South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-21
OLIVER OPERA HOUSE
WARFTELD'S SUCCESS
BOUND UP IN " ffOLESOMF
PLAYS Am CHAH<af =. - :

PLAYS AND CHAKACIERS.
David Warheld, who comes 10 the
OliVer theater next Friday night IN
ms revival Of The AuctiOneer," is a
notable example Of the success that
attends ones efforts on the stage.
when such Efforts are identified with
what IS sweet and clean in the drama.
vulgar and salaciOus plays perish att
er mere ephemeral flash Of success,
Tor no drama ever endured that de-
pended upon sensation and mOrDidlty
10 attract IL has been proven time
ana time again that smart epigram
and brilliant wit cannot make a sue
cessful drama If a wholesome human
element IS lacking. For this reason.
Mr.. Warfield might almost be said TO
be unique, for his name has always
been associated with, and his sue
cess bound up in, sweet and clean and
wholesome plays, and IOvable char
acters.
That David Warfield has been ex-
tremely we'll advised in his policy OF
identifying himself with clean plays
and lOvable characters, there is no
doubt. II is maintained by actors.
and many prominent ones, too, that
the public does not associate in any
degree, the personality of the actor
with the roles he sees fit TO portray.
But in this they are wrong, for no
actor has ever won the affection Of
the public in disagreeable parts. Ad-
miracOn viii be readily accorded
them, but lOve-never That is re-
served for such actors as Joseph JEFF
terson and David Warfield, who have
introduced mellow characters COM
pounded of smiles and tears.
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
Overreach in "A New Way TO PAY
Old Debts 'and that he would make
the part as popular as Jefferson had
made Rip Van Wrinkle. Winter warn
ed him that it was impossible. and so
indeed, it proved. Richard Mansfield
was most closely identified with dis
agreeable characters during a large
part of his career; although he fire.
quently embodied the most charming
and lOvable figures; and this fact is in
considerable measure respOnsib BILE for
the stories that were current Of his
irritability. They had some basis, to
be sure, for Mansfield was a very
nervous man, and during the latter
years of his life, q sick man; but the
type Of character he portrayed added
wings TO rumOr. In his early life
Mansfield was careless whether the
public loved him or not, so long as he
was admired, but as he grew older he
longed for the affection that his
splendid services TO the stage so
richly deserved.
Warfeld has confined himself to
but four roles since he fOrsook
burlesque and became one of the
greatest American actors with such
remarkable celebrity. His repertoire.
which has been built up with extreme
caution, includes Simon Levi in The
Grand Army Man." Herr Won Barwig
in The Music Master and Peter
Grimm in The Return of Peter
Grimm" Every part he has played
commands the affection Of his audi
ence. All during his early career.
when he was convdlsing people with
laughter, he was striving for al Op-
pOrtunity TO try his hand at pathos,
for which he was equipped by nature
with a voice Of the most powerful
and emotional quality.
His remarkable success, in the
opinion Of many, has its cause and
basis primarily in his recognition as
a master player and master artist: but
IL is probable that a larger measure
of his popularity is due TO his pOr-
trayal OF lovable characters. and TO his
ing TO personal affection, even in
those who see him only once.
POTASH AND PERIMUTTER."
Pinochle and politics, love and law,
strikes and styles go 70 make up the
story of Potash and Perlmutter," the
three-act comedy that A. Fl. Woods
will present at the Oliver Thursday,
Feb. IS. Potash and Perlmutter,"
dramatization of the characters and
incidents in Montague Glass stories
I'm the Saturday Evening Post scored