The Washington herald., 1908-04-05
ACTORS WHO'S WHO?


Violet Mersereau. the pet Of THE Clans
man. company, had the distinction Of ap-
pearing before royalty in London when
supporting Miss Maxine Elliott In a
childs part in Her Own Way
Maude Durand attributes her success
with the role Of Nanny Eve in The
clansman' 70 her schooling as an Uncle
Tommer. She is still remembered as
Emmeline. the slave girl. in William A.
Brady's all-star production Of Harriet
Stoves drama. a few years ago
George Marion, the widely known stage
director, who is a member Of the cast TO
be seen during the current week at the
Belasco Theater in the new Armstrong
Beach farce Going Some, bears a Won
derfully striking resemblance upon the
stage to President Roosevelt The ike
ness is purely accidental and was not no.
ticed by Mr. Marion until his attention
was called TO It at the first dress rehears-
al. The part which he plays is that OF
Willie. who might be called "a somewhat
unique bad man"
Mr.. c. Aubrey Smith. who piays Sir
Marcus Ordeyne. in the Morals OF Mar
Gus" is an English actor Of great versa
tility. He Is a graduate Of Charter
House and Cambridge, and his original
intention was to have M. D." attached
TO his name. He left college with con-
siderable reputation as an athlete. es-
peeially as a cricketer and football
player While in college he staged the
predictions OF the college dramatic So
ciety, and there became inoculated with
the theatrical germ. His distinguished
manliness attracted the attention OF John
Hare. and his first professional engage
ment was with that weil-knoWn actor.
Nh Smith toured America with Hare,
playing Aubrey Tanqueray, in The Sec
ond Mrs Tanqueray," and the Curate, in
The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith." Later
he returned 10 England and became as
sociated with MT. George Alexander, at
the St James and Duke OF YORK the
aters, both as player and acting man
ager. Subsequently he became leading
man with Mrs. Patrick Campbell. Later
ne Joined Forbes-R robertson. and played
with that actor in The Light that
Failed lie also appeared in the origi-
nal productions in England Of Lady
Windemere's Fan and Alice Sit-by-the-
Fire" also THE Walls of Jericho" He
was the original Sir Marcus Ordeyne, in
the London production Of THE Morals
Of Marcus AR Smith is a musician Of
no mean ability One of his accomplish
ments was the setting 10 music of Rud-
yard Kiplings "Barrack Room Ballads"
He is also a clever painter Of pastel por-
traits.
Ar Leslie Harris. England's greatest en-
tertainer at the piano, is fast making for
himself a name here equal 10 that already
made IN England. At his American debut
at the Hudson Theater. on January Il, ne
faced one Of the largest and most repre-
sentative audiences ever seen within the
theater's walls. On the following morning
Mr. Harris woke up 10 find himself famous
in America. Without a single exception
every critic spoke in the most laudatory
terms OF the newcomer. Acton Davies. Of
the Evening sun, hailed him as the peer
il not the superior of both George Gros-
smith and Corney Grain, the Herald said
he delighted his audience" the Times
called him "a clever and gifted man. the
Tribune said that ne could amuse any
ment a pleasure and a prodt 20 all con
cerned Harpers Weekly agreed with
Harris claims 10 being "Englands great
est entertainer at the piano. and said.
we are disposed to agree With him. And
so IL went al along the line. Even the
Associated Press sent out 500 words about
the new entertainer" Since his debut.
Mr. Harris has appeared in public before
clubs and al dinners and receptions il
New York Boston, Baltimore, Albany,
Montreal Toronto, and in Washington.
Leslie Harris IS a Liverpool boy-Bas
born on Russell street thirty-seven years
ago. He is an athlete, a lover Of outdoor
sports, and plays "a bad game OF golf
most enthusiastically He IS very ener-
getic and stands very straight. has blue
eyes, brown hair and IS clean shaven.
He is called the best dressed public en-
teTtaineT in England" His fads run 70
swimming and walking. During his two
years in Australia, he had q number of
opportunities Of using his quick wits and
his well-tUained muscles. Once while
playing at Cape Town. South Africa. he
was taken NJ into the Kafir country,
and for an act Of bravery was presented
/ by Kaf3r chief with a gold bracelet.
which he wears occasionally on his right
1
! clean-limbed man Of thirty-seven. He
wears glasses and parts his hair in the
middle. If he has any accent az ali his
speech IS more Ike the cultured BOsfonian
than the average Britisher. His first re-
quest on landing was 10 see the inside OF
/ the Hudson Theater. where he made his
debut. In three hours he had visited the
stage tried the acoustics Of the theatsr.
/ selected his piano, corrected his pro-
/ gramme, counted Up the advance sale, and
/ tumbled into his first American Turkish
bath.
! FIR one SO apparently young IN years.
Marie .Doro, who viii be seen in This
Morals Of Marcus" at the National The
ater. has had a considerable theatrical
/ experience. both in this country and
abroad. Quite true. this is the first sea-
son that her name has been displayed in
/ the large type that follows elevation 10
''stardom," but Miss Doro did not gain
/ the goal without strenuous effort and
sincere application. Hers is another in
stance Of climbing the ladder. Common
report has it that this newest of Charles
/ Frohman's stars is a graduate OF the
| chorus. but this statement is denied by
the little actress herself. not vehemently,
| but regretfuily. for. to quote Miss Doro;
/ I'm sorry I did not grace the chorus.
/ The credit for advancement would be
/ the greater" Miss Doros earliest in
/ elinations were for a musical career, but
after several years OF earnest endeavor.
she reached the point of physical lfmita-
tons. It was Charles Frohman who first
SavT dramatic r,oecfkfIfsfas ffst1e