The evening world., 1911-05-01
REFUSES TO KISS
HER STAGE LOVER,
50 SHE'S FIRED
Helen N. Scholder Says She
Was Engaged as 'Cellist
Only.
TAKES CASE TO u
DramatiSt Edward Locke De-
clareS That Only a Genu-
inc Kiss Would Do.
CASE TO COURT.

. 0r1red FOR refusing n kiss" mieht
appropriately designate a little drama
to-day before Justice She'll in the MI.
nicipal Court. Helen NJ. scholder. a
noted '%cellist. argued with Arthur
Hammerstein, Edward Locke and
Others over a broken contract and a
blighted career.
Miss Scholder-wlnsome protegee o.
Mrs. j. II. Grecnhut. Mrs. Morgenthal
ana other patrons Of music. WHO gem
erously gave her an opportunity to oe
tutored In Europe-claimed that Ham
merstein and Locke. producers OF The
Maestro's Masterpiece" had broken A.
contract for 800 a week.
Tit producers charged that Mis-.
scholder refused to wear a certain
stage dress. 'approximatins s selled
tights and that she declined the ar
dent stage lovers embraces. Further,
she refused TO be ~kissed-actually or
apparently. And az for tender en-
braces and loving gestures and atti-
tudes-no. a hundred times no. even
with papa's consent. Actual, bona -fide.
soul-inspiring kisses from the lips of
Miss Scholder were essential to the
dramas success, said Mr.. Locke. Hence.
the scene In court.
The young woman told the Justice
she was engaged as a cellist for a term
Of four weeks from Jan. ~. 1911. She
attended rehearsals daily from the mid
die Of last December to Jan. Il, including
public production In the New York
Theatre after which. she SAYS, Mr..
Hamtnerstein. "pstted her on the shout
der and said she did exceedingly well. -
II was then that Edward Locke, au-
thor OF the words OF the piece, told her
she needn't return. At the production
of the piece In Hartford on Jan. 10 she
appeared to take part. Her name was
on the programme. which she showed
the Court Each of the producers and
their secretaries. she said. turned a cold
shoulder.
She declared there was no real kiss
ing at the rehearsals and chat she was
mo-, told hat she must allow herself to
he kissed. She didn't wear the dress
given her because Mrs. Hammerstein
and Mrs. Locke told her II made her
look ridiculous"
When we agreed on terms" declared
the young woman. there was nothing
said OF kissing and embraces. I was
engaged as ccllist--nothing more. And
where. may | meekly inquire. does kiss
ing and embracing come in for a '~cellist?
] was engaged by reason OF my reputa-
ton as 'cellist-not my ability to hug
and embrace and kiss. ! did not wan
10 act-I am not an actress. was edu-
Gated as a '%cellist. Then Mr.. Hammer
stein told me | was virtually engaged as
~'cellls,. but would three or four speak
ing lines hurt me? l asked my father
and he asked Mrs. Greenhut and Mrs.
Morgenthsl. They We're sure it would
not inJure my career. Again | com
planned about acting and Mr.. Hammer
stein told me to go ahead and do the
best / could and that the few lines were
trivial. Then came the shock"
In a long atiidavit rle girls father
told how he hesitated to agree to his
daughters entering the production, and
only relentcd after talking to her pat
Ions.
Locke was asked by the Court II a
stage kiss would not answer in the case
OF Miss Scholder.
Indeed not replied the dramati',
positively. With Miss Scholder an al
legged kiss would never do. Regardless
OF who did the kissing. too. An expert.
enced actress can fake a kiss, but an
amateur, never! It's got TO be real
Folks down In front want the real thing
How Is a young girl, inexperienced II
the arts Of deceiving the public. 10
mimic a real kiss. such as the play re-
qu!res. Ugh quite impossible, sir. She
hasn't the talent. nor the ability and
in this case Miss Schneider also added
the d,sinclination. What could we do?'"
The Court agreed with Miss Scholder's
counsel that being fred for failing "a
kiss is a serious setback to the young
woman's artistic career. but took the
case under advisement.