The San Francisco call. [volume], March 10, 1907, Page 26, Image 26

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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26
NANCE O'NEIL
DABBLES
IN THE OCCULT
James Crawford
THERE has been no razing of
the managerial barriers that
were erected between Nance
O'Ncil and the professional in
trrvicwer i:i the earl}- days of her
stellar career. No garrulous ingenue
possessing important^ shop secrets
is more carefully guarded than this
fully matured and naturally reticent
woman when she is under fire from a
press battery. To meet her I was
forced to rush no less than three
human outposts.
The press agent of the -Novelty
Theater, to whom I first applied,
recommended me to the kindly con
sideration of the gentleman who acts
in a similar capacity for the lady her
>clt\, and he, after some hesitancy,
escorted me to the apartment of her <
manager, McKce Rankin._on the first
floor of the Hotel Jefferson. Mr.
Rankin was attired en neglige and his j
mood was not ultra-amiable, for the
Southern Pacific had delayed the ar
rival of himself and company until
too late to open their engagement at
the Novelty the previous evening.!
15ut he dissembled his chagrin to the
extent of acceding to my request that .
Mis* O'Ncil be asked to chat for!
publication. ' '
"Nance/ he shouted into a tele
phone, "have you time to talk to a
newspaper man?' 1
The inaudible response led to my i
being taken to tlte second floor by !
the press agent, where we found Miss I
O'Ncil pensively surveying from her |
chamber window the rain drizzle and I
the mud-bespattered traffic on Turk
street. After exchange of greetings
we sat. So did the press agent.
Spirit-Depressing Scenes
"Isn't it dreadful?" she said, sol
emnly.
"Pretty bad weather," I ventured.
"Beastly." the press agent ad
mitted.
"Not only the weather," she re
joined, "but the — the— everj-thing one
tees — the awful condition of the city." '
"She means the ruins." the press
agent considerately elucidated. ,
"We arrived late last evening — "'
- "Southern Pacific," the press agent
interrupted.
"But not too late," she resumed,
mournfully, "to avoid seeing the de
plorable state of Market street."
Enter Mr. Rankin, top-coated, silk
hattcd, eye-glassed, umbrellaed. He
announced that the rain did not seem
to be letting up. Exit
"We are eager to walk out and see
what the ruined district looks like,"
Miss O'Neil explained.
I suggested a route, embracing the
summit of Nob Hill, and the press
agent cordially approved it. He hadn't
covered it himself, but that did not
matter.
Then we discussed the disaster that
overtook San Francisco while Miss
O'Ncil was playing in Rochester, N. Y.
"I shall never visit Rochester again
without recalling that dreadful
time," she said. "I spent most of it
following the inarch of the fire as
it was shown in the newspaper maps
Cff the city and thinking of my friends
whose homes were destroyed."
"I was in Toronto when it hap
pened," said the press agent
Mr. Rankin Again Enters
Re-enter Mr. Rankin with an
nouncement that the rain showed no
sign of abating. He was about to
exeunt again when I rather bluntly
requested Miss O'Neil to tell me her
plans for next season. He remained
until. she replied that she was not pre
pared to disclose them. Then his
exit.
"I hope you don't regard me as
rude when I refuse to give publicity
to my plans," she said to me.
"I hope you don't regard me as
impertinent when I ask you to girc
them publicity?" I said to her.
The press' agent said nothing to
cither of us.
She told me of how the April thing
upset her plans for this season. In
a warehouse on Mission street were
stored the scenery and costumes for
"Judith" and some other pla3*s with
which she intended to tour India, and
all were consumed by fire.
"Sothern and Marlowe soon start
for India," she continued, "and I
would like to get there ahead of them.
But some time I will tour all the
Oriental countries. I love the East"
That reminded me of some "ad
vance stuff" furnished by the press
agent, which quoted her as saying:
"If I were ever to come to life
apain, to be reincarnated, I should
wish to live in some sunny place and
there lie in the sun and listen to the
waves. • I would live and love, love
and live — all without effort. It would
be easy to feel that way among flow
ers and perfume. One can dream like
Omar in a Persian garden— but here?
