Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-05-24
THE PRESS AGENT
AND THE Artistic
BY A PRESS AGENT
NHE extent to which the press agent
makes the reputation OF an ac-

H HE extent to which the press agent
makes the reputation oil an ac-
- tress is well illustrated by thu
case of katherine Grey, who comes to
the Mason this week in Clyde Fitchs
play The Truth" Miss Grey has
played many important parts, and has
TOR the past ten years been recognized
as an exceedingly clever actress. She
has played roles i'll this city with
Mansfield and other stars, but because
she has never had her daily doings and
her little peculiarities and fads ex-
plotted she returns to Los Angeles,
where her father resides, almost a
stranger
Only one story is on record concern
ing Miss Grey, and as that was true Ii
never travelled far. 1t appeared in the
New York Mail and Express of Sep
TENDER II, 1894, and told how the
actress averted panic by extinguish-
ing d fire on the stage in Augustus
Thomas play, New Blood" at Pal
mer's theater the previous night.
Mr.. Lackaye had lighted a spirit
lamp on the breakfast table as required
by his part. lie and Miss Grey mad u
long dialogue Immediately following,
and as they talked at the extreme right
of the stage the lamp became over
heated AMI the tabecloth caught fire.
without HllSSlliS ii WDIu VI iiSi uitAF
logue Miss Grey walked over TO the
table, and standing between the audi
ence and the miniature confiagration,
quickly extinguished the flames.
1t was a small matter to her, and she
never told the story outside the thea-
ter. A reporter who was present
casually mentioned it in the morning
paper
What a competent press agent might
al
obvious, but the press agent was work
ing overtime for Wilton Laekaye, not
for Katherine Grey.
| Miss Grey next appeared with Rlcn-
| ard Mansfield, in whose company she
continued for two seasons. or course
there was no chance for anyone except
Mansfield to secure any boosting IN
the great mans vicinity, though the
critics were more than kind to the
clever and pretty young woman IN
Stoddard's Napoleon" Shaw's Arms
and the Man." Gunter's prince Kari,
and Feuillet's Partisan Romance,
she was invariably mentioned as, next
to Mansfield, the chief contributor 10
the plays success.
| Once again it was her fortune ana
misfortune to play opposite man OF
great reputation. She created Nell IN
"Shore Acres" with James A, Herne
in the leading role. Here again ner
proximity to the actor-manager ieIt her
outside tlfe circle of the press agents
| labors. .,,,,
Miss Grey had a part in THE Royal
Box" that added many green leaves 70
her crown of laurel, but made her no
better known to the great PUBIC. Pc
cause she was playing underline WORD
expires ses the situation to a nlcety-
| Charles Coghlan. She was the Wnole
success of the shortlived "Southerh
Romance" and gained the approval
of every intelligent auditor. but again
she was in the employ OF an actor
manager Dietrichstein.
Follow her now to James \. fiack-
ett's company, where she played lead
ing roles under the Frohman banner.
Can YOU see anything in the way OF
press notoriety coming to anyone ex-
cent James K. under such clrcuih.
stances? Yet her F'lavia in Rupert Oh
Hentzau," was selected by the crlsics
as The gem of the play.
1t all comes to this in the END. Inc
age is one of puff and bluff. PuII
enough and you bluff the world into pc.
lieying you are what you call youfseil.
THE press agent is the actors pest
friend. 1t availeth little to be great
and artistic unless the press agent
herald your greatness and artistry 10
the world.
| Viva the press agent!