The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-20
AN ACTORS APPRECIATION.

The death of Charles Frohman mas
b,t the theatrical world as no other
event has done for the last my
wears. AS a manager his reputation
was worldwide; as a man he was
scarcely known. keokuk theateT 10Y,
ers knew only the phrase presence
by Charles Frohman." keokuk thea
Itergoers. however, know Louis Mann
and like him well. Here is what MT.
| Mann has to say of the late Charles
tTohman:
"The passing of Charles Frohman
reminds hundreds of our profession
of the great and permanent debt tney
owe him. He labored faithfully, I'M
selhshly and modestly for the col
slant betterment and maintenance d
the drama in it's highest form. he
produced the best plays available anu
offered them in their purest and moss
attractive style. He always secure'
the finest players obtainable- He was
born leader in the world of theatr c.
al life. He introduced new stars anu
encouraged the stellar system, an
| his Judgment in that regard mas oee1
indicated throughout the land by a
public that recognizes the fact that
there must inevitably be individual
superiority in art as well as In III
things else, and the public was a.
ways the gamer thereby. For MANY
actors and dramatists he was the
pioneer, showing them the pathway TO
permanent prosperity.
Charles Frohman knew compare
lively few people personally NO man
ager was so little known to his pat
rons as he. Only a small percentage
knew him even by sight. But they
did know that this quiet, unobtrusl e
bu. ever active gentleman was below
ed by all who knew him, not merely
because of his unfailing courtesy,
kindness and unassailable honesty.
His simple word was better than
many signed contract. What valu-
able asset for any man!
LAS the stage is better and rlcher
for his life and activity, so 1t is also
infinitely poorer because of his saa
and sudden passing. AS there are
thousands who wish to give some form
of expression to their loss, which is
both personal and general, and since
the present funeral arrangements eau
for privacy. | would most respectfully
recommend that a public memorial
meeting be arranged at an early date,
to be held in the largest and most ap-
.propriate public hall available on Il
Sunday evening; that some distln-
guished man conversant with the
drama-not necessarily an actor or an
author. but of the broad scope of the
Hon. Joseph H. Choate. Gen. Horace
Porter or DIR. Nicholas Murray Butler.
for instance-preside and that apprc-
pirate addresses be delivered by rep
resentatives of the allied arts he dl1
so much to promote.
When the great meeting in memory
of Mark Twain was held at Carnegie
hall a few years ago, and presided
over by William Dean Howells, the
latter delivered a cheerful open1n;'
address in which he said that the
meeting would be conducted not in
sorrow and solemnity but in a spirit
Of love and admiration for a fellow
worker who was still among them,
listening 10 and enjoying the kindly
eulogies voiced in his behalf. Let the
same spirit of love prevail at the
Charles Frohman memorial meeting
and let all speakers and listeners
: feel that their dear friend is still with
them. hearing the loving words spoken
in his living presence
: New York Louis Mann.