Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-23

Philadelphia newspapers and following
ths custom of his craft, contributed TO
various magazines. The longer he kept
ht II the more certain he became that
the only big money In the writing game
unless one had the genius and rick to
write best seller. was as drama
tist Subconsciously he had always told
himself that some day he would write
play Chat is one of the universal weak
nesses of newspaper men), but the urge did
not assume concrete form until about four
years ago.
II found Marcin as II does all except the
shakespeares, without any definite knowl-
edge of the technique Of the medium he
was about TO employ and he decided that
the chief study of plays is plays So MARGIN
began TO haunt the show shops. He esti-
mates that during the time he was study
ing the rudiments of dramatic construction
he saw Seven Keys to Baldpate" fifteen
times, "Get-Rich-Quick Walllnford" eight
times, and "Ofiicer 666" ter times
OF all Of these he made an exhaustive
study. His first impression upon seeing
one of these clever examples of the dra-
matist's art was always that there was no
such person the man who could conceive
one OF these. And then with each sue
cessive review the wonder would be further
disslpated as the means by which the dra-
matist achieved his effects became ap-
parent. Once the wheels behind the veneer
OF dialogue had been detected Il was i'm
possible not to see them and to watch them
move to the dictates of the author. After
numerous visits, the most intricate drama
resolved itself into a series of easily dis
tinguishable elements.
Marsin decided that not only could he
write a play. but that any newspaper man
who would take the trouble to study the
technique could He set to work, and In n
few weeks had written and sold See My
Lawyer" a farce that languished briefly
last season. 1t has been his observation
that any one can place a play with a man
ager, that the difficulty lies in getting the
manager to produce the piece once he has
acquired the rights, and that after the first
production. whether the piece is a success
or failure, the author can get a hearing in
any Office.
At least his own personal experience led
MARGIN to come to that conclusion. One OF
his stories, when he was still earning his liv-
ing as a magazine writer, came to the notice
OF George NJ. Cohan, who thought he saw
q play in 1t. The story was called Are
You My Wife7" and s play 1t is now I'M
pending, though Mr. Cohan never got
around to dramatlzing It. But the incident
introduced him to the Cohan and Harris Of
fee. and when "See My Lawyer" was I'm
ished, that firm accepted II.
The script remained pigson-holed for
some months. during which time MARGIN
busted himself writing The House OF
Glass" When II was ready he passed
copies around freely among the producing
offices. including the c. II. office but
being still an untried dramatlst the manu-
scripts did not consume much of the time
OF the readers. Marcin's story of how he
finally landed the piece with Sam Harris
IL amusing.
Harris kept putting me on" Marcin
relates. promising to read the script the
next day and never doing IT, In despera-
tion made the rounds in a vain endeavor
20 get some one at least TO read my play.
Finally II. II. Frazee did and offered to
take IL. thought I would make one last
effort to get a hearing in the Cohan &
Harris office so / made an appointment
with Sam that afternoon. When I reached
the office he said he was just starting home,
and II would motor up with him We could
run over II there.
'Outside in the car were Willie Collier,
Wallie Eddinger and Mortimer Shea. I
didn't quite understand what the party was
about but I didn't begin to suspect any
thing till we had sped past the street where
knew Harris lived. I protested, but 1t
didn't do any good. and finally we wound
up at the Dunwoodie Club. There was
forced TO play golf and after dinner we mo-
tored back TO town, the idea being that we
would read the play that evening. Soon
after we reached the house, Antonio Scotti
came and was asked to sing. and by the
time he had sung a song or two Walter
Moore had dropped in and tried his voice