Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1948-01-30

mond so WinsOmely
asserted and often
reiterated, the ac-
tor is incapable Of
manners by himself because the
very vanity which accounts for his
being an actor in the first place pre-
cludes consideration for the rights,
comfort, and opinions Of others.
Hammond was one journalist who
could cover the theatre without be-
coming implicated in it. He no more
yearned to bead his lashes and dab
his lips than to sell comedy to Lee
and Jake, wherein he differed from
some Of his contemporaries and al
most all Of his successors.
Like a good city hall reporter
who keeps his dignity amid the
grOssest scenes Of democracy,
and his virtue amid impurity,
Hammond maintained toward
actors, agents and producers
the serene courtesy Of one who
knew he was their better but
saw nothing 70 boast Of in that.
COULD LEARN MANNERS
He was a gentleman. They, un-
fortunately, were not and for the
lack Of essential qualities never
could be, although, by patient coach
ing and practice, some Of the males
could present a very deceptive coun-
terfeit.
They could bow, say Thank You"
at appropriate points without
prompting and use a finger bowl.
This last test funked many rich
packers, trolley magnates and min
ers and their wives in those days.
These actors also were superbly
suave in the presence Of lobster
It should not be necessary 20
recall that actors were vaga-
bonds In their original condition,
with q notorious reputation for
unchastity which, be IL noted,
they have maintained with proud
bravadO down to now. They
danced and sang for the coins
Of favor, and the contrasts Of
q hard, uncertain life developed
In them q mischievOus impu-
dence that amused the quality.
They were, in this respect, all
one with the traditional court
jester who got away with MUIR
der.
In their place, actors are toler-
able, even desirable, but they inn
pose a strain on sufferance when
they step across the trough and be-
come intimate with the public. This
impertinence is not entirely their
fault, however, for the line was
wiped out when the stage died Of a
number Of ills and hundreds Of ac.
tors found themselves singing again
and telling jokes in saloons as their
forebears had in English and con.
tinental taverns two centuries ago.
Suffered at first, then patronized,
they soon forgot that they were paid
employees and became imperious.
Whereas, of old and Of right, when
an audience didn't laugh or applaud,
the management threw the actors
out, under the new impudence the
patrons were on tacit warning to ap.
preciate lewd humor and norose
ballads, badly sung, or get elected.
THEY FEEL IMPORTANT
Prosperity was highly inadvisable
for sectors. It gave them futile aspi-
rations in their hours of watch and,
coming at time when hundreds Of
campus elocutionists were coming
of the conYeyor belts all the way
from Bowdoin to U.C.L.A., another
confusion set in to complicate a
jumbled situation worse. Common
actors had been problem enough,
but now we had the educated actor,
most Of whom had maiored in a
phenomenon called social science.
Actually, there Is no such sci
ence. The subject IS q synthetic
composition Of tie envies, disap-
pOintments and bigOtries OF
saIlOW-minded campus nissan
thrOpes. But the effect on the
actor who suddenly gets rich Is
sensual torture. In q dumb way
he knows he doesn't deserve
such wealth, but from there he
leaps to the conclusion that a
world so wrong in this particu-
Lar must be all wrong. That Is
understandable To himself, he
Is the whole World. Having no
spiritual or intellectual equip
ment, he is troubled in a maze
Of sensations which lie just be-
hind the primitive appetltes,
and he thinks he Is hurting In
his soul. He sincerely believes
that.
Medical science has not yet com.
mitted itself on this, but DR.. Otto
BjOrnstrom Of Oslo has narrowed
down his researches to the pan
creas. Other scientists agree only
that the trouble cannot be philosoph
ical because the actors composition