Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-30
STARS WHO CANE FROM RANKS
Former Chorus Girls Who Now Lead
Popular Plays.
MAIDS OF METTLE WIN WAY
Merry-Merry work Attracts Attention
and Astute MANAGERS Coin into
Dollar the Capacity of
BrIRht Girls.

1t is doubtful whether many people real
ize the number of stage favorites Of today
who got their start in the chorus. This is
particularly true. naturally enough, of the
light opera world. though there have been
many notable instances OF dramatic play
ers who received their initial stage training
as chorus singers.
II was as a chorus singer that Lulu Gla-
ser received her first introduction to the
footlights. making her debut in 1892 with
Francis Wilson in '"The Lion Tanner" She
also served in the capacity Of understudy
to Marie Jansen. and so great was her sue
cess that the year following she became
Mr.. Wilson's leading woman, a position she
held for six years, and since then she has
been starring at the head Of her own com
pany.
Another instance Of a chorus understudy
making rapid advancement was that Of
Mabel Gilman. She was discovered in her
native San Francisco about ten years ago
by the late Augustin DAILY and made her
debut under his management in ''The
Geisha." She also sang in the chorus Of
Poupee,' THE Circus Girl' and Shakes
peare's "The Tempest" In each Of which
she understudied Virginia Earl. When Mr..
DAILY brought out The Runaway Girl" he
cast her for the leading soubrette role Of
Alice. From that moment Miss Gilman's
star was in the ascendant. On May II, 1907.
she became the wife of william Ellis Corey.
A third instance was that of Julia San
derson. Five years ago she was singing In
the chorus of "WinsOme Winnie when one
night Paula Edwardes, the star of the or
ganlzation, was unable to play and Miss
Sanderson volunteered to save the day. So
great was her success in that single per-
Torrance that a few months later she was
playing the leading role in "A Chinese
Honeymoon" which was followed by en-
g~agements with De Wolf Hopper in
Wang" Jefferson De Angels in Fan
tana,' Richard Golden in 1.-THE Tourists, -
in vaudeville and in THE Dairy Maids"
Paula Edwardes herself gained her first
stage encouragement In much the same
way as Miss Sanderson. Some years ago
she was one of the chorus singers in the
support of Thomas @. Seabrooke In TIA
basco," also acting as understudy to Elvia
Croix, whose part she played upon several
occasions, and with such credit that the
next season she obtained a small part In
Hoyt's "A Black Sheep" Her advancement
thereafter was rapid. and In recent sea-
sons she has been an Independent star in
"Winsome Winnie and Princess Beg
gar"
Six years ago the chorus Of "The Chap
eFons'' had enrolled among its members
Salhe Fisher, Nellie Follis, Sadie Harris
and May de Sousa. Today Miss Fisher is
In the star class. singing the leading role
In "A Stubborn Cinderella" in Chicago, and
she is well remembered on Broadway as
prima donna in THE Billionaire," ''The Of
flee Boy" Sergeant Bruce" THE Man
From Now" 1.-The Tattooed' Man" and "A
Knight for a Day"
Miss Follis, after creating the leading
soubrette role in 'rhe Binionaire." married
and retired from the stage. Miss Harris,
who is a sister-in-law of Lew NJ. Fields,
Is nov playing one of the leading parts
in 'The Talk of New York. in the support
of Victor Moore. while Miss de Sousa,
having worked her way up to being a
.prima donna. has become one of the fav-
orites OF the European stage, appearing
in London for a long time in cinderella. 81
Castles in SPAIN THE Geisha' and The
Girls OF Gottenberg."
1t only seems a short time ago that Irene
Bentley was a Lederer chorus girl, enjoy
ing a reputation as LILLIAN Russell's
double" That was at least ten years age
however, and since then Miss Bentley has
made decided progress in her professional
career through her work as prima donna
Of such productions as THE Belle of Bo-
hemiR.' The Strollers," The Wild Rose
THE Girl From Dixie, " THE Belle of May
fair." and now in THE Mimic World"
Hattie Williams, now a prima donna, was
one of f. T.. Rice's chorus warhlers about
a dozen years ago in '1492," but she soor
worked her way up into minor roles ir
various organizations. After being leading
lady in "The Girl From Maxlm's' and witt
the Rogers Brothers, Miss Williams woT
favor in The Girl From Kay's" and 9Th,
Rollicking Girl which brought her into
the stellar fame Of ''The Little Cherub'
and Miss Fluffy Ruffles."
Mimi Ashley, now Mrs. William Astol