The evening world. Newspaper, October 3, 1903, Page 9

= a = ny ¥ +2 POPS PES Vidal link 1a MRE On he HOLOREN OCHS’ VER see Clyde Fitch blush? Of course nut, if you have seen him only in the flare of the footlights, very pale, very nervous, and very earnest, with his hurried, though grateful, “‘Thank-you-very-much.” But, believe it, Mr. Fitch can blush; and he did blush to the + foots of his brushed-back black hair when asked to talk of his children. “W-why!" he stammered in surprise, “I have no children—that is, no Teal children, unless cook has some hidden in the kitchen, or the house- “keeper has some stowed away in the attic.” “But your children in ‘Her Own Way?'” it was urged, ‘real’ children?” ¢ “I nope so," said Mr. Fitch, seeking relief in his olgarette, “TI tried to make them ‘real’ children.” “Come, then, tell how you created them and where you picked up the athings you put in their mouths.” ® “I’m afrald I could hardly explain all that,” said Mr. Fitch, dabbing ‘uncertainly at his hussar-like mustache. ‘There are no children in our ‘family, but,” brightening, “I love children and I feel I have learned to know ‘them in a degree—say the bachelor degree. In fact, the first book I wrote ewas a children's story about children. It was called “The Knighting of the wins.’ Didn't know that, did you? A “Children have always had a peculiar interest to me. They are the most interesting members of the human family. If you don't belleve me ask any father or mother, though I should prefer you asked the mother. ‘Wathers sometimes are too busy to notice little things like children.” % Without a smile Mr, Fitch looked straight across the room at the pic-| gure of a rosy, chubby cherub. . » But the smile came when he was asked to tell how he got the idea of wWhtroducing his latest comedy and characters through children and the gursery, > “Ah!” he mused, “one never can tell where ideas come from. It was ‘only the other day a friend asked me that very question, If we knew we ‘ghould always be able to go and get them, And if we did know and toM, Others would be able to go to the same place for them. There are two tweasons why I can't answer your question: One is that I don't know, and the other that I wouldn't tell if I did know.” demThere you have it—common sense, pleasantly spiced with commercialiem! a & Rd cd Cd ad s a a rd as ‘' don’t imagine Mr, Fitch wholly mercenary. B “Mind you,’’ he continued, “I do not write plays solely for dol- lars. I don’t think I can be fairly charged with doing that, since I spend what | make out of plays tor these things,” indicating with a sweep af the hand the countless art treasures with which his beautiful Fortieth etreet house Is stored. “o- “The playwright who professes to work for art alone is, nine times out “are they not ive New Plays at the Theatres Next Week. # THE » EVENING # WORLD'S 2 HOME Clyde Fitch, Who Tried to Bg a Reporter and Became a Fortune: Raking Playwright. of ten, an unsuccessful one, 7 work for both art and dollars fn the bellef that the successful play brings the realization of both. Qne hears and Treads an awful lot of rot about ‘art.’ I try to make my plays natural and my people real types. I don’t believe anybody has any higher ideals about the theatre, or higher ambitions for {t, than I, but I believe more in work- ing for these ideals than talking about them. I think the artist is not sincere who pretends to ignore firancial reward. The most successful modern dramatic poet is Rostand, who goes to law for his royalties when they fail to come in regularly, and gets paid by his government for a poem of welcome to a visiting Emperor. All the same Rostand is a poet—but &@ poet without buncomb. I study people on the streets, in the cars, the elevated trains, in homes; wherever, in fact, I see them, and 1 strive to put lifelike types of these every-day people in my plays. I never go out but I see