BLAND HOLT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 149, 26 June 1931, Page 11

BLAND HOLT

VETERAN OF THE STAGE LIVING IN RETIREMENT Although it is twenty years since versatile Bland Holt retired from the Australian stage, it sometimes seems that it was but yesterday that he entertained us in tho way that we loved, writes James B. in tho Sydney Mail. The impression he made was so deep as to keep the fond recollection green. I Veteran of many well-remembered plays, ' he is now enjoying a well-earned re i tirenient; he has no intention of staging | a “come-back,” although on many oc-1 casions he has been begged to do so.j ! His hair is snowy-white, but his eyes. ■ are bright and he keeps himself fairly. I active; he ventures forth from Sunning? | Hill, his Kew (Melbourne) home, to | I lake regular constitutionals in a high, I jitney, and sometimes visits the city; where once he knew so many triumphs. There is, too, a comfortable retreat at Sorrento —aptly named “The Anchorage”—where he and his esteemed wife have been in the habit of repairing during the hot weather. Incidentally, 1 Sorrento was first- instituted a holiday resort by his old friend the late G. 8. Coppin, ' the famous actor-manager, whose daughter, Miss Lucy Coppin, lives with her father’s old friends; the| three make a happy and contented family. Bland Holt, one of the greatest character-actors in Australian theatrical history, was born at Norwich (Eng.), and was the son of Clarence Holt, the noted English actor and producer. lu addition to training his son, the latter schooled a number of actors who subsequently reached stellar rank. One mentions George Arliss, now acknowledged a pastmaster of his profession. Bland Holt made his first serious effort with Charles Dillon in London, and it was known then that Clarence Holt’s son would make a name for himself on the boards. This he did — in Australia and New Zealand. He went to Sydney in 1876—55 years ago —and at the old Victoria Theatre opened in the burlesque “Ixion.” He had now commenced his long record of triumphs in Australia. Remarkably versatile, and one of the greatest physiognomical actors ever seen in Australia, he succeeded as an acrobatic clown, proved his ability in Shakespeare, scored as an Indian impersonator (as Wah-No-Tee in “The Octoroon”), and fairly shone as a comedian and in melo- ■ drama. He will be best remembered, however, for his performances in such plays as “The White Heather” (he , was Edgar Trcfusis). “The Span of Life” (Nutty Brown), which had a great run when presented in Sydney in , 1894; “The Derby Winner” (Dr Cyprian Streatfield); “The World” (Moss Jewel—a convincing villain); “The Lights o’ London” (Old Jarvis, the showman), “The Golden Ladder” (Sam Peckerby, baker); “The Cotton King • (8.11, being the lovable old cotton1 miller), and “The Betting Book V i (Ginger, the stableboy). Many will ; recall “A Run of Luck,” “The Breaking of tho Drought” (money-spinner ■ that it was), and his turf thrillers, • “Zoe. the White Arab” and “Riding to Win” (with real horses galloping j liko fury on a cycloramic platform), t for examples. Other efforts of note were 4 ‘ The Absent-Minded Beggar’ ’ 1 t (Bland Holt’s own play, dealing with 1 the Boer War), “Taken From Life,” ] “The Path of Thorns,” “Pluck,” and i “One of the Best.” And, of course, $ he had seasons in “Uncle Tom’s i Cabin” and “East Lynne.” Those t were the days of spectacular stage . effects. Bland Holt demanded realism. . and for one drama employed a real Cobb four-in-hand coach and a real Cobb driver; night after night the heavy vehicle was driven across the stage (at tho Melbourne Princess). He himself at. different times drove on a caravan, a trap, a bullock-waggon, a dogeart, and even a car; and he was ’ a first-class stage jockey who never lost, a race. Even when, on one occa sion, something happened to his mount and he came in second, the quick1 wittod judge disqualified the winner (for no reason at all) and declared the ' beaten horse the winner! Still connected with the Theatre r Royal (surely a place of fond memories - to him), he has a private miniature ! theatre at his home; this he conducts as a hobby. He likes to see the circus when it comes to town, and has even ’ ventured into the city to see and hear the talkies, which rightly suggests that he has no hard feelings against what ’ has been described as tho new enter 1 tainment. Sometimes, too, one might happen upon him at a theatrical dress ’ ing- room. There will bo fond recollee 1 lions of this remarkable stage favourite for years to come. He has surely made theatrical traditions.