New-York tribune., 1918-12-22
Bv Rebecca Drucker

Unless one were impressed by the
s;mnlicity CT the avowal, as I was, one
,,,;cht he inclined to scoff at the con-
.ass;on of Follies llbrettist that he had
Rad wept over the failure of the SINGER
oct of Pinero's plays, "The Thunder
holt" 1t savors bit of the tears of the
rslrus. But an amazing thing disclosed
itself to me as Charming Pollock
tslked. Here was q man who had
snent twenty-five disillusioning years
in and about New York theatrical Of
fees and had come through with many
illusions intact. 1t struck me as an
achievement--even greater than writ
ing q successful play-to come through
years Of pot-boiling work as press
agent, play reader, lihrettist and play
wright without growing cynical.
Perhaps it is that Charming Pollock's
structural style would not suit cynic's
temperament. He is g fat man, with the
sort of kind brown eyes to which stray
dogs feel an instant attachment. One also
has the impression that Mr.. Pollock's
sHsuence, vising through the simulta-
neous success of his two plays "The
Crowded Hour" and "The Roads OF
Destiny" is being widely disseminated
through long list of impecunious
friends and relatives. However. this
may be impertinent.
Twas curiously aware that Claiming
Pollock was telling me no story OF an
unswerving loyalty to an ideal. He
has shuttled back and forth between
pot-boilers and honest work for many
years. yet in his confession of bad
srtistic faith there is reaffirmation
Of his artistic conscience. This was
most interesting to an interviewer
who usually sees only dress parades.
"But Why" I asked, did you keep
on writing librettos after you had
made enough money on the first one
20 write good play"
~ was finding making money vast
relief. And when you reflect that I
have never had less than dozen peo-
pie dependent on ne
q have always seemed to be work
ing in a vicious circle. Until this wear
the plays into which I put nv sin
cerest efforts have invariably failed.
and the work l did for money in
vsrably succeeded. 1t was 8 sort Of
seesaw. | would write a play which I
believed represented the best of which
was capable. Failure. Then wild
plunge into anything TO recoup. Oh,
some Of the plays in which l had faith
have succeeded, but not to the point
where I was free from financial worry.
The Little Gray Lady and Such
Little Queen were the best work I
could do, and they did make some
money, but not enough to keep me
above water for year.
Following Such a Little Queen I
had three failures in rapid succession.
They were The Great Adventurer,'
-'~PS4NO4iAN pay At 1IdllOT ana
'The Secret Orchard The best thing
that can say for The Secret Orchard
Is that it was instrumental in bringing
to New York Paid in Full The Sc
cret Orchard was put on at the Astor
Theatre, with Josephine Victor in the
Leading role. Wagenhals & Kemper,
the producers, had expected it TO stay
1or some time. After the opening night
1t became plain that it would not last
more than a week and that they would
nave to bring something in to replace
n. They had at that time two plays
sney had been keeping on the road,
Doth Of which they were afraid to bring
IN. One of them was paid in Full
The other was play called The Heri-
'age' They tipped ccin to decide
which to bring in, and Paid in Full'
won. was there when 1t happened.