Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-05
BY SHIRLEY OIL LYMPlUs


height, assumed an Olga Neither
sole expression, and, with the
ring of ambitious sincerity said:
II want to actl actll actlll"
1t was no amateur who uttered
the potent words. 1t was tiny
mite of an actress whose hold on
success, which in time will be-
come fame, is tenacious - Viena
Bolton, better known as the little
street Arab who is such an ardent
adnirer of Swat Milligan," base
ball god.
If you will use twelve as a divis-
or and ffty-fve as a quotient,
you will obtain four as a divi-
dend, with remainder of seven.
In other words, Viena Bolton is
just four feet seven inches tall.
But she's not a dwarf, nor a
Lilliputian. She is pocket edi-
ton of giantess.
Size has naught to- do with
ability. Certain statures may in
hibit the enactment of certain
rules but the ability to portray
remains the same, for portrayal is
more mental than physical. So
it is with Miss Bolton. AS she
divided her time between remov-
ing grease paint and telling of
her ambition, | saw her now as
Lady Macbeth, then as Little
Eva and again as star in little
play all her own.
Not so long ago that it has
been blotted out from the men,
ory of citizens of San Jose, Miss
Bolton was trudging to school in
that city, arms bending beneath
a dozen textbooks. In those days
Viena wore her hair in two long
braids which reached several
inches below her waist. Even
then, Viena was mimic of all,
though she was not a village
cutup in any sense of the word.
She "acted out" just because it
seemed the natural thing to do,
she says.
From nearby San Francisco
came the call of Thespus one
bright afternoon. Viena hearing,
hardened. Carefully depositing
her books on the table of the
Bolton home, Viena started out
to find the exact spot from
whence emenated the siren tones.
In other words she ran away
from home to become an actress.
But running away to become a
stage favorite and becoming one
are far removed efforts. Viena
found San Francisco rather larg-
er than San Jose, and bit less
ready to receive her as a possible
Sarah Bernhardt. She starved
a while and then went back to
San Jose, where she joined the
Redmond Dramatic Stock COM
pany. A season with the Red
mond organization fired ambition
to such an extent that she went
to New York.
If all the heartaches of an am
bilious actress who tricks to the
Great White Way in quest of
fame and fortune were set down
on paper many large volume
would be filled. Suffice it to say
Miss Bolton had many heart
aches, but succeeded because of
her size rather than because of
any managerial belief in her abil-
ity. She played in two companies
-one of them ''Paid in Full
before she happened to hear of
the part she now plays in "Swat
Milligan."
In telling of securing her pres
ent engagement Miss Bolton
said: when l walked into the
office to get the engagement I
was as be-ribboned and be-
plumed and wore as high French |
heels as the soubiest soubrette.
| really was engaged because my
high-heeled feet did not touch
the floor while i sat on chair
in the managers office" !
SIMPSONS strength was
ascribed to his hair. Viena Boil
ton declares it was her hair that
made her small.
'When I was little girl, and
by that I mean a kiddie," said |
Miss Bolton, my mother insisted
that / wear my hair in long
braids. My hair was considered
my chief charm, for l had great
long, thick braids. All my strength
or growing ability must have
gone into my hair. l used to cry
because my mother refused to al
low me to have some of the hair
cut off. guess would not be
playing in Swat Milligan' if it
had not been for my hair.
Every experience / have I
welcome because | feel it helps
me in my work. I study every
body and everything. Some day
| hope to do something sensa-
,.i IT.. 49, - III