(She was then at her home in Massa
chusetts.) Ah, it is so different. We
should not grow— we could not
Jabs at Southern Pacific^
She disturbed my reverie by remark
ing that she was a sad tramp. "I'm
never so happy as when I'm travel
ing," she declared.
That did not consist with the press
agent' 6 account of her reincarnation
programme, but I did not say ; so.
What I did say was, "Even traveling
on the Southern Pacific?"
"No, I exclude that road," she re
plied. "Why, between Ogden and
here - our train stopped at every
tank."
- Re-enter Mr. Rankin iti time to
overhear her statement. After an-*
nbuncing that the rain looked like
ceasing he took a shy aMlic Southern
Pacific by saying he thought that
when Mr. Hunrington retired from
earth the succeeding director general
of the system would consider the
convenience of its theatrical patrons
to the extent of at least making an
effort to get them through as per
schedule, but had*" discovered that he
was mistaken.
The press agent, too, said unkind
things about the Overland Route.
By wwar> r of rescuing Mr. Harriman
from further backbiting I informed
Miss O'Xeil that Florence Roberts
is not to play in Xew York this sea
son. /
"She is to be congratulated/ was
the unexpected response. "v/. ;
"Why?"' I inquired.
"Because she was booked to play
in Daly's Theater," said Miss O'Ncil.
"A dramatic morgue," declared Mr.
Rankin. , , •
The press agent laughed softly and
long.
"Did you play at Daly's?" I asked
"Ye?," she replied.
"She played there against the ad
vice of our friends who knew of the
lowered standard of the house," Mr.
Rankin elaborated. Exit
She Will Invade New York
''Will my impertinence be forgiven
if I ask your intentions as to revisit
ing New York?" I queried Miss
The press agent fidgeted.
"Well," she graciously answered, "I
I will go so far as to tell you that I
I won't visit New York this season."
"But next season?*'
The press agent anxiously looked
doorward.
"Yes, next season I will appear
there in a new play," she deliberately
replied.
I don't remember what prompted
her to say that she has learned to
cease fretting over anything that hap
pens, because she has confidence that
all is for the best and that what seems
a misfortune today may turn out to
be a blessing tomorrow.
*That's good philosophy," I said,
and as I said it Mr. Rankin returned
to announce that the rain had sus
pended operation. Having done so,
to his own and Miss O'Neil's evident
satisfaction, he slyly winked at me
and remarked that the philosphy
which I had eulogized was not always
a spirit-sustaining quality.
"It's strong enough to carry her
comfortably through ordinary afflic
tions," he explained, "but when con
fronted by a big one the weakness of
her sex asserts itself."
He repeated the wink as she stoutly
declared that her sex is not weak and
appealed to me for decision. It was
an inspiration that directed me to
opine that while the fair sex may not
be the weaker it certainly is the
gentler.
The press agent indorsed my find :
ing.
"How did her philosophy withstand
the Southern Pacific?" I asked Air.
Rankin.
"I'm afraid to tell you in her pres
ence/ was his answer.
"That was an extreme test," she
laughed. .
. So did the press agent
Remains True to Ibsenism
Mr. Rankin walked to the window,
consulted the sky and said he would
not be surprised to see the sun burst
forth at that moment Miss O'Neil
glanced significantly at her sealskin
coat. The press agent glanced side
ways at me. " The triple hint was not
to be ignored.
"Are you doing any Ibsen this sea
son?" was my final interrogation.
"I gave 'Rosmersholm' its initial
American production last April in
Boston," she replied, ''but for various
reasons I shall not attempt to repeat
it on tour. , Its proper, presentation
necessitates a special cast, and it. is
a longer play than 'Hamlet' in . the
original and can't possibly be cut
without impairing its general effec
tiveness. It went very well in Boston,
where, you know, Ibsenism has an ex
ceptionally strbng following.
"I shall not give an Ibsen matinee
here this year because my time will be
thoroughly taken up by other
vehicles. And nobody is sorrier than
myself, for I have. been a student'of
Ibsen since my girlhood. Indeed his
plays appeal, to \u25a0 all legitimate actors.
