Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26

of mediocre company. 1t was the day when
Dion Boucicault at 81 years. could make his
public love his characterization Of the Irish
lad, Conn, in "Shaughraun." In fact so COM
pletely had he made his way into the hearts
OF the newspaper men that they formed q
Shaughraun Club, which, alas, jealousy made
short lived
Some Of the other thrillers of half a century
ago were Under Two Flags" Ten Nights in
a Bar Room" Lady Jane Gray" Forbidden
Fruit" Lady Audley's Secret" Leah, the
FOrsaken," "Fanchon," "Lispet," "Richelieu,"
"Davy Crockett" THE Iron WILL" "A Sea Of
Ice" THE Crushed Tragedian," Camille"
White Lies" Loves Sacrifice" David Gar
rick" "The Streets of New York" and the
whole category of Shakespearean tragedies
Mingled with these the public was duly en-
tertained with 1.-The Big Bonanza" THE
StrategistS,' Contempt for Court" "She StoOps
to Conquer" Divorce" Our American
Cousin ''Mignon." Little Barefoot" ''Diplo-
macy" Kit" THE Tourists" Our Boarding
House." Otto" "Dr. Clyde" 1.-The Danites"
and The Mighty Dollar"
a S important these dramas are those who
enacted them. Here must be recorded
many names linked with our own day; that is
before the silver sheet began to supplant the
stage. And so must be mentioned Lawrence
Barrett. John Mccullough, Fred B. Ward
Thomas w. Keene, Mime Madden minnie
Madden Fiske), Robert L. Downing, Maurice
Barrymore. Mr.. and Mrs. Florence, Fanny Dav-
export, Nat Goodwin, De Wolf Hopper Francis
Wilson, John keenan,, John Drew E. H.
Sothern. Thomas Jefferson. Marie VAIN
wright John T. Raymond Maggie Mitchell
William Harris, Adelaide Nelson and J. X.
Emmett Then there is a long list OF those
who in varying ways helped to maintain the
artistic traditions of the stage in their day
and swere just as important as those whom
the present generation may have heard OF
those must not be forgotten Eugenia Paul.
Thomas Whffein, Frank Mayo, Edward Comp
ton, Barry Sullivan, Louise Pomeroy, Mr.. and
Mrs. George s. Knight, B. McCauley Mr.. and
Mrs. Mckee Rankin, J. G. McCollum, Mr.. and
Mrs. John w. Albaugh, Blanche Thompson,
Mr. and Mrs. Frank s.. Chanfrau, Blanche
Chapman, Charlotte Thompson, MRS. d. p
Bowers, Mrs. Jane Germon and the Vokes
Family.
This list records fve husbands and wives
who always appeared jointly in productions.
To this may he added the VokeS family of
11ve and Robson and Crane said to be welded
dramatically. The question arises whether the
dramatic art ran more closely in families in
those days, whether 1t was an economic union,
or whether family jealousy had not become
q hndFance to dramatic art.
1t might be wen to remind Washingtonians
that their city contributed its share toward
the stage Of that day. These were Eva Mills
Annie Lewis "a child prodigy, Robert 1.
bia0C0e C09Dm0n
Samuel q. Young on the stage and DOM Piat&.
dramatist, whose play, "a Royal Lover" scored
success at the artistic hands Of Clara Morris
To these may be added the boy orator, J.
Harry Shannon, whose name appears on q
program for the benefit Of the labor exchange
ON January ~. 1879. This was none other
than the late J. Harry Shannon who has
endeared himself to his readers through the
columns Of the Rambler Of The Evening Star
1t is worth while to note that some of the
stage artists were equally proficient in drama
and light opera, as was attested by Blanche
Chapman, George w. Denaam Samuel G.
Young and Blanche Thompson, who were
members of successful road companies At
that time De Wolf Hopper was appearing in
drama. but the present generation knows him
as the comic star Of light opera. The same is
true of Francis Wilson. Though it is not gen.
orally known, William H. Crane began his
stage career in light opera and later switched
to drama
There appeared in the entertainment cal
endar Of Washington half century ago two
men who are also known to the present gen.
Grafton. These were the wonder magicians,
Hermann the Great and Kellar. 1t win
amuse our readers to know that these illusion
lists were advertised then as neutrality-suspicious."
epithet that would not be tolerated today
with all the lavish distribution of free scholar
ships to colleges. (Now look for the word in
the dictionary Many Washingtonians en-
joyed the magic two seasons ago of Mime.
Adelaide Hermann, who appeared as dainty
girl with this same Hermann the Great half
a century ago.
PAETOMIME was also offered to Washington
in "Humpty- Dumpty," with the famous
George H. Adams as the clown. Then there
was farcical production of Jack the Giant
Killer, with company of giants and hHipN-
tians. Gus Williams was just then coming
to the footlights Several extravaganzas that
were always sure to bring fat box office re-