The San Francisco call., 1910-01-02

so surprising once you come to think
of It,
asked him. seeing that he didn't
know in his beginning daysuhat he was
an actor, how it had happened that he
persevered through the trials that beset
him and the discouragements which,
naturally. he encountered. His answer
was like AristotIe's. who. you know. OBJ
served that TO initiate is an instinct in
the human race. With Warheld it was
and is a passion. bent. from which he
can no more escape than he can change.
by wishing it. the color of his eyes. But
that it was divine spark which await
ed only the kindling of experience to
become q blaze warfeId did not know
when he edged his eager way TO New
York's alluring opportunity.
we were playing" he told me, zone
Of those old farces which were the
vogue once. 1t was my frst real en-
gagement after going to New York
'ODowd's Neighbors' was its classic
title. played the role of an Irish scrub
woman. 1t wasn't much of part.
couldn't sing and I couldn't dance. The
other entertainers Cwarfield didn't call
them actors) had been busy all evening,
but had very little to do. In the pa
pers next day 1 got the notices.
thought there must have been some
mistake. The critics picked me out for
their particular praise"
Warfield was getting his first infor-
nation about himself.
How different it is with men of lit
tie talent. Such strutting and preen-
ing and fine airs that most of US assume
if the world says anything by mistake
that's good about u.s.
There's another reason why it is
reasonable that warheld doesn't know
he's an actor. He's at it all the time. not
conscious enactment of role. but a
physical presentment OF the emotions
or thoughts of the moment / don't
believe there's been an actor since
Coqueln whose mobile face reflects so
clearly every passing thought. 1t is
well on TO impossibility to sketch him,
so quickly does his countenance change
to fit and prove the verbal utterance
It's no wonder he was a good sales
man when a lad, and if he sold matches
he must nave been the champion of his
district. What he says has the elo-
quent Endorsement of facial expression
that carries utter conviction and GER
tainty. You hear his words, but his
face shows you his thought, and they
are mutually confirming.
We were speaking OF men who had
done great things. and had not found
It out till told. The conversation was
then on my lead. 1 started that line.
You may be sure Warfeld didn't know
my purpose of associating him with
the gallery of unconscious geniuses
which he reminded me Of As an illus
tration something was said of Schu-
berf's adoring admiration OF Beethoven,
how the immortal song writer was so
with the great Beethoven, that when.
after waiting years for the privilege of
meeting the symphonist, Schubert was
too overcome and embarrassed to
speak a word, but fed in modification
to the street.
Isn't that beautiful thought?" said
warfeld. who. thinking on such amaz-
ing modesty and humbleness. felt the
sentiment [ thought Ia like to hear
warfeid tell that simple little story
as I watched the reflection of it in his
face.
warheld's expression of emotion is
not a stimulation. He is like Fritz
Kreisler. He has no studied technic,
only feeling. and the ability to express
that feeling by means of an uncon
scious but all embracing technic.
TOR six years now warfeld has been
Fplaying ~The Music Master and /
wondered how he could continue to
bring to the emotions of forlorn Won
garwig the freshness and spontaneity