New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-25
MISS STARR ON ACTING
THE 4CTRESS SHOULD BE
MISTRESS or PlRT."
Enthusiasm IN and Natural Liking
for Playing Essential TO Success
Some Incidents.

''T'he ideas which some persons have about
those who make the stage their profession often
amuse me. and at the same time they strike mo
as being curious" said Miss Frances Starr in
discussing stage matters generally $50 many
persons fail TO realize that actors and actresses
are just human beings. often a little more hui
man than the average man or woman that they
are prompted by the same impulses. actuated by
the same ambitions, and of the stage their lives
much the same as any one elses. Some or
them arc good. some bad some are happy some
unhappy of them successful. some
fail The average person, however. does not
seem to understand that acting is a serious pro
fession. and that actors follow it as such just as
much the banker, the doctor or any other
professional or business man."
Miss Starr was sitting in her dressing room
at the theatre IN which she is now playing She
is peculiarly attractive and girlish in appear
ance: her manner is direct. simple, gracious and
entirely devoid Of affectation: her voice, which
is now familiar to so many playgoers. Is UNI
usually sweet AMI pleasing To the ear, n Miss
Starr is burdened with temperament she
keeps that fact entirely disguised
HAS MUCH PERSONAL CHARM
II is difficult to reconcile ones preconceiyed
ideas OF the personality of the actress who
achieved one of the greatest successes Of the sea-
son last year with the frank. unaffected, girl
ishly engaging actuality indeed. a dtbutante's
ball would seem II more fitting setting for that
actuality than stage and an audience swayed
by her Interpretation of difficult emotional
part Her lack of assumption and her sim
pllcity of manner add to her personal charm.
The constant change of expression in talking is
IA noticeable characteristic.
ITO illustrate my point" continued Miss
Starr. when | was playing in The Rose of the
Rancho an old blind woman used TO go TO the
play every evening She wrote me lots of let
tiers. telling me how she liked my voice. and
often she sent me baskets of flowers. Il cannot
see YOU she said in one of her letters. but
can hear you, and know that any with a
voice like yours must be beautiful AMI good. I
should like 10 90 To SEE you some time / told
her that would be glad to have her CALL and
one day she came. We chatted about different
things for few moments, when suddenly she
jumped up Why you are nothing but an on
binary woman, she exclaimed. and dOunced ou
else she expected To be. but was sorry q
they were. destroyed"
WAS it the glamour of the footghs thg
led you to career OH the Stage?"
NOT ATTRACTED BY GLAMOUR s..
NO. was the rather thoughtful reply; al
though | have liked my work from the first day,
| wis never really what might be called stage
struck My going on the stage happened in this
way was living in Albany, and had alwayx
had an intense longing 10 be independent Then.
was only one way could be that and that was
lay working. Walking down the street one day,
passed theatre where stock company was
playing. On the impulse of the moment 2
go, -,