Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

frankly. "And, what Is more, i meant
every word Of them. Cant n man write
love letters? l wanted to and l did.
| am a man of temperament and i'm
pulse, and my letters probably make 1t
evident. My family knows l have been
interested in Miss Lees career. Be
sides man in the theatrical business
Is allowed more liberties than his bust
ness brethren. His business demands
it,"
Shortly afterward the suit was with
drawn.
Other picturesque court actions in
which he figured were those involving
contracts with Mary Garden, Lenatcllo,
Constantine, Felicia, Lyme, Tetrazzic.'
and Marguerite Sylvia. In 10l1, Mrs.
Malvina lIammerstein obtained an IN
terlocutory decree of divorce from the
impresario. The papers were not made
public. She died year later.
Slept -Four Hours a Night
Irammerstcin's rules for success
were:
Work hard along lines of your
tUOl''' NuuBthldl NOlhf N'hPi'' ''''.
good health, conduces to longevity.
Don't sleep too much. l find four
hours Il night plenty for me.
"Don't depreciate yourself, always
think yourself as smart as the other
fellow.
Make yourself felt. 1t is only in
that way you can rise. You will never
be abused for failure, but you will be
abused for succeeding; so don't be
afraid TO sound your own trumpet.
Hammcrstcin's recipe for the produc
ton of opera stars was:
Fifty per cent voice.
Fifty per cent judicious advertising.
Hpmmrrstcin had his own way of de-
srribing opera singers. Once, after q
period of unuSua irritation, he said:
MARY Garden, the distinguished
songbird, is "A loafer; also is Giovanni
Xcnatello, the talented Italian tenor, a
loafer. Likewise, are all sopranos,
contraltos and basSos, of all nations,
regardless of age, sex, or previous con e
ditions of servitude. loafers.
When Campanini resigned as director
on account of Oscars defense of Mary
/ Garden in her revolt against Cavalieri
appearing in French roles, Oscar said:
4 In making contracts with artists,
/ always allow 10 per cent off for in
{ sanity"
4 story characteristic of Mr.. Ham
merStcin's remarks is that one about
the grand opera star who in former
years had been popular al the Metro
poltan and who had been engaged by
him for his Manhattan. But she failed
utterly to make an impression on the
Manhattan audiences, and brought no
body there tC hear her sing. She drew
: large salary and Mr.. lIammerSteir
used to scrutinize the ticket rack
thoughtfully and sorrowfully as ht
glanced over the small houses that she
drew, and thought of the promises sht
had made to bring thousands of ad
mircrs to the Manhattan to hear hcl
sing.
One night when she was singing to c
particularly poor house Mr.. Hammer
stein walked up to a group of reporters
il the lobby with a rather sad expires
| sion Oh his face and the inevitable ciSa
in his llouth.
Would any of you gentlemen here.
, he said blandly. "do me the favor O
marrying Madame y? 1t would be
, great kindness to me and | should ap
prcciate it very much.
Gave Favorites Twenty five Cents
Mr.. IIammerst "in. during the per
: formanceS at his opera house alway
e sat on an ordinary kitchen chair place
for him in the front entrance, and thor
= he was from the beginning to the en-
OF every performance. noting CAREFUL
every dining 'hnt went on and not hCsi
+atiny 10 to-! the artist afterward whG
, he o. she Ind done that was not goot
Two OF th"ec Of the singers We're Il
~G?ticu'ar fuvHriP Ps and were amor
:, the 'c%s CONSPICUOUS artists. To the
i he a'ways gave quar.cr at every pei
). form?noe just as they "llkrd on Il
! stagr. Ihcv came to look upon it as
ncceSsar- tH'iSman.
: In 1889 he started on his theatr
l. building career, which made him fl
nous. building the Harlem Ope
n House. For three years he lost on I'll
- venture before the luck changed.
e projected the Murray Hill Theatre, b
o disposed of it at a profit before it W
= half completed.
He built the Manhattan TheatI
turning it into music hall. Roster
,e Ria's, in which he had a joint shal
is Withdrawing from this concern,
" built in quick succession the Olympi
q the Victoria Theatre of Varieties. t
n Republic and the Manhattan Ope
= House. opened the winter of 1906.
IS After his retirement from the Phil
: delphia Opera House Mr.. Hammc
al stein built theatre in London, viii
as the British public criticized as "t
m garish." A few years ago he was 4
,c clared bankrupt by New York cou
. but he was unabashed by financial
fortune and rallied with accuston
vigor.
id When young Hammerstein landed