The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-07

one of George Edwardes's London suo-
cesses, THE Gaiety Girl" which in
time was followed by the 'Gelsha,"
which ran for two seasons. and in
which Isadora Duncan and Mabel Gill
man, now the wife of Edward Corey,
the steel magnate, made their debut.
Later came the Circus Girl. and
the Runaway Girl" all of delightful
memory. The last play produced at
Days under his management was q
tremendous success. 1t was a Drury
Lane melodrama, THE Great Ruby"
In the cast was Ada Rehan, Charles
Richman, Mrs. Gilbert. Blanche Bates.
Herbert Gresham and Sydney Her
bert. In the midst of it's success
came the news in June, 1899. that
DAILY was dead and the theatre closed.
klaw & Erlanger took 1t over and
later the Shuberts, but II was finally
closed several years ago. About three
years ago the memory of it's triumph
seemed to be desecrated when it's doors
we're opened for cheap and vulgar
burlesque. That enterprise, happily for
Days memory, was short lived and
the famous old house has stood in
dust and darkness watching theatre
cal New York move inexorably up-
town and seeing New York's dramatic
taste and appreciation move as stead
lily downward. And now 1t is to be-
come "moviel" At dinner given
to Mr.. DAILY by the Shakespeare Soci-
ETY. at Delmonicos In 1896 the toast
master said: I'VE are here to honor
the man who has done more than any
other man that lives to give to men
and women and children Of this gen.
Grafton a practical realization OF what
Shakespeare said and was" And Mr..
DAILY had this to say: 1T is easy to
decide what is the right course 70
follow to keep the theatre I'D to high
standards. The difficulty lies in ad-
herring to your standard when at times
1t looks as II, instead of the people
Hooking to it, you had to flock all by
yourself. Some may say, as 1 havo
often said to myself, Don't give
up the principle, be consistent. Won
know you are right but there is a
cold cynicism about rows of empty
seats which sometimes chill the warm
est resolution. The difficulty lies in
adhering to your standard in the face
Oh encouragement 1 have known
every phase of the struggle to make
the playhouse what it should be: A
place where the most thorough enter
tainment is given to the highest liter
AIRY and artistic efforts"
In the present heated and acrimoni-
GUS but diverting struggle between tbe
managers and striking actors what
LAZY mad to say upon the relations be-
tween the two is OF interest to both
sides. He said: What debt does the
manager owe the actor! Managers
have not the reputation of recognizing
this obligation. 1t would be entirely
unjust to complain of the want of 1t in
the "Janitor manager" for he is not
expected to know what an actor is. He
deals with combinations only and NAV
know as little of their component parts
as he does of the parts of his watch.
1t is sufficient for him that they CO.,
speak of the manager who has trained
men and women in the higher walks OF
the drama, who has been more pleased
10 see the first dawn or promise in a
beginner than to see growing houses,
who has exalted in seeing his company
play to great audiences not because II
81 'huSu DuI IL
was the highest appreciation of his
creation, and the creation of the man.
ager is the perfectly acted perform
ances"
Augustin DAILY in his day was the
ablest of New York managers. His
theatre stood for the highest and best
traditions of the drama in America.
thorough enjoyment was linked with
cleanliness of thought and decency of
action. Dramatic art found in his
players its highest and best opponents.
He reflected in things dramatic the
taste of his day, and he was the peer
in his profession. The manager of to-
day who would seek to be of his sue
cessor must likewise typify the dra-
matte ideals of the New York theatre
going public of the present. The choice
is not wide. If we were asked to decide
we would be apt to say that it was
George NJ. Cohan.
ALFRED j. TALLEY.
~ Franklin Street, New York city.