The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 14, 1904, Page 19

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, St INDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1904 19 bty i P AR TR A e 4 2 ] i ¥ chor- sol was the Weber have been and our N been many ago,” said costume a - retort, “our d to allow of But we were L day of each s cut off by E allboy’s summons, and the fun- ¢ hurried away 1o plunge into nd scene tory of our career you're g said Fields when the ad hold of him, “you'll in serial form—Con- next, you k that,” said short sections Weber, passively, allowing himself to ped in a dress suit large 1 to hang loosely upon the ample the narrative tallment plan, and the artist he could get along nicely by “bits.” Well,” began the heaviest half of firm, “Joe and I were kids, living our parents in New York, when st came together. Clog dancing a favorite act on the variety stage, 1 we practiced steps together until we became quite proficient. Then we jed to the manager of a Bowery ater for a job, and after we had ed him what we could do he en- us to appear twenty-three times and fixed our weekly salary at piece il him about our song,” suggested h, yes—we had to sing as well as for our $3,” said Fields. We re billed as ‘“Weber and Fields, the Neat Irish Team,” and our act was opened with a song. You tell him how the song went, Joe, while I get the kinks out of this confounded wig.” was of our joint composi- ‘and mighty proud ‘The we s entitled, Lads vere and went note the ‘ve’: ris e g land of the her neatly Fields. To say nothing of the sentiment,” zhed Weber. “But you haven't 1 the chorus. Here it is: ver we may réam, wherever we have been, b night and day shamrock green. rhymed, wasn't it?” ned No place #o fair Or can compare the land of the shamrock green. that’s what I call the limit of song- riting licenee,” was the com- ment of Fields, still struggling with the obdurate wig. After singing the verse and chorus,” Weber resumed, “We danced our clog then for an encore we n Irish reel. When the man- demanded a change we blacked sang the same song with words our color, and for another ang it with a German ac- fitted the words to con- ssumed nationality—sub- Fatherland® for ‘Paddy’s But the original homesick sen- remained unaltered. I tell you d that lyric for all it was worth.” And that w man s the beginning of our Ge business,” put in Fi surveying the mirrored reflec- tion of his readjusted wig. “In those days the ‘Dutch’ comedians wore heavy wooden shoes and their dancing was more noisy than graceful. By way of novelty we eschewed timber footwear and indulged in ‘knockabout’ business. We were the originators of. that kind of German comedy, and’ our act made such a hit that we soon were able to command a salary of $10 apiece per week, later $15 apiece and still later $50 apiece. That was in Philadelphia, and at the end of a year's engagement there we began touring and stayed on the road as members of various organ- izations until we decided to try man- agement on our own account. We were not overburdened with money, how- ever, so to obtain the requisite cash we jumped out here to San Francisco and worked until we got it. That was fif- teen years ago.” Again the voice of the callboy, and again a hasty exit of the comedians. “So it was San Francisco that en- abled you to attain your ambition to be managers?’ was my reminder when “the boys” returned. “Yes,” replied Fields. “With the money earned and saved in this city we returned East and organized “Weber and Fields' Own Company,’ and P 4V S IARNBN DAL o o erifedt e L i R WEBER AND FIELDS TALK OF * THEIR RISE WHILE “MAKING UP.” * for seven years kept it going, with varying success. In those days, you must remember, there were no vaude- ville circuits, and the only good variety entertainment the public got was from traveling companies like ours. When the formation of circuits began to cut nto our business we abandoned the road and leased the theater on Broad- way which has been ours for eight vears. Our subsequent success is, I think, pretty well known throughout the comatry.” “We now control two theaters in New York and are directing three compa- nies, ‘Captain Barrington,’ ‘An Engiish Daisy’ and our all-star stock,” said Weber. “Yours is a record to be proud of,” declared with unfeigned admiration, “and the people for whose enlighten- ment this interview is to be published would like, I am sure, to be informed of the secret of your steady rise from such a humble beginning to such a high place in the amusement world.” “I attribute our success %o hara work,” was the smaller man's modest respense. “Yes,” acquiesced Fields, “that and a determination to give the public the best possible value for its money, re- gardless of our own purely professional interests.” “Which means that your hard work has been intelligently directed,” was my comment. “Well, yes; you may put it-in that way,” said Fields. “I believe we owe most of our worldly possessions to the fact that we have always surrounded ourselves with the very best people we could afford to engage, and have given them free rein to display their best abilities, regardless of whom they might outshine.” “If there were any particular star or stars in the cast of ‘“Whoop-Dee- Doo,” for instance,” Weber elucidated, “it would not be an ‘ali-star’ cast.” “And it would not be so attractive,” added Fields. “Nor so ‘Weber. So that was the explanation—hard work