New-York tribune., 1921-01-23

The American theater has recorded d
tame or failure for many aspiring
young men and women, and in this
modern age it is hard to predict which
popular parsonage of to-day's stage
Will even be remembered tomorrow
lhere are few exceptions, however
Notable among them is the name of
Eugene O'Neill. Four years ago he was
practically unknown. Now he is hailed
as the greatest American piay builder
of the future.
Although O'Neill attempted various
! business careers, from the beginning
Of his life. he mas been child of the
theater. On October 16, 1888, he was
born in what was then called the old
Barrett House, at Forty-third Street
and Broadway. From that time until
he was seven years old his life was
spent living in hotels and boarding
/ houses, while his father, James O'Ne.ll,
played the famous old Dumas drama,
Monte Cristo," in every town in the
United States and Canada large enough
to support theater-
AS he spent the first few years of
his life gong from one town to an
other he continued to spend his school
days changing from this school to that;
first a Catholic school in New York
| next De La Sale Institute, then Bett' s
Academy, and finally Princeton Uni
vers ty.
His next venture was a gold pros
pecting expedition to Honduras, N
Central America. The prospectors
found everything but gold, and when
they finally arrived back in New York
Gene was ready to admit that he also
was failure as gold digger. For the
remainder of the theatrical season of
that year he acted as general handy
/ man for show company in which h ;;
father played one OF the leading parts
After the season was over O'Neill
began his adventures as a sailor. The
next few years of his life have been
reflected in his short plays, and must
! have made vivid impression upon his
i imagination and memory. From Bos-
ton he first shipped to Buenos Ayres,
where he remained working at various
things for about year, leaving there
to 60 to Durham, South Africa, on a
cattle boat. Although O'Neilt intended
to stay in Africa, he was not able to
make the required money exhibit, and
had to return to Buenos Ayres on the
cattle boat. A few months later he
came to New York, by way of Trinidad.
In 1917 The Smart Set magazine pub
lished three of the first short plays he
wrote after completing his Harvard
course. Recognition followed quickly
then. The Provinceton Players began
producing his short plays. These at
tracted so much attention that O'Neill
made one Of them over into a three-act
play, Beyond the Horizon" With
Richard Bennett in the leading role, it
was awarded the Pulitzer prize for be-
ing the best play of the year written
by an American and about an Ameri-
can subject.
One of O'NeilIs greatest short plays,
"THe Emperor JONES'" Is now being
played as a matinee attraction uptown.
1t was first produced by the Province
town players in their Macdougal Street
Theater, but Adolph Klauber, seeing
town during the Christmas holiday
week. 1t is still running and attract
ing as much comment as did Beyond
the Horizon" last year.
With the exception Of "Dif'rent" the
following O'Neill plays were produced
by the Provincetown Players before
their presentation of "The Emperor
Jones':
Bound East for Cardiff"--In which g.
dying sailor on the voyage home tells
his mate of his dearest wish to own
md live on farm. He dies among
the snores OF his companions and
obsessed by the foghorn of the ship
1t SHOWS the fls sstration Of the hopes
and dreams Of 81 sailor in the midst
Of sordid actuality.
Before Breakfast"--A play in which
one character on the stage, the wife.
nags her husband, who is shaving in
the bathroom, and who so wrongs and
insults him that he commits suicide
by cutting his throat.
"The Long Voyage Home"--A Nor
wegian sailor, who, for fifteen years
has been trying "a stop drinking and
save his money to 20 home and buy
farm, Is "shanghaied" in den on the
waterfront, robbed, and then sold TO
another ship.
"Ile"--A captain has taken his wife
on 9 whaling voyage. They are locked
in the ice and the wife is about to TO
mad from her long desolation. TAe
husband finally consents to turn back
without his "1le" (whnling oil), whea
the Ice breaks and whales are sighted.
He goes back on his promise, although
he sees his wife going mad before his
eyes: His reputation as good whaler
is OF more value to him than the sanity
Of his wife.
"The Rope"-~An old religious naissr
refuses to rfwr hia worfhlaus .ov