San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

August i, 1908. THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW Millar Bacon Millar Bacon, who is singing the tenor roles with the Unique Opera Company, Los Angeles, is a sterling actor and singer, well known to theatre-goers and managers, the country over. Mr. Bacon possesses a sweet and powerful voice, an impressive and pleasing personality, understands the art of make-up to perfection, and has the magnetic "something" which enables him to "get over the footlights" unfailingly. This latter is a quality which has made him more than popular with managers. Xat C. Wills engaged him for a prominent part in his New York production of A Lucky Dog, and more recently Mr. Bacon has been a member of The Pickwick Company at San Diego. Although he has been with the Unique for but a brief time, yet he has attracted a strong personal following, and is a general favorite with the Ilentz and Zolle patronage. Henry Miller Close to Death Henry Miller was near death early Tuesday morning in his rooms at the Hotel St. Francis. For several hours his life was despaired of. Heroic steps were taken and as the dawn came his physician, who sat by the side of the actor saw the danger point pass, and eventually Miller dropped off into a tranquil sleep. Mr. Miller was stricken about 3 o'clock in the morning with a severe case of ptomaine poisoning. He had come back from the Macdonough Theatre in Oakland and found the cafe of the St. Francis closed. He took supper at a downtown cafe, returned to the hotel at 1 o'clock, and retired for the night. Shortly after 2 o'clock Mr. Miller was awakened with terrible pains, which gradually grew worse Staggering out of bed he notified Clerk Shorb by phone. The clerk sent a physician residing in the hotel to the actor's room. A stomach primp was used. Hour after hour the doctor worked with Miller, and for awhile it was feared aid had come too late, but with the coming of the dawn there was a gradual change for the better and about 6 in the morning the patient was out of dangfer. Brandon Evans With every seat in the house sold, and many unable to gain admittance to the theatre, the Brandon Evans company's opening performance of a permanent stock season at the Pick wick was last night made an auspicious occasion. And the audience thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the play. Every strong scene in the intense drama of the West. The Three of Us, was enthusiastically received, and for several of the players, at least, the applause amounted almost to an ovation. The advance announcements that Mr. Evans had selected the members of his company with the greatest care and that, from all indications, the company would prove to be the best ever seen at this popular playhouse, served to arouse the keenest anticipation on the part of the audience. And no matter how high the expectations may have been, there is not the slightest doubt but that they were exceeded. The production is without doubt one of the most clever ever put on by a San Diego stock company. Not a gle detail has been overlooked, and Director Evans is entitled to the warmest congratulations over the manner in which The Three of Us is staged. Every member of the company was admirably cast and showed to the best possible advantage. The players worked together as though they had been together for months, and there was not the slightest hitch of any kind to mar the perfect performance.— San Diego Tribune. J. R. Stirling, who has made fame and fortune out of Sis Hopkins, writes to the Editor of The Dramatic Review that he may make the Coast a visit this season. Maude Beatty When a prima donna confesses to a stage career of over twenty years, one naturally credits her with rather more than half of that "three score years and ten," allotted as the life of mortal here below, but although Maude Beatty of the Unique Opera Company, Los Angeles, can boast of more than a score of years continuously behind the footlights, she is not yet thirty! This talented contralto began her work as a Thespian in Australia, when she was but seven years old, playing "leading boy" with the Pollard Lilliputians, and remained with that organization for a dozen years. Then came a two years' engagement as "leading boy" at the Drury Lane Theatre, London, England, and a period of half that duration in the London music halls and pantomimes. Being of a travel-lovimr nature, Miss Beattv then returned to the Far East, making a tour through the Orient, after an engagement of eighteen months in Manila. Her first operatic appearance in the United States was at Seattle with the San Francisco Opera Company, under the management of Frank W. Healy. So eminently successful was her American debut that Healy retained her for a considerable time, only relinquishing her services when, having fallen in love with Los Angeles and desiring to remain here, Miss Beatty resigned from the Healy organization to accept the leading feminine roles with the Henze & Zolle opera company at the Unique. Miss Beatty possesses a well-rounded contralto voice of considerable range and power, sweet in quality and excellently handled always. Also her experience has sufficed to make her an actress of finished ability, and she is a decided credit to any organization with which she may be connected.