Evening journal., 1911-05-20
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
When a Famous Theatrical
Manager went 1t Blind"
By "HoIIand."

mo one who has not actually ex-
perienced all the trials and faced all Of
the emergencies which are the lot of a
dramatic manager can begin to real
ize what difficult work his is once
said to me the late A. NJ Palmer, who
for many years was one of the most
successful dramatic managers of the
United States. Under his management
such great plays as THE Bankers
Daughter" The Two Orphans" Dip
lomacy." BARLEY Campbells MY Part
ner." and later. the first successful
dramatization OF DuMaurier's novel.
"Trilby." we're produced.
"I suppose" continued Mr.. Palmer,
that If have had better luck in deal
ing with actors and actresses and in
meeting and mastering sudden emery
encies than some other dramatic man.
ayers. II has been due TO the fact that
l began my career in life as politi-
clan, for was actively associated for
some years with the Republican party
Organization of New York county, an
association, in fact, which resulted in
my partnership arrangement with
Sheridan Shook, who was also a very
active politician. A politician, you
know to handle both people and
emergencies.
SHOOK and I had some very close
calls at the time we we're managing
the Union Square Theatre at New
York. We we're at our wits ends sew
eral times because actors upon whom
we relied had disappointed us, or be-
cause some Of them felt that we had
not cast them for parts which were
worthy of their abilities
But I think the narrowest squeak
l ever had was after MIR. Shook and ]
had dissolved partnership and when
was the sole manager of a theatre in
the vicinity of Madison Square, New
York.
Il had decided TO put on a play at
this theatre, and. in fact, had partially
cast the parts when, Of a sudden, the
author withdrew the play. Fortunately
] had not announced the play. But
what was I TO do nevertheless? l had
at hand no play which had been tried
and found satisfactory. / had. how
ever, in my drawer several manu-
scripts of plays, not one of which had
been examined In my desperation /
took these manuscripts for reading to
my home in Stamford Conn, upon the
I oh that I rYafohf And af
them good enough TO serve as a stop
gap until l could get my bearings
again.
There was only one among them
which deserved a second and more
careful reading I did not know the
author, except in a most casual way
He had no reputation as a playwright
] had been told that he had done some
literary work some where in the West
/ knew. therefore, that the name of the
author would serve in no way to ad
vertise the play And yet this was tn,
only possible chance / had of keeping
the theatre going until could make
ready a play which l knew would al
least pay for its production. Therefore
decided to put tbs play on and il
went fairly we'll at rehearsals, but
every experienced manager knows
that rehearsals are no criterion of the
success Of a play
Il went TO the theatre on the might
of the first production prepared tC
announce at the close of the last ac
that the play had been withdrawn. But
to my astonishment, at the end of th'
first act / saw that the audience wal
disposed to be pleased with the play
At the end of the second act l fel
certain that the play would be goo'
for a week or more; and when tn
curtain came down upon the last aci
l said iubilantly to myself; al Palmer
you went it blind, and fortune ha
favored you The play proved to be
great hit. Il was called Alabama an
It ran the season out. And yet bu
for that great emergency and embar
rassment in all probability the pla
and the author would never have bee
heard Of"
copyright. 1911. by z. ]. Edwards. Al