somebody or something to interest me. Friends havo been puzzled because in the hot summer I will not stay in the mountains. I tell them that after two or three days in the mountains there is nothing Interesting about mountains. They are always the same, a great city, with its throbbing throngs of humanity, is different. There you find constant change, everlasting contrast. You may get microbes in a city, but you also get ideas.” iad a a as os a s o rd ‘HE talk drifting to newspapers, Mr. Fitch was asked why he took seeming delight in poking at them. + “But I don't,” he protested. “Even if I felt like it,’ he added, with a sly smile, “I wouldn't be so tactless.” He was reminded of the lady hairdresser in the play at the Garrick who gathers material for a “Sunday story.” “But,” he expostulated afresh, ‘‘she isn’t going to write the story. She is merely getting the bare facts for some one else. Now, to prove that this incident is not an exaggeration, I will tell you of what really happened not But} ets RESORT CH! M AGAZINE &# PEALE HT “SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 8, 1903, Zaha Bronson “Be FishorYaide: long ago. “T received a note from A young woman asking permission to come to my| Wouldn't be me.” i house and take photographs of my house and oollections, She explained she had a friend who knew the wife of a man who knew a man who owned a magazine, and that if I would let her take the pictures she could sell them to the magazine, through her chain of acquaintances, for $50, She added that the money would be a great help to her.” “What answer did you send her?” “I wrote her that she might come as soon as the house was in order. Why not? We're all in the same boat. We've all got to make a living.” Saying which the unselfish Fitch shrugged himself V-shaped. a * cd Rad id Pd a a a ys must receive a number of strange requests?” Mr, Fitch raised bis hands in comic distress. “You have no idea how many. A short time ago a letter came to me from a woman out West—a perfect stranger—who asked me to let her have $590, saying she wanted to put a tombstone over the grave of her second husband, get @ plano for the parlor and have an operation per- formed. Wasn't that a combination!” einking back in his ohair and laugh- ing at the recollection, “But,” he went on, throwing himself abruptly forward again, “the strangest request I ever received came to me one day this week. It was from a woman ‘who wrote that she once knew my mother, and who asked me, on the strength of this, to buy a lace shawl. Now, what under the sun would I do with a lace ehawl?” ‘We stood mute. “] draw the line at tombstones and lace shawls, but if I can help a girl earn $50 I’m willing to be counted in. I've seen the day when I would have been glad of the chance to earn 50 cents. When I came out of college I os st BECKY SHARP'S SCHOOL. ‘The building in Chiswick Mall, London, “Five new offerings will keep profes-| make his first venture as a star at the/‘'The Fisher Malden,’ the new comic| known as Walpole House, familiar t» ‘ghonal theatre-goers busy next week, Monday night it will ve necessary to “mhoose between W. H, Crane in ‘The ‘Spenders” at the Savoy, Orrin Johnson in “Hearts Courageous’ at the Broad- Sway, Mrs, Biske in “Hedda Gabler” at the Manhattan, and a new comic opera, “The Fisher Maiden,” at the Victo: jfot to mention the retppearance 0: |Broadway Theatre In another book- play,’ “Hearts Courageous," Hallie Br- minie Rives's story, which has been dramatized by Rameay Morris and Franklin Fyles, Mr. Johnson romantic part of the Marquis Rouerfe, sent by Louls XVI. with let ters addressed to Benjamin Frank | Promising aid to’ the. revolting Coisn- \Grace George in “Preity Peggy’ at ¢he! ists, The cast will include Maude Healy, ‘Madison Square Theatrs. ‘Thursday | Eleanor Carey, John T, Sullivan, Theo- Might at the Bijou William Collier wWill| dore Hamilton and W. &. Hert. @rop “Personal” and appear in a new| eR ah) J Pomedy, ‘‘Are You My Father?!’ . Mre. Fiske's appearanoe in "Hedda Gabler,” at the Manhattan Theatre, will be an Interesting event, She will remain but @ week in the Ibsen drama, thie terminating her New York seagon, aside from a week at the Wtst Hnd Theatre in “Mary of Magdala." The Ibwen play Was tiret performed in this country at the Irving Place Theatre in 1692, being played In German, The daughter of an old Norwesian genera}, Hedda, motherless, has. grown up Nke an Hl weed. Naturally witty fs abnormally “morbid, which is a drama- wil Mr. jn “The @penders,"" Nization by E. H. Rose of H. L. #on’s novel of the same name, ‘Crane will play the part of Peter nes, the cough owner of the ‘One \a@e1" mine, in Montana, Upon his son's ‘@oath the old man sets himself to look after the family his son has left, but the fumily goes Bast, and squanders no Much of his money In extravagant llv- the ond. gambling that its members + byne.to ba called "The Spengers.” The yeild man finally has to ruin his grand- ~gon in stock speciation in order to the consequences of tranagress! al, with id fr tes, yet sein Bre presents a remarkable mid ay" Th Moring the family to tts seoaes. . Prom-| Meerant human. nature, a 4gentJn the support of Mr, Crane will| strong interest, if not Luciiio 1», OW) thy, Biles Fe Ne RN RE A MM id = saute upon the TEAR SPO OSV AR BUA man, Deronda Benedict have akon the placey ot knnie i As Ward ainen TJ Ruth Hok, Margaret pa Lif Eat in CRANE tn THD EP ‘SPENDERS, | Mayo Victor Morley. opera which comes to the Victoria Mon-| lovers of Thackeray as the school where day evening. “The book is by Arthur J.| Becky Sharp was a rebellious pupil, ts Lamb and the scenes are laid in a New) "Ow being furnished as a residence for oast village. ‘The prima| Mr. Beerbohm Tree, who has obtained donna of t) company is Miss Edna, 4 long loase of It. Bronson. who was formerly understudy| Walpols House once belonged to Bar- for Alice Nellgen aM who later ap-| bara Ferrars, Duchess of Cleveland, the | favout: A of Uh After her di peared in Neilsen rotes. passed Into the possession of Ho} | Wainoie. Perl of Oxford, and it is also “Are You My Frathact to which Will! 489ochuted eth the | name of Daniel Jam Collier will change et the Bijou Qeonnell. “tue Taberator.” who lodged on ‘Thuraday night, ts sald to be | 1748. y ouse: I comedy ‘ia English life in which Mr. Col-| Her will pend. the evening hunting | for a father #o that he can give & name to the girl he loves. Ernest Lacy js the author, All the mombers of the "Per- sonal" cast, with the exception of Grace Hurst wit oe, eet nt and Brandon arin “Are You My Amusements. HERALD SQUARE THEATRE, 2 Evenings, 8.90, Matinee To-de ff ater Amante "the newcomers will be JOHN DREW | CAPTAIN DIEPPE Ug) ‘olan Aj «+ I CRITERION TREAT RH, Grace George, In W. A. Brady's hand- » CHARI ES HAW some production of “Pretty Possy, HBATRE GARRICK BEAT? ay which enjoyed a prosperous run at the Maxine Elliott Herald Square Theatre lnxt season, will Sragon,| Great Succes p Hin 00 to Mik weoks, Whon the poce wil te |GARDEN THEATRE, oth ot, Ma taken to I5ston for a run at the | sep N Ievaw, San As Columbia ‘Theatre, Miss | George tn) Play iy ober t rae as Ravi dh a Gneriok, but Lusaie Conway. iy SAVOY" MISATIRAG, fick xO and Ki day & Wea, in Heda will inaugurate the Bhubert regime at ows Herald Square Theatre last evening. The engagement will Amusements. ‘Fay aha. Shes therpost WODKE//U/ Woe) 10 eworla 10 Ger abate ie i Sata athe or ( Ta att harley tried very hard to get a position on a newspaper. But I couldn't fia @ single editor in New York who seemed burniug with a desire to have me. I went first to The World, only to be told that its staff was full up. I wemt to another and another office, bit they, too, were full up. I hed about made up my mind that they all thought I wouldn’t do