The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-25
Occultation of Stars
Marie Jansen and Johnstone
Bennett Now Doing Va
rietu Turns in Beer
Gardens.

How are the mighty fallen, The stage,
n we'll every other department of
human activity. has its tragedies of
heart and soul. The plauditS that
today greet some great beauty or a
great artist, may tomorrow be changed
to Kisses. or utter indifference. In some
instances the public is to blame with
its never-satiated desire for novelties.
both of persons and production; in other
cases. the Thespians have only to blame
themselves for their downfall. A re-
cent New York letter tells of two
such exits.
There are two life tragedies of the
stage in the amusement announcements
Of an uptown beer garden where music
hall performances are given nightly on
the roof OF brewery TO the clinking
OF foam-capped glasses, writes Leander
richardson The name of Marie Jansen
10 a feature of the program at this re-
sort during the current week, and with
1n a week or so tombstone Bennett will
appear upon the same stage with
variety turn of some sort. Both of these
women have occupied in their time posi-
tons of far more than common import
ance in the amusement world of Amer
lea. both have seen prosperity of the
most enviable kind and both were
acknowledged to be the possessors of
physical charm allied to talent of the
most unmistakable description.
When Marie Jansen first came to New
York with the old Comfy and Barton
comic opera company her ravishing
beauty OF face and figure no less than
the commanding quality of her gifts as
actress and singer gave instant favor to
her along Broadway. From that point
her career was rapidly upward and she
ultimately became the leading support
of Francis Wilson with whom she fairly
shared the honors of success But
toward the end OF this enga cement OF
several seasons duration Miss Jansen
work upon the stage began to grow
sloyeniy. the quality of her voice be-
came less and less mellow, and In dress
and bearing she was careless to de-
gree.
1t was said without denial that she
bad fallen a victim to drink and could
no longer be relied apon by managers &c
fulfill her engagements in the sheater
In due course Miss Jansen VANISHED
from the stage and returned to Boston
whence she had come originally. Her
father. a wcll-to-do butcher, apparently
no longer prospered. for the tale gained
circulation that the once lustrousiy
beautiful actress was. compelled to be-
come a seamstress in order to exc out
a meager and difficult livelihood. We
now find her in beer garden where her
compensation cannot be much more than
that accorded an ordinary chorus girl.
OF the causes Of tombstone BENEFITS
rapid descent of the ladder OF success,
little or nothing is generally known We
all remember however, when this I'M
doubtedIy clever woman was the star OF
Jane" under Charles Frohman's man
agement At that time plans were made
for her to appear IN other comedies pre-
pared especially for ner use, but fol
some reason these plans failed and TIE
woman around whom they had centered
found only occasional engagements
where the steadfastness Of her future
had seemed beyond all doubt. She ,ap-
reared from time to time In the vaude-
VILE theaters, and then of a sudden she
dropped out of sight entirely. Not sc
many weeks ago members of the theatri-
cal profession were startled at the pub
1ished report that Miss Bennett had ap-
peaied to the actors fund for help. This
appeal 1t was added came from some
where in the West, and no explanation
or details have been made known. But
81 confirmation we're necessary 1t is fur
nished in the advertising matter of the
uptown beer garden. which names her
as a recruit to its stage forces.