The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12
Happy Days
of Palmer
Are Recalled
Ida Vernon, in 1.-The
Road to Happiness"
Enjoys Them

sucn performances as tnOSe given ny
the old Union Square Theatre com
pany. when under the management
of Shook and Palmer" said Ida Yer
non. who impersonates Mrs. whit
man in THE Road to Happiness
with William Hodge. at he Shubert
Theatre. Miss Vernon celebrated her
seventy-second birthday last week
and her sixtieth year on the stage.
She IL one Of the few old timers who
have fingered and one Of the few who
during her day was Of consequence in
our theatre.
Miss Vernon grows enthusiastic
when you refer to the old Union
Square Theatre company. OF which
she was a member for twelve years.
She Joined that organization in 1870.
Then the actress was In ner twenty
seventh year. Some of the great
players of this celebrated company
were Charles Thorne. James O'Neill.
John Parselle. Stuart Robson. Fred
erick Robinson. +. :. Mackey. Fred
eric DE Belleville. Mckee Rankin. j.
<. Stoddart. Rose Eytinge, sara jew
cit. Kate Claxton, Kitty Blanchard.
Elinor Cary, Fanny Mordaunt. Mrs.
wilkins and Maude Harrison. Miss
Vernon's last appearance with this
company was In "A Partisan Ro-
nance" in which Richard Mansfield a.
Baron Cherridi made his first great
success. This VAS the last play pre-
scented NJ the old Union Square. under
the late A. NJ. Palmer's direction.
With the breaking up of this famous
organization in 1883 Miss Vernon
Joined Edwin Booths company.
The camarader!e OF this ~organiza-
ton" said Miss Vernon last night.
was the most delightful that | have
experienced as an actress during my
sixty years on the stage. There were
forty or more members in this COM
pany. every one of whom was IA thor.
oughly accomplished player. We could
put On m sort OF play. and actors
and actresses of rare accomplishments
did not consider 1t beneath their dig
| nifty to appear in the most %inconse-
quential roles. We were not looking
in those days for personal aggran-
dizement. but rather for the success
of the play. Plays were never before
or since rehearsed with such great
care. The early rehearsals were car
ried on by Albert Cazauran and John
Parselle.
mir. Palmer %purposely remained
away from these rehearsals until we
had arrived at something like q An
| iShaI nrnl1lRt IIn than ysna Hhla Ia
Judge the acting as a spectator. Mr..
Palmer. in short, put on the finish
ing touches. Some people seem 10
think that we did not have the same
adequate productions as are known
to the best theatres Of our time. No
expense was spared in this particular,
"Of course there were no raw re-
cruits in the Union Square Theatre
company. Well organized stock com
panies were then in operation in all
the leading cities Of the country,
From these various organizations Mr..
Palmer recruited his company. To
III "A member Of the Cn!on Square
company was the ambition of all play
ers Of the country. To select any
one AT this time for particular praise
Nollu StfIn INV lAllbhNs NtAt ~
dwelling on the accomplishments OF
my old companions. the larger num-
Der OF whom have gone to their re-
ward. | cannot pass over Charles
Thorne, Jr. He was the first of our
actors To introduce what has come
TO he called The School of Suppressed
Emotion In tense heroic roles
Charlie Thurne IA inlmitable. With
out the slightest effort he brought
tears 10 all eyes.
The Union square company was
not a stock company in the SENSE
we know IT to-day; in short, We did
not put on "A new play each week
tossed on the stage after the briefcs,
preparation. While II new play was
in constant preparation. the current
Offering was kept on the boards as
long as the public demanded II, and
old successes were revived from time
to time. Nothing Was done IN "A hap
hazard way.
During the twelve years | was lead.
ing lady with the Union Square com
pany the most important happeninl
was the Brooklyn Theatre fire of Tues
dav evening. December 3. 1876. TIL,
Union Square company VAS present
ing The TWO Orphans AT the theatre
that night. There were 900 persona
assembled in the theatre, and of thi'
number 400 occupied seats in the gal
lery. The performance was within
five minutes Of its close when thu
actors on the stage discovered flames
creeping along the edge OF one Of the
flies. Kate ClaXtOn. who was acting
her famous role Of Louise. the bin,
girl, lay on her pallet of straw on tn