New-York tribune., 1919-09-21
Who's Who
In Current PLAYS

james DrauDury plays rural char-
acter in "a Regular Fellcr" with an
understanding of rustic idiosyncrasies
that is startling, and he explains it
thus:
IL was born and bred in the little
village Of Hollis, Mean ingrowing
community Of several thousand men,
women and children, who arc said to
represent tho prototypes of every con-
ceivable 'rube' character ever seen on
Broadway or contingent stages. So,
you see, | have had every occasion to
study these characters at first hand"
Mr.. Bradbury claims that his theat-
rical debut was purely accidental. He
had returned to Boston in 1882, after
experimenting as miner in Colorado
and bookkeeper in Cincinnati, to wind
up the affairs of his meagre estate in
Hollis. Meeting one of his boyhood
cronies, he was told that the latter was
acting as super" in one of the current
shows and that he felt sure that he
could get Bradbury in, which he did.
1t is recorded that Bradbury scored an
immediate hit, even in the lowly ca
pacity Of "super." From then on his
rise was inevitable. Soon after that he
played with Edwin Booth, and some
how was unaccountably funny in
Shakespearian serious stuff. Seeing
this, shrewd managers engaged him for
comedy parts in modern plays, and SO
it came to pass that in the last thirty
five years James Bradbury has scored
twenty-one distinct personal hits on
the Great White Way, not counting the
many roles he played on the road. For
four years he supported Nellie Nc
Henry in "a Night at the Circus"
played several seasons with T. T.. Rice's
"1492," had an important part
in Robert Emmett" scored in "The
Village Postmaster" Naughty An
thony" and "Hearts Afamc," and then
came several seasons with Anna Held,
Fifty Miles From Boston," "Is Matri-
mony Failure ?" "Blackbirds," )" "Inside
the Lines" "Along Came Ruth" "Have
Heart and ooh, Boyl"
Clifford Dempsey, who is the in
quisitorial detective in "At 9:d5," the
Owen Davis melodrama at the Play
house, once saw John Mccullough play
Hamlet" in Chicago, and then and
there decided he must be an actor.
He came to New York, and not be-
ing able to get job acting got one
as press agent for play known as,
"a Lies Mistake" which Mr.. Dcmp-
sey AYERS tittingly described it's pro-
duction.
"a Llife's Mistake" proved fatal in
Indianapolis, and closed. But there
MIR. Dempsey found worthy soul, in
tent on starring lady known as
Rochelle, the Tragic Queen" This
managerial giant seized him as likely
legitimate material, and promptly
signed him to 90 to Australia after a
t-crossing private tour OF
this country, the contract for three
years, the salary superb, and Demp-
sey's future loomcd large before him.
"Rochelle" and her supporting artists
opened their tour in Indianapolis. They
opened in 'Ingomar." The second night
they played "Evadne," and the third,
"lngomar. Apparently it was three
times and out Tor "Rochelle," for that
night the Australian tour and the three
year contract simultaneously dissi-
pated into thin a;r--vcry thin air. The
hero Of this scintillating narrative re-
turned to his hostlcry-the Bates
house. There he found bill awaiting
him, and he had nothing with which
TO meet it. Also he was hungry, and
the next morning was more 50. He
didn't dare go in the dining room
however-that bill was on his mind
Finally he appealed to an old timer
also a member Of the company lately
supoIt!lS hOchclle, the Tragic
Queen" This gentleman informed him
1t was extremely foolish to pay any
attention to so slight a mater as a
bill, and advised Immediate descent tc
the dining room. Dempsey didn't have
to be told twice. Finally, by leaving
his trunk as token of affection and
esteem, he got away from the hote.
and eventually landed in New York
There he signed with repertory com
pany, and within three months was the
leading man; at last he had become ar
tights and everything. Ans
after putting in some three years with
the rep" show he became regular
actor and began to secure good en-
| gagemcnts.
OF late years Mr.. Dempsey has beer
prominent i'll many broadway sue
cesses. For many months he playe(
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