The Washington times., 1934-10-08

The first play I ever saw
was Much Ado About Nothing"
with Henry Irving and Ellen
Terry. I fell in love with Ellen
then and there, little needing
and less caring that my rivals
included practically all Lon.
don's playgoers and London'S
leading dramatic critic.
My first part was a walk-On
at the Drury Theater, where I
had attended the Christmas
pantOmimeS with all the cred
ulity of a growing boy. The play
was "Cheer, Boys, Cheer; the
producer, Augustus Harris.
Years later, 1 staged wild
ViOlets" at the same playhouse
where a stagestruck lad Of Is
had his theatrical baptism.
Lily LGngtry's conquest OF En-
gland. ! played the Comte
d'ArtoiS at her London premiere
at the Imperial TheGter, tOith
King EdwGrd and Queen AlerGn-
ORA in the audience. Mrs. Lang
try celebrated the occasion by
losing her skirt (1Ohich had
been inSecurely hooked in
quick costume changer in the
middle of act two. After the
reDerberationS OF that scandal
died do1Dn, she turned out to be
a thoroughly charming person,
deserving of all the triunlphS
that mere hers.
The benefit performance in
which Sarah Bernhardt played
"Phaedre" and we all stood in
the wings to admire. Fifteen
years later we gave a special
performance of peg O. Ny
Heart" at which the audience
consisted of a single old lady in
an arm chair, a grateful and
delighted Nine. Bernhardt.
Absent-Minded
OF all the players I Lave
ever known, Sir Herbert Beer
bOhm-Tree was the most abb
Sent-minded. Once he was so
pre0ccupied with plans for his
makeup in Julius Caesar" that
he walked right off the stage
in Captain Swift" and went up
to the dressing room to- consult
his wig maker, leaving us very
much to our own resources.
Touring Uith "A Night in
To1Dn," learning the joys and
diSconltitureS OF the road as it
existed in England 30 gears ago.
Bedroom, sitting room, and
meals for ten and Sirpence,
little over So a 1Ueek. Washing
in the courtyard pump house
and dropping in at the village
inn for tea, to be stared at by
all the tot0ntok who had Kissed
me lin the DillGin'S role) the
night before.
My American debut at the
Empire Theater with John
Drew in Second in Command"
A splendid actor, Drew, whose
calendar never varied from year
to year. Three months in New
York, Christmas week in Phila-
delphia, and, for the remainder
Of the year. the road. In one
scene he was supposed to fall
asleep on the stage. Once he
gave too lifelike a performance
and we had to shake him to
get him up.
Lionel Barrymore, who had a
minor role in 1.-THE Second in
Command" We took an apart
ment together on Thirty ninth
Street, next door to Browns
Chop House. We got along fine
until Lionel decided that he
was musical genius and took
to piano playing in the wee
Sma' hours.
Charles FrohnlGn, producer
of Second in Command" a d.
rector as lovGble as he 1DGS in
coherent. In his excitement he
could 1ever make himself under
stood, and the actor grGSped
the idea through a haze OF syllG-
bles, gestures. and actions that
left much to be desired on the
side OF clarity.
Henry Miller, whom no one
misunderstood. Occasionally,
though, he lost his temper and,
when he did, woe betide the
unfortunate player who stood
between him and his goal. Long
before Richard Bennett had his
first attack of temperament,
Miller used to ring down the
curtain in Man Proposes" and
give a piece of his mind to
misbehaved audiences.
Clyde Fitch
Clyde Fitch, one of the clever
est authors / have ever known.
His method of play writing was
to assemble company COM