The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-05
STAGE MECHANISM.

American Ingenuity Has Revolu-
tionized World of Thespian Art.
The creative American stage mechanist
is fast becoming the most important per
sonage in connection with the worlds
amusements. The strides made in the last
few years inventing stupendous scenes
have commanded recognition heretofore
denied. Up 20 a few years ago managers
simply rehashed plays imported from
Europe. until the firm of Klaw & Erlanger
entered the field. Their progressiveness
worked wonders. and to-day II can be
truthfully stated that their individual
efforts have succeeded in eclpsing all
foreign impOrtatiOns.
In New York City, away back IN the
COS, when jarrett and Palmer presented
THE Black Crook and spectacles orig
mated by the Kiralfy brothers, the only
piece OF stage mechanism that the public
marveled at was trap" cut in the stage,
through which one of the performers
made a sprIngins entrance.
In those days a melodrama called THE
World" had a scene showing a raft al
sea being dashed TO pieces by huge waves.
which aroused considerable interest. In
1885 the firm OF Klaw & Granger, in con-
junction with c. B. jefferson, a son OF
Joseph Jefferson doth of whom have
since passed away, commenced produo-
ing. Their first play, "A Dark Secret"
was brought out at the New York Acad-
envy of Music. One Of the scenes showed
70 81 T.
instantaneous hit, and fred this progress
sive firm with an ambition TO attempt
bigger things. Next on their list was
The Country Circus" giving parade on
the stage with horses and other animals
all kinds or live stock and wagons, the
same as Ringing Brothers and BaTnum &
Bailey present to-day in the public thor
oughfaTes. This attempt was also highly
successful, and from that time on they
have stopped at nothing in the way Of
! expense in giving the American public
the biggest indoor entertainments pos
siOle
Beginning of "Ben-Hur."
| over ten years ago the attention OF
| Klaw & Erlanger was drawn to Gen.
Lew Wallace's interesting novel. Ben
| Hur,r and negotiations started toward
dramatizing H. Gen. Wallace was Ike
/ the man from AIissouri-that is, he would
not agree to this work being dramatized
unless the chariot race could be as real
| isticaily presented as his description In
/ the book It Is here that the creative
American mechanist showed his capacity.
| for Klaw & Erlanger commissioned every
one of prominence in this country TO
furnish practical working models for this
big scene, and the prize was won by
I lars In experimenting, but a rich reward
has been reaped. for In the ten years
| that "Ben-Hur' has been before the pub
| lie a profit of over 100000 has been
| earned. The mechanical device which Mr.
Hagan employed in constructing this
scene is not new TO the stage. In its
simpler sense il has been the backbone OF
THE County Fair" and many other plays
and has helped enrich the men who have
staged melodramas. with their accomDa-
niment Of storms. steamships, moving
trains, life bridges. and avalanches In
plays where the horses actually cross the
| stage there is no need OF Illusion TO give
the appearance of movement, but IN a
rase like that driven by the characters
in "Ben-Hur," where the horses actually
run, but do not move forward, there
must be some mechanical means Of he.
ceiying the eye 10 give the impression
Of actual progress. II is such cases as
this that makes OF "Ben-Hur" a me.