Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-16
JULIA MARLOWE'S STAGE CAREER

The news that Julia Marlowe Is
never again to act is considered true
by those familiar with stage affairs.
entitled "lieroincs OF the Modern
stage" by Forrcs, lizard, there is a
biography OF tho actress from which
The Times Dispatch is permitted, by
the publishers, S,urgis e Walton, to
give the following extracts:
None Of Julia Marlowc's forebcars
was identified with the thcatcr Her
real name was Sarah Frances Frost.
She was born in the little town OF
Caldhcck, CUmberla ndsh!rc, in lS66-
not 1870 as usually statcd-and was
brought to America when she was
about Ave. Colonel Robert Z. J. Miles.
successful manager OF the carly
eighties. was organizing one OF tho
numhcrloss juvenile companies that
played Gilbert e Sullvan's ''Pinaforc"
throughout the country. lie wanted
Fanny said her mother. because she
was pretty. TO play one OF the small
parts. Well. did not think much OF
the stage, and was strongly opposed 10
having Fanny undertake anything OF
the kind. but she persisted. and finally
So annoyed me that | partially gave
my consent. That was the beginning
OF IT,"
During the season OF lsSo-Si. and tho
two seasons following. the young ac-
trcss was known as Fanny Brough-
her mothers family name. She was
promoted from the chorus OF Pima
fore" 10 play Sir Joseph Porter. and
she was, besides, Suzanne IN Tho
Chimes OF Normandy" and page in
The Little Duke" The significance OF
this first engagement lies chiefly In
the fact that the stage manager OF
the company was in the hands OF Ada
DOW, a sisccr-ir-law OF Colonel Miles
10, ,,
renamed Julia Marlowe. was later 10
owe her carly-won position as an ac-
trcss OF genuine attainments.
Her experience in operctta young
Fanny Brough followed BY playing
six weeks as little Heinrich in one
OF the several RIP Van Wrinkle COM
panies that sprans into being after
Joseph Jcffcrson's success in the play.
The Rip in this instance was Robert
NcWade.
During these few years the poss!b!li-
ties for greater things lying in tho
young actress must have become more
and more apparent 10 Colonel Miles
and Miss Dow. Soon after the VEN
ture with Miss Riley. Fanny BrouSh
disappeared from the stage and was
taken TO New York by Miss Dow, and
there was put through a course or
training such as few actresses ever
undergo
Miss Dow's pupil endured the rigors
of this training until the spring OF
1887. Now, Il was thought. the young
actress was ready to bid for the pub
lies notice 1t was the fixed idea 81
both the pupil and her teacher that
she would appear only as "A star
and only in classic plays. II was
but natural that managers were slow
to place so much confidence in an un-
tried actress. Months passed. and no
manager could be found to take her
at her own valuation.
Julia Mariowe's best publicity
agent at this time was Robert c. In
gersolL The great agnostic" had been
managed in his lecture tours by Colonel
Miles's partner. and was prevailed upon
TO see Miss Marlowe act However great
an! good man he was. Colonel Inger.
SOIL was not especially skilled as dra-
matte critic. Still, such was his influ-
ence that his letters of extravaeant
praise. widely copied in the press, did
more than any other one thing to fix
her name in the public mind.
1t was in the fall of 1855 that the
American public began generally to be
aware Of the presence on it's stage OF
n new and beautiful actress Fred
Stinson was now made Miss Marlowes
manager. He was more adroit than his
predecessors. and engaged for her sup
port an excellent company that includ-
ed Charles Barron. who had been lead
ing man at the boston Museum, Will
liam Owen. an excellent Shakespearean
comedian: Robert Taber. who later be-
came Miss Marlowe's husband. and
Mary Shaw.
The first genuine triumph OF her ca
reer came to Miss Marlowe when she
reached Boston. Her week at the Hol-
lis Street Theater In December. 1855.
was the first completely reassuring ex-
perience Of her career. for they. for tho
first time, did she win the genuinely
enthusiastic response OF public and
critics In Philadelphia, too, and in
Baltimore and Chicago, she found cor
dial welcome. Her ambitions were be-
ginning to be realized. Miss Dows
labors justified. and Mr.. Falk's Golfers
were once more filed
The first change in the hitherto care
fully guarded repertory came In 1894.
when she was married TO her leading
man." Robert Taber. With a self-s
bordination rare enough among newly
fledeed stars" she saw herself taking
at times, inferior and sometimes quite
,lnsuited parts in plays produced pri-
marily for the sake of Mr.. Taber.
II was not until 1897, when the sepa-
ration had taken place and Miss Mar
lowe had placed herself under the man.
agcment Of C. p. Dillingham;. associat-
ed with Charles Frohman. that her
period OF artistic eclipse and OF great
commercial prosperity. began. At the
dictation OF her new management. she
abandoned almost aitogether-the hero.