[In Name Only Janet Bieber Epub

[Amancio Mccrae]

<div>The drops (painted cloths), ceilings, etc., were all arranged forhoisting into the flies, as in most57 modern theatres; but Belasco hadthe ropes by which these articles were raised from his stage so attachedto counterweights and cranks that one man could, with ease, raise pieceswhich, in former times, it had required from three to six men to hoist.</div><div></div><div></div><div>To these aspersions Belasco made prompt rejoinder by institution of asuit against Mrs. Bertrand W. Babcock, asking $20,000 damages formalicious libel. Mrs. Babcock was arrested, December 3, 1902, on awarrant issued in this action and held in $500 bail. At the time of herarrest Belasco made a statement as to his motives and feelings inbringing suit in which he said:</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>In Name Only Janet Bieber Epub</div><div></div><div>DOWNLOAD: https://t.co/1MF43ygTxc </div><div></div><div></div><div>December 2, 1902, which comprehended forty-two cities (extending as farsouth as Galveston, Texas, and as far west as San Francisco), and whichinvolved travel of more than 10,000 miles, during most of which thecompany was luxuriously transported on special trains.</div><div></div><div></div><div>It was my intention to hold the play in reserve for Miss Bates,and produce it this year, with her in the title rle. She is one ofmy own stars, and very popular. Had I done so, waiting for theflood of plays of that period to cease, I am convinced the resultwould have been far different.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Miss Crosman closes in April, and I shall then recall the company,store the production and send it out when the road conditions inthis country are more favorable. I believe it to be a valuablepiece of property over here, and that it may yet make enough moneyto enable me to get back at least my original outlay. My loss up todate on the play is $50,000.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Thanks for your message. It was sweet of you and your dear motherto think of me. Warfield and his little play hit them hard, andwe have struck another terrific blow in the solar plexus of theSyndicate.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The Theatrical Syndicate, primarily, was a partnership of six men, allspeculative theatrical managers, formed for the purpose of dominating,for the pecuniary profit, advantage, and personal aggrandizement of itsmembers, the theatrical business of America, and of doing this bymethods some of which, in their practical operation, are morallyiniquitous, and should be, if they are not, legally preventable, in thepublic interest.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The founders of the Theatrical Syndicate have, with much fulsomecommendation of themselves and their purposes, directly or byimplication, sought to justify the position they have assumed byspecious assurances substantially to this effect:</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>You know I would not do anything to imperil your cast or tojeopardize our western tour. Always thought it unadvisable todouble Prince and Kato in San Francisco and always intendedsending another man to play Prince.</div><div></div><div></div><div>There was nothing to be said; the facts were against it. Thevictim was caught. There was no staying the hand of the law; onecould see this very well as the Sheriff gripped his gun and drewhimself up to his full height. Standing205 there, his gaunt shadowthrown against the wall, his white face etched deep with marks ofhardship and of toil, he poked the muzzle of his gun between therafters and fired. He had done his job, and so he left withoutanother word.</div><div></div><div></div><div>How quickly a theatre grows old-fashioned! Every summer I makeimprovements in this house and have already spent enough money tobuild another theatre. At the present time of writing I have justinstalled a new lighting system, the result of years ofexperimenting by Louis Hartman, my valued old friend andelectrician, who is to be found in the theatre from morning untilnight, and whose only pleasure is in his work. I think we haverevolutionized stage lights, and I have no doubt that ourinnovations will238 find their way to foreign countries.... As mywhole life is passed in my theatre, I have a studio there ofseveral rooms devoted to my work and collections. In the latter Itake great pride....</div><div></div><div></div><div>Belasco, accompanied by several friends, left New York on February 7,1909, for San Francisco, where he arrived on the 12th and where heremained for nearly a month. He had been apprized that the health of hisfather was failing and that, in the course of nature, his death waslikely to occur soon. His expedition was prompted by filial affectionand it was undertaken with a heavy heart. His visit, however, greatlycheered and benefited his aged parent, and the sojourn in his nativecity was made a time of festival and happiness. On February 24 a dinnerwas given at the Bismarck Caf by surviving pupils of the LincolnGrammar School, of the classes from 1865 to 1871, at which Belasco wasthe principal guest; and on the 27th a supper was given in his honor atthe Bohemian Club. He has written for me this account of his visit:</div><div></div><div></div><div>Mr. Lee Shubert, who controlled theatres competing with Syndicate housesin which Belasco productions were presented for a long time after theSyndicate agreed to book for him, made the following comment on theunderstanding:</div><div></div><div></div><div>The extreme dissatisfaction of the Ghost, who, on returning from thespirit world to this mundane sphere, ascertains that his, or her,earthly sweetheart or husband has formed a nuptial alliance withsomebody else has been noticed by various poetical writers in deeplyaffecting verse, dramatic, descriptive, and pathetic,...