress up more
"I1l 20 20 see her then, comes the an
swer. 'lll try to go tonight II she's 50
wonderful as all that
Thus rolls the ball hat makes for the
greater glory Of Nine. Knockemova. or
course she has no right TO complain Of any
process by which she is made better known
to the public.
The young literary fellow who is being
dragged around from one eager hostess %
another is so far famous only for this play.
II IL not al all probable II will he acted,
II may never have been completed. But
that does not interfere with the success Of
the scheme by which the shrewd actress
and in a less degree the authormay benefit
by judicious dissemination Of the news
that a play written by the one is TO he acted
by the other.
4 have known one Of these so-called
phantom manuscripts to be hanky-pankied
through a whole season y said a cold bloOded
theatre manager, 'and then successfully
carried over into a second year.
The scheme is much more valuable 70
a strange celebrity than a native. II makes
her talked about among people who other
wise might not hear of her except in the
conventional way all actresses are written
up. But to meet a man who has written n
play for a remote, interesting personality,
and thus had the opportunity to become
acquainted with her. IL better and more
di"rct advertising than columns in a news
paper,
so this little game Of the author and
the actress never fails to be played with
more or less success every year. There
is another phase of il that bears still better
truit, but II ia more difficult and the actress
has som work 70 do. That is persuading
her to come to tea
In this game ii is again the author who
is the object Of the attack.
BE polite to that young Willow Neaps,
saws the knowing hostess, and he may be
able to get Knockemoys to come to your
house. He knows her very well, writes
all her plays or something Of that kind, and
took her uucr Ia the Bughunte"s' TO tea.
II you're nice tu him he may bring her
to your house
Being rice includes inviting him to din
nr". ar course there are practically no
other subjects 81 discussion than the play
and the actress and the young mans ac-
puatntance " tn her.
This awakens in the hearts Of those who
have not seen her. the desire u behold this
wonderful person, The chances are that
ali tll guests will buy tickets and go soon
to the theatre
When the actress learns that there ia a
hostess longing To meet her and invite d
few friends in ~ make her acquaintance
a few real society swells Of the kind that
are certain to he Of advantage to her she
NAV 20 tO this house for half an hour
some afternoon. The arrangement is Ger
tain to be- of advantage to all parties.
The hustcss gets a lion into her clutches
for a day. the actress makes the aCquaint-
ance Of persons who are likely 20 take more
interest in her for that reason. and the
authors fame spreads and nipples further
overthe little pond in which he figures,
Il have known cases in which the manu-
script was passed on 10 another actress,
said the same mana ger 10 THF SUN% reporter.
"and for a second season brought fame Ia
the author and advertising to the new
woman This game has certain complica-
tions. however, and is for that reason more
difficult to play.
The author stands in the foreground.
The year before he had figured az the young
writer who had succeeded in writing a play
for an actress already famous. The sec
ond year he Is the author who refused TO
allow his play to be acted and took ii away
from the woman who posed the year before
as a protectress Of young genius.
eff she had "A sucCpasful season in New
York the year before, the chances are nine
out Of ten that she has gone on the road the
next year. SO the author will be perfectly
safe in allowing il to be understood hat he
and Nine. knoCkemOva could not agree as
to her conception of the hercine's charac-
ter: that she would not listen to his direc-
tons, aud that rather than have his play I
changed 10 suit the stars ideas he com
PEELED her to return II.
Now he has consented to let the other
actress have Il because she was 80 anxious
to play the leading part once she had read
the drama. Then he may allow IL TO be
inferred that OF the two actresses the Sec
ond is better suited to mis- heroine,
"She corresponds much more TO his ideal.
He ia perfectly safe in praising her 10 the
disadvantage Of Nine. Knockemova. That
lady has got all she wanted out Of the play
and it's author, and has probably been
telling everybody she never really meant
to act the piece.
The second season, however. ends the
author unless he makes good. The play
or there will be rebellion in the camp Of
his admirers.
Sometimes he can ward OF their in
difference by getting a new star and de-
claring that she Ia going to appear in an
entirely different drama by him-oh, no