The Portland daily press., 1897-09-01

Because Mrs. John Drew is best known
to theatre goers of the present generation
as Mrs Malaprop it must not be imagined
that she was one part actress or even an
actress who was only successful in one
line of parts. On the contrary, Mrs.
Drew was one of the most versatile &C.
tresses of her day, and her repertory had
a range that would simply apall any star
or Leading woman OF the present time
When she began her career, which was
almost before she was out of the cradle
they had no Gerry society in those days
the stage was quite a different place from
what it is today. Stars were few and far
between. and the leading men and women
of the stock companies had to work hard
to maintain their places. The managers
thought nothing of changing the bin once
or twice a week, and rum of three OF
four weeks was an unheard of event. The
consequence was that the actors and
actresses were constantly learning and
playing new parts and parts of all kinds.
1t was in such school that Mrs. Drew
received her training and rose to be con-
sldered one of the very foremost actresses
of the country.
January 10, 1920, and six years later she
made her debut in Liverpool as sAgib in
''Timour the Tartar" A year later her
mother4known to the stage as Mrs.
Kinloch-brought her to America, and
she began her career as Little Louisa
Lane, the child actress, appearing first as
the Duke of York to .Junius Brutus
theatre in Philadelphia. Infant prodigies
were the rage just then and the little
English girl was a great success. In one
piece in which she appeared at this period
She played five different parts-so differ
emit, in tact, that the performance must
have been almost Fregolian in character.
In 1888, still only a child, she joined the
stock company at the old Bowery theatre,
in this city, and for five years she took
part in constant round of legitimate
pieces and laid the foundation for the
fame she afterward attained.
After the old Bowery course she re-
turned to Philadelphia to re-enter the
Walnut street theatre company and to
marry Henry Hunt, a popular vocalist of
the day. At the Walnut street she was
the leading Juvenile lady, and in 1889 she
was the Julia de Mortimer when Edwin
Forrest gave "Richelieu' its first pro-
duction in America With Forrest also
she played Ophela, Desdemona, Pauline
and the like. She also acted during this
period great deal with the elder Booth,
and later on she supported Macready and
Edwin Booth. = OF all these famous stars
she delighted to talk, and her store of
41CtCle oCClhOo OAAduoVO0.
About this time she married John Drew.
= But she was called upon to play comedy
roles as we'll as tragic, and while at the
Walnut street she went through the whole
range of comedy with John Sleeper
Clarke, John e. Owen. Joseph Jefferson
and others, going from tragedy to comedy,
from melodrama to farce, just as the
popular demand required.
When Mr.. Jefferson and William
Florence formed an alliance to play 1.-THE
Rivals" Mrs. Drew was selected to be
the Mrs. Malaprop, and few years ago,
when the famous "all STAR cast was
formed to present "The Rivals" for Mr.
c. W. Couldock's benefit, she reappeared
in her old role.
She afterward went on a tour with that
company, and that was her last regular
engagement. A few years ago she played
for time with Miss Julia Marlowe in
1.-THE Love Chase and at another time
! she appeared at the Standard theatre here
in "lhe Arabian Nights" One season,
TOO, she had her own company out and
played tThe Rivals, i 1.-THE Love Chase
| and s'The Road to Ruin Her son Mr..
Sydney Drew and his wife, Miss Gladys
Rankin, supported her then.
Latterly Mrs. Drew has made her home
with her son, MIR. John Drew, and has
only occasionally been seen at the theatre,
at d benefit professional performance of
some sort.