The Tall Comedian Exchanged His Inheritance
for a Bowl of Thespian Pottage,
but Doesn't Regret It.
De Wolf Hopper's father was a Philadelphia lawyer, and it was intended
that Will (his real name) should follow in the paternal footsteps so far
as his career was concerned. And, by the way, more men have turned away
from the sheepskin to the footlights than from any other one vocation.
Reckon them up and you would have a sufficiency of leading men to outfit
plays for every theater in New York, oversupplied as that city is with
them.
But to return to Hopper.
At the crucial period, the elder Hopper died and the son inherited some
money. As there were no automobiles in those days for him to blow it in
on, he invested in a much more foolish and infinitely more hazardous
luxury--a dramatic company of his own. He had the itch to act, and, being
unable to get on the stages controlled by others, he decided that now was
his chance to manage a stage of his own.
And what do you suppose he sent himself out in? Nothing less than
Robertson's "Caste," with "little Willie" as _Eccles_! Of course the
troupe went to smash, but young Hopper had tasted of the life, and there
was no staying him now, not even the Quaker blood in his veins. As a
matter of fact, the gulf that was dug between himself and his family in
those days has never been bridged, a rare exception nowadays, when even
the most austere stand ready to forgive theatrical connection--provided
the prodigal has sown success along with his wild oats.
The boy--he was scarcely out of his 'teens--contrived to obtain a job as
_Pittacus Green_ in "Hazel Kirke," and a song he sang off stage inspired
Annie Louise Cary with the belief that he might do well in opera. He
actually studied for some time with the Metropolitan in view, and then
compromised by taking the barytone part with McCaull in the Sousa opera,
"Desiree." Mark Smith fell ill at a critical moment, and, as it is easier
to replace a singer than a comedian, Hopper was put in his place, and has
worked his legs and his antics in excess of his singing voice ever since.
He began his career as a star in "Castles in the Air," not much of a
success, but followed it with "Wang," which set him on his feet good and
hard.
"Wang" lasted him two seasons, and he followed it with "Panjandrums," to
my mind a far more entertaining hodge-podge of music and nonsense. In that
view the public did not agree with me, for Hopper lost several thousand
dollars in pushing the thing to a long run in New York. After that he
became _Dr. Syntax_ in a musical version of "Cinderella at School," which
he soon exchanged for the biggest hit in his career--"El Capitan."