CENTENNIAL SCOIR I ON:1 1 16P
Sic transit gloria! No movies preserve perform-
ances by David Warfield, one of the greatest stars
of the American stage for twenty years. Play,goers of the
older generations surely remember him for the enjoyment
he gave in "The Music Master," "The Return of Peter
Grimm," "The Auctioneer," "The Grand Army Man," as
Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice," "Van der Decken."
The centennial of his birth is at hand. Warfield was
born Nov. 28, 1866, at San Francisco, where he effected
his first connection with the theater as usher and pro-
gram seller. As were ushers, ticket-takers, scenery-shifters,
and other "opera house" attendants in those days, the
youth was. also a "super" in "crowd" scenes of play per-
formances by touring companies.
Determined to be a professional actor, Warfield made
his way to New York. But there were only occasional bit
parts and he was hungry often until he stole on the dia-
mond between innings of New York Giant benefit base-
ball game and staged an impromptu. act as a make-believe
peddler of "souvenirs." These "souvenirs" were cracked ice.
This amusing stunt and the publicity generated thereby
got him hired for a burlesque troupe. He advanced from it
into the. famous Weber & Fields comedy revues, and
earned attention from a leading producer of dramas, David
Belasco. After the leading part in "The Auctioneer," War-
field was the star in a Charles Klein drama, "The Music
Master," in which he was to play more than 1,00n times
across the country during several seasons.
A Belasco production of "The Return of Peter Grimm,"
with Warfield as Peter, proved a similarly popular and en-
during success. He was hailed by an eminent critic as
"most loved and admired actor of our stage" and was in
demand at $100,000 a season.
Warfield had one wife: Mary Gabrielle Bradt, whom he
married when 33 and not yet a star.
CLARK KINNAIRD
[4--] David Warfield caricatured by H. B. Martin in
1920s as the star of "The Return of Peter Grimm,"
role which he had played recurrently since 1911.
David Warfield, who was born in San Francisco in 1866, made his first appearances there in
1889 and came to New York in 1890. He became a part of the Weber and Fields Music Hall in
1899. His forte was the portrayal of Jewish characters. His earliest depictions were humorous in
nature but with sympathy underlying the burlesque. David Belasco gave Warfield the oppor-
tunity to turn his characterizations to serious use with the production, in 1900, of "The Auctioneer."
Playing the leading role for thre years, Warfield became identified with the sentimentally dramatic
hero. Later he became more famous in the leading role of "The Music Master." He had the ambi-
tion to play Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice" and Belasco made it possible for him in 1922.
It was an unorthodox production and Warfield softened the character, arousing much contro-
versy which led to his retiring from the stage. In honor of his 75th birthday, Warfield was given
a gold medal by the New York Academy, for "distinguished service to the theater," in 1942.
Distributed by King
Features
Syndicate.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
16 Friday, November 18, 1966
—
The American Century
By ISRAEL ZANGWILL
An Excerpt from
"The War for the World"
The 20th century will be Amer-
ica's critical century. Will she de-
velop on the clear lines laid down
by her great founders, or will she
survive, like most human institu-
tions, as a caricature and contra-
diction of the ideals of her crea-
tors? Will she fall back into out-
worn feudalisms, accepting second-
hand ideals from the Europe she
has outgrown? Small as is the sig-
nificance of aristocracy in the mod-
ern world of Europe, it is at least
the petrifaction of what was once
living and significant. The origi-
nal adoration of nobility was not
snobbery but respect for real su-
periority. But the modern Ameri-
can love of a lord is the worship
of a withered leaf. That all men
are created free and equal is a
nobler proposition, if "free" be
interpreted as having a right to
one's own body and soul, and
"equal" as having a right to de-
velop ones own body and soul to
their highest. America became the
exponent of these ideals; every
other conception has been tried
and found wanting. And for Amer-
ica to hash up again hereditary,
aristocracy and militarism would
be a ridiculous anti-climax. If
America breaks away from her
ideals, humanity's last chance will
be gone — at least for the white
races: for perhaps — who knows?
— destiny would seek its next in-
strument among the despised col-
ored races. Or if America were less
conscious of her own greatness,
and more conscious of the great-
ness of her opportunity!
electric links, has brought the na-
tions nearer to one another physi-
cally than ever before, yet closes
on the tableau of their spiritual
separation — each armed to the
teeth and fearfully watching the
others, anxious to outstrip them
not in greatness but in bigness.
The 19th Century has set aside the
ideals of the 18th, but I dare to
hope it has not destroyed them.
They will return — but purified
of whatever dross of false idealism
was in them, and more equated to
the facts of life. But let it be re-
membered that Liberty, Equality,
Fraternity, do not belong to the
world of facts but to the world of
ideals. They are the way man's as-
piration shapes the facts, as man's
will cuts tunnels through the dumb
mountains and lays cables beneath
the blind seas.
