The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19


expense
When I got this role TO work UP in
side OF & week" said Burress. 7 felt
the need OF quick action in assembling
the elements that make up the person
atty OF Hanmerstein- So 7 went over
20 the Victoria that night TO copy
his uanner.sns from life Hammer
stein was standing n the lobby with
some friends Finally he saw ne ey-
ing him and called ne over. What are
you doing. BurressT he asked He
smiled indulgently when I told him and
said he IVES coming 10 the show. This
he did AMI laughed heartily az the carl
cature 1 made OF him. but Conried was
angry ard II was thought he would en-
join Us when the piece was put on for the
general public. suppose he would have
been able 10 make a good case against
rs On the ground that our performance
held him up 10 ridieuIe. But Ham
tleness' and only laughed Then be-
sides. you know. Eanmerstein cleared
about 100000 On his opera season. even
II he had 70 resort 10 Tetrszzini and
the star system 70 do II, and Conried-
well. the Metropolitan has not adver-
tised any large dividends lately. The
fellow who loses IS the sensitive one;
not the fellow who wins. He can stand
Joke. for he carries the Jingle n his
pocket 70 smother the laugh II he likes.
Hannerstein only took exception 10
one feature OF the ca-iceture. You'll
never guess what that was His shoes.
One night met his son. 70 whom Oscar
agenent OF the Victoria, and Hammer
stein junior asked ne why I didn't
bring his father q photograph OF my
self IN his likeness I did so. Ham
nerstein the elder looked al IL crit
icslly for few moments and said: Is
this me? Humph, What kind OF feet
are those you've given me2 Are those
I like my feet2 I don't believe IL Those
I feet are libeIous- Write something on
the photograph So I scribbled. TO
( the famous inpresario from his under
study Hang II up in the office said
.
don't think Conried has one OF him
self. caricatured. IN his Office.
.Haunerstein IS q most IovabIe man.
We make fun OF his vanity. but IT isn't
really vanity after all Hammerstein
takes great pride in accomplishing big
things He rarely fails. and when
whatever It is that has been achieved
IS completed he takes & proper and very
pardonabIe glory in his work His is
busy mind. with an infinite capacity
for details and the ability TO handle
those details with due regard for their
proportionate value. He's a martinez
about his work, but the prince OF
friends 20 those in whom he places his
I confidence and esteem His success at
{ the Manhattan has been as pleasant q
circumstance TO New York theatrical
folk as though they had personal in
terest in the venture He likes 10 feel
+ he has done something well. and the
Manhattan opera companys career this
season has given him pleasure, aside
from the pecuniary reward his enter
prise has won"
Perhaps It was because Burress feels
his stage days are numbered: perhaps
for other reasons. but AT any rate he
couldn't get away from an autobio-
graphical mood. and as It developed
much of interest I did not interrupt.
II his visions OF the future are 10 have
anything like realization the footlights
viii not disclose him on the stage for
many year TO come. II ever His at
titude toward his profession IN this in
terview was thus quite naturally retro
spectIve. like that OF an old man
MY life work is my mothers regret
he said Although I write her reg
ulariy and often she has but little
chance TO see me and I get homesick
for her That is natural. isn't it? She
was much opposed 10 my going on the
stage in the first place and has never
reconciled herself TO II. though she does
not complain
Ny father died when was an in
FAINT I do not remember ever seeing
him Our circumstances were some
what straitsned when was old
enough to realize the fact. and SO Il
went TO work when I was il years old /
I was & messenger boy in Wheeling. ". I
Va, for the railroad and earned the /
enormous sum of $50 month Entire /
ly without realizing ii I found that
had picked up telegraphy. and then /
aspired 10 become an operator. I got
the Job 1 wanted, and when I was 1t
years old was an operator on good
wire for the Ohio Central railroad in 1