The San Francisco call., 1909-10-10

~ christened. Ethelbert Burke, is
now a star. A star. let us say.
OF the fourth magnitude, for,
though she glimmers beautifully, she
has not yet. I hope. arrived at her
highest power in the theatrical heavens.
dotted with the Drews. Maude Adams
Margaret Anglin. Blanche Bates. Ala
Nazimovs, Mrs. Fiske and the others
which we see without the aid of
telescope.
only four roles have thus far been
intrusted TO the star OF Love
watches" so the lady herself told me
IN our first little chat at the St Francis
lotel the other day. She does not count
her musical comedy experiences in
England, prior TO the time when she
forsook the merry merry for the
more composed and dignihed work of
speaking instead OF singing her COM
edy lines
First there was her appearance with
Hswtrey in Mr.. George" Then came
her appearance with the same star in
Mrs. Ponderbery's Past" in which Miss
Billie played the role of heavy ad-
ventures (imagine IT'D. Then came
her performance Of Trixie IN My
VIE" with John Drew. on this side OF
the Atlantic, and now. after having
leaped from musical comedy TO lead
ing feminine roles with two Of the
greatest actors on the English speak
ing stage Miss Billie Burke. native Of
washington, D. C, is q full fiedged
star-if the metaphor isn't mixed
with II all, however. you can not
discern in her demeanOr the depress
ing evidences Of an unduly developed
ego Billie is still Miss Burke, and
could manage quite nicely If the pre-
valling style OF -women's hats shrunk to
. normal circumference
1T is so fortunate" she said, when
a player Ike I happens to become pop
ular with play patrons"
she attributes her success on the
stage TO opportunity and TO a quality
which by now she recognizes as po-
tent force-a personality This latter
she gives herself no airs about and ac-
e-1ts as gift, as she accepts the color
z her hair or the bloom Of her youth.
She cid not say one word 10 me that
evidenced her belief that she was
great actress
-LTHOUGH born in Washington, d.
"A c., Miss Burke told me it was
! mistake. she should have been
born in the west. 7 love the west"
said she. 1T is so fine and generous
and big"
The star has rot yet recovered from
the exhiIarstion OF the opening night
al the Van Ness, when a san Francisco
audience had fallen at her pretty feet
and had given OF their enthusiasm as
weu as their money to see her I
should have been born in the west,
she repeated. for it is my soul home.
have an affinity. II is California
Miss Burke has been an itinerant all
her life. When she was u her parents
moved away from Washington and
lived in Paris. That's how it is 10
happen. curiousIy, that Miss Burke viii
probably appear next season in a play
wherein she viii speak French, and
which VIII be presented first, in all
likelihood IN Paris.
r. de Flers and G. de Caillavet."
she said, are working on a new play
for me. They are the authors of the
present offering. Love Watches, which
Gladys Unger translated and adapted
for me-
The new play viii tell the story Of
an American girl in Paris, and the
authors are anxious that should ere
ate the role in Paris. playing II, of
course, in French. Any discrepancies
in my manner Of speaking the language
would be- you see. quite explained by
The. fact that the role assigned me
would be that Of an American girl I
could make as many blunders as I
liked. but I think my French is pretty
good. I learned it when a child.
1t would be an unusual experience.
wouldn't it, FOR an American girl TO
play in Paris in a French play The
name OF the comedy has not yet been
determined and only know the merest
details OF the story. but am told it
win be something on the order of
Love Watches and that the type
viii have 10 portray viii be like Jac-
queine in this piece. The French run
10 characters Of that type more than
the English writers. ] think Even IL
you didn't know the authorship OF
Love Watches you woud. be certain
that it was done by Frenchmen. An
English writer woald scarcely conceive
such petulant. headstrong. willful.
Yet Iovable character as Jacqueline."
RuFHETHER Miss Burke regrets
AIack of foundational work in
w stock, and the gradual develop
ment OF her histrionic ability, il would
be hard to say. She told me she was
mighty glad to have gotten away from
England They go so slowly" was
the way she put it. 7 would be a
middle aged woman before could pos
sibIy get on the British stage what 1
have received on the American. Long
years OF soul trying stock experience,
: eraduaI advancement TO leading relies,