The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-14
DRAMATIC NEWS
AND COMMENT

The near engagement Of George NJ
Cohan s most successful comedy, ''Get
Rich Quick Wallingford, in this city.
makes the following Of timely interest.
| Among those who know the young
anthor- producer nager only
from watching him from the dark side
Of the footligbts, the idea is general
that Cohan is concc.ted and self.eon.
scions. lie boasts Of having beeu born
on the Fourth of July; he styles him
self the Yankee Doodle comedian and
his family the royal family. lie has
made the George M. Cohan theater ia
New York sort of family pantheon,
with mural paintings on every side
showing the many achievements Of
himself ana his family
But, in truth. all of this constitutes
merely n pose Oh the part Of Cohan-
a cog in his whcel OF advertising The
real George NJ. Cohan is modest-al-
most timid.
Some years ago, when he won his
first big success with George Wash
ington, ,Ir., musical play filled with
the usual Cohan slap, dasn aud gin.
ger, n prominent critic was attracted
by n single sccpc n the piece in which
George freed himself from the char
acterlstlc Coban:sins. It was where
the son, turning to the father. pro-
claimed hrs intentions 10 sce what he
could make Of himself without tne aid
Of his parent. 1t was Q touch of na-
ture-real life.
"lf YOU can soYnd such human
note in a shrieking musical piece, :"
said the critic TO Conan. ~ think
you can do it longer and trOer in a
regular play.
81 wish ] could do 1t. replied Co.
han modestlY, "but l m afraid it isa It
IN me. WAS brought up in the va
riety business aud ] know it, But
when YOU advise me TO write real
play. IN afraid .you have too good
an opinion OF me.
Cohan said to q reviewer oue day. at
is my ambition some day to write Il
great play
His opportunity came sooner than
he expected, Like all men interested
IN stage affairs, Cohnu is always on
the lookout for ideas for new plays.
lie was attracted by the possibilities in
Quick Wallingford stories. He com
missioned one writer after another 10
dramatize these stories. Cohan &
Harris announced the opening date OF
the play, feeling confident that one OF
the experienced playwrlghts wonlI
turn out an acceptable adaptation. AS
each playwright submitted his drama
bi"dbiou VI Ine tUcSJer SlOFlcS TOT 20
han 8 expert scrutiny, il was pro-
nounced not suitable.
definite date had been set for the
opening OF the play; actors were be
ing held in suspense pending the be-
ginning of reheursals and definite en-
gagements; advertising contracts were
made; IN fact. every possible pre-
arrangement for the production of the
play had been made--before the play
/ ba 1,t
was rapidly drawing near. Coban real
lied that something would have to
be done-and he did it,
Had he been as "cbcsty' as some
people believe him to be, he would
never have entrusted the work of
dramatization out of his own hands.
But he evaded the task until he stood
himself up in a secluded place and
started to work. He had the piece
written. rehearsed and prodnced on
schedule time
The play has been frequently called
'Fhe Great American Comedy and
in this 1T would seem that Coban had
realized the object of his remark
some day write great play
At a conference between Charles
Frohman and Maule Adams, it was
lately decided that Miss Adams sea-
son in "Chanteclerh will be prolonged
an additional month beyond the tour
AS originally planned: aud in area
will be extended after the San Fran
cisco engagement to the cities of the
northwest, ending in Spokane during
July.
Along with these plans. Mr.. Froh-
man decided upon November, 1912, as
the time, and the Empire tbeater as
the place, for Miss Adams next New
York performance.
1.-THE Bird Of Paradise Richard
Walton Tully's new play, opened for
IN indefinite engagement at DAILY s
theater, New York, on Monday, Janu
ary s, under tho management or Oliver
Morosco.
Mr. Tully has chosen an unusual and
unexpected locale for his Jay. Tho