and self-effacement! A remark- able explanation, truly—so staggering that for once I welcomed a recurrence of the callboy and its resultant Weber- field absence. I wanted time for diges- tion of the Weberfield theory. expensive,” superadded These men, I reasoned, have achieved fame and dcquired fortune by flying in the face of the most cherished conven- tion of their calling. Instead of climb- ing by holding others down they as- cended by lifting others up. Now, if that policy were generally pursued, would it not be better for all con- cerned? If the endeavor to win pop- ular support were unhampered by the indiwsdual self-seeking that is more marked in the trade of acting than in any other trade, would there not be fewer flickering ‘‘stars” and a more pronounced public inclination to pat- ronize the playhouses and enccurage the players? If this Mr. Weber and this Mr. Fields, after acquiring stellar distinction, had enlisted inferior art- ists to accentuate by comparison their own superior artistry, as so many “stars” have done and are doing, might not the Weber & Fields enterprises be among the wreckage of this disas- trous season, instead of salling along in high prosperity? And in view of the proved success of the Weberfield plan, why is-it not in greater vogue? Why is the “single-star’ system, with all its proven precariousness, so ob- stinately maintained while the *“all- star” system is such a sure winner? Is the actor’'s jindividual self-conceit, or fear of being outshone, forever to stand between the manager and safe investment and forever to deprive the public of fair value for the money it turns into the box office? My reflection had reached that point when the comedians came back, and they smiled, but volunteer:d no en- lightenment when I repeated the ques- tions I had been asking myself. “How did you happen to adopt the ‘all-star’ system?” I asked. “As a novelty, I guess,” was Weber's answer. “In this business, you know, novelty is what we are always striving to get.” “And maybe,” said Fields, “‘our con- stant striving for novelty has been among the causes of the success that brought such a pretty compliment from you. We were very young in the busi- ness when it became apparent to us that ingenuity was & requisite to ad- vancement, and our minds were con- stantly at work in an inventive way. That is how we come to shun the wooden shoes, to introduce the ‘knock- about’ act, to originate the dress suit— to do most of the things that have be- come jdentified with Weber & Fields, including, I suppose, the ‘all-star’ sys- tem.” “But adoption of the ‘all-star’ system meant paying salaries to people who might supplant you in the favor of your audiences?” “Well, we had to take that chance,” said Weber, smiling. “But one of the queer features of the ‘all-star’ system is that it actually erushes out interne- wine jealousy while it promotes indi- vidual effort to excel. That sounds funny, but it is true. No company was ever less burdened with jealousies than ig ours. Our people, principals and + choru were known to famne before they joined us. Indeed their fame was the only recommendation we considered when engaging them. Well, they had outgrown the little fears and spites that afflict the novice, and they understood that so long as they ‘made good’ with us artistically no ‘knocking’ could in- jure them, for we strictly prohibit that sort of thing. So a spirit of mutual help has been developed that must be apparent to the people who see us work. Every one is helping every one else. If a line does not provoke a Jaugh when uttered by one character it is tried next night by another, and some- times it goes almost the entire round before the desired effect is obtained. That is one advantage of having a lot of people who are sure of their respect- ive positions.” “There is another phase of the mu- tual-help policy that makes it really less self-sacrificing than you may im- agine it to be,” said Fields, who evi- dently had been thinking as he worked. “If any member of the company makes a particular hit it is to the benefit of all in what you might term a commercial way, for it strengthens the piece, en- hances its attractiveness, prolongs its run and extends the engagement of every, one in the cast. Therefore it is logical that every one should be grat- ified when an individual hit is made.” “Then, why are so many companies ripped up by internal dissension born of envy when cne member finds more pub- lic favor than another?” I ingenuously inquired. “Because the members you speak of are young persons, as a rule,” repiied ‘Weber. “When they arrive at the age of discretion—and I acknowledge that in this business it takes some people a long time to get there—they will realize that individual ambition must not be permitted to gallop at will, else it is sure to bring its owner to grief. They will have arrived at the conclusion, also, that the goal they are aiming at ig easier to reach through winning the good will of their coworkers than by provoking and defying enmity. They will appreciate the value of the golden rule.” “This profession of ours,” said Fields, “ijs exceptional in its exaction of tact. In mercantile life the hired man or waman has only the employer to please and look to for advancement, while the actor or actress can only get merited promotion by winning the favor of the public as weil as of the employer—the manager, A level head is required to capture and hold the