The Detroit times., 1911-03-31
ELLIS WHY STAGE FOLK
CHANGE THEIR NAMES

liss Mary Shaw, one OF Americas
"a earnest and capable actresses,
b is playing the name-part In
@orher." drama OF American do
<ntic life. which will be seen Tor
Is first time, In this city, Monday
1ning. I'm the Garrick theater, mas
implied an interesting list OF stage
~ family names of well-known mem
1rs of the profession.
Miss shaw believes there are two
nsons for actors changing their
nmes. She says the first is relic
the olden days, when actors were
coked down upon by respectable cit
ems, and the second Is in the ma
nre Of q species OF psychology as
ocIating the character OF a player
MIN the sound OF his or her name.
TT was on account OF adverse crit
linn that players first began to
<nnge their names" explains Miss
INV, who, by the way, has never
hanged her own family name, and
~ this means hide their real identity,
vt only for the sake OF family
lido, but to prevent jeers and tor
onts from acquaintances and enyi-
~ neighbors-
tThere is nothing like ridicule 10
IU ambition, and when told-time
Myers FIRST attempted stage career.
III considered the lowest OF all as
E11Dfions, they avoided this Joshing
Ia tormepting by using an assumed
&nne. many times preferring TO go
rs distant city to seek fame and Tor
kohfx,A "a fnf,fIfUhfQ
Then, too, family pride has had a
rI>of deal to do with artificial names
- otageland Many parents forbade
1oir children to use the honored
>one OF the household to be dragged
~ the depths OF dramatic art. And
- there was nothing left but to save
NE familys good name and social
Dosit1on by being someone else before
ne eyes OF the public.
ASIDE from all fireside troubles,
|ouf most noted players have changed
heir names for artistic reasons. For
Instance, who would prefer Sarah
rost TO the beautifully soft name of
Julia Marlowe,' or Annie Kiskadden'
10 Maude Adams?' Think how ridicu-
Ious II would sound to hear Larry
Brannigan, announced as Romeo;
how much more elegant Is the name
Lawrence Barrett And think OF the
late Henry Irving, as 'Shylock' under
HIS correct family name OF John
Broadrib Can anyone imagine Elsie
Jants going through her professional
oareer burdened with her fathers
name OF Bierbower-Jane Bierbower,
think OF It"
h Here are some names from Miss
Dhaw's list:
Maude Adams, Annie Kiskadden;
William Abingdon. VIM. Lepper; Bes-
1Ie Abbott, Bessie Pickens; George Al
oxander. George Sampson; Viola Allen,
Viola Duryea: Julia Arthur, Julia Che.
ney: Irene Bentley, Irene Smith; Nine.
Bcrnhardt, Sarah Damala; William
Courtleight, William Flynn, Lew Dock
1tader. Alfred Clapp; Lawrence Dor
say, William Dorset; Maxine Elliott,
Maggie Dermot; Elsie Ferguson, FL
bic Hoey: Grace Filkins, Grace Mark;
Trfxie Friganza, Della O'Callahan;
Pauline Hall, Polly White; Louis Har'
Iison, Louis Metz; James A. Herne
James Ahern; Thomas w. Keene, 4,
w. Eagleson; Herbert Kelsey, Her
bert Lamb: Lolita, Charlotte Crabtree;
Ana Nazimova. ALA Orienneff; Ada
Rehan. Ada Crehan; Chas. j. Ross
Charlie Kelly; Madam Sembrich,
Marcella Stengel: Hllda Spong, Fran.
ces SpunE: Rose Stahl, Rose Bonnelli;
Daniel sully. Dan Sullivan: Marie
tempest. Marie Stuart Beerbohn
Tree. Henry Birnbaum; Sir Henry Ir.
wing. ]. IA Broadrib; Mrs. Fiske,
Minnie Davey, Julia siarlowe,
Sarah Frost; Beatrice Cam
cron. Susan Hegeman; Virginia
Harmed. Virginia Hicks: Mary Man
n<rIne. Florence Friend: Edna May,
nina Petty; May Irwin, May Camp
@1lI; Eleanor Robson. Eleanor Cooke:
- Janis, Jane Bierbower; Lillian
|eelI Helen Leonard.
The Play Of the Century"
otbcr. the play that received
mmm 81 fHa uoaf roraorratir 90