Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-25

career of this widely known woman,
and it was New York that gave her
the stage name she soon made famous
Lillian Russell. To be specific, the
late Tony Pastor fastened that cog
nomen upon tho fair singer and started
her on her professional career Her
debut was made at Pastors theater
on Lower Broadway in a travesty on
The Pirates of Penzance." in 1880.
Lillian Russell was then just a slip
of q girl. but her beautiful face and
splendid voice made her an immediate
faVoritc 1t was not long after this
that she branChed out into comic opera
and went to London, there to create
the title roll i'm Dorothy" and later to
sing in "Bill-ee Taylor and one or
two other comic operas of that period
Prior to her trip abroad Miss Russell
came to California with Willie Edouin
and Alice AthertOn in n musical farce
called Fun i'm Photograph Gallery"
This was her first appearance west of
the great divide.
Upon her return from England
where she studied music for four years.
she leaped into renewed popularity in
New York city and remained there for
several seasons i'm the operas she
brought over from London These
were the early days in the history of
the famous Casino, ana 1t was her
personality that built up the reputa-
tion Of that once great home of the
best in American comic opera. Under
the various managoments of the Aaron
son regime, the late Henry Abbey, T
Henry French and Lederer she con-
tributod II full score of great musical
productions to the American stage.
Among these can be remembered 'Fhe
Princess Of Trcbizonde,' la Peri
Chole," The Grand Duchess" "Girotie-
Girofa." AN American Beauty
princess Nicotine" La Cigale,"
Poor Jonathan and many others that
were of that same delightful school.
Thcn STANCE and Edwardes wrote
The Wedding Day and under the
management of Seutor Reynolds of
Brooklyn Miss Russell was the bright
particular star Of that interesting tri-
star organization in which jefferson
dc Angels and Della FOX were asso-
clatcd with her
After several seasons n this work
Miss Russell was the first star chosen
to head the great organization that
Weber q Fields established in New
York and which set n now mark for
musical success of a light variety in
this country, She remained with them
scyCn seasons, making brief tours each
spring.
Then she yonturcd forth in a musical
THE School for Scandal which was
known as Lady Teazle,' This was
only Il fair success in a musical sense,
but it marked n turning point i'm the
career OF the star. BY her enactment
Of the screen scene which was lifted
from the old comedy bodily Lillian
Russell convinced the skeptics that she
possessed real ability for comedy char
actcrization.
Joseph Brooks was 50 taken by her
work that he induced her to abandon
musical work and take up straight
comedy Her first venture was a play
called "Barhara's Millions" IT was
not quite inc worst play ever written
but il had some near claims TO that
distinctions Again the skeptics croaked
and the venture proved a complete
failure. But not discouraged, Miss
Russell that same season began tour
i'm Il light comedy by Kellett Chambers
called "rho Butterfly" which proved
an enormous success Her tour was a
triumph. The same play was seen at
the Burbank recently under the title
Of AN American Widow"
Then Miss Russell, under the Brooks