The San Francisco call., 1910-01-02

n r is seldom indeed that an unbiased
biography is found or an unpreju-
diced biogrspher is born. From our
cradles TO our graves we suffer our
selves 70 be led in or out of friend
ships by the color Of the hair, the
snhectfon Of the voice or by things less
tangible even than these. If a friend
becomes biographer how shall he tell
The truthe If an enemy attempts the
task who would believe the tale? II
the subject is living the elements of
friendship must add pretty tints 10 the
portrait: If the object Of the history is
dead the difficulty doubles, for one does
nor reasonably tell the truth then
What we believe is mainly what we
feel. and facts of character are thinned
out or attenuated or lost altogether,
perhaps. 5n the mazes Of our predilee-
fions or prejudices. The truth about
: man is not 50 easily told, but becomes
subject 10 the tener's whims.
The interviewer who is expected 10
get snapshots Of genius feels keenly
this difficulty. He approaches the
mountain and can neither see the top
because he is too near, nor the bottom
because he has no foreground. He
can not travel round the mountain, for
he has not time to do so, and assuredly
he can not scale its heights. for per-
hsps he could not breathe the rarefied
ether Of those isolated, cloud piercing
peaks. The best he can do is 10 take a
hurried survey or rest in a single spot
and get the truths that lie near al
hsnd. eliminating the rest
Not many men or women on the stage
or elsewhere are worth so much atteD-
lion. but when one Of these giants is
encountered the inadeouaey Of an in
terview Of 80 minutes. wherein to
gather something OF absolute though
abstract value about the man, is irk-
some and vexstiOus.
So much has been written about
David warneld, the man and the actor,
the loving son and tender brother, that
The embarra ssment of the interviewer's
handicap Of time and space pressed
vlvidly on my mind when Mr.. waraeld
led the way into the blue room OF the
81. Francis and opened the Interview
with 2 smile.
To say something new about Warfield,
10 cast. a different light on his person
Atty or his genius. is pleasing duty
leave. reluctantly. to others. Perhaps
couple or snapshots may here be de-
veloped however ] shall be happy If
any Of the films come out good"
David Warheld's early life in this city
IS so well known to US that the task OF
setting him easily Oh AZ artificially con
trived pedestal OF sdulation viii not be
sfndertak ken, though 1t would be easy TO
make a hero Of him. fnd. indeed. that
the prelude TO this patter comes dan
zerouslv near to the warmth Of rhap-
xody. Yet I willingly encounter the re-
tort az the fellow who would say:
Dave? sure ] know him. Have known
him for 20 years why, he used 10 sell
matches in sixth street or He used to
he nothing but an usher al the Bush
street theater sure 1 know Dave War
aeIds
That's the fellow that doesn't know
David warheld and never viii. for the
little boy with burping, earnest eyes who
did well whatever he had TO do was 2
creature apart from his companions; a
dreamer Of dreams in Sixth street; a
vision behoIder south of the slot; a
lad in communion with the spirits OF
Seneca and Shakespeare
4 AN thoroughly persuaded that David
wsrheId doesn't know he's an actor.
That is. he doesn't know it OF his
own knowledge He is aware of the
fact BY reason OF the information that
has been borne to him by the public,
the critics and the box Office. That he
is an actor is a matter Of information
20 him. not knowledge. something irD-
partee. 20. ssllfzslscexsEed This : aof