The New York herald., 1922-11-05
MY YEARS ON THE STAGE By John
Drew. E. p Dutton & Co.

My Years on the Stage" is like
lifting the curtain on my own past
for many vital episodes of the narrative
were the joint experiences of biographel
and reviewer. This is especially true Of
the Daly's Theater engagement. five years
of which were spent in hardworking pro-
fessional companionship under the mos
insistent martinez and disciplinarian it has
been my fortune ever to have met. Au-
gustin DAILY was an idealist in his work
His ever present dream was the perfection
of his performances and Drew and L were
units in Daly's scheme of a perfect whole
Drew loomed larger in this scheme OF
things than 1 did; he was receiving his
reward for many years of faithful service
under the Daily direction. but we both were
members of force whose artistic fighting
value was unquestioned.
1t is the memory of this association that
must necessarily impair any impartial
judgment of mine upon MY Years on the
Stage" for l confess the bias of strong
friendship and admiration for it's author
and the delight have in following through
the pages is extreme. Nor can 1 conceive
any reader of the frank and entertaining
narrative as not sharing my pleasure
If ever an actor was born to the purple
it was John Drew. The heritage of father
mother and grandmother was in his blood
and as the memoirs tell us. he was god
fathered by William Wheatley and William
K. Sheridan and godmothered by Mrs. D. p
Bowers-all aristocrats of the stage when
John made his appearance in 1858. He cut
his teeth on the silver spoon of the theater
His mothers influence must have been
potent from Johns earliest years; an in
fiuence that urged him always in the
paths of correctness and good taste. Mrs
John Drew stood for good breeding and
manner. The tradition of old comedy was
at her finger tips; no one knew more of
the stage business of the plays of Sheridan,
Coleman. Farquhar and the dramatists of
the snuff. ruifie. powder patch, teacup and
epigram comedy than she. and her annual
production of these plays at the Arch
Street Theater was the delight of genera
tions of Philadelphia theatergoers. To be
under her direction was to go to school,
and her scholars found her a stern task
master. Her familiar title of "The
Duchess" may perhaps describe the awe
in which she was held.
of hers at the time of the episode which
Drew describes of his being compelled to
play the part of Ur. BrOnSleU in Wives as
They Were and Maids as They Are" at
short notice. Johns execution of that
herculean feat was too absorbing for him
to have been altogether conscious of what
brought it about. 1t was a week given to
the annual appearance of Mrs Drew at
her theater in revivals of six old comedies
As 1t was, at the end of the regular season
a company of Philadelphia favorites wa
easily gotten together, and rehearsals be-
gan for the grueling week My own brain
nearly gave way in the attempt to
memoriZe six parts. and was cast out for
secondary characters at that.
Think of the task of the leading man.
He was John Clinton Hall, generally de-
pendabe actor, held in local favor. Charles
Surface in the school for Scandal" proved
of no great difficulty to him for the opening
night, but the next morning. when Wives
as They Were" was called for rehearsal. he
ioundered through the lines of Mr. Brons-
ley quite hopelessly. At the end of the first