good graces of both manager and public, and heads are usually leveled by experience. That is why so many young stagefolk make fools of themselves. Unless the begin- ner has transcendental genius or phe- nomenal wisdom he finds the first half- dozen years prolific of unpleasantness, largely of his own making. The longer one remains in the business the easier one is to get along with, whether that one has moved ahead or stood still.” “You don’t mean to say that ‘profes- sional jealousy’ wanes as the years wax?” I protested. “It would wane if the years brought discretion,” said Weber, “but I have told you that in this business it takes some people a long time to arrive at the age of discretion.” “Am I to infer from what you have told me that the Weber & Fields All- star Company is an organization of* veterans?” “Every man of them,” replied Weber. “And what of the women?” “I have arrived at the age of disere- tion,” was the answer of Weber, deliv- ered deliberately and with coldness. “Me, too,” was the utterly uninvited confession hastily subscribed by Fields. The artist fidgeted. With a portfolio laden with “bits™ and a note book chockful of Weber- fieldian philosophy we discreetly with- drew. JAMES C. CRAWFORD. SRR THEATER OFFERINGS FOR CURRENT WEEK ARE RATHER VARIED Weber and Fields and- their all-star stock company will continue “Whoop- Dee-Doo” and the burlesque of “Catherine” this week at the Grand Opera-house, with matinees Wednes- day and Saturday. e SO James and Warde will give a Shakespearean revival this week at the Columbia Theater, “Julius Cae- sar” is announced for to-morrow night, Saturday matinee and Sunday night, “Othello” for Tuesday and Fri- day nights and “Macbeth” for Wednes- day and Saturday nights. “Alexander the Great” will be repeated Thursday night. AR R “The Devil's Auction” week's engagement to-night California Theater. Rl “The Charity Ball” is this week's bill at the Alcazar, commencing to-mor- row night. will open a at the, e Talie “The Men of Jimtown” will be start- ed on a week's run to-morrow evening at the Central Theater. PR A “Roly-Poly” will continue the stage at Fischer's until notice. to hold further + + » “When Johnny' Comes Marching Home” begins its sixth week at the Ti%oli to-morow night. R Several new acts and a number of holdovers comprise the coming week’s bill at the Orpheum. e An untamable African lion is the headliner at the Chutes, and there are American, Chinese and Philippine babies in the infant incubators. e THERE 1S PROMISE OF MUCH TO PLEASE IN MATTERS MUSICAL William J. McCoy gave tne fir.t of his weekly lectures on music last Tuesday at Century Hall and the inter- est manifested by the audience pre- saged a successful series. The second lecture, next Tuesday, is to be devoted to musical theory. + e Pablo Casals, the cellist, returns this year under engagement to Greenbaum. Since his departure the young artist has made a great success as a con- ductor of symphony concerts, as well as soloist. e Lillia Blauvelt, whose reputation as a great singer has preceded her, will make her first appearance in San Fran- cisco next Tuesday evening at Lyric Hall in a programme of Italian. French, German and English songs. The recital will be attended by as many of the music-loving folk as can possi- bly go there. ' % The second of the Kopta-Mansfeldt novelty concerts is anno nced for 3 o’clock this afternoon at Ly-ic Hall Mrs. Mansfeldt will play a group of solos and the piano part in the Schu- mann quintet, and the feature of the programme will be the Godard quar- tet, said to be one of the mec 't Jeauti- ful of the modern chamber concert compositions. S e e Manager Will Greenbaum has se- cured the services of Harold Bauer, pianist, for a tour of the entire coast. At the engagement of the “Kilties Band” at the Alhambra this month a great feature will be made of the sing- ing of the choir of sixteen voices and the dancing of the Clan Johnstone troupe. eiiier & Alice Nielson, according to reports from Naples, has made a distinct hit there in grand opera. She appeared in “Traviata” recently and was so en- thusiastically received that the Queen sent for the singer and decorated her. Miss Nielson’s beautiful voice is well known to American theater-goers, al- though her efforts here were confined to comic opera. She has been abroad for nearly three years now continuing her musical studies, and her success in Naples looks as if .- time was most profitably employed. BN AT S STAGELAND FOLK AND SOME OF THEIR RECENT GOINGS-ON The general drift of talk seems to be that next season will be one of Shake- spearean revivals. Since the Reian- Skinner combination has done so re- markably well, the managerial mind seems to have -jumped at the conclu- sicn that what the putlic wants is “the legitimate,” or, in other words, ‘Shake- speare. Already Forbes Robertson is in the fleld with “Hamlet.” Mantell prom- iges “Hamlet” and “Othello” for next season. Otis Siinner has declared his intention (subject to changes) of pro- ducing “Hamlet,” “Shylock” and some ot! - Shakespearesn, <r, at least, stan ‘ard character in .e fall. A com- pany is on the road ving “Hamlet” in Yiddish. Viola Allen is about to bring the bard’s work to the Knicker- bocker, and the Lord knows how many aore there are in contemplation. All X qf which brings up the line “All we, like sheep, run after one another.” aiiie k. » David Warfleld came out victorious in the suit brought against him