New-York tribune., 1922-01-22
Actor-Manager Is
No Novel Role to
Norman Trevor

While Norman Trevor made his first
bow to America as an actor manager in
his production Of "The Married Wom-
an" at the Princess Theatcr on Christ
mas Eve, it is title familiarly associ-
atcd with his name in the London the
atcr. Although it is by no means unpre-
codcntcd that an actor should enter the
producing field in this country, it is
neverth cless a custom more common to
England, where it seems the natural
sequence of events is that acting and
producing should be combined. To MIR.
Trevor the experience came in just this
way, after five years brilliant success
as an actor in his native country The
only strange twist Of fate lies in the
fact that he neither desired nor intend
ed to follow the theatcr as a career.
He spent his youth in the northeast
Nimalayas as a tea planter, later enter
ing the indigo and jute trade, which is
more than three whoops and a hollcr
from the footlights. His stage expert
encc dates from the time he was asked
by George Alexander to play a small
part in play in which he was appear
ing. Young Trevor accepted the offer,
although he was anything but faithful
to his job. If the day happened to be
cold and crisp he speedily forgot the
theater and spent a couple Of days fol-
lowing the hounds in Gloucesters
Sussex or Kent. His apologies to his
manager were offered with such SINGER
lty rs to win acceptance, however. and
within a short time the young English
man had so proved his histrionic gifts
rs to be the recipient of offers for lead
ing roles.
Mr.. Trevor became associated with
Matheson Lang as his understudy. 1t
was during this period that Herbert
Druce came to the St. James Thcater.
London, to offer Lang the leading male
role in play entitled "Pocket Miss
Hercules" Mr.. Lang had just signed q
contract to appear in the leading mas
cullnc role of "The Christian" but he
suggested to Mr.. bruce that he might
be able to get Norman Trevor for the
part. Despite Trevor's small expert
cnce, he was engaged, which meant
that he made leap from a footman
with few lines to a leading man in a
big production within three months
from the time lie had made his first
bow as an actor.
With "The Christian" Mr.. Trevor's
London reputation was fully estab-
lished. For the next two years he was
in twelve leading roles in the plays
put on in London by the State So
ciety, an organization which selected
both plays and players through its own
committee. While there was no salary
attached, the honor in the selection Of
Mr.. Trevor for the leading man in these
productions was considerable and the
experience excellent. His engagement
by the State Society was followed
by association with the Vanbrughs.
Charles Wyndham, Marie Tempest and
others, with whom he played leading
parts.
Mr. Trevor now had no difficulty in
securing sufficient backing to lease the
Savoy Thcater, London, and realize his
hearts desire to become an actor-man-
ager, an ambition which seems deem
rooted in the heart of all English ac-
tors. His experience in this enterprise
proved valuable, and inspired Mr..
Trevor to look across the ocean to q
similar undertaking. But America did
not know him as did his London and
he had to make his way anew. He
appeared with Maude Adams in "a
KISS for Cinderella" with Elsie Fer
guson in Margaret Schiller" with
Billie Burke in Caesars Wife" and
later he played for twenty-six weeks in
"Ioby's Bow" Among his characteri-
cations there is none which has lin
gered more in the thought of the pub
lie, however, than his portrayal of Ger
aid Fitzgerald in Enter Madam" which
represents one of the most interesting
portraits in all his gallery of stage
pictures.