The San Francisco call., 1908-09-06
DAVID WARf|[[D
COMES BACK STAR
Return of Former Usher Who Is
Now Foremost Character
Actor of Country
Talks Modestly Of Triumphs in
East and Says Success Is
Due to Luck


"It's certainly goodlto get back home
again." said David sWarfield last might
as he gazed at the city lights from
the Oakland ferry boat. With his COM
pany he had just arrived on the over
land limited direct. from Denver, the
only stop made on the way to the
coast. The great actor leaned forward
lin an effort to peer across the water to
see what changes the fire had wrought.
1T haven't been home in three years,
explained Warf1eld. How does the city
look? From the reports. I have re-
ceived, San Francisco must be pros
porous" he added. ailuding to the re-
markable advance sale of seats.
Allusion was made TO the fact that
he had left the city, an usher to return
the formost characer actor of the coun
try
You can never tell what's ahead,
said .warfeld quietly, almost reveren
tally, and a1tender light glowed in
his deep blue eyes. Yes, it was in
1890, Is years ago, that I left San
Francisco. / remember reached New
York with s45 In my pocket and an
ambition in my heart to be funny
man. 1 got an engagement at $40
week. It lasted just. ote~week. Then
week. -Afterward went with RusselPs
company at s35 "a week. You see, I
raised my salary every once in
while" -
Then he told how he had taken roles
in number OF plays and had appeared
at the Casino and at Weber and Fields
before starring in The Auctioneer."
SAYS SUCCESS is LUCK
success is largely luck, ;. commented
Warfield. "One can never tell what
lies before him. I recall that after
had been in New York for a time
had offers to go into vaudeville at
salaries much larger than I was re-
ceiping but by. that time my ideas had
changed. / no longer wanted to be
the funny man Of my boyhood am
bitions. / saw a new goal ahead and
nothing could have 'swerved me. am
glad now that 1 was able to resist the
temptation"
AS the boat drew nearer to the city
and the tall buildings revealed their
outlines in the mist, Waffield fell into
IA reminiscent mood RE tilted his hat
back upon his head. exhibiting a mass
of hair brushed back and prematurely
grayed. It serves triple purpose, this
mass of hair. 1t is the natural shock of
the actor and it serves equally well
for .4The Music Master and 1.-THE Grand
Army Man"
s"ft seems strange that this should be
only my second time to play in San
Francisco. 1 was here about six years
ago in. The Auctioneer.' I was here in
1905 on my vacation, but did not play
at any OF, the theaters. l remember as
boy what times we used to have here.
There is something about San Fran
cisco that you find nowhere else. 1t is
the. spirit. think. There are big men
here and they do big things. There is
inspiration in the air.
Il remember how the people here
could always tell a good show by
sort, of instinct. They could smell it
out. You could plaster the city with
posters, you could fill the papers with
advertisements, but thee people would
always judge for themselves and you
could never fool them. We boys, who
were ushering in the theater, could al
ways tell. We knew when a show
would stick and when it wouldn't
OPPOSED TO "sCALPERso
Warfeid had heard Of the great de-
mand here for tickets and, he had also
heard OF the activity of the SPECTATORS
Referring to<the latter, he spoke with
emphasis.
fits a crime" he said that ought to
be stopped It's robbery of the worst
sort. Why don't the municipal author
tiles arrest these men? Iwould rather
play to empty benches than to feel that
people had been gouged by these specu-
lators into paying S. d seat
1t was as a parent speaking of his
children that Warf1eld talked of the
two plays he will present.in San Fran
cisco. "The Music Master" and ..The
Grand Army Man"
1.-The Grand Aymy Man is virile," he
declared. It's a tremendous thing. Tt
is overpowering and it taxes my full
strength to play it. 1t has heart ap-
peal especially for Americans. The
Music Master has the same heart ap-
peal, but is more general in its poetic
sympathy. l believe it would go in
China
Warfeld has played The Music Mas
ter" in New York for three seasons.
and followed that success with "The
Grand Army Man., Next year he will
appear in a new play now being writ
ten for him by David Belasco. After
that he will appear. in a repertoire that
will include a revival Of The Auction
eer.'', .ss-e ess s.,sss-es -
The actor recently. returned from
I