by Manager Brooks, whereby he sought to force Warfield to continue acting the star role in “The Auctioneer,” pending the settlement of the affairs of Man- agers Brooks and Belasco by the re- ceiver who is in charge of the venture. Warfield refused to act.if any one but Belasco was to manage for him, and when the court appointed another re- ceive "~ carried out his word. Later Manager Brooks applied for a manda- tory injunction forcing Warfléld to carry out his contract. Justice Leven- tritt held that he could enjoin Warfleld from acting with any other persons than those called for in the contract for his professional services, but that it did not come within the power of the court to compel a player to perform a role if he did not see fit to do it. Marion Winchestes the American dancer who has been appearing in the various Parisian houses the past year, is reported to be engaged to Count Rob- ert A. D. Orenty, a scion of one of the oldest families in Belgium. Miss Win- chester used to be looked upon as an ordinary dancer in the cheap theaters throughout the country. Suddenly she burst before a New York audience in a new dance that won instant approval. Following up her success there she went abroad and has been a big favor- ite since on the other side. ¥ e The latest report has it that the suc- cess of Fritzi Scheff in “Babette” has had much to do with Lillian Russeil deciding to return to the field of comic opera next season. The present indica- tions are that the fair Lillian will have a new opera of the romantic sort writ- ten for her by Victor Herbert, and that when she goes a starring again it will be under her own management. The fair Lillian retired from the comic opera field just when musical comedy was coming into vogue. It looks now as if that form of entertainment has played out the string for tne time being, and that the public is once more turning back toward the comic opera pieces in which the ability of the prima donna to sing is one important requisite. This has been sadly overlooked in the music« al comedies. Tl S Sothern was entertaining am old friend the other evening in his dress- ing-room between the scenes of “The Proud Prince,” :nd there arose an ar- gument upon the drama in general. His friend, a somewhat excitable gen- tleman, was in the heat of discussion and was employing language scarcely fit for the drawing-room, when sud- ‘ denly there entered the room a dig- nified and a decorous colored man, who advanced to the center of the room, saying in an earnest monotone: “Have you no fear of God?” and mysteriously departed as he came. Mr. Sothern's guest was greatly camfounded, but was too well bred to ask any questions. Resuming his ar- gument he again grew heated in his remarks, and again the colored man quietly and mysteriously entered, and, clearing his voice, declared: “If you were the devil himself, do you think you could make me like you?"” To Sothern'd guest’s surprise the actor took the interruption as a mat- ter of course, so Sothern’s visitor in a dazed manner continued his argu- ment, only to be interrupted by the same colored intruder, this time with the remark: “I knew you now, and God knows I pity you.” Mr. Sothern’s guest was now too surprised to talk. He sat in a col- lapsed condition until the same man had entered three separate times and in expressionless voice had said: “I am as cha:-geless as the sun. I will carry my soul pure to heaven. “You are the strange woman. “You shall be as beautiful as I and as happy.” The last remark was too much even for Sothern’s friend’s nerves. He was barely able to gasp, “Sothern, what the does this mean? 1Is this a jeke or an insane asylum? Who is this fellow?” “That,” said the actor, “that is sim- ply my dresser, Lewis. His duty is to notify me of the progress of the play by lines. In that manner I know when my cue com X “Oh,”” said Mr. Sothern’s guest, wip- ing great beads of perspiration from his face, “I thought I had "em.” COR e Klaw & FErlanger will take their big spectacular “Mother Goose™ to St. Louis when it completes its run in New York this season. The move is to have the piece there and well installed for the opening of the World's Fair. These outside attractions have always done wellin connection with previous world's fairs. At Chicago “America” at the Auditorium had an enormous runm, and old-timers recall the suecess of “The Black Crook” in connection with the Philadelphia Centennial. “Mother Goose™” will be installed in the Olympic Theater, which is ome of the largest playhouses in the country. and ought to have a memorable stay there. . “The Yankee Consul,” one of the newest of the Savage productions, with Raymond Hitchcock as the star, goes into the Broadway Theater in New York next week for anm in- definite stay. It succeeds “The Medal and the Maid,” which has been there for some weeks now. Hitchcock made a big hit as King Dodo in that 2atchy piece at Daly’s Theater in New York some seasons back, and as he is re- ported to have a better vehicle in the new production, it looks as if he ought to do well at the Broadway. B - . Edmond Rostand. the rising French dramatist, is said to be adding the finishing touches to his new “Joan of Arc” play, which bids fair to be even a greater sensation than was “Cyrano” or “L'A@lon.” I:cidentally it might be well to warn the public to look out for a rush of Joan of Arc plays if this one should prove as big a success as Rostand's former plays, am