New-York tribune., 1919-12-28
Behind the Scenes
With Philip Mindil

fef s RICHARD BENNETT led the
II 8 Way into the star dressing-room
at the Playhouse he shifted with
eS%E evident satisfaction and looked
about. There was distinct
and delightful aroma of the perfumes
and powders with which the softer sex
adds 10 its charm. Now, Mr. Bennett
IS very much a man, and-well, it did
seem TRANCE.
"Ha" cried the stalwart star of "For
The Defense" flashing on the lights and
revealing a row OF dainty shoes and
line of lacy lingerie simultaneously
Il see it now. Miss George has been
lehearsing'
For be it known that the Dresden
cnina Grace George has perfect right
TO that boudoir, built for her in her
husband William A. Brady's theater
whenever it Is not in actual use.
And Bennett was glad, glad about
everything; glad she had used his
dressing room; glad his play had been
approved by the people who pay to see
1t and by the people who are paid to
see II and print their praise or their
paints; glad that his company as we'll
as himself had scored triumph; glad
that Henry Miller and Blanche Bates
had LANDED" with The Famous Mrs
Fair because they are both conscien-
hous capable actors, and glad that
Frank Gilmore's little daughter, Mar
solo, had made her first "hit" in it,
glad she had because she came of q
theatrical family.
The Impression was brought home
anew that most actors are earnestly
ambitious in their chosen profession,
not alone for the living it brings them.
Of r. 81 fe
success and the sat isfaction of bestow-
ing pleasure on those who patronize
them.
How do you get the results from
your company" was asked.
i work with them, not over them" "
said Bennett Il never ask any one TO
90 thing | could not and would not
do myself. ! ask nothing impossible
or unnatural. All ask is for the
actor to submerge himself in the char
acter he is playing. | ask him to see
me character doing things and saying Z
'hlnss IN the way he links the cnar-
Scter would do and say them.
II an actor says to me, Oh can t
GO that OF say that ! ask him to
get inside the skin o. the character
and then direct himself from that point
OF view. And if he still insists tho
NONiu llpl cdy IL tHdl way
! say, How would he say it?' AMI if
The actor is right we change the words
OF the playwright without changing his
meaning"
What is your ambition?" Always
interesting to the playgoer.
10 be versatile,' came the quick
reply. Il think versatility is the acme
" the Ihespian art. Actors who are
not versatile come-and they go. They
wear out. Their personality lasts only
lew years. But a personality never
pals on the public when it knows
mat ma, each time it is presented in a
inherent visualization-in a new por-
trait.
lake my father-in-law, Lewis Nor
''son. for instance. He played Faust
20 long because he had made such a
oecided Impression in it and was afraid
70 venture time and money and rep
u.stion by trying something else. What
was 'he result? He wore himself out
ana went from the largest cities to the
secondary ones, then to the large
owns and then to the smaller ones
snu nnally to those of 5000 or 5000
he had possessed the courage to
,ome , INTO New York and make produc-
IONS IN diversified characters he
would never have been rclegated to
the provinces
1t Is terrible thing for an actor
20 awlndle from the largest cities &c
me smallest towns. | predict that il
.Ts uSv'd Warfield does not stop playing
ine Music Master and The Auc-
Noneer' he will find himself in ten
years playing towns of 5000 and 5000
ne Is too good an actor and too rich
:. man not TO try to lift the thing tha.
'ited him from so low to so high.
therefore, l am determined to &C
on producing new and widely varied
.hlags. Four weeks from now | expec,
TO produce the first long Eugene O'Neill
o'ay IN New York am in this play