The San Francisco call., 1908-05-10

TOR IS years John Drew has been an
i actor; during the last 16 of those
years he has been a star. His strug-
giles 10 get himself at the top of the
bill in capital letters covered a period
Of nearly l9 years
Miss Billie Burke has been before the
public only about four years, and she
viii be made a star next season.
Times change. do they not?
John Drew. whose beau monde char
acterizations have made him the most
prominent American actor, and in many
respects the gfeatest had to work.
worry and study for nearly two dec
AIDES before he achieved what pretty
little Billie Burke, with her great
crown Of hamboyant hair, has won in
hop. skip and jump. Next season
she is billed to head big Frohman
production Of her own. Their joint ap-
pearsnce in the same play-John Drew.
veteran; Billie Burke. debutante- star
is thus a visual presentation of the
truth before asserted that times indeed
do change and that we make speed
faster now than formerly. A young
girl bounds into pre-eminence with
celerity that older actors never dreamed
of. Newspapers, spreading fame; man.
ayers, looking for sensations, all the
machinery, Of publicity, including the
rapid interchange Of thought between
the nations. have been responsible in
part for this change and for the quick
maturity in fame of young talent.
whether the race is as long as for
merly and the heights attained as fine
and rare is another matter; it may be
that speed is gained at endurance's
cost.
FORGETFULNEss SOON FOLLOWS
And that isn't ALL" Mr.. Drew was
saying. See how soon forgetfulness
follows behind US
We had been talking Of his leading
lady. soon to leave him and head
company of her own. He had com
rnented upon her brilliant passage
through theatrical skies. from nebu-
Ious cluster in a constellation of play
ers to fuH orbed starship. Mr.. Drew
had paid her a high compliment and
had expressed his pleasure in her sue
cess. Indeed, no one viii begrudge
Billie Burke any honor she may gain,
for. as win be shown hereafter. she is
not suffering from enlargement of her
pretty little head and is not ignorant
Of the fact that there are yet profound
depths which her light and dainty art
has not even family illumined-
But it was not with reference to all
this that Drew spoke as quoted. He
was talking of his own career
ITO what do you attribute the state
ments so often made that you are not
a great actor: but that you are just
great as John Drew I had asked him.
That's a queer question for you to
ask me-" he said. musingly.
DIVERSITY OF ROLES
Perhaps he was thinking of the di-
versity Of roles he has played since
he stepped on the boards OF his cele-
brated mothers celebrated Arch street
theater.. Philadelphia. when he was a
lad OF 20 years; or, perhaps he was
Just regre.ting he had come all the
way from san Mateo that morning in
order TO be asked such a stupid ques-
ton. whateves it was he was think
ing Of. he said:
YES. the people forget. Even the
critics OK New York. who you would
expect would keep track of prominent
actors, do not always seem to know
what they are talking about, and
sometimes ask questions as silly-well
as silly as that The charge of mar
rowness can hardly be successfully
urged against an actor who has ap-
peared in as many roles as have
created"
For instancey' asked.
Now, you know as well as l." he
responded with kindly reproachfpl tone.
and so / do, and so does everybody
familiar with dramatics in America
In the face Of such formidable ar
ray Of roles, in most OF which he made