The Washington herald., 1913-03-02
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

1t will be no dificult matter for the
varying tastes OF the strangers WITHIN
our gates to find satisfaction in the en-
tertainments planned by local theater
managers for inaugural week The same
may also be said of Washingtonians. foI
1t would be hard to find greater Local
favorites than Billie Burke. whom Charles
Frohman will present in Sir Arthur Pin.
eros comedy, THE Mind the Paint
Girl" at the New National Theater;
Julian Dean. leading woman in Bought
and Paid For George Broadhurst
comedy-drama of domestic life, whicn
William A. Brady will present in the
Belasco Theater. and the ever delight1ui
Pink Lady" who comes TO the Co
lumbia Theater this week in the person
of Hazel Dawn, supported by the same
cast seen here earlier in the season al
the National.
Billie Burke is a national favorite. both
because she is an American girl to the
core and because she fairly effervesces
with the sort of bouyant youth which
makes even her oldest auditor walk once
more along the paths of life's springtime
while the young Frohman star sends
the charm of her airy fairly personality
across the footlights.
My first interview with Miss Burke was
some five years ago when she was play
ing the title role OF my Wife in Chi
cago as John Drew's leading woman. 1t
made no difference how much or how
often tried to switch the conversation
to other things. the young comedienne
would turn me back along the track or
two subjects. One of these was Wash
ington, the home of her childhood, and
the other was BILLY" Burke. the clown,
who was her father.
He was a great clown" said his name
sake to me in a voice which rang with
as much pride as il she had been telling
me that he was President OF the United
States Il think I remember him best as
he looked with the white paint on. We
were great chums, and l used TO tell
HIM almost before / could lisp his name
that some day l would be an actress
As 1 grew older he taught me to sing
and I know II was his ambition that
! should become great opera singer.
He even talked of sending me away to
Italy to study music, but at last, when
l tormented him nearly to distraction
about going on the stage. he got me an
engagement at the Pavilion Music Hall
in London. We were living in the Eng
lish metropolis then. and one night some
one told me that George Edwardes. VINO
was then and still is manager of the
Gaiety Theater in London, was sitting
out front. In LOnuOn any sIl WIN mas
stage ambitions thinks her fortune made
If she can get into the Gaiety company
which produces all the new musical
comedies.
"A few days later Mr.. Edwardes sent
for me- | was in a perfect panic or
fright and can't remember thing that
happened, but I got notice almost i'm
nediately to report for the rehearsals OF
THE School Girl" Of which Edna May,
another American girl, was the star
They gave me a little song to sing and
to me it was the whole play. 1t was call
ed MY Little Canoe" and on the open
ing night the audience wouldn't let me
stop singing it. 7 thought / would drop
before it was all over. But happy? l
was never so happy before and have
never been so happy since as l was that
night of my first hit
AS she still talked to me about the un-
alloyed joy of her first success she was
called for her third act of MY Wife,
and l went out front and watched the
vast audience yield to the charm OF