Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-14
FAVORS
NATIVE AUTHORS
'MUTTSBURG LIFE INSURANCE.
GREAT PLAY
NOTED PRODUCER WILL GIVE 1T
FINE PRESENTATION
Interesting Story of How Much Talked
of Comedy Came to Be Written.
Gives Promise of
Big Hit

tidXlng
fidence in the ability of native play
wrights and believing that his con-
fidence in one ambitious California
writer at least has been well rewarded,
Frederick Belasco has prepared an ex-
ceptional production of 'Muttsburg
Life Insurance." a roaring farce COM
edy from the prolific pen of James
Crawford, a San Francisco author who
hitherto has dealt principally in musi-
cal comedies.
According to the well known pro-
Queer "Muttsburg Life Insurance IN
its rehearsals already has revealed a
surprising quantity of good material,
and when the comedy is presented at
the Belasco theater here to run one
week beginning next Monday night,
for the first time on any stage, the Be
lasco patrons are to receive the comedy
treat of the season.
AS the comedy is the work of Cali
fornian and as Mr.. Belasco believes
in giving western-and especially Cali
fornia~-talent every chance possible,
he has undertaken to give the play an
exceedingly fine setting. The strokes
of genius, with which the comedy is
declared to be replete, have been great
ly embellished and heightened by the
clever Belascoan touches of stagecraft.
How Play Was Written
Back of this initial production of
"Muttsburg Life Insurance" is an in
teresting story. Mr.. Crawford, who
by birth and instinct is a San Fran
ciscan, wrote the first and second acts
of the play just prior to the San Fran
cisco fire, and at the hour when the
% h14c IL
ly porting over the scenario of the third
and last act, dreaming to have 1t pro-
duced at the Alcazar in the near
future.
Mr.. Belasco, who already had glanc-
ed over the two completed acts and
recognized their possibilities, had en-
couraged him to finish the play, but
the Intervention of the great fire, which
caused him to grab his manuscript and
"hot-foot' 1t for the street, for the
time cooled off whatever inspiration
pertaining to fire insurance Mr.. Craw-
ford may have labored under. AS a
result the "Muttsburg Life Insurance"
comedy was not finished till the tragic
side of its interruption had been re-
lieved, and the author felt himself
capable of complying with the wishes
of the producer. Then the playwright
resumed his work, and the last act of
the comedy was compiled. Plays like
"Muttsburg Life Insurance" are not
written: they are built--compiled-
by word; and, realizing this fact, Mr..
Crawford built his comedy and built it
in a manner calculated to please the
audience as we'll as the producer.
Presentation Is Opportune
AS the national convention of under
writer's is to be held in Los Angeles
Il 10 al
sidered this a most opportune time to
present the comedy.
The play does not Ceal with insur-
ance scandals although the latter were
first stirred up in the New York Life
and other companies about the time of
the conception of the piece Neither is
the comedy a technical one, appre-
ciable only to life insurance men, but
is written for the layman by a man
knowing the "ins and outs" of the
though none the less able to
write a pure comedy that can be UNI
derstood and enjoyed by all alike, how
ever unfamiliar with the underwriters
business.
Monday night when the play will
have It's first presentation has been set
aside as underwater night" the
delegates to the convention of under
writer's having secured most of the
theater's seating capacity for them
selves.
The advance sale of seats has been
exceptionally large, and the Belasco
company is expecting crowded houses
throughout the week, which a perusal
of the manuscript of the play would
seem to warrant.
Mr.. Crawford. author of "Muttsburg
Life Insurance." is not unknown to
theater goerS. He will be recognized
by many as the author of 1.-THE Beauty
Shop" in which Kolb and Dill made
such a great hit at Fischer's theater
in San Francisco some time ago.
Makes Hit on Road
Following six weeks unprecedented
run at this theater, it was revived at
the Grand opera house in San Fran
cisco the following season. then was
nut on the road for a season, and in
every place made a fine impression.
'The Beauty Shop" will be remembered
as one of the most hilariously funny
musical comedies ever seen.
Mr.. Crawford also is the author of
''Miss Mazuma," three-act musical
comedy in which Rice and Cady, the
''komedy kings" scored a great tri-
umph.
"The Yacht Girl" a 45-minute musi-
cal sketch, also came from his pen. He
now has in course of preparation sew
eral other comedies, one of which prob
ably will be produced by the Belasco
management at an early date.
Judging from the interest manifest
in "Muttsburg Life Insurance the
play will have an exceptionally big
run. and prove one of the greatest
comedy successes of the season. Mr..
Crawford is here in Los Angeles with
Frederick Belasco. assisting in the
work of staging his new comedy. He
expects to remain until the latter part
NJ tho week