New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-16

him on the road TO prosperity, though "The Easiest
Way" perhaps his greatest achievement was writ
ten long afterward
As recently as eight years ago foreign plays pre-
dominated the American stage, while such
spectacle as an American play having run in
London-now common-was never on view.
Now glance over the managerial announcements
in the newspapers will reveal 50 per cent of the
stage productions, musical and dramatic, as the
work OF native authors and composers.
Many Of the most prolific we'll success
full. plsywrights Of to-day prominent in other
lines Of endeavor, achieving their first triumphs
as authors through sheer accident. James Forbes,
who wrote "The Chorus Lady" "The Travelling
Salesman" and other enduring comedies, was the
press agent for Henry W. Savage when the latter
was presenting grand opera at the American The
atre in this city. Forbes had written short piece
Of fiction, which published in magazine
snd attracted considerable comment.
Believing that this maiden effort OF his would
make good vaudeville sketch, Forbes secured
Rose Stah then a star in the provinces After a
period Of rehearsals, the sketch was offered to
the different vaudeville managers, who were SO
skeptica that finally Forbes, in sheer desperation,
was forced to enroll for a try-out at one Of the
Proctor theatres on Sunday afternoon and even
ing. Not one cent paid for the services Of
the company, but the sketch and Miss Stshl regis
tered what in vaudeville parlance is called
riot" and Forbes was offered $3.50 for full week
in the same theatre Immediately.
THE CHORUS LADY" MAKES A FORTUNE FOR
FORBES AND HENRY B. HARRIS.
So successful was the vaudeville production Of
"The Chorus Lady" that Forbes was emboldened
10 stretch out the 30minute playlet into a full
evenings entertainment. Forbes was now in the
employ of the late Henry b. Harris as mis- business
manager and II was Harris who produced "The
Chorus Lady" in its enlarged form, scoring sen
tational hit. In fact, this production was the
foundation Of the deceased managers fortune and
;here those to-day who believe that that fort
une would have been greater had he confined his
operations TO this one production, though Forbess
next comedy. THE Travelling Salesman" Is said
TO have cleared $4,000 and has not yet exhausted
its vogue.
Bayard WELLER, who wrote within the Law"
was as recently as five years ago reporter on
"The Morning Telegraph" and, like so many Of his
predecessors, TO achieve fame and fortune sacr-
feed his first play, one that has profted group
of theatrical men rs has no other stage production
in the history Of The theatre! But the author of
within the Law had no mine Of neglected plays
available with which TO cOnjure, nor did his sec
ond play The Fight" bring to WELLER the fortune
that should have been his from his maiden effort
The Selwyns, who with Al II. Woods have
made fortune on Veiller's first play, were not
prominent in the profession Edgar Selwyn not
so long ago appeared In vaudeville theatres, as
did Mrs. Selwyn Margaret Mayo Both had been
writing plays separately and in collaboration long
before either had scored hit. Baby Mine"
however, though il was refused by many pro-
dueers, as was within the Law" brought to Mrs
Selwyn nearly a quarter Of million dollars in
few years.
Paul Armstrong, two decades ago, came to New
York bent on securing engagements in the variety
theatres for freak actor whom he had discovered
The writer recalls that Armstrong was so i'm