The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1915-10-01

So, for that matter, and with equal
ly-good reason, have been Klaw & Err
LANCER, the heads of the SHOW bust
ness in the United States. The great
est monetary success the theatre has
ever known in all the history OF
drama has been their dramatic
version of Gen. Lew Wallace's
"Ben-Hur," produced by them in 1899.
They place a figure of $l,000,000 on
the sheer value of the stage-rights OF
"Ben-Hur" today.
"Pollyanna" Seemed Battling.
Just about two years ago, Eleanor
II. Porter of Cambridge, Mass, put on
the market a book of her own writing
called "Pollyanna." Her publishers,
following a routine, sent copies of the
story to all the big producing-frm
with suggestion that the story might
contain the elements of a play. The
producers were not in agreement with
the publishers and nothing was done
in the matter of the stage-rights The
truth was that "Pollyanna,' as
book, did not seem to be good mate
written about an idea, and spiritual
idea, at that.
However, "Pollyanna" sold and sold
and sold. Then, one day, Mr. Tyler
picked up the story, read it through
carefully, and within twenty four
hours closed a deal for the stage
rights with the publishers and author
His argument was this:
"A book which sells into the hun
dreds of thousands within a nalf-year
must contain something which the
public desires. True, that might be
said of the telephone-directory; but
my point is that the underlying idea
of 'Pollyanna' is appealing; and I'm
willing to risk the investment in an
experiment to get the character of
/ the Glad Girl on the stage"
Nothing was done then save to call
/ in Mrs. Catherine Chisholm Cushing,
who had been turning out some sue
cessful plays, and ask her if she cared
to undertake the work of footlighting
/ "Pollyanna" She read the novel, re-
read it, said it would be task of no
small difficulty, but that she would
! like the commission.
When, year ago, in Chicago, Mr..
Tyler announced that play made
from "Pollyanna" figured in his sea-
sons plans, there was general deri-
sion, the deriders holding that the
spirit of "Pollyanna" would elude the
playwright; that is, that the note
could not be caught and utilized for
stage-purposes. He went right ahead,
however, until December, when it be-
came necessary, for reasons which do
not call for explanation here, to dis
band the Liebler Co. Up to that time,
'Pollyanna" had not even been placed
in rehearsal.
Finding that he would be unable to
carry out his contract to produce the
play in the season of 1914-15, Mr.. Ty-
Ter surrendered his option, forfeiting
what he had paid down; but he was
able, as a matter of goodwill, to have
the stage-rights in the story made
over to Klaw & Erlanger, who took
them on the Tyler recommendation
that the book would surely make into
play of unusual popular appeal.
Now "PoIIyanna" Is a Play.
It was decided not to produce the
play from "Pollyanna" last season,
but to hold it for the opening of the
season of 1856, in the belief that
better cast might thereby be obtained.
This proved to be the case. For the
uncommonly-difficul part of Polly
anna, herself, they engaged Miss Pat
ricia Collinge. The difficulty in the
part of Pollyanna lies in the fact that,
as Mrs. Cushing has dramatized the
story, the girl is twelve years old in
Acts l, ii and III, while she is seven
teen years old in Act w. Now, young
actresses capable of playing the Pol
lyanna of both divisions of the play
are not numerous, and Miss Collinge,
after all the candidates for the part
had been given a hearing, impressed
the producers as the only one capable
of creating an illusion as both the
kid" and the finished" young lady
OF the final act
Mr.. Tyler, meanwhile, had become
oil dooOSldIc VI NAV N ldH6SI lOI
the production of certain plays and
for the American tours of Miss Lau-
rette Taylor, who is soon to return
from London, and George Arliss. "Pol-
lyanna" was among the plays put over
into what may be termed the Tyler
section" of the Klaw & Erlanger en-
terprise.
What Book Can Do For Play.
"Pollyanna,' as a comedy in four
acts, was at length produced on Au-
gust 23 in Detroit. The capital cast
drew a big first-night audience, al
though the theatrical season in De-
troit is not generally regarded as open
until about the second Monday in Sep
TENDER OF each year. After the first
performance, "Pollyanna," as a play,
was taken care of by its loving
friends, the readers of the novel. They