New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-24
GEO. M. CONAN HIMSELF.
Produces His Own Play in His
Own Theatre.
ACTS LEADING ROLE
And Thanks Audience in the
Name Of His Father and
Mother-Success.

mOtueT-SuCCeS
ihefe is no place TO hear sterling ana
spontaneous American enthusiasm out
side OF a baseball field except In George
M Cohan's Theatre. There once were
galleries in playhouses. from which you
could hear it come roaring. Now there
are no galleries left and the seats OF
the gods are empty, except In Mr..
Cohan's Theatre. where whistles. catcalls
and cheers come down from the top
rafters. heartwhole and true IL is a
glad southland Il IS a great event. n
Cohan tlrst night. IL IS something that
every real son of Broadway is proud OF.
And when he pays his tax for q ticket
10 see the play II IS no tyranny OF taxa
tion. for he IL represented on the stage
from his good heart out 10 his creased
trousers and from his love FOR a cocktail
To his humility before q noble sentiment
or a good girl
broadway Jones" which last night
made fits debut on the famous thorough
fare whence Il drew its inspiration. brings
Mr.. Cohan forward az n writer. producer
and actor of farce comedy And Broad
way Jones' II a farce comedy Of the cxu-
oerant American kind. Jackson Jones,
nlcknamed broadway" from early youth
because OF his ambition 10 become an
habltue Of the greatest street In the
world" is the son of tho son of the
man after whom Joncsvillc. Conn. was
named. His vast fortune which in
its entirety he puts into circulation
on Broadway soon after he gets there,
was made In no less sacred q national
product than chewing gum. When the
gum millionaire finds himself credit rich
and cash poor on the street OF his Idola-
try, with a crop OF debts some $1,000
strong. he decides 10 marry wealthy
octogenarian. Just at the very moment
Of degradation and despair the joval
news comes Of the death OF his uncle and
"Broadways' inheritance Of the Jones
Chewing Gum Plant. The young mans
big hearted resolve to accept this gift ~
Providence and run Il as such rather than
sell Il out TO the Consolidated Chewing
Cum Trust for a million and half OF
Uncle Sans bona iide dollars forms the
nobility note Of the play. There is q 1T
tie love tied into u bowknot around the
outside to keep things together, and there
IS some idea IN the second act about q
good girls forming the incentive 10 make
man work. There is not much scnti-
ment thrown away on poor Ada Gilman,
who played the part OF "Broadvay's'
aged, foolish and finally Tilted fiancee.
But. then, ago is not a matter 10 take
seriously. and any one who IS careless
enough to be old deserves whatever hu-
initiation is offered.
Mr.. Cohar has provided his play with an
exceedingly clever prologue. In which I've
or ten minutes Of telling acting and hard
~ more than half a dozen lines between
himself and the butler give e. favorsomo
lead-off to what follows. His stage set
tings are both agreeable and appropriate.
and his acting shows the type he 10 rep
resentlng-to the life. George NJ. Conan
is an understanding man. Some people
can live on Broadway all their lives and
never know what the place really Is until
they 20 In and see Mr.. Cohan. And what
does he tell them that Il is Broadway
is q mystery" he explains 10 The Girl Ia
the last act. But before the play is over
clearer. though perhaps no truer, cA-
PLANTATION than that Is offered.
I'm going 10 buy BROOKLYN and close
II up" Is his first coherent sentence after
the news OF his second fortune comes.
snap. cxuberance and the most p!quani
native comedy punctuatc Broadway
Jones with sparks something IN the way
Of a wireless apparatus.
Brought 20 tho footlights IN spite OF
every effort to ward II of. Mr. Cohan
thanked the audience In the name OF his
father, his mother and his company-all
OF whom, indeed. acted nobly.
For local flavor, see broadway Jones"
CAST Of "BRoADWAY JONES"
~ O.