The New York herald., 1922-12-18
Pollock Succeeds
to Frank Bacon'S
Role in 'Lightnin'
Golden Informs Him Late Ac-
tor Made Choice Before
~
He Died.

Tho much mooted question Of who
would succeed the late Frank Bacon as
Bali Jones In the No. 1 company of
''Lightnin' was settled yesterday when
John Golden, manager of the famous
comedy. announced that 1t would be
Percy Pollock. Pollock has had long
career in almost as great obscurity as
his predecessor. and only received recog-
milton lately for hir work as the whim-
steal Mr.. Gooch In ''Spite Corner" In
fact. hardly any one remembers him
except those who have seen him In sup
port Of Madge Kennedy at the Little
Theater.
He will first play his role at the Hollis
night, the date that Bacon himself was
to have filled. He has been rehearsing
secretly with Winchell Smith. co-author
and director Of the play and his identity
as the man to I'LL Bacon's shoes has
been closely guarded. When Golden in
formed him that Bacon himself had
chosen him for his possible successor.
Pollock was affected and said:
Il had only two talks with Mr.. Bacon
and saw him in 'Lightnin only once.
but that was enough. for Bacon told his
story and hewed TO the core. With never
q dream I would one day play the part.
I left the theater convinced this Light
min" BHI Jones was the symbol of the
In agtnative faculty, that precious light
ming which stimulates the spiritual In all
Of US. ! hope / will never offend the
memory of Frank Bacon by acting
''Lightnin' l will try to live him on
the stage.
Pollock has had forty years . Of
struggle for success on the stage, like
Bacon. His predecessor, VIII, began his
stage career at the age Of IS. was 81
when he died. Pollock starteu at the
age OF and is now approaching 43.
He has about the same heignt and poise
as Bacon.
He was born in Brooklyn December
81, 1878. Of Irish parents. His father.
John Crawford Pollock. was for years
a reporter on the Brooklyn Citizen. He
had two brothers and fve sisters. The
father became an invalid and Mrs.
Pollock, to find a means to suppo-. her
large family. sought the advice Of Mrs.
E. L. Fernandez. middleman between
talent and the stage. The result was
that the ave girls and Percy. then 4
years old, appeared at a ch!!dr'n's right
at Tony Pastors in Fourteenth street
Later he played Mint. the little girl.
with his sister. Emma. as the boy,
Hcinie, In support Of Joseph Jefferson
In rip Van Winkle." After a while
his mother put her foot down and sent
him to the public schools for four years.
They moved to New York "in barrels, "
as Pollock puts 1t, to be near Emma,
who was with Harrigan and Hart Then
the boy was sent into Wall street. waere
he clerked with Z. B. Cuthbert 4 Co.
for two years. Their failure catapulted
him into the Job Of assistant treasurer
OF the Fourteenth Street Theater.
/ Then after two years on the lot with
the Walter Mains circus and one year
on concessions with Pawnee Bill he
went back to acting.
After various stock engagements In
New Orleans, Milwaukee and st. Louis.
during which he supported James X
Hackett, Henrietta Crosnan. Virginia
Harmed and Amelia Bingham under the
visiting star system. he arrived In New
York via the vaudeville stage, taking
the name ~ Smith to appear In q duo
logue called Smith and Campbell. Then.
after playing a '.rube" character In
variety in his own act, he finally OBJ
tained a part In an original production
after thrty-five years of training.
He was Capt. Ebbtidc. comedy
sailor. In Just Minute" which John
Cort produced at the Cort Theater. 1918
10. The next season NJ had the char
acter comedy part with Corts Jim.
Jam. Jems," and last year played
Mr.. Sdnborn, the father in only 49," In
support of Mary Ryan at the Cort. He
viii retire from Spite Corner" on
Thursday.