OCR Text |
Show oe Parts Bos Have Played on the Stage. THE annals of the English stage furnish some Interesting In-teresting examples of the dog as an actor. While It Js known that dogs took part In theatrical performances per-formances In Elizabethan times, and even before them, It Is not until the records of the nineteenth century cen-tury arc consulted that we come upon u definite record of the histrionic achievements of the four footed players. i In 1S13 there was produced at tbo old Surrey Theatre. Thea-tre. In London, a plajv called "Lluweljjn, Prince of Wales, and the Dog Gelcrt." In this production the dog was the "star," for the whole action of the play centred about him Had there been no dog there would have been no play. , t In ISM there was presented at Covenl Garden Theatre Thea-tre "The Dog of Moutargls," written around a circumstance circum-stance iu real life wherein a man was murdered in the Forest of Bondy and tho murderer tracked by menns of his dog. One day tills dog suddenly sprang at the throat of a man nid nearly killed him. whereupon Uie wretch, conscious stricken, confessed the murder. This dramatic Iucldent formed the basis of this play and everything hinged upon the cleverness of the dog. He was called Dragon, and his acting is said to have been so excellent that the play achieved a great "run" for that day thirty-nine performances. Lion, a sagacious St. Bernard, played in "Hans, the Boatman," at Terry's Theatre. He afterward went twice around I he world, playing in I he principal elUes of India, Australia, Japan aud South Africa. Hn oie occasion ho made the jump from Sidney to Chicago, Chi-cago, via London, a distance of more thau seventeen thousand miles. This clever dog was practically a "star." In the play hl6 master became blind and In some way separated sep-arated from his wife- The dog was the means of re- uniting the coupie. and the scene wncrein uns .- --compllsbed --compllsbed was so touching that the audience was always al-ways deeply moved. Lion touk his cue like any veteran. Ho would stroll quietly to the wings and there stand waiting for It. When tho cue came the dog Invariably went on without any word from the companj. Ills work was always artistic. One of the smartest dogs that ever entertained an audience tf'tts Blnkie. the fox terrier, in the British production of "The Light That Failed." His tirst appearance, ap-pearance, owing to an accident, was not overwhelmingly overwhelming-ly .siicce,ful, but this circumstance did not affect hi-, Hibseqiieiit work After lebemii." solendidlv Blnkie tmiile hh entrance on the first night quite correctly, but when the actor doing Torpenhow turned to spouk tu some one he accidentally struck BUiUle on the nose with his rtick. The dog naturally coueluded that he was wrong aud made an abrupt exit Bobby's Beat was a clever sheepdog that appeared at the AdelpbJ In "The Lnst Heir." He met with groat success Bobbv loved his work, and when "Overture and beginners" were called each night an exciting struggle ensued to prevent his rushing on before life CUl"l may be that in the case of dog actors as well as in the cae of the human variety the fascination of the footlights Is too strong ever to be entirely renounced. Vi nnv rate, when "The Last Heir" was withdrawn and Bobbv was without a Job, theatrically speaking, the circumstance Is reported l have had a marked -net upon his health and solrlrs. - - |