The Detroit times., 1911-03-30
TELLS WHY STAGE FOLK y
CHANGE THEIR NAMES

Miss Mary Shaw, one OF Americas
most earnest and capable actresses.
who is playing the name-part In
Mother" drama OF American do
mestic life, which will be seen for
the first time, in this city, Monday
evening, In the Garrick theater, has
complied an interesting list OF stage
and family names OF well-known mem
bers OF the profession.
Miss Shaw believes there are two
reasons for actors changing their
names. She says the first is a relic
OF the olden days, when actors were
looked down upon by respectable cit
izens, and the second Is In the ma
ture OF a species OF psychology as
sociating the character OF a player
with the sound OF his or her name.
1T was on account Of adverse crit
icism that players first began to
change their Names" explains Miss
Shaw, who, by the way, has never
changed her own family name, land
by this means hide their real identity,
not only for the sake OF family
pride, but to prevent jeers and tor
ments from acquaintances and enVi'
Gus neighbors.
There Is nothing like ridicule 10
kill ambition, and when told-time
players first attempted stage career,
then considered the lowest or all as
pirations, they avoided this joshing
and tormenting by using an assumed
name, many times preferring to 60
to distant city to seek fame and for
tune behind the footlights.
Then, too, family pride has had a
great deal TO do with artificial names
In stageland. Many parents forbade
their children TO use the honored
name OF the household to be dragged
in the depths of dramatic art. And
so there was nothing left but to save
the family's good name and social
position by being someone else before
the eyes OF the public.
aside from all fireside troubles
our most noted players have changed
their names for artistic reasons. Fol
instance, who would prefer Sarah
Frost to the beautifully soft name oi
Julia Marlowe,' or Annie Kiskadden
to 'Maude Adams? Think how ridicu
lous 1t ,would sound to hear Larry
Brannigan,' announced as Romeo
how much more elegant is the name
Lawrence Barrett And think or the
late Henry Irving, as 'Shylock' under
his correct family name OF John
Broadrib. Can anyone imagine Elsie
Janis going through her professional
career burdened with her fathers
name of Bierbower-Jane Bierbower
think of II"
Here are some names from Miss
Shaw's list:
Maude Adams, Annie Kiskadden;
William Abingdon, VIM. Lepper; Bes-
sic Abbott. Bessie Pickens; George Al
exander, George Sampson; Viola Allen
Viola Duryea; Julia Arthur, Julia Che
ney; Irene Bentley, Irene Smith; Nine
Bernhardt, Sarah Damala; William
Courtleight, William Flynn, Lew Dock
stader, Alfred Clapp; Lawrence Dor
say. William Dorset; Maxine Elliott,
Maggie Dermot; Elsie Ferguson, Ell
sic Hoey: Grace Fflkins, Grace Mark;
Trixie Friganza, Della O'Callahan;
Pauline Hall. Polly White; Louis Har.
rison, Louis Metz; James A. Herne
James Ahern; Thomas W. Keene. T
w. Eagleson: Herbert Kelsey, Hor
ucTI LdlHu, Lula, CudIlotIc SEdudc &C,
ALA Nazimova. ALA Orienneff; Ada
Rehan, Ada Crehan; Chas. J. Ross
Charlie Kelly; Madam Sembrich
Marcella Stengel; Hilda Spong. Fran
ces Spung; Rose Stahl, Rose Bonnelli;
Daniel Sully. Dan Sullivan; Marie
Tempest Marie Stuart; Beerbohn
Tree, Henry Birnbaum; Sir Henry Ir
wing. ]. II. Broadrib; Mrs. Fiske
Minnie Davey, Julia Marlowe
Sarah Frost; Beatrice Cam
eron, Susan Hegeman; Virginia
Harmed, Virginia Hicks; Mary Man
nering, Florence Friend: Edna May
Edna Petty; May Irwin, May Camp
bell; Eleanor Robson. Eleanor Cooke
Elsie Janis, Jane Bierbower; Lillian
Russell. Helen Leonard.