Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29
ELLEN TERRY JUBILEE
CELEBRATION OF HER FIFTIETH
YEAR ON THE STAGE.

The hftieth anniversary or Ellen IeTry
debut on the stage was notably celebrated
at His Majesty's Theater In London Friday
night, when Miss Terry and Beerbohn
Tree appeared Jointly in THE Merry Wives
OF Windsor" The theater was packed. A
great crowd of people had stood outside al
the afternoon waiting for the doors to oper
to secure seats in the gallery. Many brought
camp stools, lunch baskets and novels. Tine
performance was marked by a succession
of hearty demonstrations for Miss Terry.
At the close came the presentation of the
Playgoers Clubs silver casket and COM
memoration address. Beerbohm Tree, still
In his Falstaff makeup, recited an ode oil
congratuIation, at the close of which a
dove fiuttered down from the files carrying
a scroll which was taken by q dainty fairy,
who presented It to Miss Terry. The scroll
contained a rhymed response, having re-
cited which Miss Terry shook hands with
Mr.. Tree and then, overcome with emo
ton, could only say that her feelings would
not allow her to express In words what she
felt.
Mr.. Tree and a deputation of the Play
erS Club then presented the casket, en-
bellished in relief with pictures Of Olym-
plan games and places OF public entertain
ment In Athens.
Ellen Alice Terry was born at Coven-
try, England, February %. 1S4S. She was
the second daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. ]. F.
Terry both weil-known provincial actors
and she descends from long line of ac-
tors. Miss Terry spent her childhood
among many brothers and sisters, for the
family numbered six, Kate, Ellen, Marian,
Florence, Charles and Fred They all Went
on the stage and several of them made
quite name for themselves. When only
eight years old Miss Terry made her debut:
Charles Kean, on April rs, 1856, revived
THE Winters Tale at the Princess me
alter in London, and little Ellen played the
part of the boy Mamillus. and also had the
honor to make her first appearance In the
presence of the late Queen Victoria, the
prince consort and the princess royal
Charles Kean played LeonteS, ana as re-
Spouse to his questlon-"Art thou my poyF
Ellen replied: "Ay, my good lord. T1ese
were her first professional WORDS, spoken
while she marched on the stage in red and
white coat and pink stockings, training
small go-cart behind her.
The venture proved a success for fhe
Winters Tale had a run OF one nundreu
nights, and Ellen played her part so Well
that she soon was promoted TO more I'M
portant roles, plays and pantomlme
Her Married Life.
When only sixteen years old Miss Terry
married c. T. Watts, the well-known art
list, and retired from the stage for three
years. In 1867 she appeared again at the
Queens Theater in "A Double Marriage,
and in December of that year undertook
the part of Katherine in THE Tanning OF
the Shrew," when she acted with Sir henry
Irving for the first time.
In 1868, after her marriage to e. A. war
dell an actor. whose stage name was
Charles Kelly, Ellen Terry again retired
from the stage, this time for seven years
emerging from her retirement to play the
part of PhlIippa Chester in The Wander
Ing Heir" by Charles Reade, at the Prince
of Wales Theater Miss Terry IN 1879;
pIayed Portia in 1.-The Merchant of Venice,
at the same theater, with the Bancrofts
Her great success was won In 1878. wnen
she played Ophelia in Hamlet with Sir
Henry Irving. From that time until ieo-
she remained with him as leading lady, re-
peatedly touring the British provinces aho
visiting the United States five times. With
Sir Henry she played most of the important
female Shakespearean roles, Fortia, June.
and Desdemona being among the most
popular. The success of their combination
was very great.
Her Most Popular Role.
Ellen Terry's most popular role was as
Mistress Page in 1.-The Merry Wives OF
windsor" In 1904 she appeared In re-
markable production of this play with
Beerbohm Tree at His Majesty's Theater,
and on Friday. April 27, she again appeared
as Mistress Page to celebrate the jubilee OF
her tiftieth year on the stage.
Miss Terry is intensely popular with the
English people, and 1t Is safe to say that
this popularity is chiefly due TO her great
personal charm. Her popularity In the
United States is not much less than IN
England, and when a committee was formed
in London to organize a fitting celebration
Of her jubilee British and Americans, as
well as the citizens of many continental
countries responded most heartily. The
committee asked for shilling subscriptions
and In q short time 10000 shilling ($1O0O)
were collected Queen Alexandra sent q
diamond and ruby pendant of great yaiue
and actors from all over the world have as
sisted in making the celebration success
full for Miss Terry is also popular among
her colleagues. She has helped great
many actors who needed assistance, even
If she at times made 1t extremely Difficult,
for them. for she has the Terry memory,
which often makes the possessor forget her
cues and forces her to use some by-play
which is exceedingly exasperating to those
who are waiting for their cue.
OF Miss Terry's immediate family only
the youngest sister has died. but her other
brothers and sisters were doubtless able to
attend her jubilee performance. Her two
children Gordon and Edith Craig, have
both appeared on the stage, while Edith
has made a name for herself as a designer
OF costumes. Gordon has devoted himself
exclusively to stage production and mas
made some artistic innovations.
Miss Terry at present resides at Winchei-
sea, Sussex, where In her home, 1oWef
Cottage" she has a large collection OF
playhouse curlosities. bric-a-brac and pic
lures.