The San Francisco call., 1910-08-07
By Garnet Warren

THE little bnothers Of the human attach
great importance to first things Our first kisses,
IF course, were the sweetest; first loves the
dearest; first long trousers the most hallowed-
These memories are very sweet
There is one sweeter-the first first part of him
who has played many. And if you get your stars in
a right humor (and stars usually in right humor
when soothed by the benign environment of possible
publicztion) they will indulge in very moving
iniscence
In recent chat David Belasco gave in the best
possible Beasco vein the tender memory of his first
part:
Il became stage struck" remarked Mr.. Beasco "at
a very early age. I know that 1 was stage struck be-
cause 1 conversant with the symptoms. 1 have
them since Being stage struck had, of course,
ambition-the saving spirit of that awful state
Il used be the prize reciter in Lincoln school,
San Francisco in those very glorious days. l took
the recitation prize for 10 years there, and good
deal OF my spare time devoted to conceiving
myself the center of large throngs who acclaimed me-
remember that In these happy fancies invariably
conceived myself massive, imperious sort of man
dignihed, deliberate, impressive. only about II
then and that time had yet lost hope of grow
ing
well, my great piece, I remember, was The Mad
man Whenever I felt conditions to be just right
out came The Madman' / devoted much time to
him. 1 was always thinking of business for him
l remember that l used go around among the
antique stores in those times. In one OF them
/ bought about a hundred pounds of chain, and /
used fix that TO my legs and when l recited
The Madman' In impassioned moments l would
clank the chain. / put great feeling into the cul-
ninating parts of The Madman'
"All my admirers used say: It's grand but that
boy Davy will break blood vessel that thing
They advised my father restrain in the matter
of The Madman' Realism finally claimed to such
that used little bladder of red
color in my hand. When the strong effects of The
Mzd1nan' would arrive the veins would swell at my
neck; my face would grow very red. l could hear
my friends saying It's grand, but that boy will surely
break blood vessel He puts much spirit into il
he'll break artery sure Then ! would commence
20 cough, and under cover of my hand, would break
the red bladder my face. After which l would
kick and gurgle little. 1t was very realistic
However, my teachers were impressed. They
thought was going to be great actor They talked
together and decided that should go on the stage
They even interviewed the stage manager of the
Metropolitan opera house. San Francisco, and as
sured him that God had given dramatic genius
/ suppose that he must have believed them for he
engaged me TO play in piece called The Lion OF
Nubia-' / an actor at last!
AS WALTER JORDAN
in the flush of anticipated triumph l took the
stage name of Walter Jordan. / thought that il
sounded much more romantic than David Belasco
We'll, had to take the part of young officer in
The Lion of Nuba, and / was all worked UP about
IL. I talked The Lion of Nubia for several weeks
know that dreamed about it. On the day l went
down to the theater at o'clock to make up The
stage manager came about 7, and there was stroll.
ing about the stage, very highly painted and with q
large mustache and side whiskers.
%'Who on earth you" asked he.
Walter Jordan replied. I am Walter Jordan
the new actor
Well, said he, Walter Jordan go down and take
all that stuff off and look like human being again
So went down and took the big mustache off and
the whiskers and good deal of the paint; and was
walking about the back of the very, very
nervous, when my father in with three or -four
lemons. He handed me one, saying, Suck this, Davy