The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-03

Is a wonderful story-teller, with the keen- est sense Of humor imaginable. He sings well and is painter of fine abil- ity Just as the comedian is often the most melancholy of mortals off stage, so the tragedan is the most lighthearted and buoyant and Mir Manteil is not the exception deemed necessary to prove the
 rule. King Lear, GhylocS and Mae beth strut and fret their little lives only on the stage. When their impersonator disappears behind the scenes they die and genial Scotchman of Irish breed ing supplants them. Mir. Mantell has the brilliant wit of a David GarriclS, and he is a favorite story teller at the Lambs club in New York. and other organiza- tions to which he belongs, but which he rarely visits, since he prefers the lux urious quiet and comfort of his handsome place in Atlantic Highlands N. J., where his beautiful wife, Genevieve Hamper (who is his leading lady) and their little 5-year-old baby and Mir. Mantells clever daughter, Ethel Mantell (daughter by 8 former marriage), who is with them when she is not playing on the stage-they live very happily. Ethel Mantell has inherited much of her fath- CTS talent and she played in his com panies for several seasons but is now in Canada playing in the modern drama, The Thirteenth Chair And, by the way. speaking of Ethel Manteil reminds me that her distinguished father is singer of marked ability and can get away with an Irish song with the gusto of Chauncey Olcott, an old friend. whom he loves to initiate. As an impersona- tor of Olcott. indeed, and many other celebrities. Mir. Mantel could make fortune on the vaudeville stage, since he possesses the gift of mimicry to rare degree. His splendid singing voice. l.. fatz frN.N fot w widely known in amaleur circles of Ire land and Scotland as tenor; this gift of mimicry he has bedueathed to his talented daughter, whose burlesque of the late Queen Victoria Is considered one of the most amusing and uproariously funny things ever done on the stage.
 s'In addition to all these accomplish ments MT. Mantell is a landscape water colorist of talent and his home IS adorned, with many be.atiful pictures of his creation, As an artist he IS a rival to the first King Lear of Shakespeare's own company. Richard Burbage. who has left to posterity magnificent portrait of himself
 In relating my conversation with MT. Bullet I feel that I am giving to Bir- mirgham theatregoers an intimate pen picture" of Mir. Mantell who during this week, will present an elaborate repertoire here. feel that If anybody knows Mir Mantell. Mir. Bullet does I feel that these little close. intimate touches-these untold tales-of the great Shakespearean scholar and actor Will mean much to the discriminating lovers of Shakespeare and the drama or Which Birmingham has many.
 Mir. Mantells appearance in this city will call forth, I feel sure, most cordial response, many remembering him in hts old "Monbars" and "The Corslcan Brothers, days when, as matinee idol, he was revered and adored; and now in his magnificent role as interpre- tor of the great Bard or AVon, no cones with the full measure of experl- ence. talent and finish-haied as the greater shakesperean actor of the day.