Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1913 — “GALLERY GOD” SPOILED IT [ARTICLE]

“GALLERY GOD” SPOILED IT

Why Maurice Barrytnore Conceived Dlellke for Hie "Heart of Mary, land" Part. All the good stories which the late Maurice Barrymore, father of Ethel, Lionel add John Barrymore, told on himself never have been published and probably never will be. Barrymore was in Kansas City just prior to his final collapse and here is a story he told: Barrymore was Mrs. Leslie Carter's leading support when that celebrated actress appeared in Belasco’s production of "The Heart of Maryland." In the big third act Barrymore, the hero, was in the hands of the designing villain, who had cajight him off guard. Two rookies bound Barrymore's hands and the villain, left alone with his prey, taunted the hero. It was Barrymore's "business” to squirm and to wail.

"Oh, if my hands were free," he would repeat several times, as he tried vainly to break the rope which held him fast —The villain would approach and snap his fingers right under Barrymore’s nose. “Loosen my hands, you devill” Barrymore would exclaim. One night at this great and exciting moment in the scene Barrymore had just finished his dare to the villain to loosen his hands when the traditional gallery god yelled out in sharp, clear voice: “Why don’t you kick him in the shins, Barry; your feet ain’t tied." Barrymore cursed the part from that moment until his dying day.