The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

n THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW March 28, 1914.1 Mizner Has True Dramatic Instinct How little consideration some res- taurateurs have for the comfort and convenience of their patrons, who pav h'ig prices for good service, is illustrated in an experience which Wilson Mizner had at a famous Fifth Avenue place of Rood cheer this week. Mizner was dining a party of friends, and his waiter hav- ing disappeared in the direction of the culinary department, ^yhcrc it seemed that he would remain indef- initelv, Mizner asked another waiter to get him a package of cigarettes. The second waiter refused, saying that Mizner should wait the return of the man who took his order orig- inally. Mizner called to another and still another waiter with the same result. The playwright walked over to the desk and'asked that a district messenger be called. W hen the mes- senger arrived Mizner gave him a quarter and told him to go to the cigar counter at the other end of the room and get him the desired cig- arettes. This the messenger did with all the other guests looking on sympathetically and inclined to ap- plaud. The action had a result, be- cause for the rest of the evening more waiters and omnibus Ixjys hov- ered around Mizner's table than it seemed before the entire place con- tained.—New York Review. Dr. Cook Starts Another Me CHICAGO, March Fred- crick A. Cook, whose Arctic explora- tion and mountain climbings have caused him some fame jtmd nctt a little worriment, today filed suit for $50,000 against Cohan & Harris, charging libel in the use of his name in the play. Seven Keys to P.ald Pate, now on at Cohan's Grand Oiicra House. In the play Cyril Scott who is represented as climbing a mountain, remarked: ".\fter clinil)ing this mountain I can readily believe all tliat Jack London ever wrote and all that Doctor Cook lied about." Cook says that statement is a libel. Singer Wears Blue Wig and Shocks Theatregoers NEW YORK. Marcli 12.—Frances .\lda, the vivacious wife of M. Gatti- Casazza. caused quite a stir tonight at the Metropolitan Opera House in the second act of Les Contes d'Hoffmann. She appeared as Giulictta. tlie \'ene- tian courtesan, wearing a white gown, a winning smile and—a blue wig. The wig was of tlic twentieth century pat- tern. The blue was of a pallid tur- quoise tint. Not till the interpreters of the \'enetian act were called before the curtain did the audience realize the audacity of Mnie. .Mda's headgear. Nor, when it did, were all the gasps in approval. Harry Scott, Having the Hotel Habit, Refers to New York Taverns No doubt many persons in Cal- ifornia and the Western territory covered by The Dramatic Review will be more or less interested in the following brief references to the one-time popular hotels along or near B'way in lil' ol' New York. It will, perhaps, recall many pleasant memories. The old Stevens House, still in commission, which, except- ing the restored France Tavern, in liroad Street, is probably the oldest and most famous of the older lower New York hostelries. The Astor House, also on lower B'way, was re- cently closed and half of it torn down. Smith & McNeil's in Green- wich streets, same as gone; the Bre- voort, on lower 5th Avenue; Occi- dental, in Broome Street at Bowery; the Broadway Central and St. Den- is, B'way, are still in business, but the old Sinclair is no more. The famous Morton House, on 14th Street, is now the Hotel Churchill; the Union Square Hotel is still in- tact; the old Everett, on the north side of Union Square was razed sev- eral years ago. The Bartholdi, cor- ner 23rd and B'way, is now an office building; the Albemarle, at 24th and originally part of the Hoffman House, is still in business. The Brunswick, which stood at the north side of Madison Square at 5th Ave., is now an office building. The fa- mous .Ashland on 4th Avenue, fac- ing Madison Square Building, pat' ronized by many circus people of years gone, is also out of existence. The old Coleman, Sturtevant and Gilsey, in their day world famed, are now only memories. The Cole- man is an office building; the big, new Breslin Hotel is now on a part of the space once occupied by the Sturtevant: the Gilsey was re- modelled into an office building. Delmonicos on B'way at West 26th Street, which later became Mar- tines', recently became an office building. The Victoria, B'way and 27th Street, in its day the swellest of the swell, goes out of existence this season, 1914. The old Aulic, B'way and 35th Street, was razed to be occupied by the big Macy store. Soubret Row, in West T,^th Street, is a thing of the past. The Marlborough, after extensive alter- ations, is now the Marlborough- Tdcnham. The Normandie, at r.'way and 39th Street, is patron- ized by the burlesque people, lirown's Chop House is now sur- rounded with similar opposition. The Albany, at B'way and 41st Street, the original College Inn, is now the Continental, operated by the Boulevard Cafe Co., the old 2nd .'Xvenue, east side, resort. The Steward just opposite is now the Calvert. The Rossmorc is now Louis Martini's "Cafe de Paris;" Considine's old Metropole is now the Heidelburg Building with the San Souci Restaurant in basement. Where Shanley's famous restaurant, at B'way and 42nd, was is now the Longacre Building. The Cadalac, at 43rd Street, is now Wallack's; the Metropole, in 43rd Street, where Rosenthal was shot, is now Miller's, and Rector's famous place, B'way and 44th Street, is now the Clar- age. The foregoing only refers to the hotels well known and re- membered in New York during the past twenty years. Many new and magnificent taverns have since been built in the village, but that's - another story. HARRY M. SCOTT. Princess