Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-05-18

part of the business OF the scene
American plays, he ~ do not n
success in England, as a rule, but
excerpts William Gillette in 'Sherl.
| Holiness"
There was something unique in N
Gillette's manner of acting and in h
personality, which was new In England
He became socially very popular,
though he a no fondness for social
life, and usually preferred the quiet of
his own suite at his hotel.
ION one occasion he told me that the
Duchess of Manchester desired him to
spend Sunday at her country home.
some distance from the city. He said
he was absolutely forced to accept an
invitation hat he sought politely to
decline.
He had thought of a way out of it.
He knew there was only a very early
train out of London of Sundays. He
explained that after a weeks work he
would require that morning for rest.
she Immediately brought forth an
other alternative. The express that left
later for the north did not stop at her
station. This he knew, and had urged
that in e-xtenuation of his refusal.
"'Oh. that's all right she said. I'll
see that the expires stops to let you.
Off So, perforce, he went. She had
promised that only the members of her
household and no weekend party
would be present. When he arrived
there, however, he was confronted not
only by the family, but by a large and
jolly weekend gathering of her
friends. Still he managed to enjoy
himself"
When SOthern became a star he and
Frohman supped together at the Play
ers' club, with Edwin Booth. n in the
course of the conversation Booth asked
Sothern If he knew that it was due to
L him (Rnnfhl that ha had hnnn chris.
tened Edward.
ut came about this way" said Mr..
Booth. "When you addressing young
Sothern) were born in New Orleans
your father telegrarhed me- to become
your godfather, and that you were to
be named Edwin-after nae. Your IA
Their was a splendid and brilliant man,
| but rather wild in his tendencies at
times, and I was a little afraid to as
sumo h responsibility of godfather to
his son; so I declined. But that is why
you are called Edward instead of Ed
win"
There is a racy n delightful chap
ter on the Kendals' appearance in
America, from which the following is
l extracted:
"A thing that shocked Mrs. Kendall
was the amazing frequency with which
she encountered the American cuspi-,
dor. On their first arrival 1 took them
to see a new play at Daly's. in which
were John Drew. Mrs. Gilbert and Ada
Rehan. We occupied a box. The first
thing she saw in it was a commodious
brass cuspidor.
she became familiar with Amer
lean hotels n public places she grew
used to the sight of these significant
utensils. h has told that when she
appeared at a researsal at q theater in
Nashville. she saw this notice posted
in the footlights for the benefit of the
actors. Pleas do not spit into the foot
lights When they got further south
to Memphis. the same injunction too
this abbreviated form: Don't spit into
the foots.'"
In this chapter there is another i'll
lustration of the change in the Amer
lean attitude toward a certain class
of plays: =
There was only one cloud in Mrs.
Kendal's career in America. When she
enacted the part of Paula in 'rhe Sec
ond Mrs. T~anqueray,' the critics not
only deprecated her accepting a part
of this kind. but criticised her taste i'm
appearing in a role so at variance with
her career as a woman and an actress.
She had been called the British mat
rom of the drama because of the pur-
ity of her domestic life.
I'm speaking of this she said: LAS an
actress I may play all dramatic roles.
1t was not I who gave myself this
title She could not forgive the press
for it's hostile attitude"