The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-03
BEFORE AN INoUIsIroR.
How Some Actresses Appear to an
Interviewer.
From the Near York Star.

4
From the Ne1p York Star.
| There are few people who are interviewed
as frequently as actresses. As a rule, they
are willing to submit to newspaper inquisi-
ton, but there are exceptions. When an
actress has reached the highest pinnacle in
public favor she is very apt to decline to see
| the newspaper man.
| Mrs. Langtry used to be gracious TO the
interviewer. She you'd allow him to write
an interview and read it to her. and then
she would give her assent to its publication.
| But of late years the Lily has avoided the
reporters. She is still gracious and pleasant,
however, when she does receive them.
Miss Rosina Vokes is a charming subject.
She never says no to a request for an inter
| view. and she makes the time pass so pleas
antly that the reporters "few moments
have heightened out into as many half
hours Rose Coghlan avoids the person
who seeks her armed with interrogation
| points, although, if by chance she cannot
avoid an interview, she submits with the
best grace possible Fanny Davenport is
also variable subject. Sometimes She will
submit to questioning, and sometimes she
won't She shows that she is anxious 70
have the interview finished quickly, vet she
is courteous, although little stiff if YOU
| are stranger
AS Patti is the greatest songstress in the
world, it necessarily follows that on a tour
| she is very inaccessible. You may send IN
| your card, but unless you are known to her.
| or unless her personal agent has arranged
| the affair IN advance. you will never see
| her. - But 1t is worth perseverance, and
| after you have reached the presence of "La
diva" you are rewarded. Patti is exceed
lngly gracious and affable She welcomes
you with a bright smile and chats SO
pleasantly that the interviewer is soon at
his ease. No one can be more winning in
her ways Vivacious in manner, chatty
and pleasant, she manages to say MANY
bright things, which read well in print.
Christine Nilsson has less veracity than
| Patti She will laugh and jest, but she can
not lead the conversation. She waits to be
| questioned. When Gerster first came to
| this country she was very cordial to the
newspaper people, but in the interviewing
stage she was shy and reserved Like Nil.
sson, she rarely suggested topic, but waited
until the question was put to her. Then nar
replies were brief.
| Bernhardt is good subject. She likes
the interviewer, and she is always ready to
| give him something to write about. In her
remarks she is witty and incisive She will
receive clad in a house dress, with her hair
disheveled. She is thoroughly Bohemian.
georgia Cayvan who spends her leisure
| In practiclng gymnastics, will tell you that
the reporter is a BORE" but she will make
this remark with an air which says quite
plainly that she only half believes what she
says. AS to Madame Cottrelly, that busiest
| OF all busy women in the theatrical pro-
tession. let the reporter catch her if he can
| possibly he may get few moments con
versatlon between the acts, but he must not
| expect more. To her duties as soubrette.
stage costumer and director she adds an
other, that of reading the ibrettos submit
| ted TO the Mccall company. Naturally,
the time she can devote to the interviewer
| is limited.
Marion Manola will take the reporter into
her confidence and assure him that she had
originally higher ambition than that of
| appearing in comic opera. az wished very
| much to sing in Italian opera, but the day
| OF Italian opera seems to be over for tn
| present. lam just as fond of acting as of
singing, and / feel sure that | should make
no success at all in concert where | should
be obliged to keep still. lam very super
stitlous, and | think the members of our
profession generally are. have worn a
| four-leaf clover incased in glass around nv
neck for the last two years, and [ wouldn't
take it off for anything"
Minnie Maddern will chat pleasantly with
tho reporter, and give good many in
| teresting points. Ole story of hers in re-
gard to the discriminating public" is
| worth repeating; 81 remember once, sew
OAet JCA aSOi wien WAS Playing some
| very bad plays (and very likely playing
them very badly, a certain celebrated band
honored me with a serenade after a
| performance. A tremendous crowd assem-
bled In the streets beneath my window,
and there was cheering and shouting. /
was very young, and consequently wild
with delight over my triumph. and / re-
member that threw some flowers 20 the
musicians. A lady occupied the rooms next
TO mlne-a great singer and great artist.
Nobody paid any attention to her, and on
the following evening my audience was far
greater than the one which greeted her. In
| glancing over the account books later, l dis
covered that my manager had paid a pretty
sum for that serenade.