The San Francisco call., 1909-04-08
OTIS SKINNER HAS
AN ORIGINAL PLAY
The Honor of the Family"
Adapted From One of Bal
zac's Famous Stories
Novel Dramatized by Paul Pot
ter Has Romantic Colonel
for Its Hero
By Walter Anthony

soul disturbing drama which, though
powerful, did not. after all. disclose
SINNERS talents at their best This
year he has a dramatization of one of
Balzac's stories from the -'Comedie HUI
maine" The transcribing of the novel
10 the drama was done by Paul NJ Pot
ter, whose work for '-rrilby" viii be
remembered. The great French philo-
sopher and novelist has supplied in his
lie Menage de Garcon" GA Bachelors
HOusehold") the plot from which Pot
ter has made his play. The Honor of
the Family" which Skinner plays this
season.
Lavedans drama of last year did not
afford skinner scope for the display of
that eNuberance of action which char
acterizes his art His priestly role was
lacking in the elements of romance
which Skinner so eXcellently carries to
ms playing. This year his role is that
OF Colonel Philippe Brideau, who, in
Balzac's story. is portrayed with certain
unsightly characteristics which the
Gramatist has wisely left out of his
play.
Colonel Brideau is worse than
biackleg in the Balzac book. He has
lived life OF excess. but he is brave.
intrepid. a sort of d Artag with a
depleted constitution: he is vital yet
diseased. and altogether he is a type
humor. delighted to portray. and which
he could develop psychOiogicaly no
other writer could. The play preserves
the humor, / am told. and presents
Colonel Brideau in his more attractive
l4~ romantic moods.
skinner reached San Francisco last
night and went to the st. Francis hotel.
When the Valencia engaged an act
ress in New York TO play the part OF
Wendy. which is the principal femi-
nine role in Peter Pan" the young
lady sent her name as Lillian la France.
Altogether too STACEY said Mana
scr Seely. who thereupon chopped off
The Ia" and let the name go Lillian
Trance.
Thank you" said the young lady.
when she was informed of the butcher
ing that had been done on her pa
tronymic i was about to drop the
ia myself. because. though it's my
real name it truly is too STACEY
Truth was stranger than fiction
again, and so. in order that her name
be not too "fctional" in character.
new stage name was selected. Miss
Edith Lyle. under which comparatively
prosaic title she will henceforth be
known TO such stage fame as may come
10 her.
In private life Miss Percy Haswell
who is Otis SINNERS leading woman.
is Mrs George Fawcett. She recently
appeared in London in the English YER
sion Of The Squaw Man" which over
there is called The White Man" Miss
liaswell was recently the star in The
Darling Of the Gods" and will star
again next season in a new play by
Booth Harrington There is nothing
meteoric about Miss HaswelTs career.
She learned her first lessons under
Augustin DAILY and then engagements
followed with Charles Frohman, w. II.
Crane and David Belasco-
Although Melvin Winstock has not
been connected with the Pantages-
Empire theater for very long on the
occasion of his departure he was pre-
sented with handsome ring studded
with diamonds and rubies. The gift,
which was made Tuesday night, was
from the employees Of the Empire with
whom Manager Winstock has been as
sociated. Winstock will leave for Sc
attic next Saturday.
For the first time since the Greek
theater was built in the natural amphi-
theater in the Berkeley hills it will
be thrown open for the production Of
2 regular dramatic entertainment pro-
vided by a star and his company. Nor
man Hackett viii appear next Saturday
night in Classmates with as much
OF his scenery as can be used. He is
many fraternity brothers. He is a
member Of the Theta Delti Chi
News from the Alcszar: Ernest
Glendinning hastens to explain that
his intimate information concerning
the garments which he wears as the
modish dress maker in Are You a
Mason?' was impaired to him by A
married friend and was supplemented
by 2 careful study of the shop windows.
At the conclusion OF the Alcazar sea-
. son VIII r. Walling will become a
farmer. Indeed said he. Il shall
leave before the end Of the season;
some time in May. probably. I am a
much better farmer than an actor.
Acting with me was en accident.
I needed the money. Now I'm go
ing TO spend ii on farm and live the
horses and pigs. No more stage for me
except the one that runs around Napa.
That's where my ranch is"
without wishing to do the young
woman any injury, the following is
printed about Doris Mitchell and comes
from the enthusiastic pen of an eastern
press agent who is boosting Norman
Hacketts play. Classmates" Miss
Mitchell is his leading woman and this
is going some:
..Doris Mitchell. celebrated for her
productions, is A tall, statuesque bru-
nettc Her body is as 1.-THE as a pan
fber: her face, beautiful in repose, is
wonderfully brilliant in conversation
Full of purple lights. her eyes are
languorous and giittering, active or
passive at will; they are coIored with
hard and brilliant lights or melt with
tenderness; they brim over with laugh
ter or well up with tears; they are sup
plant intriguing. repellant. triumph
ant: they fascinate, they repel, they
WOO with passionate ardor or shoot
glances that kill"
Wsnted-A job as Hamlet-Walter
TIon Seely received this letter few
DAYS ago. have cut off the signature,
but the letter rides Here it is:
some time ago I Thought TO express
my opinion to you, but on account of
different incidents has been postponed
till now: / would like you could put
me on your stage on probation for
week to play Hamlet, and If this. viii
satisfy the management and public. I'm