Fortunes of the King

Belasco Theatre / Los Angeles / June 19, 1905

Los Angeles Herald; Volume 32, Number 281 - July 9, 1905 (pg39)

BELASCO THEATER— For the final week of the White Whittlesey engagement at the Belasco theater there
is announceda monster midsummer offering of the famous play of James K. Hackett, "The Fortunes of , the King."
This is the first time the play, has ever been given in this city and so elaborate a production put on in the Belasco
management's manner of doing things promises one of the theatrical events or. the season.

The play is taken almost bodily from the pages of history and deals with the doings of Charles II, when his realm
was still under the spell of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans. No character In fiction makes a more heroic figure
than does the daring, witty, fascinating Charles Stuart and no novel's hero had more thrilling adventures than he.

The character of the king, which was made so popular in the east by James K. Hackett, will of course be taken
here by White Whittlesey and it will present htm in a more artistic and more vigorous role than any in which this
romantic star has appeared in Los Angeles. Miss Eugenia Thais Lawton will portray the maid, with whom the
king falls in love while he is traveling about incognito, and it is a role with which she can share the honors of the
production with the star. The leading people will have the support of the entire Belasco Stock company.
The regular stock company prices will be maintained and the usual matinees will be given Thursdays and Saturdays.

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New York Dramatic Mirror; May 20, 1905 (pg3)


Caption: "A clever caricature by Arthur Brewerton appears above of James A. Bliss
(the somewhat stout comedian) in one of his character make-ups. Mr. Bliss early in his professional
career gathered too much adipose tissue to continue playing society heavies and turned his artistic
endeavors toward playing stout comedy characters. It is doubtful if a better comedian of this class
ever graced the boards of a stock theatre. Mr. Bliss has had long experience in stock companies
in Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Los Angeles and during Summer seasons in Utica,
Williamsport and the maritime provinces. He is particularly suited to rural comedy, a line
of work in which he showed his ability as Obadiah Strout in Quincy Adams Sawyer and
other plays of the type. Belasco, Mayer and Company have thought well enough of Mr. Bliss
to re-engage him for the season of 1905-1906 at their Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, Cal."
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(in Fortunes of the King, Mr. Bliss played Col. William Carlos, one of Charles I's Veterans)

On Broadway, Fortunes of the King (a melodrama) opened Dec 6, 1904
and closed in January 1905 after 38 performances at the Lyric Theatre.

(Actual program measures 5"x 6 3/4")

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