The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-09
NANCE 0 NEIL
Life and Experiences
Related.
Will Pass Through to Australia This
Month--Her Honolulu Season
--Afraid of Plague.

Nance O'Nei1, who will be a through
passenger by the Alameda from the
Coast at the latter part of this month.
was recently interviewed by Salt
Lake City Tribune reporter on the sub
ject of her life and experience In the
profession.
I'll tell you anything know" said
Miss O'Neil, "but there isn't much to
tell; and my story isn't any different
from that of the had work, and anx-
ious trial, and tedious study, and hum
drum history of about every woman |
who makes a success of art in any |
form. If you havn't heard of me, and
1 dare say few of you have, it's be-
cause l haven't had an industrious
press agent to boom me and announce
my approach. I'm glad l haven't.
believe an audience approaches an ar
tiste who has been lauded to the skies
and heroized with a feeling of resent
ment-that the ordinary person, the
ordinary American, at least, likes to
make his own discoveries and form his
own opinions. He doesn't like to be
he must like, whom everybody else has
liked. who is marvel and all that.
What people think about me Is a re-
suit of their own judgment; and if
am great and glorious or if l am crude
and coarse and amateurish and all
that, it is what they have found out for
themselves"
> 81 see it reported that you were an
elocutionist, a dramatic reader that a
San Francisco newspaper man discov-
cred across the bay in Oakland and re-
vealed to Mckee Rankin said the in
terviewer.
Now, isn't that enough to disgust
one!" exclaimed Miss O'Neil. IF there
is one thing abhor, it is the tloeu-
ZIONIST, the dramatic-school machine
player. 1 think more good actors are
spoiled that way than in all others put
together No, never took one lesson
in elocution or 'recited' one line in al
my life. 1 was born in Oakland, my
right name being Gertrude Lamson
My father was one of the California
'49ers l received my schooling IL
= SHELLS seminary, Oakland, and Away
had an ambition to go on the stag
from the time can remember. In 1898
when l was 10 years old, Mr.. and Mrs
Mckee Rankin, with their daughte
Phillis, opened the Alcazar Theater
San Francisco, Clay Clsment bein
leading man of the company. l ap
piled and got a small place; speaking
\ all told, six lines as Capt. Tommy L
The Danites' l have been with MI
Rankin ever since, and whatever
> amount to is due to the excellent tut
ton he has given me in practical stage
craft. l went East with the Rankin
and worked like trooper, trying to az
quire everything that would be useft
to me in my profession. There is
interest to any one in the drudgery an
hardships of this period, except as
might refute the preposterous and dar
gerous suggestion that excellence ca
be attained by any one without jus
that sort of preparation. In 1895
prayed with Mr.. Rankin's compan
through a seventeen weeks engage
ment at the Murray Hill, theater, Ne
York. My first assumption of leadin
roles was as Lady Isabelle in 'Eai
Lynne which we played all throug
the East in 1898.
"a year ago last November we can
est, and 1 was seen for the fir
time as star, appearing at the @
lumbia theater, San Francisco. My T
ception was very pleasant to me. Fro
LDeTo we went 10 fiOOOIuIu, anu LIE
my success was far more than anyol
of my experience had any right to e
pect. The Honolulu people are ju
splendid, and l look forward to the tir
when I can again visit beautiful Haws
and renew my acquaintance with 4
old friends. A Honolulu audience
extremely sensitive to the finer EN-
tions, and l shall not forget my G
perience while performing in that eli
On our return we played the cos
cities, from Los Angeles to San Fra
cisco, our reception being much t
same that it has been in Salt La
Then we went East as far as Chicat
over the Northern route, and at
close of the season crossed to Londt
/ appeared at the SALISBURY theat
London, with so much success that
Musgrove, the Australian manager,
gagged us for a tour of Australia.
returned to America, appeared in
Francisco and coast cities once aga
preliminary to our six months enga
ment in the Antipodes Then ca
stories of the plague which made
hesitate about going. We were to HI
sailed the 10th of this month, but
mors of the plague caused us to de
ERE the trip till more reliable news
rived. Meanwhile your theater b
offered us three weeks of vacant ii
and here we are. We have deci
definitely on going to Australia,
closed the contract by cable and
on February 9Th