The Elbert County tribune., 1906-12-27


left for mere repining. Then | went
in for stocks. and worked as hard as
any broker, and you must know what
an absorbing life he leads. Still, there
was something missing-the kindly
approval of my old friends, the thea
ter-going public.
"PubIc Sounds Real Call"
81 had accumulated a competency
that would make me comfortable to
the end of my days, but the vista of
approaching years in this mere com
fort held no pleasure, no real living
for me. 1t was the call of the stage.
and had to answer. | found a vau-
deville vehicle. and with Mr.. William
Harcourt took "A flyer in Brooklyn.
With the first welcoming round of APP
plause | knew | had done right. Life
was once more worth living. | will
play a few vaudeville dates in New
York houses only. and then assume
ne@ role in Broadway production
| am back in the business to stay. 1t
is rot the bright lights we hunger for
1t !. not the salary, the pretty clothes,
but the friend liness of our audiences,
the rounds of applause. This is to
the actress what the clink of gold is
to the miser The public sounds the
real call for the actress to return
Henry Miller, actor-manager. says:
ITO begin with. l do not consider that
the call of the stage is all-powerful.
Many successful actors and actresses
retire in the very height of their pop
ularity and are forgotten by the pub
lie, but this is no sign that they yearn
to return to the footlights or are un-
happy. For instance, only to-day |
saw Agnes Huntington driving on
Fifth avenue, looking absolutely radi-
ant and oblivious to the call of the
theater. Agnes Ethel, Mary Anderson
and Julia Arthur were happy after
their retirement And | could name a
score of one-time prominent actors
who have gone into various lines of
business and are content
Il believe that the really true and
great artist loves simplicity, and after
she reaches a certain point in expert
ence she is ready to go back where
she started, close to nature and truth.
popularity, for there are STYLES in ac-
tors as in colors: some last only
season, like the faddish colors some
live in public favor, like the standard
colors. The public reads of the wom-
an who comes out of retirement be-
cause she is exploited. The actress
who remains in retirement is not ex-
plotted Many women remain in the
profession or return to 1t through
sheer necessity. This side of the
question is never exploited by the
press agent. An empty purse is often
the stern, unromantic reason for
return to the footlights. You must
bear in mind, too, that the actress
takes much of her pay in applause
or appreciation, an intoxicant hard to
wean ones self from. The public
bestows upon her an exaggerated
adulation, which, even as she realizes
its transitory character. is sweet"
AS Author Views It.
Rose Stahl as Patricia OBrien in
THE Chorus Lady" thus defines the
call of the stage when her lover, Dan
Mallory, urges her to marry him and
settle down on stock farm:
I've met more than one doll that's
thrown a good man down hard just to
get back to the bright lights. They
talk great about it's being love for
their art. but it's nothing but hunch
for the excitement. I'm no better
than anybody else, and I'm kind of
afraid"
Claiming Pollock, who has viewed
the profession from many angles, as
dramatic critic, press agent, play
wright and play producer, says: "The
call of the stage is the voice of vani-
ty. | know of no other profession in
which appreciation, recognition and
applause follow so quickly upon
achievement. And once a woman has
been fed on this diet of instant appro-
baton she will have no other. She
must feed on approval of her person
and her work. Nothing else will sat
fsfy her-and that is vanity. Mere
salary does not content an actress.
She must have the applause. ! have
known actresses to jeopardize sala 7
and contract to steal one good lire
from lSlio"-pidyeT ny juggling the
dialogue. The line may be inartistic.
the situation unreal, but if it is good
for laugh or a hand the star will
demand it. Recently in staging one
of my own plays selected a woman
Of 36 to play the role of a woman
aged 35. The actress objected I
don't want to play middle-aged roles
vel she exclaimed