The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-23

ed in the next day. billed as the Geor-
gia wondah.'
Funny things happen among the
supers. For instance, in a certain play
we put on recently scouts and runners
figured. One of our supers was very
ladylike young man. He did not re-
spond promptly to a cue and the
stage director, Fred Butler. de-
cidedly annoyed. called out: Hey, you
scout. What's the matter? Gone to
sleepg
The ladylike young man super put
his hands on his hips and denied the
accusation emphatically. I'm no
scout, I'm a runner! he lisped.
well, then, for Gods sake, run"
yelled Butler. He did.
"A young man from the east. I'd say
New York by the cut of his clothes
only they looked as though he had
been sleeping in them-came TO the
stage door recently. I've just ar
rivedY he smilingIy announced. Ac-
longing to the front of the house.
He was broke and went TO work
supin at 81 per. His remittance had
not come. Well, it arrived-in mid
week. That chap stayed on his job,
too. supin' when he had enough
of the house. But supin' saved his
life-for the time-and he wasn't the
only one!''
II should say notr some one inter
rupted Milton Stallard. stage di-
rector at We Liberty theater, Oak
land. looked In on US laughingly. He
is the youngest director on the coast.
one OF the most capable in the pro-
fession--he is the boy wonder in the
theatrical world-so say the artists
who know. Truth will out, Farjeon,
stage manager, Stallard. now stage
director, each started as a super. And
they are both proud of it, particularly
Stallard. He ought to be. From
super to stage director in the few
years that have passed since he start
ed is accomplishing much. They are
different types of men. both young;
Stallard the more boyish--neither Of
them in manner as important as some
supers- Both started 'supin' at the
old Alcazar
local stage?" I asked them. They
started to count the names. OF the
Alcazar forces, Howard Hickman was
a super there. Will Walling was at
the old Dewey theater in Oakland,
Johnny Maher was a super in musical
comedy. Ernest Glendinning was
super in THE Resurrection" as
originally produced. Louise Brownell
played parts from the first.
there is Lillian Albertson," said Stall
lard: she was super at the old AL
cazar and reached fame as a star in
several eastern productions-she is
now leading woman in "rhe Whitening
Hour May Buckley started in supin'-
and-oh yes, Flora Juliette Bowley
was super at the Alcazar; she played
extra for FIVE weeks. One year later
she was leading woman in The Lion
and the Mouse. !"
Have you many supers%' I asked
Stallard. Farjeon fairly howled with
laughter.
Stallard looked embarrassed You
see. it's this way he answered. my
supers are all extra ladies and gentle
men; il I wish to be particularly ia
cetious l address them as actors and
actresses. Our supers, I mean our ex-
ira people, are mostly high school boys
they don't like TO be classed as sup
to associate with the riff-raff of life that
Farjeon has about him." Farjeon adj
ministered a well directed kick some
where in the vicinity OF Stallard. The
high school boys" continued Stallard,
like to receive curtain calls. OF
course, 1t is a little disconcerting to
have Roman mob give a 1912 class
yell-but- Then, too, a number OF
our extra people are university stu
dents, who are ambitious to write plays
and wish to learn the technic of the
stage. Really, to the man writing
dramatic stun, such knowledge is es-
sential