Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-19
OBSERVATIONS BY
A FIRST NIGHTER

DICHARD VIVIAN of the Belasco
X, company is the hero of an averted
~ holdup. It happened pay night
of last week and, as Mr.. Vivian tells
the story, it was a highly narrowing
experience.
To begin with Vivian had $500 in his
clothes, plus little small change and
plus his weeks salary. What he was
Juggling all that money around for |
don't know, but he says he had II ana
he says he has 1t yet.
1t was considerably after twelve
o'clock when Vivian boarded Seventh
street car for home that night, but he
wasn't particularly concerned about the
hour and the idea that his peripatetlc
bank might be menaced by footpads
never occurred to him.
Now Mrs. Vivian, Fanchon Everhart
on the stage, keeps the family lares
and penates carefully busted In house.
keeping apartments in the Bixel, an
imposing structure about half block
distant from the car line. Therefore
Vivian didn't have far to walk, which
was fortunate.
He alighted from the car and started
for home He hadn't proceeded far,
however. when he heard somebody run
ming. Vivian turned. Through the
gloom he deserted burly ruffian, APP
parently bent upon making his ac-
duaintance. Then he bethought him OF
the lucre in his pockets. He didn't
know just what to do, and so he
stopped The buriy ruffian did like
wise.
Three and one-quarter seconds later
Vivian had an inspiration. Boldly he
stalked into the light cast by an arc
down the street and quickly went
through the motions of drawing q re-
volver. He didn't have gun, OF
course. but he had decided to throw
bluff.
The burly ruffian, noting the menac-
ing action, promptly wheeled and ran
across the street. Vivian did wheel
himself and ran madly for the Bixel en-
trance Then he ran upstairs. ran into
his apartments, locked behind him the
door he had just unlocked and ran TO
the window.
Across the street stood the burly
ruffian gazing inquiringly at the well
lighted Bixel entrance AS Vivian
stood there a pedestrian approached
from the opposite direction. The actor
tried to raise his window in order to
call an alarm, but the window stuck
Then, as he watched, the burly ruffian
stopped that pedestrian and said some-
thing which, of course, Vivian couldn't
hear. The effect, however, was instan-
taneous. Quickly the pedestrian ele-
waited his right hand above his head,
tipped his hat at a new angle, lowered
his hand, inserted 1t deftly in his vest
pocket and withdrew something Which
he passed over to the burly rufflan.
Then he proceeded on his way whis-
fling the merry Widow Waltz"
Vivian's hair stood straight upon his
head. AS he gazed the burly ruffian
struck the match just given him,
lighted cigar and walked briskly
down the street, turning once 10 gaze
curiously into the Bixel entrance.
Through his window up stairs VIVIAN
looked sadly into the night.
s'Mame." one-act play by William
Hamilton Cline. busines manager OF
the Temple Opera company and for
merly dramatic editor of The Herald,
will be presented at the Mason within
a few weeks, as one of the features or
the Actors Fund benefit. The title role
win be played by Miss Maude Gilbert
of the Burbank company, for whom,
understand, the playlet was written.
.'Mame" has been highly praised by
those who have read it. It's central
character is a New York shop girl OF
the better sort, whose relations with
a young artist and with an old German
musician make up the play. The men
are friends They live in the same
suite of rooms, and the girl is fTe-
ouent visitor to their apartments. Fl.
j. CHM will play the musician. The
other part has not yet been assigned.
AS a newspaper man and later in the
theatrical business Mr.. Cline IS woll
known both here and in the east, and
this his first venture in the sketch line,
will be awaited with interests He has
already tried his hand as librettiSt
with considerable showing of skill and
success.
lust before he left for San Francisco
Wednesday afternoon Frederick Belas-
co told me that he expected to return
to Los Angeles in a fortnight person
ally to superintepd the production of
''The Wife," which will be made at the
Belasco three weeks hence.
"The Wife," written by David Belas-
co and H. C. DeMille, was the play
that opened the house, August 20, 1904.
and it has not been seen here since
Three members of the 1904 cast arc now
with the Belasco company, though only
one of them. Richard Vivian, has G
record of continuous service. The
others are George W. Barnum and
Howard Scott.
In the early presentation of TIE play
Vivian was cast as Jack Dexter, role