The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-07-24
GEORGE SPELVIN, BUSY ACTOR
N THRET YEARS M mas
PLAYED I7J ROLES
ARd Has Appeared In over Ten Thousand
Performances Acts stimuli aneOusiy
In New York and on the Pacific Coast
The Discovery Of william Gillette.


banker IN the first act'-
George SpelNin.
And whom shall ! cast for the hotel
clerk IN th" last act
-Gcurg" ST~lVin
That ~ the way the theatri, al manager
make, up the cast for his new production
George SpclNin IL the hardest working
actor m the world While he 10 play ing
thr,-, parts ian one New York play he
may ie playing three oT four parts IN
another play m chicago or San Fran
cisco. and even I'LL in few dates with
stock companies in Denver and salt
Lake city
Gcurge Sp"lNin il in great demand
these days along the Rialto among man
ayers getting ready for IN" next season
and II h. werr able to collect all the money
that would ordinarily h. paid for the parts
he will play he would get the highest
salary ever known IN the business. But
while George Spelvin il hard worker
here j. "A little secret He Is the only known
actor who works for nothing except
the glory VI seeing his name on the pro-
gramrnc His ris' has occurred IN the
last three years.
George SIrlVin is the creation Of william
Gillette. IN" actbr christened him At
the dress rehearsal 81 his only failure.
entitled That Little AfTair AZ the Boyds
Their. were nearly thirty characters in
TN. play. many of them doubles as the
dramatic profession calls the parts which
occur only in one act and can he played
/ bv some actor who has another small
part ia another act Three Of these
roles ~eemed quite important bits. 81
Gillette gave them To- a certain actor OF
some prominence
4 won't play those bite. Mr. Gillette,
b protested the actor 1t would hur my
: rcu'ua'l,u II my name appeared ON the
prugr,mm" ~ playing any one OF them.
and t. play all three. why. IL would oe
business suicide
I'm soon FIX that said Gillette quietly
! i suppose YOU need the money!
Yes sir and a he sorry to lo~s the
engagement replied the actor.
-Ihcu suppose YOU play the three dit
ferent roles and III put some other name
on say George SpelVin.
i don't care what you call him, 50 long
as | draw th. salary was the answer
and thus Gcorg" Sp"lvln made his hrs'
B appearance IN any stag"
III
out prominently and Gillette put the name
Georg" SpelvIn opposit" each bit. Wher
the play wis produced IN Washington
the critics mentioned the work 81 George
Spelvin m favorable VEN One II the
B papor- even Vcuturcd IN" opinion that q
. new actor Il great power and versatility
had been discovered Nv Mr.. Gillette, and
as no one had ever heard ~ George Spelvir
before the critic played up his little dis
Il HUaHr aFNf al
Although she play waS q failure George
Str.lviu did not die with II. for Fred
ThCmtruu Who produced tn. play was
struck With the SpalvIn idea and used u
from that tune A. the nam" for all the
doubles IN the plays he produced. George
~relyiu Was the Old ship captain IN Via
Wireless and got great notiC~s for his
work In Polly Of the Circus George
Su.lvin was one ~ the circus clowns and
also PLAYED n part asa rube
George Spalvin soon began 20 crop up
everywhere as "a result 81 Gillette tell
ing n few manager Of the actor in Wash
ington who wouldnT play . part under
his own name though he was content q
draw salary and make "A hit a. Spelvin
Cohau 4 Harris took up the name. and
now YOU will find George SpslVln playing
one or more parts in shows this firm pro-
dtiC.-s While George Sp.lvin was act
ing ~ village constable ia The Fortuns
Hunter aSt winter he vas also touring
.
comedies and vas acting with the Chicago
,omydnv in The Fortune Hunter
Even ~" Fruhmau Offices r'aChed ont
for G.prg. SUslvin Gillette told the
Joke - Nauds adams. and when she
pIaypd Joan Of Arr NJ Harvard IN the
stadium one ~ tho French Generals VA
. ulay.d hv George SDelVin When shs
acted A. You Like It la California
few weeks ago she had the tr'iSty nlc
Su-ly.n with her ~ Oh" Of the retainerS OF
3D." BIr.su.d I,uN" w through IA,
. tour 81 what Every Woman Knows
M. roles Of ~. 'rS' eleDtor and Of thu
fprtrrln iu ~" thlri act wcr" played hy
&c ~" Np"lVIn
When Charles Dillingham; PRODUCED
! -Th. p'i Town Inst winter y" had ia,
worthy Sr"lvIn appear a. one % tho CIrCui
hands and Later ~ a butler and then as
Jar.n.~- Sp"lyin az the same time wa
On tour with Il-l" JAMS IN The Fair Co
ri In which h" played an old tutor.
l. nlr teen estimated that GeorR,
! Sr.iyIU has played about lI5 dlNer.n
rdl"- N ~" lat thr". seasons, IN nearl'
. a. many different COMPANIES. giving owe
, 10 6au performances IN all Tn" Joke ha
! ",.u '.tSs..d on among theatrical manager
= until how SuelvIn ~ likely Ia he on man
programmes Tor N. coming season
H. practically every play where Their
! ar" small parts u - customary 10 max
th'.-.. doubles hut. ~ YOU can see by re-
f-rrirg To- m" play ~ which Sp"lNln VIA
cast tor "a la' hrf a. IA" ilrrt act, "a hIne~
m IA" -",uI.' AT hotel clerk IN tn
thirl th" iuu'.l'- ere usually arrange
- a. 'u permit 81 H." absolute DISCUS
~ the actor
The banker ~ ~" first act would W "a
a frpck ,ua', "a full beard and elk hat
No wouldn't h"lr ia" SlIghts re~eIn
hAuCr 10 the lhir'-r Of the second act
I Hho would wear a tight fitting wig witt
qU,.4". Wculi smear his face with
y"llpw pigment and arch HIS eyebrow
aui further cUupl"'" N" deception b,
appearing IA n" hose and outlAndisl
Orieuta! gl~b of - Ihiu'7-p For the mex
Transformation to the hotel clerk. TIA
actor wouli appear ~ his natural self
clean -haye't. smart. up To- late, la mod
err clothes
In thrgtrl"al Compar - Loasting 81
Georg" Spslyin II IN considered one O
the gene Al perquiSiis- To- open all O
Georg"'- mail Any OIL" who gets TO tn
mail hoV first has the privilege 81 opening
any mail addressed 10 SIelvip. In thi
way some very amusing things happen
A. sOou a. "A company REACHES n city al
sorts Of circulars cut rate !UducsmenL
to visit stores and max" purchases. hote
adv.rt issrirnis and the like ar" aiirs-ss..
10 every raJne appearing on IN. theatr,
Programme.
- c,ls, Will" so-call"i mash note.