No actor can study an Ibsen part and
dislike it The gifted Norseman
worked to the greater end of dramatic
authorship— that of depicting the char
acter tending to the development of a
story which in the whole portrays not
only an episode, but - life itself.
"It's a fine thing to read a play arid
find no word that you. do not want to
speak, and that is so with all o/ Ib
sen's plays. . Every .word counts— has
its values — and it is only, for the actor
to interpret and add hiVor her per
sonality to the interpretation. No one
can tclfexactly what an author has in
mind when lie puts certain characters
in his'work. it is for the 'actor! to
study and portray the characters -to
the best of his or her abilit}\"
"As you do."
"As I try to do. Au revoir."
Immersed in Oriental Lore
As we walked together the" press
agent told me of Miss O'Neil's new
home at Tyngsboro, Mass. It is a
manor, house that . was built in . 1 760
upon : the site •of the residence of Ed
ward Tyng, one of the founders of the
Old Bay commonwealth, , arid the < es
tate-consists of Imore than ; 200. acres.
Miss O'Ncil has expended' a~ deal of
m6uey;inrestoring.the colonial; deco
rations, of the old; mansion;, and "from
what the press agent told*me I infer
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY,; JMABCH jlO, 1907.V
that it is something of a curiosity
shop, for it contains. living and inani
mate souvenirs collected by her: from
all parts, of the world. ; : v . : .
"That reincarnation story, of yoursj—
how much truth is Jthercgin it?" • I
asked him. •"'.'\u25a0 , -
"Well/ she actually said what I
wrote," he replied. "I at*' hot sure
that she believes in reincarnation," but
I know she is deeplyinterestedin-thc
subject and has given 'it much study
since her return from. the .Orient.; I
have heard her -say \u25a0_ there ;are^mot
ments\when' she is.! convinced - that
either she prophesied' ? that { } precise
moment years ago orelse she islivihg
it ; over again. The,' particular^ crisis
may be insignincant,'but"she is ; yividly
/conscious that in *some way • she knew.
of.it before. And^hc /is. "a del vcr": in i
Persian and Egyptian' mysticism." "; : /-*\
saw.her.act'a'-MooVish :
mesmerist in "The .. Sorceress" with j
the finest subtlety she eyerj * marii-'
fested , in- any character,''and. i for the
firsfi'time I felt inclined^ to'*; regret
haying' questioned the r i veracity -of : a
'pres's; agent.-f . >r /',-•.' ..'.". ',.Jl
Opening of Van Ness^Theater
-Thre"« ,prlmajd6nnasrwiir.be\?ceni:in
the;- title of * "Madam/Butterfiy;'.
thls^weekaf'the. Van:' Ness ; Theater,"
commencing- tomorrow;; evening,* when
Frau , Elza Szamosy - will "singithei part.
: Frau.Szamosy;. was : especially/ recorii"
mended to Mr.* Savage «bythe ? composef
of,* the . opera.S; Prominent'.inlherrsup
port ; will be Joseph Sheehan, the ; high ; C
tenor,", who twill i sing • the .* role * of i Lfeu
tenant Pinkerton.' Thefrolejof;Sharp
less, \ the ' United " States ; consul, SwiUS be
sung by. the j well knownjvbarltone',
ThoxnaB,D. "Richards,, and? the;importaht
role . of ; Susuki, ' the 'Japanese tiriald,* will
be"*sung/ by* Mlss't Harfieti Behnee/* an
American v girl;. ;> who \u25a0 was- 1 secured hby
Mr.*; Savage .; f rom ; the J Royal ij Opera'i in
Bcrlin.'.i The 'present -touri isV the < first
that ishe^hasj^ever .* madejin'^er own
land.*£-'~Walter r. Rotlfwell;i who £ ArasV the
leading. V conductor ;" ; for Mr. Savage's
"Parsifal"^ production,'-; wlll>. wield [ the
baton on, the; opening; night.- . r .-\u25a0 --.'•; ; ..'