</div><div></div><div></div><div>The fair investigator of the charge of plagiarism against Belasco willfind that it is twofold: it accuses him of appropriation from the worksof other writers precedent to him, and of appropriation from otherwriters contemporary with him to whose writings he has had, or, asalleged, may have had, access.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The blunder is one into which many criticasters of my day havefallen; but a critic knows there is a vital distinction betweentaking ideas from a homogeneous source and from a heterogeneoussource, and that only the first mentioned of these two acts isplagiarism; the latter is more like jewel-setting. Call it what youwill, it is not plagiarism.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Another letter which Belasco wrote at about the same period as thatabove quoted is characteristic and informative as to his viewsconcerning the Stage and stage aspirants and can conveniently be placedhere:399</div><div></div><div></div><div>One of many scores of letters received by Belasco, commendatory of thisplay and its exemplary presentment, came from perhaps the most generousof contemporary patrons of the Theatre and it may appropriately bequoted here:</div><div></div><div></div><div>The estimate that observation forms of a person still living cannotalways be deemed conclusive: the person can invalidate it, in aninstant, by some sudden action, some unexpected development, somesurprising decadence; and, as a general rule, it should be rememberedthat no person is ever completely</div><div></div><div></div><div>One of the managers named, however, by reason of exceptional energy andshrewdness and by dint of incessant self-advertising, became and longcontinued to be the most conspicuous figure in the theatrical field.That manager was Charles Frohman, and because Belasco and he werepersonal friends and personal enemies, because they were professionalassociates and, in a business sense, professional rivals during manyyears, it is inevitable that the student of the theatrical period from1885 to 1917 should attempt to make some comparison of them. Thatrenders an estimate of Frohman desirable here....431</div><div></div><div></div><div>Being human, Belasco possessed faults and made mistakes: beingsuccessful, he never lacked for censurers to point out the one or, withgleeful malice, to celebrate the other. He was weak by reason of aninordinate craving for approbation and by reason of an excessiveamiability: rather than inflict the pain of immediate disappointment hesometimes foolishly temporized in dealing with importunate436 persons,thus, at last, incurring their bitter resentment and enmity because ofwhat they mistakenly though naturally deemed his insincerity. But, inevery respect, his virtues far exceeded his faults, his strength hisweakness, and his rectitude his errors: he was an extraordinary man,worthy of public esteem and honor, and, in private, most loved by thosewho knew him best. As the years speed away and the great place he filledin the Theatre of his time, and the great void which his passing mustmake, become rightly appreciated, those whose detraction followed DavidBelasco may admit their injustice:</div><div></div><div></div><div>As a writer he manifested amazing vitality, persistent industry, livelyfancy, considerable faculty of imagination, keen observation, quickperception of character but more of striking situation and effect, andgreat knowledge of human nature. He possessed more the sense of humorthan the faculty of it....</div><div></div><div></div><div>Belasco all his life possessed the spirit of adventure. He was eagerlyinterested in the life of to-day. His sensibility was extreme. He hadgreat goodness of heart. He was very generous, extremely kind.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Dear William Winter, I [have] just read your letter. You areright, and I promise you and myself to do the plays as you suggest,counting upon your generous assistance, without which I could notdo them. I shall come over as soon as I possibly can, to speakfurther of this. Thank you for your enthusiasm and your faith. Godbless you!</div><div></div><div></div><div>Yes, my dear Jefferson Winter, if I must have one, and only one,favorite player, I am quite sure it must be Mme. Sarah Bernhardt,in whom the Spirit of Courage, the Spirit of Youth, the Spirit ofFrance, and the Spirit of Art are all united.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Actors are prone to think too much of themselves and too much of theaffairs of other people. Gossip and frivolity in the theatre have killedmany a promising career. The first maxim I would teach all beginners onthe stage is this, by Augustin Daly.</div><div></div><div></div><div>But it is a weird and deeply interesting play in the compactnessof the story and in its dramatic rendition. The fabric is sodelicate that if it were not staged and played with the utmost careand good taste it might easily fall to pieces.... Mr. Warfielddemonstrates afresh the fine, sympathetic quality of his acting.This</div><div></div><div> 795a8134c1</div>