The Washington herald., 1914-03-01
SUREST ROAD TO
REAL AFFECTION
David War6eld Has Achieved Large
Share of His Success by AL
ways Portraying Lovable
Characters.
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANY.


The current week, as far as drama in
our local playhouses is concerned, is one
of revivals, bringing back to US after
many years ''The Auctioneer." the syno-
pym in our minds of David Warfieid'
when Bunty Pulls the Strings" that
delicious combination of wisdom and hu-
NOR which SO delighted us last season.
and James X. Hackett in The Grain
of Dust"
We have heard so much about David
Belasco's greatest star that there would
seem nothing further to be told. He has
been press-agented. exploited, extolled.
his virtues so exalted. his artistic achieve
ments so spot-lighted that nothing new
is left to be said of the eminently sue
cessful deIineator of several remarkably
human types of Belasco selection or crea-
iion.
At a dinner given not long ago at the
Hotel Astor, New York. in honor of
Mr. Warfield, by a club of newspaper
writers and theatrical folk. De Wolf
Hopper, who was one of the speakers Of
the evening raised storm of discussion
through his assertion that the present
indecent state and low standard of the
drama as reflected by salacious plays
holding the boards cf many theaters 1T
the present time, has brought about such
a condition of affairssthat any one wish
ing TO go to the theater nowadays is
prompted TO inquire not Where SHALL
go?" but Where CAN go?' Mr.. Hop
per then went on to call attention to the
fact that Mr.. Warfield had never been
identified with that sort OF thing, but.
on the contrary, his name has in
vGriably been associated and his sue
cess bound up in sweet, clean. whole
scme plays and lovable characters.
There are even prominent actors who
maintain that the public does not as
sociate the personality of the actor with
the roles he sees fit to portray, but this
has been proven an erroneous idea by
The very fact that no actor has ever won
The affection of the public in disagreeable
parts. Admiration is often accorded them,
but never love.
William Winter relates that z. L.
Davenport once told him that he was
going to devote himself exclusively TO
the malignant character of Sir Giles Over
reach in "A New Way to Pay Old Debts.
declaring that he would make the part
as popular as Jefferson had made Rip
Van Wrinkle. Winter warned him against
such an attempt, telling him that it was
impossible of accomplishment And SO
it proved.
Richard Mansfield was most closely
identified with disagreeable roles during
a large part of his career, and this fact
was partially responsible for the stories
which were circulated concerning his
irritability. The tales had some basis,
of course, for Mr.. Mansfield was the
possessor of a highly nervous organism,
and during the latter years of his life
he had illness also to contend with, but
The type of characters he had portrayed
undoubtedly added wings to the rumor.
In his early life he was Indifferent to the
love of the public so long as he was ac-
corded admiration. but as the years took
E..g.. an IL
affection that his splendid services to
drama and the stage richly deserved.
Mr.. Warfield has confined himself to
but four roles since his graduation from
burlesque. and it is through the alto |
gether lovable and human quality of
these characters that he has gained so
oeep 4 hold on the affection of the Ameri- |
can people. His repertoire includes Simon |
Levi in THE Auctioneer:" Mr.. Bigelow |
in THE Grand Army Man." Herr Won
Barwig in THE Music Master" and
Peter Grimm in THE Return of Peter |
Grimm"
1t is an undeniable fact that Mr.. War
fields gift of poignant pathos, and the |
powerful emotional quality of his voice. |
are the primary basis of mis- remarkable |
success, but il is also true that a por-
hon OF this success is due to his por-
travail OF only lOvable characters and his |
genius for inspiring a sentiment amount
ing to personal affection even in those /
who have seen him but once.
1t is this same quality Of lovableness
which has achieved for "Bunty Pulls the
Strings" lasting place I'm the hearts
of theatergoers. Miss MoTfy I'earson's
voice of wonderful sweetness, her quaint
ness. and her charm would have been
quite lost to art had she expended them
When Graham MOffat's three-act comedy
was first presented in the English metrop-
oils at the Haymarket Theater 1t was
the human, humorous. and honey quality
OF this tale of Scotch village life which
won the hearts OF those who saw it. |
qualities OF which "Bunty' herself had
the main share.
In America, during its long run at the
Comedy Theater New York. Miss Pear
ing a chord in every heart through the
sweetness, the quaintness, the cleverness
and the lovableness of her. And now
when she comes back, after a year, to
her own achievement in the
leading role of ''Bunty Pulls the Strings"
Is in no way dimmed, nor has the whole
of the delightful piece lost its
charm, for all season the Moffat drama
has been playing return engagements
with extraordinary financial as well as
artistic results.
another example which proves the faith
Henry Miller expressed to me last week
That the large majority OF folk appreciate
and prefer drama based on normal, life
was the reception which Washington
accorded his new production,
Daddy Long-Iegs," at the New Ma
tional Theater last week
Miss Jean Webster's first piece is not
D brilliant play, in the sense of spectacu-
lar -lagnificence, singing satire, or clas-
sic lines. but it has something infinitely
more vital to its success, and that some-
thing is heart
Mr.. Miller realizes the too great pas
sivity Of the third act, and is combining ,
his efforts with those of. Miss Webster
10 remedy this. He does NOT seem to
realize, however, that the one thing need
ID to make the piece a perfect little gem
IS the appearance of Henry Miller as