James had the kind of charm that communicated itself palpably across the footlights, and by the age of 24 he had already established a reputation among theater managers as a box-office draw, particularly with the ladies. But he was also working doggedly at his craft, ridding himself of all vestiges of brogue and learning to pitch his voice resonantly. Before he was 25 he had – as was expected of a serious actor in that day – 50 roles committed to memory, including most of Shakespeare's protagonists.