The Washington herald., 1909-01-31
MRS. F1sKE's CAREER.
Parts Created During a Long and
Honorable Stage Life.

Honorable Stage Life.
Mrs. Minnie Aaddern Fiske was born in
New Orleans. Her father vas Thomas
Davy. prominent in the South ss thest-
rical manager. and her mother. Mrs
Elizabeth Maddern. the daughter OF
Richard Maddern. an English musician,
who came 10 this country with a large
family and organized e travelling concert
company composed Of his own children.
The organization vas known as the Mad
dern family. Mrs. Msddern became we'll
known actress later under her husbands
management.
Mrs. Fiske was two years old when she
first went on the stage. AS Minnie Mad
dern she made her debut in Little Rock.
Ark, at the age OF three, as the Duke
OF York, in Richard III" She first sp-
pesred in New York with Laura Keene,
in Hunted Down" being then FIVE years
old. She later played Prince Arthur in
the revival Of King John,' at Booths
Theater. New York, with John McCul-
Tough, Junius Brutus Booth, and Agnes
Booth in the cast
When she was twelve years old she
Louise in The Two Orphans" When
thirteen she assumed the round OF child
parts with Barry Sullivan. and later with
Lucille Western. She was the original
Little Fritz in J. h Emmet's first pro-
duction at WalIacks and Niblo's, New
York; Paul in The octoroon," at Phila-
delphia; FRANKIE In ''Guy Mannering. with
Mrs Waller; Sybl in "a Wolf in Sleeps
Clothing" with Carlotta lie Clerq; Little
Mary Morgan in Ten Nights IN a Bar
room" with Yankee Locke, IN Boston.
and the child IN Across the Continent.
with Oliver Doud Byron.
she took the child's part with E. L.
Davenport in Damon and Pythies." and
other plays in Philadelphia; she played
Heinrich and Mennie, in RIP Van
Winkle;'' Adrienne, In Days Monsieur
Alphonse:" the boys part in ''The Posom
Friend" Alfred. in the first road produc-
ton Of Divorce" George. in ''Frou
Frou," with Mrs scott SiddoHs: the child,
/ in The Chicago Fire" HiIda. in Emmett s
carl and Hilda;" Ralph Rackstraw. in
HOOley's juvenile ''Pinaforev company.
and Clip in "A Messenger from jarvis
Section At :he the age az ten she
acted the sun god IN David BidweIl's pro-
duetion OF The Ice Witch" at New Or
leans. and also in Aladdin" The White
Fawn, and other spectacular pieces.
I Brief periods were spent by the young
l actress in French or convent schools
/ in the cities OF New Orleans. St Louis.
! Montreal, and Cincinnati. Her education.
despite her constant change OF locality,
was nethodical and il was carefully su-
pervised by her mother.
Mrs. Fiske became a star at the age
Of sixteen. After that time and up to
( the time OF her temporary retirement she
/ had become identified with several plays.
among them being Caprice" and In
+ Spite Of All" When she was married in
I 1890 to Harrison Grey Fiske. and retired
/ from the stage. she had no thought OF
] a permanent REIMBURSEMENT OF the thea
I ter. On her return 20 the stage she soon
/ took place in the front rank Of American
/ actresses. Her repertoire includes the
parts Of Nora IN a Dolls House; Marie
I Deloche. IN The Queen OF Liars" C'La
8Onteuse'0; Cesarine, in La Femme de
Claude. Madeline. in Love Finds a
! Way Marguerite Merrington's sdapts-
tiOn OF the German play. -Das Recht suf
/ Gluck'D: Cyprienne. IN Divorcons :
1 dagda GHberte. in 'FrOu FroG". and the
one-aCt plays. Little Italy" "A Bit OF
! Old Chelsea a Light from St Agnes.
! Not Guilty" and a White Pink"
Mrs Fiske has been accepted through
out the country as one Of the foremost
/ American actress when in the spring OF
/ 1887 she appeared in ''Fess OF the d'Urber-
I villes," at the Manhattan TheateT. New
/ York Subsequent successors were Lang
I don h4tchelfs comedy entitled Becky
/ Sharp" Miranda OF the Balcony" The
/ Cnwelc0me Mrs. Hatch, Paul Hayes
Mary Of Nagdela," I5sen's "Hedda
/ Gabler," c n s Mcclellan $ Leah
/ Kleschna, produced IN 1895. a one-sct
play by John Luther Long entitled
Dolce" and The New York Idea" As
/ Rebecca s.est in "Rosmersholm." Mrs.
Fiske played her twenty second inpor-
tant role since her return TO the stage
/ Salvation Nell is number twenty-three.