New-York tribune., 1922-12-17
The Theaters
TroubIes of N Cuc cessfuI PLAYWRIGHT
BY Percy Hammond

IS said that the young playwright and his manuscript the most
sOrn hearbeakng pictures the heater You have
read Of them they the producers Offices determined to pre-
u and Of their dependency when they turned without being
M n DO m Their bright hopes when parting from another and
M their subsequent reunions; futile with agents
managers and actors schemes devised to get heang-ae all familiar
% .;ons of ri0bous envy as frustrated they see
authors and plays achieving glory and prosperity with what 1t seems
% hen Is great deal Of and little worthiness
WAS speaking Of other day Mr. John Golden the pro-
d and Mr. Austin Strong "The Seventh Heaven
o Of tho distinguished successes We were standg
IN M rear Of the Booth Theater watching the plays operations upon
enchanted audience. and was moved to eonsra'ua 'e On %
PLEASING spectacle Winds smooth waters and conenng hae
said Mr. Strong for talking to poet 1ou DeOng 70
he happy band Of those do with comfort You get
Stimulating you develop into drama You take the manu-
script John Golden producer high standing who reads and
what he shall engage TO "o
He hires them and puts them INTO re-
~ The play presented leading Y eater and newspaper
critics including myself disparage it, At it becomes prodigous
ss bringing money such further enjoyment
watch this large ana ascnaUeu
,nscs giving evidence Of my demer as a your drama"
Mr. Strong "Te Seventh Heaven had its many
tudes nearly the successful plays have them There was
rough going before reached the summer places Again recalling
M strons prestige Of letters vntured join MN WIFI
DID the road wind uphill all
DID rho ,ourn.y % .S' take the Who'll. long d.yi
Prom night my friend
h. ard Mr. Golden belongs the nngena were
.rd to tell me something complicated joys and sorroW
~ IN the history "The Seventh Heaven 1t was rather nice
a 20 be 50 friendly for my printed depreciation Of the play had
n cold and superior though not mpedmen Mr. Godn remarks
M reviewer after hostile usually these: You wrote what
thought and like for that at least There are on
Well years ago while tea party in London hard
nod French legend about the pretty chatelaine OF castle
e phaps who sweetheart the Crsades In e COURSE
d absence she became dsgured by smallpox Waiting for his return
suffered contemplation his horror when he would come back an
hs bo instead Of beautiful after the over and
came home blind And they lived comparatively happy
VI after
hepon Mr. Strong composed poetic drama on that theme
which now disappears these annals Long afterward nov"
u wrote onesc pav during his summer Nantucket around
fon and took it Golden. There was nothing DONG Dy M
n the oneact play Mr. Strong then made 1t longer ahu
' NTH it. Many comedies engaging the attention Oh lhe m
r he was hard Mr. Strong waited not impauehuy'
~ inrNu for Encountering Mr. Golden IN ms u1ss ~
a est.r ha voud say Look john it's better than my
% Viz Fool Eventually Golden had hour OF leisure anu
ar scrutiny Strongs opus III &c IT. ne saio e
Avs with few changes III Winchel Smith to stage IT,
III. Smith whose sagacy Snowman IS conspicuous
"r said: It isn't there John wouldn't touch H. MT uou,
convinced tool "a William Gillette 81 don't understand It, saio
~ Gillette declining ats street folk isn't IT, ana ne "
an sewerx Robert Milton, intelligent director was
Mr. Golden put whats all about askeu WI cs
nv op a ether side Don't worry Austin SAID Mr. 1ooen
kr stror. s cslvr will be glad help it, But Mr.
&vn after studying the piay pronounced too foreign arthur
a'pns described il as ness, and Earl Cairoh aho
prisos Of prosperous thcaters turned II Gown .h Ala
@ nothing in il to tempt him from the pictures ana n w
Russ Aeibs nd Lionel Barrymore Thomas and Walter
hms
IN ,t.s. g lfy declared Mr. Golden eventually And 50
The title Of the play then was Heaven 90 a about valOrYn
n what other names you, Austin How aOu n va care
a Mr. Strong Not so good" Mr. Godens answer NJ
Three candles'9" Strong inquired "A tue ou no. - ~ Golden
sAasn replied. christen it The Seventh Heaven
"kss'isd "That" Mr. Strong answered, IS iS "'"
Bitter battles aped thereafter Mr. Golden ana M ~
"a Il whom fine respect and admiration Tor ne hy.v
s's ts play" ssid strone. "iu order to cTtc' '