The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-01-11
In New York
BY PAUL HARRISON

New York--Where the theater-
 going public is concerned, temper
 amcnt is glamorous quality in
 any star. But it's just a pain in
 the neck of any stars manager.
 Take Charles L. Wagner, for
 example. who for nearly 30 years
 has been guiding the destinies of
 Q good many stage people and
 musicians. He remembers Fritzi
 Scheff when she was known as
 "the little devil of grand opera"
 and used to insist on having her
 dressing rooms redecorated to fit
 her various moods. They were
 redecorated, too, or she cancelled Caruso was a terror on concert
 tours because he was made nerv. ous by having to appear out of cos- tune. Always was scared to death while he was in evening clothes,
 but hat with a feather and a set
 of tights would quiet him like sedative.
 Balky Tenor
 John Mccormack never has had any particular reputation for tenn perament, but Wagner says he
 used to be pretty difficult at times. Once refused to sing in St. Jo-
 seph, Md.,. because he had heard 1t called "St. Joe" and thought 1t
 didn't sound sufficiently dignified. He finally was persuaded, how
 ever. In Fort Worth, Tex, he tried
 to back out of an engagement be- cause sawdust had been sprinkled on the floor of the auditorium. Another time, scheduled to sing Tn Naxu Duuan MoCnrrn rk Ia s,tt J that there was to be 6 heavyweight fight in New York the same eve-
 ming. He loved fights and tried
 every possible way to cancel his
 Connecticut date. It would have
 cost him between 36,000 and $7.000, but he didn't give a
 thought to that.
 Rosa Ponselle acquired tempera-
 ment along with operatic fame. No matter how urgent Q require-
 ment may be, she now fatly re- fuses to rehearse before noon. She can't abide a hint of tobacco
 smoke; won't remain in room
 unless it's at a certain tempera- ture; and insists on the removal
 of velvet, sound-absorbert drapes If she Is to sing at a private con- cert.
 
 Rogers Acts Funny
 You might not suspect Will Rog- CTS of being an especially notional
 man, yet Wagner considers him the
 most temperamental fellow now in the entertainment business. The veteran manager believes that Rog- CTS Is personally extremely shy, and so takes refuge in the public
 character he has created for him.
 self.
 Mary Garden, long supposed 10 be a lady of strange whims, actual ly Is as we'll balanced as. anybody Mir. Wagner knows. True, there was that strained moment when Miss Gardon got up before room- ful of music critics and said: "For years you have been claiming that can't sing. Well. I don't give q
 damn whether can or not!, Soon after she came to the Met ropolitan, Mime. Frances Aida re- vealed that she always said ex-
 actly what she thought. And she thought plenty. There was the in- learned that another singer was about to marry, and asked wheth- CT she had told her, prospective husband of her previous affairs. T have told him all my affairs" said the lady.
 What a memory!" exclaimed Madame Aida.
 Manufactured Temperament Mrs. Patrick Campbell actually had no eccentricities when she first appeared on the Broadway stage. So her press agent. man with the incredible name of A. Toxen Worm, decided to create some for her. He announced that she was of such a sensitive temper ament that the slightest noise caused her actual physical pain, and then he had Forty-second street in front of her theater coy- cred with q layer of tanbark to muffle the sound of passing cai- riages. It was swell publicity. By the time of her recent visit. ended only a few months ago, Mrs. Campbell had learned to indulge
 some personal whims. For exam- pie, she'd carry her white Pekinese
 into restaurants where dogs aren't allowed. When managers protest ed, the great actress would say. witheringly: "This dog has. dined at Buckingham Palace!" And no- hndx, on,fad 1na an aSaxun. <n xIzoh