as a reporter, when I was told at the Times office that, while they couldn't offer me a regular position, I might go over and hang around the Hoboken docks and see if anything turned up. It was a broiling hot dey, and after getting down oa the etreet I concluded that if anything turned up on the Hoboken docks if es s s a a s a ETTING back to plays, Mr. Fitch was asked whether he considered te {- animate objects, like the statue of Apollo in the “Girl with the Green} Eyes,” the pile of trunks in ‘‘The Stubbornness of Geraldine,” and the. be hobby horse in “Her Own Way” to possess dramatic value. f “I have never been asked thet question before,” he said, “but it is one! which I have many times asked myself. Yeu; I think inanimate objects, properly utilized, have a dramatic value. But, thrust into a play; regard- less of environment, they are worthless, There must be logical excuse for them. I have had managers say to me, ‘Come and see my play; it hag @ typical Fitch scene,’ Possibly, there was a Fitch scene, but it wad se foreign to everything else in the play that ‘ts effectiveness was lost. Now in ‘Dhe Girl with the Green Eyes’ I had a honeymooning couple on my hands, I had to take them somewhere, so why not Italy? And if they went to Italy they would naturally go to Rome. And if they went to Rome they would go to the Art Gallery. And if they went to the Art Galery they ~ would see the etatue of Apollo—and there I had the bac! Eee scene, the towering figure of Apollo, the constant stream of visitors opportunity for a lot of funny conversation. I think theatregoers something fresh in @ Fitch play, and I always endeavor not to them.” “Will ‘The Infant Prodigy’ be something new in the way of musical come: “Yes; it will be wally different from both the American and the Eng- Msh form of musical comedy. I will eay that much, It may be a failure, but’—and he turned admir!ngly toward a picture of Fay Templeton on the mantel—“there {s at least-one reason why it should be a success, Ah! Pay ‘Templeton! Sbe js the most wonderful woman in the world in her genre There ts not her equal either here or in Hurope. “What!” he broke off, ‘going already? Ob, this was easy!” CHARLES DARNTON, Amusements. Amusements. and dist, St gE Bat 218 Bway & 20th WALLACK’S “prignt per Catchy Songs. Geo. Ade’s Latest Musical Success PEGGY DARIS A THEATRE aT 2 Be AN! TUESDAY errr SAMS T. POWERS. ORRIN JOHNSON in Hearts Courageous, sVOLUTION i ‘PRINCESS Of KENSINGTON, NEXT MONDAY A LOY, ty ETORY OF ATS NOW Df the Season. ‘Chas. ‘Warner IN DRINK ‘Manhanan. “ager j MRS. FISKE rat's IAGO OA Next Mon. —MRS. FISKE In Hedda Gabler THEEARL OF BAWTUCKET GR NI oS) US AND HIS ett | Last | Mat. it OZ LAST MAT TO-DAY Next Week—Goo. W. Monro jHA RIGAN i in #6 i Brathise ant. SP nf rt OURS, | iR =] Le! Bw | T))-mmerOW Grand aS i Avery & Hart & many others jen, Kowery, nr. Ce yer De Van, Howard & ay & Thay aatiiom Helen s i Lox. a¥, 107th. Mate Mon Wed. Sat ROUGH ERE AND War THRO ye aad 8 KEIT Sri k i NE KAD, BIJOU|* COLLIER | pee: Pendonac Wide Wi Sa abil i SiN bo saldalis To-day, 25¢, S0e0 To-night, Res, 750, avaevil “rom ‘Siclde& Ward, others HUBER’S 14TH ST. THEATRE. 'PROCTOR’S ME, ital BEARDED LADY. {Sona KING BROS., } ore! {ntroducing thelr’ per- ‘A Gilded Balcolm Fool jorence Wrilana £ Fayorites. Big Cont. V 4 GANS vomen Love. ‘hrinins oft Wed... Thurs. “when wweet pla Mats, Mon. ass 2 ms I 35 ser Sih : y binat WARFIELD P ASTOR’ S Pi oe NEXT {MARIE CAHILL, je oNSABES conan ME WE In ’ usic | THEATRE, Se WEBER & FIELDS’ fixét cat. TH Be NDR vs Se, WHOOP-DEE- 00, 8.15, “Dolly. & Rater, Paul Mo. i ter. * Par Bik Vaudeville, 3 ® Bin | New York or wieintty. € 7 in Dion Boucte MBTROPO! | Mea Wieck ACHEL GOLD: [EDEN | ake tem Attraction Chai Mate ‘To-Day & ft RIGAN ‘a, CHEC a8 @8 Ay. Ev. * Sie DAR Or THE GODS, BLANCHE he W YORK Evenings at § Mats, Wed. & Sat we HSB a, | ga Kialy & ‘Erlanwer’s BEN a