The San Francisco call., 1908-07-19


IS matinee idol" White Whit
tesey said to me the other day
At his apartments in the St
Il Francis, where blOomed in tenn
porary sweetness bushels OF
roses, long stemmed and fragrant from
many cut glass-or, as Whittlesey
would say-crystal vessel Yes, in
deed" he declared, with graceful nod
Of his head not vigorously emphatic
but suaVely assuring. I dfsclaim be-
ing a matinee idol 1t isn't fair 10 me
TO say that 7 am. either. Why there
are only two Uatinees in a week and
surely more persons come to see me
at the seven evening performances than
at the two matinees. Besides, many
Of the women who come 10 see His
Grace de Grammont' are now mothers.
while they were just young girls when
I came here first. nine years ago"
A few hours after the little talk
with WhitsIesey 1 met William II.
Thompson. veteran actor at the Or
pheum. He is playing in a Clay NJ
Greene sketch which 1 did not have the
pleasure to enjoy; but FhOmpson's art
shines through IL just the same and it
is popular in spite OF a lonely protest
or two. Anyway, Thompson, white
haired and genial, was as friendly as
though I liked his play, and while he
removed his grease paint from his
scanned face. said;
Well there's nOtlluE leIL lot q
homeIy man like me but vaudeville.
II were pretty il might be different
but as IL Is. I like my furry in vaude-
vile and II ever I leave il. please say
I'm in my second childhood I've played
q thousand roles in my day; I've trav-
eled with the fastest OF them-the
Empire stock company, for instance
60 I guess. 1 know my business fairly
well; and, believe me when I tell you
this. the vaudeville is the place for
rne-more money and less work You
see. I wasn't cut out for matinee idol.
Take look at this old face and tell
me II I'm wrong. L couldn't be one if
wanted"
A newspaperman's life 5olts him
against many a contrast. Today a
suicide or murder; tomorrow a we'd
ding OF a christening; or maybe it's
the morgue in the morning and grand
opera at night So I'm used TO con-
trasts; but. in the realm Of interviews
among actors, the contrast that is sup
piled by chats with White Whittlesey
and william II. Thompson is quite the
limit It isn't that either Is uninter-
estfng; it's just because they're so diff
ferent One Is soft spoken and grace
ful, with exquisite manners and care
fully constructed phrases. You might
take Whittlesey's conversation down
verbatim and spread 1t, uneXpurgated,
before the gaze Of the young person
without q single oualm Of fear. II
would be safe and smooth. Thompson's
would need a little fixing, perhaps; but
this isn't fair TO either, so Wen listen
10 one al time.
WhitHesey was a decorator before he
was an actor. That's where he got his
taste for color and clothes. He told me
that while he was employed by the
firm or New York decorators he was
called upon 70 supply Henry E. Abbey
l.
used in q big production. We spread
ourselves, can tell you" he said, and
that was my first insight into the task
Of getting correct and artistic theatri-
cal effects.
After I had been on the stage a
little while thought I would take box
ing lessons IN order TO get certain
amount Of aggressiveness which I
thought 7 needed. tried, but it didn't
seem TO do me any good. and so took
fencing lessons. That suited me much
better. I studied with a woman in
structor IN New York. You've no idea
how strong she was. One could stand
on her limb as she lunged with her foil
IN her hand. and so firm was her mus
Gle that she would not bulge from her
position She was very strong, indeed.
one of her pupils was Andrew Carne-
gle. Madame Sembrich was another,
Pol PIancon and the De Reszkes were
others. am not a great swordsman
but in my class OF plays what I know
about carte and tierce is Of great ad-
vantage.
There's plenty Of room for good ro-
mantle actors nowadays. Many a
young chap has good looks and car
rage. but is unable 10 I'll the roles
acceptabIy because he's unaccustomed
to laces. I've played romantic parts
so long that laces and frills are second
nature to me; ! am not embarrassed
by them and they do not get In my
way.
-Eus 7 want TO play to men and I
cannot see any reason why should be
burdened with the matinee idol bug
sboo for surely men as well as women
like romantic plays"
you certainly had no reason to COM
plain of the reception given you at the
Alcazar on the occasion Of your reap
pearance last Monday night" / sug-
gested-
1T affected me deeply" he said. Il
was profoundly moved"
Any mash notes sinceg" I Ques-
TONED.
ne. or that is. only one. so far.
That was a request for an autographed
Photograph"
which you sent7"
"Assuredly I-did: it's q little thing 20
DO. though many requests become bur-
densome. you know"
I didn't know. but surmised it was
so.