Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-19
BY JULIAN JOHNSON.

~ l.
This whirlwind westerner al
the age Of thirty-seven has
carved his name as high upon
the plaster OF constructive histrioniC
fame as any man past or contempt
nary: has saved the entire western half
OF the continent from the slow artistic
death TO which supreme New York do
miniOn seemed 10 condemn IL: has dis
covered not only n new school Of au-
thors, but a new world Of actors and
actresses: has established new capt
tni Of the play upon the Pacific coast
and f. heraIded as the great apostle
OF vouth-a youth which applies NOT
only 70 his principals. but 10 his pieces.
his productions. his ideas Of playwright
fns and his scheme Of stage manage
mcnt. More than any other form Of
art the stage e. fettered by hid-hound
convention and the fear 81 change.
and convention and fear are the twin
dragons which this ~. George Of the
thenter long ago put under his feet.
ANY penny n liner can type fulsome
paragraphs. Having lpplaudcd Mo
rosco. let M 500 specifically what he
has done which IS worth acclaim.
HIS most recent New York successes.
PEG o. Ny Heart and The Bird az
Paradise" are great and nationally
known triumphS which are in reality
merely the capsfone upon n structure
which Is built ~ years Of tremendous.
obscure yet untirinG effort
AIorosco was born in salt Lake City.
Utah. but went early to San francisco.
Like BelascO and one OF two others
who have done much for the real adj
vancemcnt 81 the drama. he was
native westcrner and not. as much
more than half Of the vests people,
an eastern enCraft-
His father. the late Walter Morosco.
utilized the small savings Of an In
dustrious career and purchased the
lease of the Grand Opera House in tho
Golden Gate City. lie made Il the
home Of meIodrama as It was. full Of
red blood and big ideas sketchcd rough.
not a muddle Of nawlish sentimental
itv. as il afterwnrd became. The elder
Morosco had acto-s-charactc makers
Of type represented only by the Thco-
dore Roberts and his kind today. WON
on whose voices thrust homo n thrill.
They made li= drama for wide peo-
pie The oUtdo1- man came. and came
again and again. Water Mcr0sco grew
rich
As his means increased he did not.
however. become more open handed
with his Woodworking son. Oliver. who
NJ eighteen was treasurer and acting
manager Of the Grand Cpcrn House.
its press agent. play reader. engage ,
roent manager ard often stage director.
Oliver married. and his little son
was born. whom he proudly christened
Walter MoroSco. Jr- still tho parental
salary allowance lid not 20 up.
As much faciotu'n IL MoroSco's |
Grand opera House rs was the illuStri- ]
ous barber IN Seville. young Oliver /
received the extraordinary reInunera- /
ton OF SIS a vcei:. lie ar-ucd-vaiuly.
Then. taking his wife. his baby son !!
and his mOther-in- Law. Oliver AforOsco /
migrated 70 Los Angeles. lie Informed /
his father that his trek was fina! only /
rs lie was departing.
He reached there In the summer OF
1910 lie found 4 thcatcr. called the
Burbank. n house of Siz.. and some
pretcuse. but IL had Sa,icd twclv" tines.
Tie next manager would bc dictator
number thirteen. lie sccar.-i IL from It's
ov-ncr. John G-imn. for I nominal fec. >