Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-09
DOLLAR MARK"
is BIG SUCCESS
FIRST PRODUCTION OF PLAY
AT BELASC0
ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION BY
CROWDED HOUSE
Play Attacks capitalistlo Abuses and
Portrays Famous Characters In
American Financial
Affairs
DY LEMUEL rARToN.


Alice Chandler .....Mlss Florence Oakley
Mrs. Chandler Miss Adele Harrington
by LEMUEL PARTON
One thing is as plain as q pikestaff
in the Belasco production of George
Broadhurst's new play, 1.-THE Dollar
! Mark" When it comes to giving a
finished production of a play in short
time John Blackwood's company has
everything in the east crowded clear
through the back drop. Mr.. Broad
hurst In a fervent little speech at the
opening last night said as much AMI
he said 1t as IL he meant it. Mr..
Broadhurst incidentally said a great
many things in his play. and he said
them with that same conviction.
THE Dollar Mark" is a smashing
good show. 1t lambasts greed, money
grabbers and captains of industry with
evangelistic fervor, almost hortative
| in its continual hammering. Mi.
| Broadhurst goes cunning for the sys-
tenn in way that would move Tom
Lawson to loud cheers.
1t Is a play Of illuminated platitudes,
of inspired bromidoms, vivified by
strong dramatic incident The words,
true love is the only basis for mar
riage," spoken by a vaeuous character
seem almost incandescent, because they
are the inevitable utterances Of the
moment. 1.-THE fight is on for the right,
and the right will win," seems the in
spired slogan of a great cause. The
dialogue is splendidly inf1ammatory,
the characters are drawn with trench
ancy and power and the incident of the
piece is kept we'll within the bounds
of probability. With a little retouch-
ing 1.-THE Dollar Mark should prove a
better play than Mr.. Broadhursts last
big success, THE Man of the Hour"
The action centers around the dra-
matte episodes attending the attack of
the system on Augustus Heinze, with
the resulting break in copper in Oc-
tober, 1907. Heinze, H. H. Rogers,
Rogers son and John ID. Rockefeller.
jr., are so clearly characterized that
their identity is quickly discovered.
James Gresham, the owner Of the
Nellie Davis mine, finds himself In
fight with crowd of capitalists, as
ravenous and INSCRIPTIONS as bunch
of wire tappers after tough season.
Gresham has no more idea OF compro-
mise than a turtle has of advanced
age, and throws down the gauntlet to
Carson Baylis; the head OF the "consol-
idated," when the latter visits him at
his mine with proposition to buy the
property Mrs. Wallace Chandler, one
of Baylis' party, launches into the real
theme of the piece in speaking of Bay
lis. HE Is branded with the dollar
mark" she says. ut has become your
national emblem. 1t should be on the
flag instead of the stars From then
on the thrusts at-the system flash out
like lightning in a storm. John D., Jr.'
called William Stoneman, cites his Ia
TIERS familiar illustration of the ne
cessity of trimming off the buds to de-
velop the rose Its fine for the rose.
but how would you like to be one of
the buds?" says Anthony Martin. who
has allied himself with Gresham. There
is a love story running through the
play which has its beginning in Gresh-
ANS meeting at the cabin with Alice
Chandler, Wallace Chambers sister.
who also is a member of the Baylis
party.
The second act shows the same char
acteristics at Chambers summer home
In Connecticut, two years later. Bay
lis has sworn to ruin Gresham, VINO
also is a guest at the Chambers, and
the wires have been laid to bring about
the panic which will close his bank.
Chandler, who is in the employ of Bay
lis, has become badly involved in spec
ulation on his own account, against his
employers orders, and Gresham loans
him money to cover his losses. In adj
dition to this he has borrowed bonds
from Arthur Baylis, Baylis' son, who
has taken InSm frOIn his ldltlcT vault.
He still finds himself short and by
threatening TO shoot himself induces
Baylis to agree to stand by Gresham
when the latter certified his check for
the amount required. The Rockefeller
person, who acts as a rubber shoe man
for the system, appears inopportunely
and announces that he has discovered
that Gresham has loaned Chandler
money. Baylis believes that Gresham
is Chandler's partner, whom he has
tried without success to discover, and
determines to break his word and ruin
the westerner.
He buys Chambers yacht. takes the
members of the party to New York and
attempts to cause Gresham's downfall
by preventing the yachts reaching New
York In time for the opening of the
bank on the critical day. Gresham
compels him at the point of revolver
to give orders for full speed, and
reaches the bank Just as the clearing
house committee is about to allow the
closing of the institution because no
funds are on hand for the payment of
Chambers check, which Gresham has
ordered certified by wire. Gresham ar
rives at the last moment, makes his
plea and the committee decides against
him, because Chandler, in bondage to
Baylis, declares that Gresham has been
his partner in the wild speculations.
Gresham makes MS plea 10 SHdHuleT,
the latter yields and tells the truth,
aided by young Baylis, who enters and
confesses that he took the bonds.
In the second act the author juggles
three different love stories. including
the affair of young Bayliss with a
"manicure lady" who becomes his
wife, and that of Mrs. Chandler with
John Beverly Livingston, a colorless
character. strengthened later by an act
OF self-sacrifce. The latter complica-
ton evidently is introduced to give
place to the preachments about the love
of money breaking up domestic affairs.
The manicure lady is used to voice
a heroic sentiment that the only diff
ference between Baylis and her Is that
he has money.
Lewis S. Stone gives trenchant,
finished and convincing characterize
ton of Gresham, the n,an WIG is maxi
ing the fight for the right. and play
Ing the game strictly according to the
rules. David M. Hartford appears for
the first time with the Belasco COM
pany as Baylis. He makes the char
acter brutally strong and compelling.
apparently giving a clear portrayal OF
the authors conception of the man.
The leading woman's role, that of AL
Ice Chandler, offers no opportunities
for exceptionally strong acting.
Miss Oakley, who is appearing Tor
the last time at the Belasco, gives
satifying portrayal of the part. Miss
Beatrice Noyes is excellent as the