The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-02-24
GISTtvE WORMSS RETIREMENT.
For rhirt,.ihree Years a Member Of the
Company at the Theatre Francois.

The famous company Of actor. a' the House
Of Mol ere recently lost one ~ IT, most dis
tinguished members. GiI-ihve worms has
retired after thirtv-three wears Of service In
the Theatre Francois
tew Of his contemporaries are still active
Ia spite of the longevity or French dramatic
artists. and IL could scarcely have been eN-
pec,ed that Got, Worms and k"ichemberg
should have continued their professional
careers for many more wears.
Mile. Peiche mbers frankly admitted when
she left the stage that 81" did 80 because
the necessity Of playing lngenue roles AT the
age of s. Was not in accord with her IDEAS of
the artistic fitness Of things. But she had
made her reputation a.an actress OF maidenly
roles and had 70 continue IA that field until
she left the sta &c forever.
Got was - when he ceased I o act. Worm =
was % when he acted a few wee s ago at the
benefit Intended to mark his last appearance
IN public. ~. appeared in scenes from some
Of the plays with which his fame had been
chiefly associated. Mounet Sully. who VIII
b. the next To- retire. IA all probability.
racited.
Lk. many Others distinguished In his pro-
f-sslon, Worms Is q Hebrew. HIS iather
a, one time director ~ the Opera Comiau-.
0lI nor WAN NA~ son W lpll'N v u 'A'
aud apprenticed him TO a printer. But his
Inclination for the stage was too strong and
NJ the age Of 20. having overcome tn" pa
rental oh ecttons. Worms was n student ~ The
ConservatoIre.
IL. won "A prize Their" Tor tragedy and a
second FOR romedv - he Wa taken into the
COMPANY OF the first state theatre of his
country the next wear. lie wa- not con-
suiruous ihrrC after he was NrSi seen III lar
tufe." in which he played dI'r', ma Tor
soua y.ar- lille acting the smaller roles OF
the repertoire he attracted So little attention
that the Ministry never ratified his contract
and h- wa allowed 10 accept an engage
nIeni a. the French Theatre or ~, Michel IN
For eleven wears he was the principal actor
in TIN, trour" of artistic ehilrs and thence
his reputation spread untll " reached me
theatres that had been able 10 make NO use
Of his Younger powers He naturally re-
ceir"d many requests Y" pay ia ms DMn
larger IN Russia and he was determined to
stay there until his reputation was great
enough for Paris { awalt rs return rasefIy
Armand DTdi al the G~vlunase lie was
immediately 'uc'es-i,l ana annrar'd nj,
Was almost ~ much OF a Triumph a.. the actor
had won n III. clos. Of the great foufth act
Of Camille " He then returned 10 Russia
for "A brirf engagement, but the committee
Of m. Iumedie Frarcusr had slr"ady en-
gagged him and paid mali oi III" Torrent re-
quir-d hv the management OF the nymnas''
For the second time h" entered the ranks
~ the ComciLe trarcii~r. appearing as
Don odrlps in Herman and IN several other
PLAYS This second association WIN ~"
compsny soon made him popular with the
public and b" won nigh critical pral-" a.
well For the past quarter ot 4 century he has
be,r accounted one Of ~" pillars of the or
ganiZatiou lie had 4 beautifully sonorouN
and flexible voice lie created a number
IL roles in plays that have since held the
stage and all of hs successors III france
have modelled their performances ON ms
I'm 1853 VI Worms. who was . widnw"I.
married Nile RprattH 81 the Cniutil. Fran
c,isp. who iia~ u rrputatIuu there nearly ~
great a. his own He - "a professor IN the
,onsrrvatoirs, and Wa made" a 'heNhll'f
Of the eg,ou ~ Homo" lu $3.50