\u0084, For. the ; second sperfornfarice on'.Tues
day 'evening/ the title jrole' will, be 'sung
by. Miss RenasVi yjany another .American
girl' who -went '.abroad to i achieve j- grand
opera triumphs.' *i She s sangc.thc } part jin
the : Italian .; ; production^ at ;*" La »' Scala"'
and: Puccini :-. was Tsov enthusiastic^ that
ho -recommended, her r also^to'rMr.^SavH.
age.' Thel tenor -<role\will. be^sung.by
Francis secured
three ; , seasons /ago »' in" Londonr f ori'Mr;
Savage's k:."Parslfar^;productlon.trMtssk :."ParsIfar^;productlon.trMtss
Ethel * Duf re .' lloußton;-;.'_f fo'm '-the i Opera
Comlque; ;i Paris.xwill^be/.heard^in .'the
role of. Susukl.'ats.thls 'performance. ilj ",i!
\u25a0\u25a0; At- the *i Wednesday^* matinee *• Madam
Butterfly^ will % be "i sung>by,-"M|ss 4Fldr-'
ence - 'Eastoh,^ w h° *- was ; -recruited k'- in :
London, : where? she •appearei* with" much i
success sin", the ".Italian Vop'era'atiCoyeht;
Gard en.', - She"; wl 11 '1 be /supported '. by^'Mr. j
Sheehan,' /Mr.*, Gantvoort^^onerjofjr the ;
three * baritones i who;! appear* in'; the 'role" ]
of.- Sharp i iesB,Tand''Mies; BehneV/*; .; '. ' -,- ;
;.* Frau ' Szam6sy/iWill t /reappear.^ at^tlie|
Wednesday v'evening^perf ormance, sup- i
ported . V by.V , Mi". I ,,' Maclenrian;
' D." Browniow,;tU«' third v'ofithe •_ Savage
bar t torie s.'r'a n d . M i ss '• Hoii stoh. Mr.' Rot h --'
well .-.will «, conduct 'the \u25a0' ofchestra- again
Wcdncsdaj7:"nlght.*)(-Alf red »"' Feith>. con
diictingionjl.Tuesday ;night;!arid>at:ithe
Wednesday.'niatJnee.Vci .? 2j; ; T*; ;-';";.' ' " ".*:
p.i Mr.->' Savage's "X entire^i grand ;>'opera
chorus i'.wilinbeUhoard'jdurihg.:. all , the
performa.nces;in'San>Fraricisco;and ; 'the
immense i"' 'scenic^iproductlon^win^^be
identically HtheV-samef; ass seenv: during
thonong::scas6n-;in*Ncw;;Yprk and ;Chlr
cago.>-4<"-: 1 ,"-"'"-\u25a0' " ; '-\u25a0\u25a0*•* *-W. — ?'\u25a0; >'\u25a0".'" : :-r -._?:_,* -i
\u25a0'i-.' ! ', ''\u25a0' ' .>*.-\u25a0' '•*, *Jf -'«• -'.'\u25a0 '\u25a0'\u25a0?'.- ?'. :i ' :
Melodrama fat tljuee^Hpuses: } : :
; £. Nance jO'NcU'sr triVmphXin J^ThelSor^,
I cer ess V. has v i nduced } th eJNoyel ty|.The r
i ater; management ttplanTJOunQertwd£ex£.
.traVnightsiforithcQSardbu^mclodranfa?
There'willjbeJklspeclal^matiricb^tdaay;
arid <the' regular -j perf ormance* . tonight,
arid >"The J '.SorcQrcss"?wllL ; b"c,^ seen if or
the »' last' rf two * times .ton*M6nday >'? ahd :
Tuesday...- C. ':,'* .V;V\Vv" • t -. i * r ». •\u25a0 : ? '- ; ; *;, \u25a0;-,\u25a0•,
I'TheJ'remainderTof^theVweck^willibe
taken . \ up :;. by / Sudermann* s J^'Magdai"
whiclv->by>Vmost-<* critics^ isV.'pronounced
Miss i q'Neil's | greatest.-, succees." |$VWlhl
theista'riinUhe. ; Htte i rrole i wili'jbe^ariiple.
support,'], including-; McKeeV? Ranking as'
Colonel, Schwartze, fjQsephiO'MeararaV
Hefterdinck/\Roy,-ClementsT : as > Dr.? s.'v-on5 .'v-on
Keller.jMarthaV MayoVks - ; l<laTrleA> E^lth.
