Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31
Clever Sons of Famous Father.

Probably few among those present at
the Park Theater In the Madison Square
quarter of Broadway on the apparently
eventless night when Eddie Sothern,
the second son of Edward A. Sothern,
made his first appearance on the stage
would have predicted the brilliant career
in store for the young beginner
His famous father. one of the most
accomplished comedians Of that period,
had conf1ded to him the very small char
acter of a London ''cabby" in his popular
adventures of Lord Dundreary's brother.
and in that sense sequel to Our Amer
lean Cousin" The youth had but one
line to speak as he followed his fare
into the house. "Half-a-crown, sir-I
'ope you don't object?" But when he
came on in his cabbys garb. whip in
hand, the footlights danced before him.
and the sentence stuck in his throat No
sound issued from his lips. In a stage
whisper his father suggested that he
should leave the stage. at least for that
occasion.
The next night he spoke the line. and
thus began the career that after some
preliminary encouragement. has cul-
ing, due to inherited ability and hard
work, these many years nee that night
in the late seventies at the Park Theater.
Lord Dundreary" Sothern did not
WISH MS sons 10 become actors. f1lB
eldest boy, the handsome and dashing
Lytton Sothern. who died at an early
age, nevertheless essayed that career both
in this country and Australia.
Eddie" Sothern. however. had studied
the art of painting. and had been on a
sketching tour in Spain when one day
his father received letter from him in
which he explained desire to try his
fortune as an actor. The Sothern Of
that day wrote a reply in which he en-
,t-, ft1o1 La lta1r a kha 4 D,,f
reflection, he changed his mind. and
cabled the ambitious boy to sail for New
York at once before the letter could reach
him.
Sothern afterward said he had done
this because it had occurred to him that
had his father dissuaded him he himself
would never have achieved fame and for
tune.
A man with judicial mind, he believed
In allowing talent to follow its natural
bent at the outset. If pas he always
styled Eddie Sothern-w wished to be-
come an actor he should have his way.
Presently the earnest. sensitive youth
was acting small parts III the Boston
Museum Stock Company, and appearing
in 1.-The legitimate" In John McCulough's
support Finally. in the character of a
Top" at the Star Theatsr. Wallack's. at
Broadway and 18th street, he made his
first hit. This led to his engagement by
Miss Helen Dauvray at the Lyceum The
alter. on 4th avenue, where from the first
his success was assured. His long bril-
liant career and his recent years Of as
ISOLATION with Julia NARROW are too we'll
known to be recounted.
E. H. Sothern's own personal and
private Brother Sam" has now come
back from England to appear as the
good-natured. up-to-date. slangy hero of
that delightful comedy. "A Pair of Silk
Stockings" Sam Sothern has not stood
still in the career that has been eclipssd
by that Of his more famous brother He.
too. furnishes fresh proof of the fact
That on the stage. as elsewhere, blood"
will tell
II the shade Of the late e. A. Sothern
could emerge from his long rest these
five and thirty years and revisit ths
slimpses of the electr ghts on Broad
way he would find that his gifted and
now accomplished sons are doing arnnio
honor to his name as rare opponents Of
polite comedy.