The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19
l CROOK IN SPITE OF HIMSELF,


loath to accept him in any other Kind
Of parts, although the audiences might
like him just as well In a great variety
of roles. Mr.. Ellis will be remembered
by many theatregoers as Biackie Do,r
in Get Rich Quick Wallingford" "
was his fate not only TO be successful
in that role, but the play itself was
acted for so long that the actor i'm
pressed himself on many as the master
crook What an actor does in plays that
fail however greatly It may be TO his
credit, matters very little to the publll
What more do ! want?" considered
Ellis. to TIE Sun reporters question.
seriously. We'll. I want to act. In this
character that Chester will write for me
| believe ! will have opportunity to
create character. All my ambition In
acting. ! know how to act. ] know how
to create character, and ! rebel at con
tinually playing types. II Is that which
puts an actor in a rut srtlstically IL IL
a menace to his future, for after a time
the public will not accept him in any
thing but the type he has come tn
represent. II Is a menace to the breadth
of his career. Think OF the credit I've
had In Broadway successes for what
meant very little 10 me artistically.
The work / did which brought me sue
cess earned my bread and butter and
was honest work But I want TO get on
in my art. | want TO show what / can
do. Life will be gone and I shall have
done nothing except play a type, the
crook
THE last time tried 10 get free from
this association with the type was In a
play that was a failure. In that play !
put the best work of my life. the best
work as an artist that I ever did
at was no fault Of mine, but all the
credit I got for the best work ever
did was a line from one of the critics
in the notice next morning of the play
that failed. The line said: Edward
Ellis was an imitation OF George Arliss.'
An actor who plays from season to
season rarely has opportunity to go 10
the theatre, and as a matter of fact
! had never seen George Arliss play.
Yes 1t stings yet. I can't blame the
critic IL he had not the understanding
to see more than that in the work ala.
I'm not telling this in bitterness. but as
a Joke on me-"
Then Ellis laughed and changed the
subject
"A good many years ago" he said
II PLAYED one night stands in Alberto
with Uncle Toms Cabin, East Lynne,
Two Orphans, Ten Nights in a Bar.
room and all the old timers. You see.
/ I've been on the stage longer than ]
can remember. | WAS carried on as q
baby. Ny mother was an actress and
my father one OF the old time managers,
and my sister and ! grew up on IN"
stage. Edith took to play writing and
] Vail
back in Alberta in those days there was
nothing like a theatre. We played In
school houses, in meeting houses when
they'd let us and in the court houses.
There were no hotels to speak OF In
most Of the places. The men bunked In
the hall where We were TO play and Ne
found some provision for the women
in the homes of the natives.
zone place recall where we played
In the court house. We had an equah,e
system Of dividing labor among the
members Of the company by having one
shift one weel; and one shift the next II
set the scenes and look after all these
details OF production.
We'll. in this case two OF the green
boys were on the shift and they had
considered the necessity Of dressing
rooms for the company and had placed
the stage at the back OF the court room,
facing the Judges bench. Consequently
when the curtain went ND we were SIR
prised 70 see the audience seated facing
the Judges bench, for the court room
seats were stationary OF course that is
with backs TO the STAGE. So during the
entire performance the audience would
turn heads as soon as the curtain went
up and look behind to see us in the
plav. When the curtain went down thoy
, could have some relief by facing the
Judges bench again. can imagine
that those people must have had stiff
necks next morning. That was the most
amazing case of 'rubberiug' that I ever
saw at a nlay. Another hall in which
we played was low beamed affair. and
when we came on the stage we dis
covered that the beam came lust where
# interfered with the view from the
NECK nm we couldn't see the audience
: and they couldn't see the heads OF tn.
actors till tho actors sat down. So most
n, tho action NJ that play took place
Win tho niavArs seated.
"Ano,her NJ the most amusing Incl
do,.s maj ever happened TO me was
durir, tho SDanish- American war when
was pIavinp the mart OF war cor
rosropdsnt In n NAV called THE Com
} p,odora, was sunnosad az A news