The San Francisco call., 1908-09-13
BY Walter Anthony

t-HE beginning is always the in
te-esting moment The start, the
getaway, that is what counts. I'm
told. In a 6ght or IN horse race
as wen as in the less important
affairs u a-t and industry.
II isn't an easy matter 10 get the right
viewpoint Of the start Of q successful
artist We get easy enough the sue
cessful artists own stOry-or the
friends story. or the press agents
story-0f how he or she began, but
this is such a long distance view and
IS 50 often dOped with literary color
luE matter Of various sorts Nhal II Is
more or less subject TO suspicion. II
needs the services OF the analytical
chemist Of literary pure food bureau
50 in the interest Of future historical
accuracy / have undertaken TO get at
Toast one artists start at the start
tEc story OF how she began at close
quarters. She may be successful some
Ga1-I am taking that chance-and II
she be. why here is the record 10 spring
on the r0mancers who knew her
Wnen--, etc
Wrapped up in the initial endeavor
are fate and future There are few
men who like Dave War1eld are able
10 forget failure and smother il with
success So the interview with Miss
ing part in play this week contains
the element OF suspense just as in a
play, for she has placed her foot on
the first rung Of the ladder and says
sne is ready and willing 10 climb.
How far2" I asked
who can teII2" she replied. Yankee
like. I'm willing 10 work and I'll
be willing 10 quit II need be But I'll
not stop until I'm sure that success and
-
How viii you know Il you faiic I
J. lzed-
= please give me credit for having
sense enough 10 know the difference
between success and failure she said.
II 90 not have illusions about the stage
and I am not stage struck Please re-
member that ] see in the theater a
medium for the exercise Of such talent
as / think I possess. 1 have tried
commerce and ] have been telegraph
operator must earn nay own living,
you sce-but in no work that 1 have
ever attempted have I found nay INTER
est and concern strong ike the stage,
believe I can do something there that
VIII be worth while, and ] am happy,
finally. TO have received a chance TO
rrove whether am fitted for the work
or not
How does one get a hearing" said ].
It's weary work" she said. HOW
weary and disheartening you VIII not
know Until you try it yourself ] tell
you that ID takes more grit and charsic-
rer. determination and stamina 10 be a
successful actress than 10 win fame
in any other profession know be-
cause have learned for myself the tre-
mcndous ODDS that are against the girl
who starts. Assurance and confidence
arc worn 10 a web before you are done
with the first step.
DO not mistake this point I am
not making my professional debut this
week BY no means I have been on
the stage before"
What did you play?"
Purely ruminating roles. I did
nothing but think. but this week ]
become vocal for the first time It
VIII be quite an experience, and OF
course I am greatly excited about IL
II sou really want TO know how
girl gets a chance on the stage III
leIl you nay life's history.
Miss Davis has a fund OF hunor and
a sense Of the comic which VIII for
ever prevent her taking herself too
seriously. She says she wants 20 do
d reavv" rOles-villianesses ana ad
U anturesses and the like. I prophesy
fhat the twinkle in her eye and the
healthy point Of view she takes on
life viii land her in comedy. Not mu-
sical comedy. but real comedy
TO begin al the beginning ng-and I'm
rot going TO tell you how long ago that
s. either-I was born IN Santa Rosa
1Iv father was a ra5lTOaailgan. and
have the honor Of being the only feni-
nine member Of the Pacific coast assO-
citation OF traffic agents. That was be-
cause ] was q railroad employe under
my father in the city Of roses. 1 came
10 san Francisco a few years ago be-
cause rsilroading was not as pleasant.
] thought. as staging OF course, I
had ambitions and wanted to be an ac-
tress. but the way did not open, IN
spite Of the fact that Santa Rosa ANA
reur theatricals had been my recrea-
tion for a long time. and IN spite OF
the fact, too. that I have theatrical
blood in my veins. Della McQuaid,
who was considered a second Adelaide
Nielsen. is my aunt
Incidentally Miss McQuaid viii be
remembered by Alcazar patrons OF
wears ago, for she was leading woman
with the company IN the early days Of
its history
$50. lacking a chance TO start on
the stage. i became a purchasing
agent. but the business which ! had
worked up suffered the same shaking
down that everything else did in 1906.
Since the fire ! have been hanging
on 10 the skirts Of the theatrical pro-
fessiOn. I went 10 the Liberty IN Oak
land and ! was member Of Katherine
Grey's company al the Novelty recent
ly. The role ] played2 Confined 10
thinking. After that ] did similar
parts in Oakland and then al the Aica-
zsr. and now get my chance 10 speak
Think OF a young woman getting her
-s-rst opportunity TO talk. Do you
wonder i am pieased2
Everybody was buzzing the stage
director. Mr.. Sedley Brown, when I ap-
preached him for a position. Ny heart
failed. for ] thought there was no
chance for an utter stranger. How
ever. ! pulled my courage and forti-