The 19th Century's own idols
have not proved so worshipful as
it imagined. If the Press diffuses
light, it can also — as Bismarck
discovered — diffuse darkness. If
Science as a maid-of-all-work Is a
success, Science as an interpreter
of the mystery of the Universe is
a dismal failure. Even her hal-
mense practical boons only serve
to amplify our senses and increase
our speed; they cannot increase
our happiness. Giants suffer as
well as dwarfs, and the soul may
sit lonely and sad, surrounded by
mechanical miracles.
As ever, the soul is the true
center of things, and if America
remembers this, she may steer
safely through the immense spiri-
tual perils of the coming century
toward her old goal of a noble
democracy, and may yet point the
true path of civilization to the
feudal nations and exhibit the di-
vine element in the long proces-
sion of the centuries.
The 18th Century saw the dawn
of generous ideals of the Brother-
hood of Man. What the Jewish
prophets had dreamed 25 cen-
turies before became the dream of
the noblest spirits of Europe.
No man was ever so much de.
The 19th Century, which, by its ceived by another as by himself.
A FEW SEATS STILL AVAILABLE
28,000 College Students Threatening
to Strike Over Israel Tuition Hike
Wednesday a general strike on
JERUSALEM—All 28,000 Israeli Nov. 27 unless the government and
university students threatened university officials accept the con-
clusion of a special government
committee on tuition fees.
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
Colloquium on Identity
Slated in Buenos Aires
BUENOS AIRES (JTA) — The
first South American colloquium
on "Jewish identity" will be con-
ducted here Saturday and Sunday
under the sponsorship of the
World Jewish Congress headquar-
ters in this city.
Among the participants will be
50 rabbis of all Jewish denomina-
tions, university professors, writers
and poets from Argentina, Brazil,
Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uru-
guay. Dr. Moises Goldman, chair-
man of the WJC's South American
executive, will open the conclave
with a keynote address.
MIDWEST SEAWAY
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Excellent Passenger Accommoda-
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Call 962-8313
The committee proposed sev-
eral years ago that tuition fees
should not be increased by more
than the cost of living index. The
students were protesting a recent
decision to virtually double present
tuition fees. Student leaders said
a large proportion of students
would be forced to abandon their
studies if the 100 per cent increase
was made effective.
More Israel Appliances
In Israel, the percentage of fam-
ilies in possession of appliances in
1965 rose to almost 78 as compar-
ed with 71 percent in 1964. Ninety
percent of families had radio re-
ceivers, as compared with 76 in
1959. Thirty-one percent possessed
two or more receivers. The number
of families in possession of an elec-
tric record player has also risen in
recent years, reaching the figure of
137,000 in 1965, compared with
60,000 in 1959, while the number of
those in possession of a tape re-
corder increased during 1963-1965
from 19,000 to 41,000.
Women distrust men too much in
general, and too little in particular.
—Commerson
PLANNING ON SELLI
L WITH A EINEM
German Donor Present
at Museum Ceremony
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Axel
Springer, the West German news-
paper and publishing magnate,
who had contributed $1,000,000 for
a library at the new Israel Museum
here, attended cornerstone-laying
ceremonies for the projected facil-
ity.
Speaking in German, he said:
"Standing here today is a German
who had been given the oppor-
tunity to show good will. For that
you have my deepest gratitude."
After the ceremonies, Springer
conferred with Prime Minister Levi
Eshkol and Foreign Minister Abba
Eban, then left for a tour of Israel.
Entertainment in Israel
Entertainment and amusements
play a prominent role in the life of
the Israeli. More than 50,000,000
visits were paid to the country's
303 cinemas in the financial year
1965-66, accounting for an average
number of 29.5 per capita visits to
the cinema for people over the age
of 15. The Israeli theaters staged
3,230 performances during the
same year to audiences aggregating
2,136 million, or an average of 1.4
theater performances per capita.
During the same year five profes-
sional orchestras gave 480 concerts
to audiences amounting to 663,-
000, or an average of .4 concert
visits per capita. Visits to the
country's museums during the
same year amounted to 1.7 per
capita.
for the
34th ANNUAL BALFOUR CONCERT
SUN., DEC. 4 — 8:30 P.M. — FORD AUD.
Tickets Available at 18501 W. 10 Mile, Southfield
Office Hours:
Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Phone 353-3636
Sponsored by: Zionist Organization of Detroit
DON'T FORGET • • •
ZEDAKA,H CLUBS
ANNUAL DONOR LUNCHEON
Tuesday, November 29, 12 Noon
at Cong. Shaarey Zedek
Fashion Show by Albert Maurice
"Palm Beach and Cruise Wear"
For Tickets and Reservations
Mrs. Morris Aaron, 543-9446 — Mrs. Ben Lefkowitz, 846-7299
The Musk Study Club
presents
Annual Artist Concert
With
Richard Luby and Emanuel Ax
Pianist
Violinist
Sunday, November 27th-8:30 p.m.
Scottish Rite Cathedral
Tickets:
UN 4-6420
Temple and Second
Grinnell's and Box Office
EL 3-9133