Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-03
ME NAN Il BEH gNP{I A E{i $RQH5JGHT

lights from the stage. Mansfield talked
to me though he had suffered a per-
sonal injury through my accident.
think that he half believed at times that
his employees were trying to spoil his
performances.
At the Belasco is a chief electrician.
=. Nialie. who tells two little incidents.
either OF which s worth "a separate
story by itself one is of a famous
player regarded as the equal of any
actor in the difficult role of Or. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde: the other of a very
pompous actor of the younger school.
I'll never forget the night" said
Vialle. when this particular effort was
put on. II you remember Jekyll and
Hyde youll recollect that when tho
Transformation takes place a green
light is played on the right hand of
Hyde as he creeps about the stage.
'"They had rather green man opcr-
ating the spotlight that night. He was
nervous When tho time came he fash
ed the light in "a small ray. hut didn'i
get the hand He enlarged tho light
and then made it smaller. He jumped
1t around. He put it in the window Of
the house and sent it climbing trees
and did about everything ono could
think OF except get it focused on the
hand OF the irate actor.
We'll. sir. it was about as funny
thing / ever saw. Mr.. Hyde would
sneak across the stage and about
yard behind him would come the green
=
giving for its intrusion. Then with a
sudden flash it would jump clear over
Hyde's head and apparently go Off the
stage altogether.
This kept on until the exit was finally
effected. When that actor escaped his
part for moment he came over 10 me.
He grasped me by the arm, and in voice
choked with tears he said: Get that IL
Eliminated brother Of an imbecile sheep
quietly out Of this building! l don't want
to hurt him! And know I will slaughter
him to death II see him. ] went up and
talked to the operator. He was very I'M
happy. / got him outside and handed him
his hat. Another man handled the famous
scene thereafter"
pOmpous young actor. says Vialle,
was in the habit of loudly criticising
very old and grouchy operator because the
latter failed to handle the spotlight prop
erly. One day it was a criticism because
The operator turned the light off the star
too suddenly. The next II was because
the large flood on the darkened stage
took up too much room. So II went for
some time.
Finally" says ViaIle, the old opera
tor was heard to say something about
teaching cub actors their places, and We
instinctively felt that something was com
ing. That night when the actor made his
first entrance the old and groucliy OPP
orator reduced the spotlight TO the size
of dollar.
He flashed this spearlike shaft directly
in the face Of the astonished young actor.
and kept it there. No matter where the
star went. the light was always with him.
He squinted and turned. but that persist
ent shaft followed him like brother.
never pausng until he left. He began TO
stammer. He lost his nerve completely as
the play went on, and at the end was al
most on the verge of collapse.
mo one dared TO interfere with the an
cient crouch. To do so was to invite even
greater disaster. At the end of the per
Torrance the ancient one. hat in hand.
marched around to the box office where
he found the manager.
81 want my money he said. And
want to quit
''He left the theater with his sweet re-
yenge as a solace for his lost position.S
Edward Marsh at the Lyceum has had
considerable experience with the male
element that constantly haunts his the
alter 1t is his delight to occasionally nash
a light on the front rows during one OF
those excessively personal songs. and
watch the audience duck.
Great crowd is his method of de-
scribing the patrons of the Lyceum.
The big shows carry from two to nine
spotlight operators. An extravaganza or
the spectacular variety viii frequently
have nine spotlights turned on the stage
at once. Big actors usually carry chiet
electrician and from two to four assist
ants. all of whom can be counted on to
Onerate the floods in an emergency.