New-York tribune., 1908-11-09

Vtctorlen Sardou the French dramatist had
varied career before he achieved succesEas 4 mas
ter PLAYWRIGHT After the failure Of La Taverne
des Ftudiants' he became a hack journalist and
writer ana in 1s57 vas poor that he lived in
garret He fell III with typhoid fever and was
rtIrsed h. a neighbOr. Mile de Brecourt and
brought back TO health, The following year he
married her. and she introduced him to Nile.
Dejazet the actress and manager, who had just
established the theatre bearing her name.
For her he wrote a number of PLAYS which proved
successful one of which Monsieur Carat had a
long run in 1860 and later transformed into an
opera bouTe and brought out a the Theatre
des Varietes end in English at the Criterion The
atre in London. In 1851 NJ. SardOU produced no
less than four comedies, of which one was Les
Pattes de MOuche" (in English The Scrap OF
Paper') and another Nos Intimes" Of his
most brilliant successes. In five years he had writ
ten a score Of plays all described as brilliant IN
dialogue genre pictures Of modern social life, never
serious or stern in uoraIizinz and almost always
successful. He had amassed a fortune and gained
European renown when the death Of his wife
occurred, in 1867.
In the last years Of the French Empire he pro-
duced "Seraphine," originally called La Devote
La Patrie" and Fernando. and after the downfall
Of Napoleon III in 1870. he showed his Bona partst
inclinations by la ROi Carrotte" and "Rabagas,
the latter an attack on Gambetts. 'L'Oncle SAM
satire or American society appeared in 1873 and
in 1877 Dora called in English Diplomacy
regarded as an excellent specimen Of the authors
was elected a member OF the French Academy TO
succeed NJ Joseph Autran. and he was received
among the "Immortals' on May p, 1875
His FIVE act play Daniel Rochat." plea for
civil marriage was produced in 1880. and caused
much discussion. II followed by "Odette' and
.,Divorcons IN 1881 the latter Il daring farce.
which had almost unprecedented success
Fedora and Theodore" written for Nine Sarah
Ber7hardt. appeared respectively In 1888 and 1851
They were followed b. La Tosca," which SIZE pro
,f~F-N Tarf, in fsS-
tveopatra 80 an historic and spectacular drama. ap
peared in 1890. '.Thermidor" produced in jan
uarv. 1891. created political disturbances ana
vas suppressed by the French gOvernment- 'tiis-
r1onda was produced y Nine BeTnhardt at the
Renaissance Theatre IN Paris, in 1894 and -'Spri-
tisrne' was presented by her in 1887 In that year
one II. Sardous most successful works. Ma
dame Sans-Gene, appeared written for Nine
Refine. and produced n Paris. In its English
rendition SIR Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry
appeared Al the Lycegm Theatre, in London.
Pamela appeared in 1925 In 1900 N. sardou wrote
"Robespie for Sir Henry Irving. which
produced in 1872 and the following year Dante
was produced by the same actor. who appeared I'm
both of them in this city wen in London
From the scores Of Mays which he wrote NJ.
Sarcou amassed a prince'y fortune He had
suleudfd chateau IN park at Marey-le- Rol near
ST Gernrain. once belonging Louis XIV He
was married the second time in 1872 to Mile Anne
souHe daughter Of the conservateIr OF the Museum
of Versailles. The playwright was always ire
mend0us worker He has been described as small
thin wiry. with sharp eyes and a mobile mouth.
good lover and a good hater- lie gave personal
attention TO the rehearsals of his plays, and al
lowed nothing 10 escape his attention In 1906 a
Hight comedy. La Pise." by the dramatist
was produced. which was said to be his seventy
fifth PLAY in which Nine. Rejane appeared
Francsque Sarcey once wrote OF Mr.. Sardou:
Everything assumes for the author Of "Patrie"
r3iTls l. "a stunning bt Of stage scenery:
charming fra GTnent of conversation that he listens
To is "a capital dialogue graceful girl who
passes is AN adorable lngtnue- ana Lha mis-
fortune crime or catastrophe thar he reads about
baroulas situation "a scene or "a drama.
Sard0's peculiar mentality c5mpels him to drama
TIE everything that he sees, and he sees with
vivid color
\ writer in The Critic few wears ago said OF
the dramatist
sariou is one of the few great stage managers
I'm Europe. lie does not read lecture 70 an actor
displeases him. he takes the actor place on the
boards n moments and goes through the
part. de a natural grasa OF carriHge. a hexi-
biiity O. voice and skill III gesture Whlcn Wpuiu
have served him we'll upon the stage had ne nor
fotfnd IT more lucrative make plays than 10 act
them His delight in his work has never
Tie tolls after precision Of detail truth OF amos
nh historical eXactuess az strenHousiE rs
ever. and with the -ame intense and never ial"S
interest.
NJ sariou was once asked which or his plays
he liked the best, aad he replied
OH ann like the father Of large family of
.bf1dreD cannot tell which one I care most
for i always like best mat one VIZ "I,,S"
happen he when the question come ~.
have wrlttan about hftv plays. ana sapEoSr
ike bfteen or twenty ot them eQuait Wen -
~n,t-ee have found il harder 10 work ou some
Ta-rH rFrf ST