The Detroit times., 1910-10-12
ONE BIC SHOW
BRINGS FORTUNE
Fred G. Whitney, Former Detroiter
Says "a Chocolate Soldier" Will
Make Million and a Half.

Making a flying trip from Chicago to
New York, Fred G. Whitney stopped
on a couple of hours in Detroit, Tues
day morning. to see his brother. Is. Z.
Whitney. Mr.. Whitney says the aver
age travelling salesman mas nothing on
him these days in the matter OF train
travelling, WITH a few ocean trips
thrown In.
81 landed In New York from London
two weeks ago Thursday and went di'
rcctly to Indianapolis, where re-
hearsed "A Chocolate Soldier COLE
pany for the opening In Chicago, sun
day night, and l have been jumping
around since like hen on a hot GRO
die, getting some more Chocolate So4'
der companies under way" said Mr.
Whitney, while trying to get MS
breath In his brothers office In the
, Detroit opera house Tuesday morning
81 am now on my way TO New YorH,
and then to Boston, where another
Chocolate Soldier company opens In
! the Majestic next Monday night. After
I get the Boston engagement launched
I am going to French Lick Springs for
a ten days rest with my brother, Bert,
and then it's back to London again"
Mr.. Whitney produced his phenom
email success, "A Chocolate Soldier.
In London, Sept. 10, and 1t made such
hit that he Immediately signed
| three-year lease OF the Lyric theater.
there, In which It Is now playing to
business that Is sold out six months
ahead
Its a curious gamble this picking
plays" remarked Mr.. Whitney. who
has had his big successes and no sue
cesses at all, In the theatrical game.
while l was living in London l pun
chased the English and American
rights to "A Chocolate Soldier before
II was even produced in Vienna. II
was shelved in Vienna In three weeks
taken to Berlin, where 1t failed, also
and feared l had white elephant ON
my hands. l went to Berlin while the
piece was In its closing days there and
determined that the whole trouble laJ
In the lack Of comedy, or, rather, IN
the lack of appreciation by librettist
and players, o. the satire In the
bernard Shaw play, Arms and the
Man. from which the book was made
II decided to go ahead with ar
American production OF the piece, but
when | got to New York the booking
managers would have none OF me be
cause they had heard Of the European
failure. Finally, after weeks OF wait
ing, secured a six weeks lease OF the
Lyric theater, made the production
and the result Is theatrical history. "A
/ Chocolate Soldier will make me one
million and half dollars. Next spring
am going to take to London a com
pany MADE up Of the best members o;
the four American companies playing
the piece this season, and put them Ia
at the Lyric while l take the English
company to Berlin. Paris and Vienna
boarding the lion in his own den
you know / want to show Berlin ant
Vienna the American way OF doing
things"
Mr.. Whitney says that hereafter. he
will make all his productions first in
London.
Experience in the recent past
shows me that a piece with a London
success to it's credit is sure to make
a hit in America, and. besides, the
Londoner, when you respect his pc
culiar ideas, Is the best fellow In the
world to play to and the Broadwayite
the worst" said Mr.. Whitney, WIN
mas been a producer for 20 years and
may be credited with knowing some
thing about the matter
THE mistake American managers
make In going to London is in asking
the Britisher to accept a play that is
purely American In theme and locale
and giving 1t to them with American
players. The British playgoer likes to
see his favorite actor and actress sea
son after season. They are conserva-
tive and loyal to a degree. The Ameri-
can, on the other hand, wants new
faces every month and unless you pro-
vide new people and novelties his
feverish appetite is unsatisfed. He
forgets the thing that pleased him last
night before tomorrowss breakfast Is
served. In America l would rather