The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-02

.fAnd your rapid rise from Just a mere actor, as 1t were. to the pre-eminenee of being an Actor Manager. has meant much in the history of American theatricals, observed. But two others suggest them selves to my mind-the triumvirate. might say-Mr. Miller, MT. Sothern and MT. Faversham."
 "The role of Actor Manager incurs a great responsibility" MT. Miller replied, particularly in the matter of reading manuscripts of plays and picking out the wheat from the tares. Dante in his 'ln- ferno overlooked the most exquisite tor lure ever devised by human or satanic ingenuity, for he should have reserved space in the uttermost parts of perdi- ton for particularly bad sinners, where, through all eternity they could be chained to prop and compelled to listen to un- |tried dramatsts reading their first plays. It's like this A man amay be good brick mason: he may do the finest sort of work with bricks. but when 1t comes to building a house there's the rub. Hes a failure He knows nothing of archi- lecture; he can't construct on artistic and beautiful lines So it is with the play wright He may be an excellent scholar, a good writer of books, but when 1t comes to the technique of the drama why, it's different story"
 After all,p MT. Miller continued, Tt isn't the best plays that are always sue cessful-nor the successful plays that are always the best. Ones favorlte role is Itthe one which can be mentally looked in the eye IT is only when an actor IS groping blndly in the dark that part becomes impossible.
 And do you acknowledge that there are impossible plays-or, on the principal that some great man has said of books, that there are no bad books, only bad readers I suggested.
 ''There are many quite impossible plays" said Mr Miller. Sometimes the titles alone are sufficiently discouraging. You may think I am joking, but 1 have actually received the play called Why Mother Never Changed Her Maiden Name There are others equally as ridiculous. Did She Sin?' for instance. Always Ridiculed,' Love at Forty two, 'Saved--A Scandar-are only few of the titles of plays that have been submitted to- me.
 Shouldn't there be a censor In Amer lea, for titles of plays in that case, as well as in England for plays?" l asked.
 "Censorship is a mere futility,' said MT Miller. "I know of a certain play that was read in Chicago to six people, all highly intelligent. Each dlsapproved of it. It was then read to six others, tQudllN as lHltlllStHlf dHue lutNl dS iltdil- fly approved as the others disapproyed it.. So there you are. The publc-the thea tre-gong public, is the greatest censor that we have'
 Referring to the titles of plays" l suggested, were the plays themselves as discouraging as the titles?"
 'I believe the most appalling piece of literature that I ever encountered" said MT Miller, with a smile, was called srha nacnotlere of IpnnrPpCa.f Ia nl V was highly thrilling, but the author cared not how he spent the producers money. nor the audiences time. There were 37 scenes and the first three could not be set and struck in less than an hour. The actual dialogue could have been re- cited in three or four minutes. The gen jus of the playwright was absolutely lack ing. you see-a fault most often found with those aspiring to such honors."
 DO you regard the dramatization of books--'six best sellers'-for instance, as clever or successful?' l asked
 'very--in many instances said MT. Miller but as matter of fact, some of the most unique situations, some of the most intensely bizarre effects in plays, have been presented to me by the most experienced writers. l recall one play that l read. which was sent to ms by man of letters, whose name IS now famous. in which one scene called for load of coal to be dumped across the road in such a way as to make 1t impassable. An automobile is brought to a stop by the obstruction and the oceupants demand some action by the driver of the cart, who is leisurely smok- ing hs pipe, waiting for assistance. When the motorists ask the driver why ne doesht clear the road he replies that II IS loo much labor for one mans whefeupon one of the automobile party throws on ms fur coat, disclosing even Ing clothes and proceeds to shovel coal. How long do yoa think an actor would retain roe that sequired him to shovel ioan ., coai SIX hlshts in the week and VI Tdnesday and Saturdav matInees. not to speak of Christmas and New Years and all the other holidaysq''
 Then to find such a Vehicle as .rhe Havoc means reading Scores or mean ngless plays and going through dr,dr- cry deep as nre," surmised.
 I've had many disappointments in reading manuscripts by unknown an. thors. and vet other managers inform me F that I am luckier than they. MT. soth- ern. I recall. told me on one occasion that in his 30 years ofs play reading he
 lad found only one play that suited him, ihe Adventures of Lady Ursula.''' ls the role of Richard Craig as con genial as stephen Ghent in The Great Divide or sydney Carton in sThe Only Way? l asked.
 Richard, Craig is so entirely different, '' said MT, Miller. stephen Ghent was such gracious part; Sydney Carton such a wonderful bit of delineation: vet Rich ard Craig is as virile; dealing with a subject vel old but handled in such a new way to quote Gautier, 'all stories have been told, but there are still countless ways of retelling them, the main point Is to find an interesting way. and that makes the role of Richard 1 rais rather departure from others that have played