;Vanderveeri] as^ Francesca, ?Paul;-Scar
]den"i as vMax.'iand • Prlscilla/Kiiowies 'as"
Augusta.^-Therother^qHaracters^afeHo*
be "in -competent i ;keepirig.'»'~* --"«.; ?
•; "Salome""receivesVlts'final*i>resenta
tlon>thls.':everiingiatlthe";C6lonlalv,The^
a.ter,2r and^y" tpmorrbw.^,* night yi."Piney;
Ridge,? 'a me,lodfaraa"d"ealjngiwithllife'
jn;?.Tennessee,;Vwlll->be'*'srartedr'on ; ;'.-a
week's \u25a0,run."tV^-V.""V-'."^T'-N^>Tr^,%'^V"^XV^
V-iTho vcasti iri*cludesV.f;ra.rik»: Bacon*,as
Jack r Vßqse,yXorv»r;McGregor> < "is»Gen^'
7;ral sMa'rk
B r i a rso n ,"^Wa lite r,-<3 raves t a s 'Jar treeVfAV 4
Burtv.Wesn"er;asTlsrael,",WiKfe'd^ll*o'ger,
a*s> Zeb> Lane;*iß:T; ; P ; eralta,i;Gallnd6r,:as
Rube Bess{eißai;on.^as ilAtalie'
Deerlng,VJahe;Jeft*rey/aslMamriiy.>Sum
mers,;Maud!Odelle;a.3'Dagiriar»*ariYo<:t6^
roon^an'dplzettaj'Jqweirfas'Clndy/Larie/
the f outcast|of>Piney:<Ridge.^ "> ,7,. r -i
V-'Elab6raie^stagihg;isfpromJsed.Vvr " .-,\u25a0'
, -•Populaf.Vpriclj;mei6"drTnmfhas«scor'ed
successfully^atUhe^Centrai'TheateVjand'
'tomorrdw/^evcnrng^WaUesr^Sanford's
players), will' L appearjin^*The'*Pace?That
.Knis^/anlEnglish^raicfngJplaVJlh^ which
several^horses'.twlllSbe^us^d^." Harry
.Pqnard{willfappea>^as«th*e]herb;?James*
Cor rigang aa ;J, al-Heb rewjprspbft^George
Clancy^ asJaicoc^e^-jstablelb'oyVgEtheL'
Marshall J as f.the^fasqihatirig^adVeritur
:ess,^MaudgLitai^as^the^heroine^arid
Mari6 n -; Cli apm ari'fas f a! bur l es qji c] q uee"h. T
• r . There .wili'. be ;,no Mack- of thrilling
situations 'and"' reajjstic staging.
Vaudeyille^andzLighU Opera
." 'Heading', tficjlist'of newcomers at the
prpheum today. is^May.Tully,; emotional*
and 'character > actress, ;in a* bright
sketch. 1 ; entitled ;, : ,'.'StorC : Look and * liis
t'en";i(the; Ollybtti:;Trbubadoiirs, unique
instrumentalists; r Johnny Jones,".. '.The
little > man "in -black,"-, who tells . witty
stories,. and rßert Levy, a clever. new3j
paper caricaturist^frbrn; New. YoVk, who
will portray;, celebrated "men andevents."
Jv - Hold! ng ; over* are * Byron and • Lang
do'n," the -Flood-brothers,* Qulgg, Mackay
and Nickers'onVahdr'-Ned JWayburn'a.
