The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW 2 Tully Puts Over Another Play NEW YORK, Jan. 14.—Omar the Tentniaker, a new Parisian play by Richard Walton Tiilly, leased on the life, times and Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, with Guy Bates Post as star, opened here at the Lyric Thea- tre last nitjht amid scenes of crreat enthusiasm. Tlie play is hailed as one of the most beautiful productions ever seen on the stage. It is laid in Persia and the scones reflect the beauty of the golden age of that country. There are three acts, a pro- logue and an epilogue, with five scenes done in exquisite colorings. The principal character in the play is Omar Khayyam, the famous poet, scientist and philosoi)her, who has so many dev- otees. Guy P>ates Post gave a re- markable interpretation of the great part. He was supported by a cast of sixty. Ricliard Walton Tully. the author of the play, is well known on the Pacific Coast, as well as here in New York. He originally wrote The Rose of the Rancho under the title of Juanita of San Juan. The Bird of Paradi.se is another of his successes. Lack of Appreciation Devel- ops Sour Grapes P.\RIS. Jan. TO.—".Vmerican wom- en are . ill-mannered and ill-bred." savs Mile. Polaire in a signed article published today, in which she gives her impressions of .\merica. Polaire is accredited with being the "ugliest woman in the world." "I met women in American drawing-rooms who were so timid," she says, "that they could not .say a word in my presence, and I ws startled so see one of them pro- duce a tape measure and attempt to measure my waist. One of these wom- en lifted my gown with the end of her parsol that she might sec my legs. Hut I admire the .\merican men. As workers they have no equals in the world. Work seems to run in the blood of .Americans just as nearly as a Frenchman always has a song on his lips and pride on his face." Actors Will Confer With Managers NEW YORK, Jan. 14.—The Ac- tors' Equity Association have induced the managers to recede from their stand and to meet them on January 23d to discuss the question of higher pay. The president of the Associa- tion is Francis Wilson, the vice-presi- dent, Henry Miller, and the council contains such persons as Holbrook Blinn. George Arliss, Robert Edson and Wilton Lackaye. The actors de- mand, among other things, transpor- tation to and from this city, a limit on the period of free rehearsals, elimination of e.xtra performances without pay and an adjustment in re- gard to the costs of women's gowns. Some of the women members are Elsie Ferguson. Christie MacDonald, Janet Beccher and Ethel P.arrymorc. Irving Ackerman in Pictures Irving Ackerman, Charley Cole and others have associated themselves to- gether to produce moving pictures, and will soon be ready to make a definite announcement. A New Figure in the Show Business Joseph P. IlickerK^n. the managing director of the New Era Producing Comi)any, who launched its theatrical business with the production of Adele. is a practising attorney of good standing in the City of New York. At the age of sixteen, Mr. Bickerton was compelled to leave school and go to work in a dry-goods store. At night he read law, and a little later went into the office of Charles S. Kellog, who is now his law as.sociate. His salary to begin with was two dollars a week. He stayed there for three years. He then passed his bar examinations and was admitted to practice. One of his first clients was Wm. Harris, the well known theatri- cal manager. In this way he was thrown with theatrical people. It re- newed an early appreciation he had for the profession when, as a small boy, he would go to Tony Pastor's and wander around the scenes and make friends with people who have since become famous. It was at this theatre that Mr. Bickerton was pres- ent the night Maggie Clinc first sang Throw 'Em Down, McClusky. An- other theatre frec|uented by him was the old Lyceum Theatre, then in its glory. It was built by his uncle, Brent Good, and in it. Daniel Froh- man, David Belasco, and many others began their rise to fame. His first theatrical investment was in a starring tour of Charles Grapewin. His next was in a plav he wrote himself, called The House on the Bluff. Mr. Bick- erton is responsible for the public pres- entation of Paul J. Rainey's African Hunt. He organized the Jungle Film Company, who bought these famous films from Mr. Rainey, and the suc- cess of these wontlerful pictures of wild life in the jungles of .Africa is well known. Mr. Bickerton, being asked in what direction the New Era Producing Company will be active, said: "I will produce clean musical shows. I shall also put on dramas, but I will not have anything to do with sex problems or with vulgar ])lays. I still believe that the average man and woman go to the theatre to be amused. They want to forget the worries of their working hours and very often the home trials which they never show to the world. In my opinion, if they care about sociological and other ])roblems they will identify themselves with charity organizations, settlements and other institutions, so that they can do their reform work first-hand. I do not believe in exposing the sores of the world as a money- making scheme. The ]ilays which I put on, I hope, will make the world a little pleasanter." In rapid success at the Columbia Theatre the attractions will be Adele, Milestones, the Stratford on Avon Players, The Argyle Case and Oh, Oh, Delphine, to say nothing of the sensation play. Damaged Goods, to be presented by Richard Bennett. January 24. 1914.' Cort Theatre, Boston. Opened January 19th The new Cort Tiieatre, in Park S(|uare, Boston, opened on Mon- day night, the 19th of this month, under tiie direction of John Cort, with Jose])]] Santley and original New York company in Philip Barthol- omea's production of his musical comedy of youth. When Dreams Come True. The Cort Theatre is the fourth ])layhouse in this country named after Mr. Cort. These include the Cort Theatre, New York; Cort Theatre^ Chicago, and Cort Theatre, San Fran-3 cisco.in addition to the Boston theatre.. Morosco to Watch Pirates LOS A.\Gh:LES, Jan. Q.—Oliver .Morosco made arrangements here today with the W'm. J. Burns Detec- tive .\gency to have the Burns agencv watch carefully throughnut the United States and Canada fur l)lagiarists who misdit attempt the unauthorized presentation of Peg O' Mv Heart. Help Wanted. The Bird 'if i'aradise, and whatever other l)lavs Mr. Morosco owns or controls, either in dramatic form or by mo- tion pictures; also to protect against the professional singing of Earl Car- roll and .Archibald Joyce's new song, Dreaming, the production rights to which Mr. Morosco has purchased and which he is reserving for Kitty Gordon's use in his forthcoming pro- duction of the new comedy with mu- sic. Pretty Mrs. Smith, by Oliver Morosco and Elmer Harris, that will be fiven its first iiresentation at the Burbank Theatre here on the 2^th of this month, with Miss Gordon starring in the title part. Yester- dav ^Ir. Morosco stopped a local film company from using Help Wanted for motion pictures. He is going after pla!.;iarism with a ven- geance and will have Burns prose- cute to the limit any who make mis- use I if his ])roperties. President's Daughter Will Ap= pear in Bird Play NEW YORK. Jan. 16.—New York- ers will have an opportunity soon to see Eleanor Wilson, daughter of the President, display her talent as an actress. The play, Sanctuary, a Bird Masque, in which she took a leading part at Cornish. N. H., last suminer, is to be produced here, ])robably at the Hotel Astor. February 24th. It is understood that the President w^as averse to his daughter appearing in a iniblic performance, and was won over only recently. At Cornish the play was produced by a colony of artists, authors and naturalists, for the bene- fit of the sanctuary for birds in IMeri- den, N. H., organized by Ernest Harold Baynes. The proceeds will likewise be for the sanctuary. May Change Moving Picture Methods CHI CO. Jan. 17.—A. E. Smith, a local i)hotographcr, claims to have in- vented a new method of taking mo- tion pictures which he says will revolutionize the business. At a dem- onstration he tot)k photographs, de- veloped them and exhibited the pic- tures from the same i^latform.