Evening star., 1933-07-16
EDMUND KEAN. BY Harold Newcomb Hille-
brand. New York: Columbia University


Kean clerk "spouter among the debating
clubs" and adept at imitation, and Nancy
Carey, a minor actress of exceedingly wayward
tendencies the year of his birth was either
7eS7 or 1889; he himself appears not to have
been sure which He was abandoned by his
mother either three months or two years after
\ BIRTH according to varying accounts. His
childhood is 'well-nigh mythical but he was
badly more or less cared for by Mrs. Price.
sister of his father and Miss Tidswell. all
a. :rcss with the Drury Lane company. The i'm
rtant thing is that he did manage in some
"" to grow up and even before he had grown
. appeared on the stage a goblin in Mac
b;,h." and soon after, in 1896, as Robin In Tile
Merry Wives of Windsor"
BY the time he was II. Kean, who called
himself Carey was playing leading roles with
provincial companies. In 1906 he was at the
Iaymarket in London but was playing the
arts of serving men, to his disgust In 1908
4 married Mary Chambers, an actress of no
g ca. merit to whom he may have given some
brief happiness but certainly brought lasting
misery through his dissipations, neglect and
abandonment Keans success as an actor
progressed rapidly with his appearance at Drury
Lane as Shylock, Richard III. as Hamlet
and as Othello His career was, however,
stormy one filled with quarrels, insults" and
theater riots. His greatness was recognized. but
h. was neither liked nor respected by many
who thronged to him act He visited
America and appeared in New York Phladel-
Canada While playing "Othello" at Covent
Garden in March, 1888, he sank into the arms
O. his Charles, who was playing the part
of7Iago, carried from the stage, and never
again appeared before audience He died
a little over a month later. DR.. Hllebrands
biography commentaries the Tooth anniversary
Oh Kean's death. 1t is the first thoroughly
scholarly biography of the actor whom popu-
lar vote today would undoubtedly place second
only to Garrick. 1t is a handsome volume, IL
lustrated with numerous reproductions from
paintings, prints Autographs and engravings
and enriched in value by reproductions OF play
bills and lists and dates of theatrical perform
ances by Kean. 1t demonstrates the apparent
case with which scholarly biography. the
result of long and exhaustive research may also
be made intensely interesting by the manner
of its writing But of course the ease is the
result of training and experience. Dr. Hille-
brand. who is professor of English at the Uni
.versity Of Illinois, has been for years student
of the English drama and has written several
other books on phases Of the subject. Residents
of Washington Will recall that he is the son
of the late DR.. William F. Hebrand, former
chief chemist of the Bureau OF Standards.
KITCHEN PRELUDE. BY Pierre Hamp Trans
lated from the French by Dorothy Bolton.
New York: E. p Dutton & Co.
A UTOBIOGRAPHES used to be confined
n almost entirely to statesmen literary men
and women and q few scientists with
sprinkling of interpretive personalities de-
manding self expression. Now every one writes
autobiography, with considerable gain to lit
erature for people are interesting. at least to
themselves and many are able to make them
selves appear interesting to others. But it is
rarely that we have an autobiography of
cook. Cooks are usually entirely preoccup1ed
with food and its manipulation. If they write
at all their literary efforts take the form of
combination Of cook turned author His writ
ings are well known in Europe. He imparts
to them something Of the flavor and intrigue
of his former culinary creations.
It is certain that this story of his life, from
his apprenticeship in Paris Of the COS to his
mature lame in the restaurants of France and
Spain and the Savoy and Berkeley Hotels OF
London, will find many readers in the United
States His early life work came to him by
direct descent. for his father was cook and
practiced his trade in France, Italy, Algeria
and Belgium. He loved to create master
piece" Pierre Hamp also loved his calling and
was proud Of 1t, though when he was boy
at school and was obliged to give his fathers
occupation he replied, independent means
because tho majority Of people who appreciate
a good table have no regard whatever for the
chef"
His mother, a seamstress and embroidress.
cared little for cooked food, lived chiefly on
fresh bread milk curds and fruits and threw
down the drain the choice little birds his
father brought her from his hotel
Pierre wished to be worker in iron or wood
but his father considering him an unruly boy
apprenticed him to the proprietor Of
Farisian patsserie. The family aptitude showed
quickly and in his second year he was given
the rank of cook with "a little more wine in
my bottle and the right to help myself i'm
mediately after the Chefs
In his free time during his apprenticeship
he learned much about the gang life of the
Ii
tain many good anecdotes There are also bits
of inside information about some of the famous
restaurants and hotels. The patrons who ate
the famous flet de sole Marguery never guessed