New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-11
BENRIMO AND THE ORIENT

There followed several haphazard
years as an actor. then period of five
years with Mr.. Frohman's Empire stock
company-the one that included Will
lam Fsyersham. Guy Standing. j. F..
Dodson and Viola Allen. From Mr..
Frohman J. Harry went TO Mr.. Belasco
David, this time-and he acted under
the Belasco standard for another five
years. That brought him up to 1912,
which was the year that he left acting
behind him and went in for playwriting
and directing. simultaneously he
dropped the ]. Harry and became mere
~ Benrimo, a circumstance which has
annoyed a great many people who
don't understand it. The facts were
that J. Harry was following a Moorish
custom. In 1912 his father died, and j.
Harry thereby became head of the
family. And the head of a Moorish
family is known only by his surname.
For about ten years or so the idea
OF a Chinese play. written to conform
in part to the traditions of the Chinese
stage. had been circling around in the
Benrimo head. He had sketched out the
story TO Henry B. Harris, who told him
TO 90 ahead and finish it. Collaborating
with Hazelton, who had made one rapid
and superficial trip to the Orient, Ben
r;mo wrote the play. Meanwhile, how
ever. Henry B. Harris went down on
the Titanic, and the piece was left Spon-
sorless. Benrimo took it to William
Harris, ir.. who liked it, but was not
then in the financial condition to pro-
dUce il.
So Benrimo began the rounds of the
producing Offices. His reception IN
these Offices was unvarying. he wouid
send in his card TO the manager and be
Immediately pleasantly received. The
manager would inquire what he couio
40 for him. Benrimo would tell him
that he had written play. The man.
ager would thereupon express polite
interest and demand to know some
thing about it. Benrimo would launch
upon a description of the thing, and
presently he would mention the fact
that in the second act he placed four
chairs together and the result was sup
posed 10 pass for boat. That was
always enough for the manager
an tell you what we'll do" he would
say. You come out with me and we'll
have a drink. and then you GO home
and lie down FOR a while"
But | haven't told you
That's all right You tell me about
il some other time when you're feeling
better"
And there matters would end.
Along about that time, however, the
Younger William Harris acquired some
money from the showing of the Paul
Rainey African pictures herehoouts'
and "The Yellow Jacket" following
round trip Of all the offices in town
was produced by the man to whom II
had first been submitted.
Since that time Benrimo has become
a stage director of reputation, and II
was in the course of this labor that he
was thrown into contact with Harrison
Rhodes. One day in Philadelphia
while Benrimo was struggling with one
of Rhodes's plays, "Ruggles OF Red
Gan" the idea of collaboration was
broached.s That was January year
ago. Benrimo protested desire to set
down a Japanese story that had been
ANNOYING him for long time, and
little later the pair packed of to Wash
incton to write il. (Playwrights gen
orally 90 to the country. This is prob
ably the first instance of their DELHI
erately going 20 another city to do
their work. In room in the Shore
ham Hotel they completed the first
draft of the play.
Benrimo expects to cling to the eN-
otto in his plsywriting, he says. Not
only does he feel that that is his FIELD
but-well, he rather likes the idea OF
amassing a fortune out Of his youthful
misdcmesnors.