The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-05-06
UFS AND DOWNS.
The Story of Mary Anderson's First APP
pearance in Louisville.

Il saw three little paragraphs in last
SUNDAYS paper which set ne TO think
ing" said an old actor to Pittsburg
Dispatch reporter.
The first" he continued, twas one
telling of Mary Anderson's wonderful
success last week in Philadelphia The
second told of the engagement OF Will
liam Griffiths to play part in 1O-cent
museum, and the third announced the
breaking up of Barney McAuley's COM
pany in Carthage, Mo. You don't see
any connection between the three, do
you? Well, do. Ten years ago Mary
Anderson made her first appearance in
cast of any importance in Louisville,
Ky., as Juliet. William Griffiths, at
that time very popular, and then, as
now, very good actor, played Romeo,
and Barney McAuley was manager OF
the theatre. You begin to see story,
do you?n
Eyes, 90 on"
well, there Is more to it, and / never
saw the story in print. Mary Anderson
was terribly stage-struck, and then, as
now, a remarkably handsome girl. She
had done something in amateur thea
tricals, and had done some business in
minor parts in Cincinnati and Louis
vile. She wanted to appear as some
thing better, however, and believed
that she was fitted for it, SO she went
to McAuley and asked him to bring
her out.
"'What do you want to playp' asked
he, sizing her up as a stage-struck
school girl.
.,JuIiet.' she replied.
Barney looked at her and smiled.
Like every theatrical manager in every
city, he probably had dozen such APP
plications week, and resorted to all
sorts of stratagems to get rid of the an
noyance.
"I'll tell you what I'll do he said.
If you will 90 out and sell every seat
in the house to your opening, I'll fur
nish the company and bring you out.
"T'I do it, she replied, quietly.
How long will you give me?'
"'Oh, take a year. said old Barney,
glad to get rid of her so easily.
"Wen, she went at it. She visited
| the newspaper offices, and made the
acquaintance of Watterson and other
editors, and told them what she wanted
| to do, and what she believed she could
do; that she was a Kentucky girl, and
wanted their help. She interested Wat
} terson, and he told her he would help
her. Then she went to peddling tickets.
Into stores and private houses and Off
ces she went until she had the seats
about all filled. Then back to Mr.. Nc
Auley she went. He was astounded to
see that she had taken him so literally,
and pleased at her pluck and persever-
ance. But he kept his part of the con-
tract, cancelled a contract with an
other company, and sent on to New
York for a company to play the piece.
| Griffiths, as l said before, was cast for
Romeo for the bluegrass maiden's Juli-
ct, and she owed much of her success to
his skill and ability. Her first appear
ance was a great success, considering
her entire lack of all histrionic training,
and the Louisville papers gave her col
umns of valuable space. From that
time on she was Mary Anderson, and
has gone steadily on, while Uncle
Dan'l,' who thoughtlessly perpetrated
what might have been a cruel joke on
the ambitious girl, doesn't even repre-
sent the Jarvis Section And Grifiths,
who probably laughed at the country
girl with whom he was cast, is now
dividing the honors with Kate Meek
as dime museum stars. So the world
goes.