The Washington herald., 1914-12-26
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Story of an Unexpected Dramatic
Success.
(Written Ezpressiy for The HeTald.l
nv DR. Il EnWARna


By DIR. Z. j. EDWARDS.
About year after the late A. NJ.
Palmer-In his day the foremost Amer
lean dramatic manager-employed a skill
full dramatist to make a play out Of Du
Maurier's amazingly successful story of
''TriIby." spent an afternoon with him
in his private Office at the rear OF Wal
lacks Theater. New York City. He hap
pened to have at that time an afternoons
leisure, a circumstance which he spoke
OF as being very rare. He was in a some
what reminiscent mood and he narrated
to me some interesting Incidents assO-
ciAted not only with the success OF the
'lay. but also with Du Maurier himself.
1T is always something OF a gamble
to put on a new play, and 1t is the most
risky kind Of gamble to stage a play
which is made from a successful book, /"
said Mr.. Palmer. There have been a
few great successes of that kind, as.
for instance. Innumerable plays have
been made from Mrs. Stoves Uncle
Toms Cabin and II she could In a life
time have received royalties upon these
dramatic productions her total gains
would have been UP in the millions 1t
was a risky thing TO venture a play
founded upon Washington Irving's lit
tie story Of RIP Van Winkle" and the
attempt would have been a dismal fall
ure II Joe Jefferson had not made the
part perfectly to tit his own capacity.
II was in grave doubt about 'Trilby.
I went to see the publishers OF the book
to learn what the dramatic rights were.
found their presses running night and
day to meet the orders for copies They
had the dramatic rights and made very
good terms with me. which l believe
they afterward shared with the author
although under no legal obligations to do
so. The next thing was to find the
dramatic writer who had the skill to
transfer the story from the book to the
stage. / found the gentleman who wrote
just the play l wanted. using an assumed
name while doing so.
Fortunately at that time I could put
my hand upon Just the persons who were
competent to take the leading parts,
especially the part OF 'Trilby.' and 1
knew a professional singer with a superb
voice who, ! felt certain, could sing ad-
mirably the Ben Bolt song, although
she would have to sing from the wings
and not before the audience
We'll, the venture was a great sue
cess-relatively as great as was the sue
cess OF the book / knew. however, that
II would not last for a long time. so
organized two or three other companies
10 take the play upon the road don't
think the play will remain on the boards
much over three or four years.
Now, I will tell you a little incident
associated With Du Maurier which was
narrated to me by a gentleman who was
with the author one evening when he
received a check from his American pub
Usher. 1 don't now remember whether
the check was upon royalties voluntarily
paid by these publishers or whether II
was advance payment for a new work.
The check was for $4,000. Du Maurier
took it up, gently waving 1t back and
forth, and at last said: This is for $1,000
What do you think of that, my cat: what
do YOU think of that, my dog? II was
a sum of money never dreamed Of by Du
Maurier as a gain which would come to
him in a single lump for any Of his
works 'Trilby' made everybody who had
anything to do with II very happy for
two or three years. and I doubt II there
is another case on record that can be
compared with it."
(Couyright. IylI. By 4. ]. Edwards All rights ~
serTedl