Nat Goodwin's BookGoodwin, Nat. C. (Nathaniel Carll)
General
Nat Goodwin's Book
Goodwin, Nat. C. (Nathaniel Carll)
Actors -- Correspondence
Monday night's house was $120 in our money--and that was the best we
did any night in the week until Saturday when a change of bill drew
another capacity audience. Williamson's local manager told me after
this second Saturday night that we were "all right now." But Monday
night came and with it a $150 house. Not until the next Saturday night
and a change of bill did we do any business, then it was capacity
again. I came to the conclusion that Melbourne was a one-night stand,
to be played only on Saturday!
This was the story of the whole sixteen weeks I played in Australia.
The last week in Sydney, however, we did do a trifle over $5,000 with
"An American Citizen," its first production on any stage.
Personally I had a bully time, particularly on the race courses where I
spent most of my time.
We played only Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Our business in Adelaide
was wretched but the weather was worse! It was as hot as Melbourne was
cold. I never suffered so with the heat. I am told that Australia has
improved. There was plenty of room for improvement! Had it not been for
the generosity of several bookies I certainly would have had an unhappy
four months.
Williamson was heartless in his treatment of us. I learned from one of
his staff that after our first week Musgrove cabled, "Put Goodwin on
immediately in 'Zenda.'" Williamson stalled with Musgrove for almost
the whole four months. Finally when Musgrove's ire had been aroused he
expressed himself so emphatically in his cables that Williamson came
to me and asked that I remain an additional ten weeks, appearing in
"Zenda." Before this he had hardly spoken to me. And that very day I
had sent dear old George Appleton, my personal manager at the time, on
a steamship for America to book a tour for me opening in San Francisco
in November. I listened to Williamson's proposition and made no reply.
"Shall I send you the script to read?" he asked.
"Jimmie," I replied, "we've been friends a great many years. There was
no cause for your brutality towards my company and me. Now back of
you is the Bank of Australia. For all the gold that bank contains you
couldn't keep me here ten more weeks and I sail for America four weeks
from to-day. Good afternoon. Kindly excuse me. I'm going to the races."
And that was the last conversation I ever had with James C. Williamson,
Esquire.
An incident of our stay in Adelaide may serve to show the mental
attitude of your average Antipodean. The local manager, one Goodi,
was very friendly with me and I liked him immensely. He worried over
our failure more than I did. One night he met me in the lobby of the
theatre almost distracted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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