New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-10
Rv WILLIAM COLLIER

EACH season the struggle for rec
Il IGNITION becomes more difficult
for the actor When success final
Is crowns his efforts, consequent
ly. he is usually regarded as a "discoY-
erv" Then. as if some magic wand
had touched the well of printers INK
the magazines, newspapers and other
periodicals print pictures and stores
galore of this young woman who came
from stock company out West or
that young man who "has been eking
out an existence in some burlesque or
variety show" But they must be dis
covered" before any one asks: why
didn't some manager give him (or her)
a chance before"
All Of which leads me to the main
point. For years | have been strug-
Cling along in the theatre, constantly
hoping to be discovered. Ever since
drew a salary at Days as call boy, and
then as utility man. have yearned TO
read in some magazine that Willie Col
lier was the find of the season. Then
I played in "The City Directory" The
Man from Mexico" Caught in the
Rain" "Never Say Die" "The Dicta-
tor" "I'll Be Hanged If I Do" Take
Ny Advice" and lot of others, blu.
still nothing happened. When, in Lon
don, I gave a command performance
before the late King Edward, ! thought
surely that some enterprising American
Journalist would discover William this
time. But again ! was disappointed.
After the second act, II. r. II. sent for
me. Being unfamiliar with court ETH
auette tried 20 beat a hasty retreat,
and in backing out Of the royal box !
forgot about the two steps leading to
the vestibule and made as grotesque
an exit as one could imagine. So lost
another chance. Instead Of being dis
covered as a comedian they rated me
as clown.
During the voyage from Liverpool TO
New York consumed most of my time
preparing copy for the ship news re-
porters, who, felt sure, would be at
the pier TO interview passengers OF
note. Then. said I, the front page OF
every New York daily would hail the
return 10 America Of man who had
succeeded in London, and people would
wonder why no American manager had
ever discovered this great actor until
after England and the King had found
him so amusing. But again my plans
and hopes we're shattered. The shin
news men devoted all their space 10 a
French actress who had made some
king lose his throne or something. and
photographers snapped her in seven
different poses and used their remain
ing plates TO photograph her dogs and
seyenty-two trunks.
That drove me into the motion pict-
ures, and there | remained until n. II
Frazee asked me 20 come 20 New York
to play in Nothing but the Truth.
After the first night ] felt sure would
be discovered. But after many weeks
during which We we're playing only e
the capacity of the Longacre Theatre.
became restless and nervous over tn,
delay. Surely, / thought, after al
these years Of farce and turmoil anC
motion pictures, some one will claim
the honor of discovering me. CROWNS
increasingly impatient, | called on Mr.
! FraZee.
thanked him for bringing me I,
Broadway COR Forty-eighth Street,. an,
We congratulated each other Then h
promised faithfully to have me ex
plotted as one of the seasons theatrica
discoveries. He said: "Come up 4