Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-11
FALLEN STAR IS
P|T|FUL OBJECT
FORMER FAMOUS ACTRESS
NOW IN DISTRESS
The Present Condition Of Mrs. James
Brown Potter Is Sad Commentary
on the Ups and Downs of
Theatrical Life

The curious controversy over the
right of the James Brown Potter name
and the first Mrs. Potters mercenary
attitude in regard to the question,
bring to light many Incidents in the
career of this one-time notable, If not
great, actress that are interesting now
that her name is once more before
the public.
Mrs. d. c.. McCan of Los Angeles
gives a picturesque description of Mrs
Potter as she looks at the present time,
having encountered her frequently at
the Savoy hotel in London last spring
The contrast to the actress in her
palmy days is pitiful and a sad COM
mentary on the ups and downs of the
atrical life, though Mrs. Potter could
hardly be accepted as a fair example
of the average fate Of the thespian
star.
"The Savoy hotel has numerous res
taurants," said Mrs. McCan. But our
favorite haunt was little French cafe
on veranda opening out on court
toward the strand Seated here behind
numerous palms and shrubs, we could
watch the people on the street without
being seen and here we dined and
lunched frequently.
zone night our attention was at
tracted by an unusual looking woman
who sat at the table adjoining us. We
first noticed her manner, which was
nervous and excitable to an extreme,
and then her whole remarkable per-
sonality Fascinated us. She was dressed
in a loose unconventional gown, built
on artistic lines, and wore a large
picture hat of dropping lace with
out a crown. Her hair, which showed
through the crownlesS hat, was a
strange. fiery, impossible red. Beneath
the hat, at the neck, the hair showed
brown.
Condition Is DistressfuI
"Her face with thin and haggard
and there were deep circles beneath
the long oriental eyes. The thin red
lips trembled and the long white hands
moved necessarily, pulling nervously
at the lace on her gowns, or gesticulat-
ing wildly. She seemed in great dis
tress. Her companion was an insig-
nificant looking man with a face pre-
maturely lined, and all the earmarks
of the cheap actor.
"Our curiosity finally got the better
Of our dignity and we asked the little
French waitress who our neighbors
were.
Monsieur and Madame James
Brown Potter was the surprising an
swer.
1--WE knew this to be partly untrue
of course, though the identity of the
madame was unmstakable. Afterward
we learned that her companion was her
business associate and leading man on
the stage. Gilbert Hare, the son Of
James Hare, the celebrated English
actor.
Part of their conversation we over
heard. 1t was about Mrs. Potter's fin
ancial difficulties. 1t seems she had
inherited property in England belong
H.. l., tee
on this to pay the losses of her dismal
failure at the Savoy theater, a revival
of Du Barri,' and a dramatic version
of 'Pagliacci.' Her business agent had
resorted to trickery and so her cred
tors had him arrested and imprisoned
although she was generated by the
Judge. But she had lost everything
she possessed.
Art Made Travesty
1--WE saw her on the stage of the
Coliseum, a big vaudeville theater
where the king has his box and where
she was trying to redeem her fallen
fortunes, as Columbine in a one-act
version of 'Pagllaccl." 1t was most
ridiculous and pitiful attempt. The no
longer young woman, haggard, i'll and
awkward, attempting to play the youth
full, graceful temperamental part of
Columbine, made a travesty of the
beautiful little tragedy. We came out
as soon as we could, depressed and
disgusted.
at is impossible not to feel the
pathos of the downfall of one who has
been on the top whether the founda-
ton has been real or not. At the table
beyond Mrs. Potter, at the Savoy cafe,
sat Mime. Rejane, the French comedi-
enne, and we could not help noticing
the contrast.
,sTba E,rench woman was wholesome
hearty, Jolly and self-evidently a sue
cess, with friends around her, her own
automobile victoria, coachman and
footman; all the accessories OF pros
porous and happy life. She was as old
as, If not older than, the American ac-
tress, had worked as hard il not harder,
but certainly she had been wiser, luck
Ter or more deserving, for the compare
son spoke for itself.
ut seems not many years ago that
Mrs. James Brown Potter made a tri-
umphant tour OF this country in