The San Francisco call., 1909-10-31
JUVENILE ACTOR
LEAVES ALCAzAR
Harrison FOrd's Departure Sug-
gests Comparisons With
Predecessor
'E&st Is East, but the West Is
San Francisco" Says
Young Player

DE played it as individually as Ford
svas different Ernest brought to the
role a bulldog sort OF earnestness.
ford played it in lighthearted Irish
style. not too greatly concerned in
the fortunes of sweet Kitty as TO sug-
gest suicide If she forsook him, but
Kerenely and buoyantly. Both were
fright, OF course but both were para
Coxically different Harrison was not
Ernest and the fatal comparison was
drawn against Ford
:, Glendinning- started in at the .Alca-
Esr in very minor roles and with a
microscopic salary. He wedged his
way to the front and made friends
with Celtic certainty. His Importance,
inansgerially considered, grew, and
Frederic Belasco knows how TO re-
ward Ernesrs salary swelled.
lie created a clientele for himself,
end they liked him, whatever he did.
That's the JOY OF working in a stock
house. Once you are stablished you
can do what you like, and If the per-
sonality OF the favorite is not TOO
deeply hidden beneath the grease OF
kGup you are a success In l0Ol4eT-
emily performed tasks. And that fact,
10 digress a minute, is as delightfully."-
compensating as could be uesireds for
no player can be all things 10 all
men" in an all season progression OF
roles.
However, Ernest developed technic
and an art al the Alcazar which is as
good as capital in the bank On the
basis OF il he went east, and is
prominent figure in Madame Nazimova's
latest play. Meantime, the Alcazar went
on the trail TO kidnap another juvenile.
Harrison Ford was discovered, a sue
cessful player at Elitch's gardens in
Denver. Negotiations were begun;
photographs were sent, and the pic
lures sealed the bargain. That resem-
blsnce! A second Ernest had come to
judgment, and the contract followed as
quickly as Uncle Sam could attend to
the transportation Of the enveloped
correspondence. Ford arrived and
closer inspection proved that the re-
semblznce was not due to the eceen-
tricjties Of photography It was real
Then came the first performance Of
Sweet Kitty Bellairs." 1t was a sue
cess from the point Of view Of those
whose opinions ind their way into
print but
Wei, for one thing, Ernest did 1t
shis way, and Ford did it that. The
physical nearness of the two players
was Offset by their diverging like
nesses in the role. a psychological
paradox was at hand, bewildering to
the management and confusing to the
patrons. who had another impersona-
tion stamped on their consciousness. II
was a good performance that Ford
gave; only different. Then came Lieu
tenant Larkin in The Rose OF the
Ranchoy which exhibited the same
paradox of a dissimilar similarity, and
then George Osborne in Becky Sharp"
which is nothing Of a rec to speak
OF Discouraged. apparently. by the
inability OF an actor 10 act like the
man whom he looked like. the manage
nent and Ford gave it up, and Ford,
hsrborinE no resentment against the
handsome actor he looks like, takes up
his pot OF paint and departs. hoping TO
ind a place where he can shine in his
own light and not in a reflected glory.
81 SHALL go east. think" said
Ford to me. and possibly asso-
ciate myself with some OF the
theatrical enterprises with which I was
heart in London for Harris and played
sR the piece there. Returning to New
York, I staged the productions Of that
play in which Selwyn appeared in the
east and, Ralph Stuart in the west. I
played with Selwyn and was his stage
manager. too. This experience here is
n bit disheartening TO me, for I had
hoped TO make good and remain; but
its hard 10 initiate the art of z. man
you have never seen, and get his faults
and virtues just as he got them. It's
impossible, when nature mas played a
trick on you and has made YOU resem-
BILE him physically so that everybody
asys Here comes Glendinning"