Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-14

Music" at Hamburger's Majestic the
alter last night, that he is James j. Cor
bett, and made them really believe for
the time that he was the unfortunate
John Smith in the play. 1t is surpris-
ing but true that Mr.. Corbett is the
best actor in the cast, with the possible
exception of Charles Horn, the detec-
tive. The part is admirably suited to
his capabilities, and he is apparently
as much at home behind the footlights
as in the ring.
Mr. Corbett's years on the boards
have developed him into a fairly good
comedian, very much at ease, person.
able and attractive, with nothing to in
dictate that he had ever followed any
thing else as a profession. His voice
is not particularly good for the stage,
but it is carefully modulated and his
enunciation is distinct.
Gentleman Jim" is by no means the
whole show. Rarely is better comedy
seen than Facing the Music" The
farcical situations arise from the mis-
take of the wife of a young curate in
entering fiat belonging to a man with
the same name as that of her husband
John Smith The owner of the fiat
on his return the next day finds her in
stalled as mistress with an ineXtricable
mixup resulting. The scene is laid in
England, and it is just such farce as
English playwrights love to write
with the clubman and his pal and the
rich old uncle and the references to the
station at Upper footing, you know"
and the whisky and soda and faithful
servant and all the rest of it. The de-
tective, although probably drawn from
an English prototype, is a fairly good
portrayal of some American rubber
shoe men. Charles Horn does the bit
admirably, arriving at obvious conclu-
sions in the approved old sleuth
fashion. Eleanor Montell and Amanda
Hendricks, as the wives of the two
Smiths, both are good-and both are
pretty.
The Belasco company will open to-
night in Annie RusselFs great success.
Mice and Men," the dainty little ro-
mantle comedy by Magdaline Ryley.
Miss Dorothy Bernard will play the
leading role, that of Peggy, made ia
nous by Annie Russell. The Belasco
players are said to be exceptionally
strong, and much is expected of the
play.
When Meredith Nicholson's story,
1.-THE House of a Thousand Candles, "
filled the book shelves a year or so ago
it stood at the head and front of the
best sellers" The hundreds of thou
sands who read the fascinating story
| IOuIlu. lluCl that was lily ol6l iOuO III Liz
tale, and, in addition, there was love
story of profound interest.
| In making the stage version of the
story which is to have it's first produce
tion in the west at the Auditorium to-
night at the hands of Lewis S. Stone
and his company, all the familiar char
| acters of the book have been retained.
The peculiar will of old John Glenarm,
by the terms of which his wandering
grandson, John Glenarm, jr., was or
dered to spend a year in the gloomy In
diana house and forbidden to lose his
heart to beautiful Marian DevereauX,
! is the basis of the play as well as of
the bound volume, and in the working
out of the tale George Middleton has
performed a clever bit of dramatic cal
pentry.
Two big audiences at the Peoples
theater yesterday applauded with
much enthusiasm Lincoln j. Carter $
thriller, TOO Proud to Beg" The play
is a detective melodrama, the central
| figures in which are Willie and Vera
| Carr pleasingly portrayed by the
Reichardt children. In some measure
TOO Proud to Beg" gives evidence of
| its authorship in the SensationaliSm
upon which a Lincoln j. Carter sue
cess usually is founded, but it is more
sane than most of the melodramas
seen here this season; immeasurably
better constructed and better acted.
The man who used to sneak UP into
the attic, there to devour the fascinat-
ing writings of Nick Carter or "Old
| Sleuth,' and the boy who still does
that very thing, fearful of parental
discipline. should he be caught reading
that trash" will find this play much
to their liking. There is a rafting
| good detective story presented upon
the stage and the boy hero of the tale