The Denver Jewish news., 1925-08-06

was carrying bricks to anothers
house
However, 1t was the reputation
had gained as director which caused
Mrs. Leslie Carter to importune me
to undertake the herculcan task of
Transforming her from a society belle
into a star in addition to my work at
the Lyceum theatcr. finally ac'
quiesced and, before a year had
passed, had determined to put my
fortunes to the test and either sue
eeed or fail with the Mrs. Carter ven
ture.
Il raised funds and put on The
Ugly Duckling.' 1t was "A big financial
loss and was horribly in debt. Miss
Helyett' followed and provided us
with merely a living for few months
nothing more.
For several years / had sought
backing to produce my play The
Heart of Maryland and it was re-
| quired of US that we should come
perilously close to starvation before
the play finally was given its pre-
miere in Washington. The climax
came when MIR. Max Blieman pawned
a 100000 picture for 81 800 to raise
funds sufficient to bring the company
back to New York for the opening
here. This was, perhaps, the turning
point of my career. The success Of
The Heart of Maryland more than
| justified my anticipations.
my success as an independent pro-
ducer was immediate and sensational.
Soon all my debts were paid and for
the first time in my life l could send
sizable remittances to my dear mother
and wife in San Francisco withol.
stripping my pockets of the last re-
naming coins. Still the money rolled
in and | found myself at last in a
position to plan intelligently for the
future.
"'Zaza' and 'Du Barry, followed
then successes in England-but sue
cesses embittered by the loss Of my
beloved mother. rs
stars have come and gone Ance
Mrs. Carter-Blanche Bates, Frances
| Starr, Ina Claire, David WaYtield
Lenorc Uric, Leo Ditrichstein and
Lionel Atwill. Today my dream of
my own thcater is realized and have
nearly two score plays awaiting pro-
duction.
"a friend asked me recently when
would retire and learn to play?'
My reply was: when | have passed
the century mark-if / feel then |
still have the ability to contract the
vice they caA lazincss'."
But interrupted here, "if you
are not reapng huge financial re-
turns because your expenditures are
too heavy, what are you getting out
of life and all of this exacting toll ~
The aster-producer gazed at me
commiseratingly, and responded:
"Some men work at a bench all
their lives, polishing gems that will
bring happiness to beautiful women
l toll here to give my public finished
polished, perfect productions-plays
carrying all of the traditions of the
World Stage-and if they bring hap
piness to my public, then am well
content.
To produce great plays, one must
have great players, so ! continually
am on the watch for promising new
material With this thought in mind
| have just signed Miss Fanny Brice
She has been known heretofore as a
character comcdiennc, but in my opin
ions she is the most promising young
woman of today for the higher things
of the stage.
Miss Brice has imagination, tai
ent, splendid voice and that deli
cacy of understanding so character
istic of the finely developed, sensi-
tive produce of the Jewish race in
America. Her gestures are natural
her reserve power tremendous. With
all of these qualifications is there any
wonder that have high hopes for
Miss Brice?
"Years ago wrote Lord Chumley
for Mr.. Z. II. Sothern, in collabora-
tion with Mr.. Henry c. De Mile
father of Cecil d. De Mile, the noted
motion picture producer, The play
proved to be Mr.. Sothern's greatest
single success and it is with great re-
joicing that find him back under my
direction. Soon he is to appear for
me in a play in every way worthy of
his talents.
81 have surrounded myself with n
noteworthy group OF the most clever
of the yunger women of the stage