The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-14
LITTLE TOTS WHO ACT.
The Craze Taking Fast Hold OF New
York This eason.
E-om the Ne,y yorl sto,

from Htt NbU OTh SUR.
When the immortal Shakespeare stated
in writing that AL the worlds a stage and
men and women merely players" he did so
with the assurance, perhaps, that men and
women monopoliZed the stage in that day
aud time, but we're he turning out manu-
script Today he would have said that men,
women and children were the PLAYERS. At
no une within the history Of the stage has
there been so much attention given TO child
acting as at the present tlma. The baby
actress craze seems to have taken a fresh
start in this city, and, strange as il may
seem, there are not wanting numerous fond
mothers to offer up their little darlings upon
the altar Of the play.
Child actors are also in demand, but far
more desirable in the theatrical market is
the chubby little girl whose baby curls still
hang in clusters over the little face and
whose voice has not lost its baby lisp, and
whose bright eyes are just widening at the
strangeness and TIE mysteries of this great
world. These are the fit;est subjects TO
cater to the feelings of the amusement
lovers. The younger the better, but the
most desirable age, OF at least the age at
which the little ones attain their greatest
success, Is from to 10 years, although there
are many Of these hlllputlan actresses who
have not seen five summers, and baby
Nashburn, who each night COOS and let's the
villain carry him off in Hearts of Oak
has not yet bhnked at the sun
light of 365 days When the sea-
SOC fairly opens more than a score
OF the &c little midgets will be seen upon the
boards in this city alone, and in several
plays their precociousness will play i'm
portant parts These little assistants in the
portrayal of the Wit, humor, pathos, love,
and passion Of this world are taken from
every walk of life. Most Of them are the
children of actors and actresses, and have
Inherited their ability from their parents
Many more are taken from the abodes of
want and poverty Pearls taken from
the brine" as it were, and vet the more
cynical might continue the smile and men
ton the pearl that was cast before the
swine.
There are at present, however, fewer
child actresses in New York than in MANY
Of the other large cities, notably Chicago,
where there are now more than 100 children
on the stage. But the vast majority of
these children are merely child supers or
extras, and have little TO do bat TO gambol
and romp in cute little mauy-colored tights
and lend q fairyliks effect to color groups of
coryphees. Few of them have a word to
speak, and get only from 81 to SIS per week
There were in 1886 more than 500 children
in this capacity in New Y ork This num-
Der, owing to the efforts of the Society for
the Prevention Of Cruelty TO Children, has
since been reduced more than nine-tenths.
These infants are usually procured
through advertisements inserted in
the want columns of the papers,
and are brought in scores by
mammas, who, for considerations
of paltry gain or the qualification of NOR
bid ambition, give them over to a life of
the pantomime the ballet-or what not.
These little ones must possess a considerable
amount of precocity and are rehearsed a
great number of times before being allowed
upon the stage They are rarely taken
along with the company who engages them,
being generally discharged in the city
whore they are employed when the piece
has had its run. Their mothers finally begin
to let them 10 every company coming to
the city, like piece of furniture.
There are hundreds Of companies on the
road to-day-principally opera companies
who use scores of these little ones. But
they cannot be properly termed child
actresses, for there are number Of little
girls, nearly all of whom are in this city,
who have the ability to play leading part
in an important play, and this class COM
prises the real child ac5resses-those who
really do infant acting. This number can
almost be counted upon the fingers These
children receive salaries with which an old
hanQ might well De COnbentSQ.
These children are all IN the Legitimate"
and are procured through regular agents
who make speciality OF supplying child
actors and actresses to the profession.
There are only few such agencies iu this
city. The best known is that of Mrs. E L.
Fernandez, who has trained and brought to
notice nearly all the children who have be-
come celebrated upon the stage.
Speaking upon the question of infant
acting few days age to q reporter, Mrs
Fernandez said that the supply at the pres
ent time is about equal TO the demand,
which has been something enormous during
the past season. These little ones are given
a regular course of study, and in the course
of six months are sent upon the road. The
parent is taken with the child as q nurse,
and the entire expenses are paid by the
company. The salary a few years ago was
something enormous, such lights as little
Bijou Fernandez and Elsie Leslie receiving
as high as s75 and 800 per week. The sal
aries nave since been reduced to from 81 TO
SIS and expenses, including clothes and
washing.
ITO the children who make successes"
said Mrs, Fernandez, Il do not think the
work they are required to do in an ordinary
play is injurious. They take to it like a
duck to water, as it were, and find il
pleasant. OF course, they should not sing
and dance, aud here is just where Mr.
Gerry draws the line. An erroneous inn
preston has prevailed with the public, ow-
ing to articles which have appeared in
some of the papers, that he was unneces-
sarily strict. lie has never objected to a
child p aging in legitimate piecs. There
are very few, however. who are
allowed to appear on the variety
stage. Strangely enough, the child
artists scarcely ever retain the talent
to act efficiently beyond childhood. Some
important exceptions exist in the persons
of Kate and Helen Bateman, who took to
the stage when they were children and de-
veloped great talent in mature years Min
ME Maddern ard Lolita were child actresses,
but on the other hand, Bijou Heron. the
daughter of Matilda Heron, was an extra
ordinary child actress, but is now without
fame. and Cordella Howard, the original
Eva in "Uncle Toms Cabin who was
most wonderful child actress, lost her
ability in that direction entirely when she
lost her girlhood The same may be said
of nearly ali who develop theatrical talent
at an early age.
There have always been children on the
stage from time immemorial, but real ac-
tresses in infancy are comparatively modern
There were hardly any ten
years ago, and to-day the real good ones
can be- easily remembered"
Little Bijou Fernando is one Of the best |
known child actresses on the stage. She is |
now only 10 years of age, and began acting |
in Wallack's theatre when only years old. |
She afterward appeared in plays under the
Of ]. NJ Hill, A. NJ. Palmer !