The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-18
James O'Neill Jr. and Mark
Smith Broadway Bound.
Former, Son OF Player of Great
Dumas Character.
Is CHIP OFF OLD BLOCK
On Stage Ten Years, Follows
in Fathers Footsteps.
Smith Has Chance to Make Fam
lily Name Great.

Dropped round to the Grand last
right to see 1.-THE Travelling Salesman
end Incidentally happened to look. rath-
er closely at the program, thinking II
night be barely possible that some star
was heading the bill. Didn't find any
but succeeded in locating couple OF
unseen stars who have not as yet burst
through tie inky blackness of theatri-
cal obscurity. They will be known to
other lights along the milky way OF
the stage within the next few years as
James O'NeilL Jr., and Mark Smith
That is provided they don't change
their names or leave the stage.
O'Neiu, O'Neill, something sounded
friendly in that name. Had heard 1t
before. Could it be possible? NO. ne :
too young. n son? Yes. That's IT.
tie son of James O'Neill. known from
coast to coast as the greatest Monte
Cristo the stage ever saw-in fact the
only one He was in fact the charac-
ter. Folks linked the names. Monte
Cristo ard O'Neill from Garr1cks TO
the copy" house. Everybody spoke or
them as one. O'Neill. Jr., has been
behind the footEghts for ten years ana
is improving with each milestone in the
onward rush of time. Why shouldn't
he? He's a chip off the old block, the
hood of the stage is his and he pos
sesses something famous Scot named
Douglas once had-a long head. AND
Re uses it, Because Pere ONeil has
stabbed and thrust his way to fame
with the dagger and sword of Dumas
greatest character is no sign y Neil,
Jr., has jour1eyed thus far toward
flaming electrics and 81 prices on
Broadway, without work. When F'aIner
O'Neill began crying The wealth OF
the world is nine and Number two
18th a couple of digits thrust heaven
ward, press agents We're unheard OF
T.. Ii
Kind were. Erlanger was then BARN
storming with an underpail, LITTLE fed
and overworked company of Hams.
And some of the rest OF the gentlemen
who have "uplifted" the stage were
raiding not the borders blu the centers
of free lunch counters life for dear he;
O'Neiu rose by work and study ana
study and work and his son is keep
ing close to the blazed trail
Speaking of the demand of the pup
he today in the amusement line Mr.
O'NeilI said, last night: Its hard to
tell what the people do want The
public is so very tickle. One produc-
ing manager in New York has had
seven big plays fail on his hands this
season. Why? No one seems able TO
tell Every kind of show has been
produced but there has been only TWO
or three real successes.
It's Smiths Chance.
1t is not written in either the news
papers or magazines that one Smith
ever gained entrance to the $1,000 per
week class of the stage. Nor is it
chronicled that any grease paint slave
of that name ever had a Porto Rican
cigar named after him. But still Mark
Smith need not worry. The Smith fam
lily is d great one and has produced
history makers. There's Captain John
Smith-he who was prevented from
CO shing his life insurance by an In
Clan maiden. Then there's William Al
den Smith, senator and millionaire, and
Tie Smith automobile built in Topeka,
u S. A. Members of the tribe are
prominent to some degree in English
affairs and Yankee politics. Mark
Smith has the chance before him to