The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16
George C.Tyler Tells of His Experiences
With Viola Allen, Charles Coghlan
and Other Dramatic Figures

for $3.50. He bought a top hat and
a bottle OF champagne and walked the
free air Of Broadway again that after
noon with his head high. The piece
opened out OF town and did not seem
to interest the public much. Coghlan
was extensively advertised and ex-
plotted, but theatregoers remained
away in large numbers. The situation
looked desperate. We hadn't lost
faith in the venture despite the bao
business, and Liebler. by a lucky
chance. obtained a booking at the old
Fifth Avenue Theatre. The rest is
history. The play was an enormous
success, Coghlan was established once
more as an actor OF great Importance
and profits began to pile up.
I'VE began to sigh for new worlds
to conquer and in casting about for
another personality TO exploit I
thought OF Viola Allen. at that time
the popular leading woman OF the
Empire Theatre stock company. I
arranged an interview with Miss AL
len and made a proposition to her.
How much are you willing to lose"
she asked, Sin making me a star? There
is a certain manager who says he will
lose 10000 II necessary.
"I don't expect to lose anything l
replied. I am going to win. Besides
1 don't think we could afford to lose
any such sum as that
Perhaps she did not realize the full
significance Of that speech. At any
rate. eventually she agreed, after fur
Their negotiations. to accept our propo-
sition and began a search for a play.
1 approached number of playwrights
and could not definitely fix on any
thing suitable. / was in somewhat of
quandary when Elizabeth Marbury
gave Miss Allen the manuscript Of
The Christian Hall Gaines own
dramatization OF his novel. Charles
Frohman had turned it down as a
hopeless proposition. Miss Allen liked
it and sent 1t to me. She said she
, would play II II certain alterations
were made. We cabled Caine asking
him to do this: Miss Allen crossed that
spring and was the guest OF himself
and his wife on the Isle of Man while
the changes were made. and the play
was produced the following season. It
became one of the most successful
plays ever produced in this country.
Reed Turns Down Opportunity.
sour third partner, Mr.. Reed. had
the opportunity Of being declared in
| on The Christian but ne could see
no possibility of success for 1t or for
Miss Allen as a star. He would have
none of 1t. 1t was proposed that he
accept our contract with Coghlan and
$500 in cash for his interest in the con-
Germ. He gladly accepted this offer
and took Coghlan out under his per-
sonal direction. The actor died in
Texas that season. The Christian
made over half q million dollars in
profits. This is beautiful example of
the haphazard nature Of this most
fascinating of businesses.
| 1.-The Christian made Miss Allen
one OF the big figures in the American
theatre and she appeared in a round
of singularly successful plays under
our Objectionable Eternal City, In
the Palace of the King The White
Sister and others. I suppose she is
unique among the stars In that she
never in her entire career played any
thing but leading roles. As a girl OF 16
she followed Annie Russell in the lead
ing role in 'Esmeralda' at the Madison
Square Theatre. That WIS her debut.
Her father, C. Leslie Allen, was mem
Der Of the company and persuaded the
management to give her the oppor-
tunity. The next year she was leading
woman for John Mccullough in 'Vir-
ginius' and she was subsequently lead
ing woman for Salvini. leading woman
OF the Boston Museum and Of the EN-
pire Theatre stock company.
when The Christian was playing
in Chicago the year after it's success
full run In New York dined one
Sunday night with Miss Allen and
her sister and afterwsrd, ON my way
home looked into the hfand Opera