Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-23

New York season with his last
- Years success. The Mollusc,"
8tSaH4 with Miss Mary Moore as lead
- ing lady, tells among other in
ciuents OF his New York visits. which ex-
tend over a period Of thirty odd years. OF
a veteran" dinner he gave in this city to
three former comrades. One OF these men
was a journalist. whose acquaintance with
Sir Charles began long before he ever
dreamed Of having a handle TO his name:
another was o. fellow member of the pro-
fession. who appeared With him many times
IN the eos on the American stage, and the
third was a companion In arms when the
civil war engaged his attention TO the ex-
clusion Of histrionic affairs.
The soldier friend brought as a souvenir
to the dinner a copy Of an old photograph
Of Charles Wyndham. showing him as a
young man. with shoulder straps and
"dundrearys." Today. in spite Of his 70
years, Sir Charles still has a distinctly
military bearing. He is above six feet in
height. straight and slim as a saplinR and
his complexion is rudy. He no longer
wears whiskers or moustache and his clear
cut features are topped with iron gray
hair. In manner he is cordial and yet a
little reserved. Many OF his American adj
mirers have forgotten the fact that he came
here first to enter the northern army in the
civil war and served as surgeon.
Every man." says Sir Charles. has two
reasons for every important action that he
performs. Oftentimes he decelves himself
in the beginning by assuming that there is
only one driving force, but later on. after
the deed has been accomplished and he sits
dow and thinks things over calmly. he
admits that the second, the hidden reason,
Is perhaps the true one.
LAS a yotng man 1 believed myself to
be the champion Of a great cause. Aboli-
ton was the banner cry which, I asserted,
brought me across seas and landed me on
the field of battle. Today I realize that,
irritated by the opposition shown my pre-
objections for the stage, 1 came here be-
lieving that 1 would find Il easier to see
an opening in the dramatic profession and
that I could follow the calling without the
social and parental opposition that l had
TO struggle against in my native country.
Going on the stage was synonymous with
going to the dogs then in the eyes OF the
majority of people.
My father, when he discovered my bent,
calmly Informed me that he would much
rather that / elected to become u tailor,
and It was due to his steady, unwavering
dis6pproval that l submitted to the extent
OF finishing my medical course and taking
a diploma, so that when the dreadful some
thing happened which he constantly fore
told 1 would have a real profession to fall
back upon. That the something did not
happen is merely a matter Of biography,
and naturally success has its emolumeuts,
among the rest the change in view Of ones
former Opposers.
I'm those early days 1 played many times
with Wilkes Booth and other well known
actors of the time. 1 had also q strong
friendship and a stage companionship with
y. s. Clarke, brother-in-law of Booth, who
after that went to England, made a great
success there and took up a permanent
abode on the other side. One OF the early
plays I appeared in was Saratoga, and I
had a long repertoire of other popular and
unpopular roles"
A reference to~"The Lily leads to a
Question concerning the A-merIcanization
of important plays, and Sir Charles, after
a moments hesitation puts himself on
record as against any radical change from
the playwright's intention.
1T is not loyal to him and to the art
whose disciple he is" he says. He is
dealing with a subject and he should be
lowed to remain faithful to his principles.
II the subject is important enough TO
receive dramatic Interpretation it is surely
important enough to be allowed to travel
TO its logical or artistic goal, for the two
words are synonymous. It seems to me
that II is much wiser to cut out any play
entirely than to change its original intent.
Naturally 1 do not mean to imply that
a play should be allowed to stand always
as 1. is received from the playwright, for
oftentimes he is unable himself to follow
his subject logically, and q good play is
oftentimes spoiled for the lack Of wedding
and changing, which comes within the
province of those to whom the work is sub
mitted, 1 am speaking of course Of plays
that are artistically correct and are SO
received in one country, say France. for
example, and are brought to America