Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-02
Charles Frohman at F,tty.

deal of surprise few months ago
when nc said that the experience OF
two years had convinced him that there
are 1000 people in this country engaged
In writing unactable plays. Mr.. Froh-
man bears out the statement. In an
interview recently he said:
AS the question OF reading plays
seems to be one Of great interest
want to say that. in period covering
IS or is years of play reading and
with play readers. there has not been
one play sent I'm which has ever been
selected for production. This may pos
sibIy show what little skill both I and
my play readers possess In judging
submitted manuscripts The average
number OF plays sent in, / should say
is about 2b a week, ana the amount |
have paid for play readers during my
career is about $4,000. ! feel certain,
however. that the right play or one we
think is the right play, viii come IN
some day and give us back the money
with interest.
II may also say that as far as my
MANAGEMENT il concerned there will be
no change In the system OF reading
plays Plays will be read without
any agreement with authors as 10 the
responsibility Of the manuscript. There
is otter "A similarity in plays up to
certain point-there Ia no question
IN play is like drawing straight
line running one way while another
play IL another straight line crossing
IL somewhere There Is bound to De
crossing.
The nearest charge ever had to
play being sent in for my personal
reading having a similarity with one
latter produced was soon decided.
The manuscript was found Just as IL
had been sent me in its original pack
age with the authors seal unbroken.'
Mr.. Frlhman's city diver sion is work.
Work Is also his only vice. Likewise
work is his u 1noipal virtue When no
finishes IL hours at 'is dsSN he goes
home and amuses himself by study
ing old costume plates. He does not
exercise. but his weight never varies
much from $50. once Mr. Frohman
was known 10 play game or BILLIARDS
with charles h. Dillingham; and the
late clyde Fitch He got into a dis
cussiOn with Mr.. Fitch about The
Truth" and Dillingham; won. II was
one OF the fcw tricks Mr.. Frohman has
lost at any game or trade.
No prominent theater manager either
in New York or London is less fire.
qucntly seen around the play houses
or on the streets At first perform
auces MIR Frohman either keeps out OF
view in tho offices OF his house man
ager or sits I'm the back row Of the top
gallery Many a holder OF so cent
seat would be dumbfounded 20 learn
that the attentive unperturbed little
man sitting in the seat next to MIN
not only owned tho theater but had an
Investment OF $4,000 at stake on the
play. A kings ransom would
not induce him to show himself behind
the footlights on an opening night.
Audiences know his modesty in this
regard and they long ago ceased TO
call for him. Perhaps this reluctance
to figure personally in the limelight ac-
counts for the fact that he has never
sat for a photograph
The wealth Mr.. Frohman has occu-
mulated from his energetic life and
many drastic ventures Is subject
oyer which many people have speou-
lated His fortune has been variously
estimated at from 1900 900 to $1,000. 600
He Is known TO have made huge prohts
from some OF his productions. but 9TH
crs have entailed severe losses He ac-
ccpts either with complacency and sell
dom talks about business AFFAIRS. HIS
projects are so many and complicated
that he probably does not know him
self what he is worth. He does not
care for money for its own sake, but
for the opportunity II gives him to In
dulge his one consuming hobby-which
! Is TO produce plays.-New York World.