To Haddon Chambers, in London:
I am hoping to get off on the Lusitania. It seems to be the best ship to sail on. I shall be glad to see you.
Writing to S. F. Nixon, a business colleague, regarding Miss Barrymore in "The Shadow":
You are quite right as to the play being terribly somber. I thought it a good idea to show what a representative American actress of serious parts she was; so that next season we will offer a contrast, and make the audiences laugh so much that they will be compelled to crowd the theater. She will play then as humorous a part ("Our Mrs. McChesney") as she did so earnestly a serious one.
To J. C. O'Laughlin, of the Chicago Herald:
We managers have certain ideas about plays. We produce a play and find our ideas and opinions often wrong. Our opinions are only sound, I think, as far as the question of a play being actable is concerned. My sympathetic feeling for all writers makes it very hard to venture an opinion detrimental to their work, especially as we find we are frequently wrong.
To one of his leading women, April, 1915:
I appreciate the expression of your affection. It almost makes me turn westward instead of eastward. However, we must do our jobs, and so I do mine. I am sailing Saturday (per Lusitania). Heaven only will know where I am in July. I cannot tell this year anything about anything.
To Booth Tarkington:
I don't suppose you have any idea of coming to New York. There are a lot of fine things here worth your while, including myself.