Smyrna times., 1933-07-12
SIDE LIGHTS OF
NEW YORK CITY
Told BY Waiter Trunbull in
His Own Immical Way
of Doings in City
INTERESTING SKETCHES


has missed but two performances
He failed to appear for two consec.
utive days eight years ago. He
might not have missed them, he eX-
planned, as he sat in his favorite
chair at the Lambs club, but his
physician thought he had pneu-
monia. He made his first stage ap-
pearance the night of November 4,
1873. as Talbot Champney in the
Criterion Comedy company's pro
duction Of Our Boys" He was the
backer of the company. His IA
yorite part of the many he has
played was Old Bill in The Better
Ole" in which he appeared during
the war. His most successful play
was the comic opera Wang" in
which he starred during the '9Os.
-Four years ago, he played to the
largest house in his career. He was
the star in a musical spectacle,
which caused 1000 people to crowd
into the Atlantic City auditorium.
Mr.. Hopper, who has been mar
ried six times, divorced five. and
who has recited Casey at the Bat"
from ocean to ocean, looks at the
past with no regret and at the fu-
ture with optimism. He holds it's
been great life and that he has
lot more of it left. The theater
has been dealt some blows, and ''the
road with its 'one-night stands" is
through, but the theater will con-
tinue to live. Two great blows have
been smut and the modern school
Of confidential acting" Smut, he
holds, is worse than stupid. Purity
is what is wanted by the theater-
goer. The farther people are from
home and mother, ''the fine, beauti-
full things of life;" the more they
unconsciously hunger for such inf1u-
-ences. As for the confidential
school of acting" he declared, Act
ing is an art and not a spasm. You
must be heard"
Naturally, Mr.. Hopper has many
memories Of the past. One of the
most vivid has to do with the point
he made in regard to purity. He
was in a road company Of Hazel
Kirke" in 1894. The company
stopped at Leadville, Colo, for
three-night stand. At that time
Leadville was at the height of its
career. A mans body lay on the
gayest and busiest street for three
hours after the actor saw it. The
tallest building in town was the
hotel, and the only brick structure,
a gambling house known as "The
Brick Exchange" After the Mon
day night performance, the leading
citizens took the members of the
Hazel Kirke7 company to The
Brick Exchange"
The troupers were served with
supper at which champagne flowed
like water The food was magnif-
cent. AS he ate Hopper could hear
the making Of bets Of such size
that they raised goose flesh. When
he had finished. thinking he should
do something to show gratitude. ne
tried to buy $40 worth of chips. The
proprietor advised him against play
ing. Instead he requested a song.
Hopper. who didn't have Casey at
the Bat" then. tried to hold back.
But there was such insistence that
he consented.
The song he chose was "Cradle
Of the Deep" "Not a chip was
turned" said the actor, pushing back
his long hair, ''and I had several
encores. But it wasn't me- It was
the grand old song, simple, full Of
sentiment Even in that wicked en-
vironment, it got them. Mother.
that's it; that's what the stage
needs"
Along comes this yarn-new to
me. at least-from Harold Titus:
Upstater Is elected to the state leg
islature; much gratified and goes
up and down Main street telling
what he'll do when he gets to Wash
ington. 'But, Jim" sez somebody,
'you amt gOin' To Washington. You
were elected to the legislature. not
to congress" ''Drat it," says Jim.
Hif I'd known that. I'd never've run"
George Price tells this story Of
Toscannini at his last New York
concert. Having arrived late. he
wanted to enter the auditorium
through the public entrance. AS
he was passing through the milling
crowd. an officious doorman yelled.
'Hey. you. standing room only n
"That's Just what I want" replied
Toscannini. as he passed down the
aisle with a grin.
It's Jack Denny who tells about
certain classical conductor who IS
slightly deaf. AT a rehearsal. he
wanted a particular passage played
very softly Time after time. he
made the men repeat it, only TO stop