Dancing. Daisies. J ; Now ; motion
will| be shown*. <'. \u25a0 .' ' '//\u25a0;
?> "The .Wild Rose". ls;by /.long. odds the
;wittle3t»;and' most, tuneful thing yet
produced ,b>%tlie gari Francisco J Opera
"Cbnipany%at ;^the.-*Ainerlcan. ; Theater.
k What : the« original' book ;to fur^.
nlshyin^t!je' 1 -way.-'of.i'humorl;ls damply
made; upT'.for :by; the i Interpolated ; non
sense^'ofl^Wjebb^apd^Kuiikel.'f and the
,'muslc" is catchy; as ;ca*n ; be.lL Carl HaydiU
the- new? tenor. Ihas* favorably .'lmpressed
arid Alda'Hemml'also sings some pretty
songs.'* 'TUecpiece ffs^assured
i weeki of -, fgood? business." ,\ ~ * .". '
r ",'\u25a0 ' j. - ' r^~-'/ • -'-;\u25a0-" •?* \u25a0"**• 7 \u25a0 '"\u25a0•i .v '
1 th"c ;vaudevi He 'acts =; and i artista
'tKis at Uhe, 'Chutes,; commencing
;tomorrow<evening,jwillibe-;riew."*Among
.them^are^TylerJandjStOry.'xylophorie;
peff onmeirs ; i the^Voltons.^ acrobats : 'Ida
Ches te r; ?{and .\-Harry.r,< ; Salmon," ?• i sketch
Tartistsps'an'd/;co3terinonger.rdelineators;
'La^Veritura.ssißging and*dancing;soii
-•Jack-knife-thrower;
Quigg and;Ma^, : c~omediaris,-J'.The-Long
an<« the, Short •'\u25a0 of It," and ne-w motion
pictures.
• . * •
Gleanings From Stageland
-Rosentlials farewell piano
this afternoon at Christian Science Hall
will include a /Beethoven sonata, Schu
bert's "Wanderer" fantaisle. two Choptn
numbers, Liszt's arrangement of "The
Maiden's ."Wish," with variations by
Rosenthal,.a romanza of toe player's
own composition, Henselfa "If I "Were
a Bird" and ' Liszt's "Au Lac de Wal
lenstadt" and Tarantelle."
.*•"'."\u25a0 "* : *.'.
'Taming of :theShrew", is among the
early probabilities at the Colonial
Theater. .
• • ' .•:•-•
-Raymond Hitchcock in "A Yankee
Tourist", will succeed Nance O'Neil at
the Novelty. The piece is a musical,
comedy. /.; book by Richard Harding
Davis, lyrics by our own Wallace Irwin
and music by, Robyns. Flora Zabelle
Helen Hale and Walter Lawrence ara"
among- the ; principal.: players.
\u25a0 \u25a0-\u25a0 ..:.-.; .-j.'.* >• : .*. ; • .
Manager Grtfenbaum announces 'tJjWt
the' sale -for. the" opening performance
of the- season- of ; grand opera by the
San' Carlo ' Company to be given at the
Chutes Theater will open next Thurs
day morning at Sherman. Clay & Co.'s.
- Atra mectlngoC. the directors of the
Society of T Independent Managers held
in Kcff.Tork last; week Harrison Grey
\u25a0Fisk«; was- elected president. Henry
Miller- vice president' and Walter N"
Lawrence secretary, and treasurer." Th«
JtAted^objectTof'the society ia "to pro
mote independent dramatic art and to
restore - and • maintain "competitive con
ditions hrtlie'art .and business of tha
theater."- - - V
- Madge Carr Cook , in "MrsL Wtggs -of
the Cabbage: Patch." and Jeff d'Angells
in \u25a0; 'The Girl and? the Governor" are
booked forthe Van Ness Theater ~ v
\u25a0 '. '-""• '-," '\u25a0\u25a0.:- - - '**'- -'-i* .;\u25a0\u25a0 '• '
f Harrison ; Grey -IFiske will send oat
several special companies'next autumn
organized to s present * a group" of nlflys
that includes "Leah Kleschna/VTess of
the I D'Ur bervilles," t "Becky Sharp" and
'.The New-York Idea," all of which have
been produced r jsy.« Mrs.' Fiske' underhls
direction 'and, management; ' The an
nouncement tof^these plans has caused
ai'flood-^of applications 'for bookincs
from t'one-nisht stand" managers every
where.' : :'-\u25a0- •\u0084 .;' . • .- : . * .. ,