Players Coming The Princess Players, who for two uninterrupted seasons have oc- cupied F. Ray Comstock's Princess "Theatre of Thrills," in West .39th Street—a playhouse which, indeed, was built especially for them— cried au revoir to their temple of brief drama last night and departed for Detroit, the first halting place in their progress which is to rapidly cover the continent and to the Pacific Coast. At their head is Hol- brook Blinn, director of the Princess Theatre since its opening. The en- gagement in Detroit is for one week, and on Monday evening, I^Tarch 23, the only indeterminate engagement of the tour began in the Prin- cess Theatre in Chicago. The Mon- day night opening in Detroit will present Ilari Kari, Fancy Free, Fear, The Fountain, and It Can Be Done. On Thursday night and for the balance of the week. The Hard Man, Any Night, En Deshabille, Tlie Black Mask, and The Bride will be shown. The first Chicago program consists of It Can Be Done, Fear. Any Night, and The Bride in that order. Three leading women will appear in the tour. These are May Buckley and Emclie Polini, now playing, and Jean Murdock. a young comedienne of exceptional l)eauty and high dramatic jiromise, who has not yet appeared with the Players. Ruth Benson, who appeared in an important role in a Brady produc- tion earlier this season, has several characterizations. The men of the company include Mr. Blinn, Ilarry Mestayer, Vaughn Trover, Lewis Fdgarde, Langdon Gillett, Charles Mather and William T. O'Ncil. Will R. Antisdel is piloting the c'ompany as its advance represen- tative, and John Tuerk, of the Brady office, is business manager. The preliminary Chicago publicity was done by Julian Johnson, general press representative of Mr. Com- stock's enterprises. Followers of the Princess plays will doubtless be pleased to note that White Gloves, in which Mr. Blinn gave so powerful a characterization, has been restored to the repertoire. The late Stanley Houghton's Phipps, a .social comedy in one act, will be produced in Chicago. IMarrying Money will be seen at the Princess Theatre now, but the change to a long play does not indicate a change of policy at the house. The theatre's own company, as a matter of fact, may rehearse an entire new pro- gram enroute, and return to the thrill-house earlier than ever next season. to spring up? The Jewish societj object to the Jew caricature; fighting Irish raise a row any ti6e a monkey-faced Irishman is pt sented; the Ivan League "recofli-( mends" certain plays; the Irish cicties "censor" other plays—aQd| what not. Correspondence Frank Smithsox, late of the Shu- bcrt forces, is now stage director of the London Hippodrome. Catholic Societies Give 6er= trude Hoffman Trouble CINCINNATI, Feb. 28.—Because the local Catholic societies threaten to boycott her if she appears in vau- deville here, Gertrude IToffman has cancelled the week of I\larch 8th at the Columbia Theatre. The Feder- ation of Catholic Societies has given notice that it will boycott Fannie Ward in I^Iadam President, and that attraction may not play here because of the action. A recent attraction l)laying the Lyric Theatre was boy- cotted by the federation and suffered very severely. Is there anything else SACRAMENTO, March 16.-' DIEPENBROCK: Ed Redmond, and his wonderfully popular com- pany is still attracting large audi- ences. The bill this week is the Bob Hilliard success, A Fool There Was, and in it Paul Harvey .scores a striking ■ success. From the man of family, the man of self-respect, ambition and position, he portray? the fall, first into the shades of oc- casional doubts and reminiscences; thence to the blackness of utter des- pondencv where memories of the past rankle and cut like a two-edged knife. Harvey's acting throughout was masterly and as good as any- thing he ha.s'done. Beth Taylor was superbly beautiful as the vampire. There was perhaps much justifica- tion in the Fool forgetting all else basking in the charms of the beauti- ful woman. In the varying phases of interpretation of the character. Miss Tavlor was most compelling. Roscoe Karns was his clever, insou- ciant self as the friend, and Bert Chapman as the secretary was good. Marion Hammond was cast as the wife and the role was too heavy fdf her. Hugh ]\Tetcalfe was a dream oi a butler; and other favorites—Lori- man Percival, Harry Leland, Leslie \'irden and Merle Stanton were seen in small parts. Next week. The Traveling Salesman. GRAND: Jim Post and his laugh exploiters are prime favorites. Opening Sunday to a packed house, thev offered Off' to the Front. Post, in his inimitable wav, is a whole show by himself and is ablv assisted by Herb Bell, Frank Harrington and the Honey GirlsJ Post changes his bill again ^ Wednesday and there is all kin< of fun in store for people who life their laughs in large quantities, foi Post is the most successful produc er of this much-desired element' Three feature nights at the Granc are Tuesday, tango nif^ht; Friday Honey Girls' contest; and Thurs dav. music publishers' night. F.M PRESS: The S. & C. bill show Edythe Chappelle and Tim McMa hon. The Bounding Gordons, Far McLellan and R(^se Tiffany, P ^ O'Malley and Edna Donovan, bastfan Merrill and his Yaps, Br^ and Byler. CLUNIE-ORPHU i The regular show here contains Bessie Clavton, Eva Taylor an( Companv, Nina Barbour, Binns Binns and Binns, .Mcide Capitane Welcome and Welcome. At 'li conclusion of the performances A'l- Clayton and her dancers give rc_ demonstrations of the tango. CI A NIE: Within the Law conic March 27th. F. R. Bkn'.sox, the art director the ^femorial Theatre, Stratford-i .\von, is a notable director of pa gcants. He is also an actor who ha a repertoire of .star roles, taking i all the principal Shakespearean ch acters. . 1