Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-29
THE PLAYCOER'S
WEEKLY TALK

l----- ..1,,-,, AZ, x..x
Z >sr, >sr,ERSEVEithNSD 10 ''e 'io''o '.'"
brought oliver m Moros'o ,ss IN "a, few y,
years from Worosco sn acc family Of acrobats
ths farnoyss nos,tion as one OF the lead
10 a slni,,i uroducers. Morosco, AZ
lns theats te, wears became on account
the age 2, fhs pinnacle Of the Morosco
Of his sltte stss tured with the Adam Fore
4 family ,irc,,s ,ea The circus life continued
for SIX yeass,,n,ed manaeement OF the
Morosco, pnnra House In San Fran
old Grannin ani,yor then went into the box
cisco o,,ver remained as treasurer for
one vears.. studying all lines OF the
IRE, business. Then he began 70
WI about for a theatre, and ne learned
e., e., tbe Burbank. In Los Angeles. was
aaarsd the owner that ne was the right
Wiz nr
msm ,, v.yv little cash he effected a
VIA VIII ieese and organised a stock
teryear which eventually became cele.
sr,psdt sSrpated throughout the country; From From
time " az Henry Miller, Blanche Bates
player. starr Laurette Taylor, Bessie
Fran,c.en, charlotte Greenwood. Mary
psn puren, Florence Reed, Mary Hall,
MAZE ,ss Nell and Tim Frawley.
owing to keen competition suitable
nlays were scarce, so ne neciaeo 10 Wy
Ms hand az writing. hs nrss play
'The Redskin, was prouuvsu anu ran an
fen weeks. Win tn,s encous,asement ne
tried again. WIN me 'uuse anu ,,h rhe
Jury" western play, success: Inc
sstute Morosco ,got tne luea OF invadlhg
New York. BEFORE ne was tWenty-eignt
Years Of age he had become the part
ner OF Charles tTohman Jor tne presen. zen
tatlon Of his play at WaIaoks. me
engagement iastea out t"o weeks, ano
me venture depicted MS pank roll. so
ne returned TO the coast 70 reouperate,
sti determined 10 orinK SUCCESS 10
Broadway.
In the next few years Morosco Spro-
,ucsd a number of new plays. The first
Sssriug was "The Fox" by Lee Arthur.
.nccessful eastern visit and then came
,Ss turn of the tide with Tho Bird Of
paradise," followed by Peg o. My
peart" The success of both is theatri-
eal history, and their receipts made Mo-
rosco rich. Civilian Clothes' at the
tpsra House currently show the scope
~ his enterprises and the care with
which he personally supervises his pro-
auctions.
THAT war does not breed good drama
10 the nrm conVlction OF Jonn Mil
tern that the greatest conflict the world
has known, with all it's horrors and It's
hunors, It's agonies and its anguish, and
10 exposition of the best and worst
IN human nature. has acted as a de-
tsrent rather than a stimulant to orea.
c,aer' .er 80 snd | NJ N5i,t.rn tyho ''s an'
pearlng at the Adelphi in The Ruined
Lady" Is entitled to such an opinion and
conviction. for there are few students
greater regard and desire for the best
In the theatre.
I'm my opinion he said the world
war has had an effect on the drama. and
particularly on those playwrights to
whom We look for the best In drama
entirely different from what one might
have imagined.
1T has dwarfed rather than height
ened the dramatic creative faculty, and
the best proof is the fact that during
the war there was not produced one
really noble or notable play. BY notable
or noble play near such as Barrie 9
Dear Brutus' or Pinero's Mid-Channel,
examples OF genuine drama conceived
and written by a master technician.
very seriousiy mere. IN england. for
they see them. dissect them, tear then
apart and discuss them as good drama
or bad. Here when you 60 into a cafe
after the play and join a party seated
round the table you'll find them dis
clssing the players they have Just seen
their personalities and what not. bu,
seldom word about the play as a play
-
,xn,,r,r
WHAi III name!
W Fred G. Nixon n-Nirdlinger thinks
there Is a whole lot and then some. ana
because OF this impresslon he is seekin .
q new name for his West AIiephams
Theatre. In order that wits NAV he nj,
To work he offers prizes for the nerson
who will send TO him the hest name In
IS few letters as possible, ~
The present name is one Of the ,onpes,
that labels places OF amusement In ths
city and is Confused with another ho,,ss
The Allegheny, ''"''
Mr.. Nirdlineer desires sonnetbinr tha,
Till grip the memory tightly. on ths
order Of Stanley or nixon" and he
offers prizes as follows: For heat nanoa
us; second best name. s1o: next fivs
names, season tickets. "''
This contest closes July 1. Name,
WaeN