The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-12

FnVtoPlayS
Grand ..... A Romance Of the Air
Nelson -. The Make Believe Wife
pt{te s.....s. The Crouch
Princess .......... A Trick Of Fate
0W7ILLIAM G. CUSHMAN, L ana
M ger and comedian Of the This
W Is the Life" company which
did rather poor business at the
Grspd Saturday night last. has this
to1saylto alocal friend in letter just
received here:
u have been in the theatrical pro.
fession for % years but learn new
things every day. am now 10 my
list year and believe that Will
know enough TO look after myself by
the time am rs. These reflections
are caused by my experience in Fair
mont where run UP against the
strongest opposition experienced in
my quarter of a century Of show
business.
I have played little towns in the
middle west with the circus against
me day and date, and have had fair
crowds at the Opera House in spite
OF the attractiveness Of the Barnum
and Bailey Posters, or the white tops
OF The carnival. have run ND
against John Roblnsou's Ten Big,
without damaging effect. 1t remain
ed for me to get the most serious
blow Of my career at Fairmont, when
l followed in Bill Taft's League Of
Nations.
From what can learn Taft dfd
not use as much paper on the bill
boards as did; the only advantage
be had was using both newspapers,
while we only got in one. He car
rled no scenery with his show,
while We have diamond dye out
tit, his wardrobe is said to have been
a little sloppy by close observers,
while the most severe critics found
no fault with This is the Life" on
this score.
Fairnont has the reputation Of be.
ing girl town and l brought in girl
show. Taft came without any girls
at all and played to $3.50 getting
$500 guarantee, while l played here
the next day to buy $s7 gross on
motinee and night, and got but $3.50
for my share.
don't know what Tafts expenses
are. He stopped at EIighgate and
put up at the Manley Hotel. un-
derstood that he got free bus fare,
while got nothing Of the kind. He
was not even accompanied by sec.
Rotary. managed his own stage. and
settled up. carry company OF six
teen people, have special scenery, a
union musical director, and have a
running expense of two hundred dol
lars a day.
l admit there is a good deal IN q
title, His subject is Government:
mine is Life. While his message Is
important, he certainly deals with no
greatesi question than is embraced in
my tile. He parates about the Mon
roe doctrine. while emphasize the
Ciaorsee6hau doctrine II fe's Y
Funny Proposition after All"-Taft
and I both follow the Conan doc
'trlne4-Always Leave Them Laugh
ing.
TATE was seen at the Grand Opera
House on Friday night to capacity
business, down stairs, in the balcony
in the gallery, and on the stage. III
there are any fire laws In the city
they were probably broken. for I un-
derstand they sold standing room
only tickets,
a. am law abiding show man: ]
did not, sell any standing room tick
cts either matinee or night.
During the influenza scare there
was ruling in some western cities
that only every other row Of seats
could be. occupied. There is no need
for a law like this when former Pres
ideut Taft plays city the night be-
fore sThis is the Life. could have
left every other row vacant in the
rows occupied and then had plenty
Of seats to spare.
There is no wonder that Earl Nor
gan kicks on letting his theatre for
local purposes. The purpose IN CIV
q, Performance for pay Is to have
bigcroBd and II you succeed the next
show gets a lab in the juggler vein.
Taft had another advantage over
me-, he played, here on a guarantee
and ISplsyed on percentage he knows
he wasn't gypped when settling up,
and 4 don't.
Is Bessie sa,riscale at Princess.
X Ia sensational daring story "A
Trick Of Fate" produced By B. B.
Features, with Bessie Barriscale as
tie. center OF the storm displays more
originality in plot than the usual pio-
turo which introduces the much abus.
ed Fate into its title. NJ. E. Ha-
vey's story under the able direction
lDf Howard Hickman gives the star
ample oppoI tunity for the display OF
her talent IN two separate roles. Mary
Lee, the beloved little daughter Of the
( South, and Mary's double. the faYor.te
danseuse Of a notorious Partisan cafe,
l.ate two characters OF widely different
Stybes. The hNroine is forced to as
sumo q character which not only Jars
upont her finer sensibiIitles. but ac-
tualIy imperils her own honor. The
vents which lead Up to her assump-
.lon Of this second personality make
the plot an intricate one: and when
3 murder removes Anna Gerard. the
dancer. the story reaches a climax
which borders on the daring. Fellow.
INC this Is Pathe News Reel.
b Three Topics at Dixie.
Three tonics are on the film at the
If1iSfA to-day Maintain Lava "a the