The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-16
The Real Nat Goodwin and His Art

and then to have men call him the
spoiled child of the stage docs seen
ironic.
Besides. Goodwin's acting, simple
as 1t appeared. was not spontaneous,
1t was an effect of art. The actor
labored at his cadences as at his mean
ings. In an episode of the melodrams
which Is serving to bring out these
traits he toiled for days to compel his
voice to give out a note, half com.
planning. half appealing, a cadence
which instinct told him was needed
there. 1t Is human to call him 8
natural actor because while he was
extremely artificial he had the Won
derful facility of never seeming So
of course there were ways in winch
this natural force went wrong lIe
couldn't dress part unless tradition
furnished the clothes. He thought T.
did in my play and went ahead y
get his costume without cousul'l0-
with anybody. There was in tho PIT
he played in this melodr9ma a o.m
suggestion of Bret Hartes famoy7
gambler Oaklums. who shoots himself
in The OutCdsts OF Poker FI1t. and
Nat hunted up an old picture NJ ( a
saturnine gentleman and copied the
costume faithfully. l shall never fr-
get the horrid spectacle he had nadA
OF himself for the dress rehearsal.
He came out with black wig ~ long
curly hair, surmounted by an old f'S'-
Toned silk tile and wearing a swal'ov
tail coat OF Continental cut Th" IA;
Goodwin whom audiences knew WIS
completely submerged.
Miss Elliott hurried behind 80
scenes and that costume was never
worn again.
After the production in the Rr ad
Street Theatre in Philadelphia "A per
formance played against brass hana
and a political procession outside
went behind: Well, old man sa'd
Nat, whirnsically, another lemon.
They tell me there's too much melo-
drama and too little Goodwin. PROBE
man thinks he can fix it up tomorrow
but felt the cold air. Don't worry
well have some fun for a couple o'
weeks and then I'll go West
Next day rehearsal under '7ti"H
Frohman lasted all day and the Ia'
that Goodwin had given to the women
was put back in his part II VS. TOO
late, and subsequent audiences con-
firmed the first verdict that this l'"y
was decidedly not the thing
ION the road to Boston Nat took ~
second failure Of the season moro -'.'-
ously. He began TO ask himself u
was endowed with the ability 60 I.N
winners or to produce them ''''
wards At times he felt despur ''
but never for long, His spirits, '''
buoyant under depressing condil''-,
held up pretty we'll II he had trHt''u
to them always and not tried mor'''.
GUS excitement when they failed o. '''
spond he would have been IN '...''
condition to change the verdict on ".'
new vehicle, when it met with g SI'''
popular success in his old home '',
he vas sensible tnat tho cr'""''
houses in Bostop t~re due to las w.
ularity and he nrver changed his m.''
about getting out OF the failure as '..'
as possible.
ITO imagine our stage getting a'"'s
pretty we'll without Goodwin $ r"'h'''
is easy enough. The talents OF VIII"
nc was so prodigal, that wrong s'''I
people assert he threw away, '''
after all but n conventional and Il
| trnrv value hut there are 'has-nc'''
who will remember and roErc, '.'
sound Of his voice. SO finely '.r'.
spending To the sentiment II "NPT'
while they relisiously aSsiau ..
I.ghtful place in The noble coal.-..
good. old actors.