Evening journal., 1915-11-27
lady San Mel
Tells OF HER ART
Any Girl Can Go on Stage,
But Few Can Achieve
Success, She Says
NEVER STAGE STRUCK
TELLS INTERVIEWER

| ELLN In ] EKNlE w Ek
Any girl can go on the stage and
any girl can try to be an actress. 1t
isn't one girl in a hundred who can
be successful actress, and that
within period of two brief years Yet
that is the length of time it took
Lady San Mel. the we'll known Chi
nese actress. who is playing this
week at the Garrick Theatre to real
ize Success, with capital letter,
please. Lady San Mel told all about
it herself IL is story OF hard
work. close study and an undying
ambition, three characteristics, which
when mixed together, always will
spell that magical word, success.
MY advice to girls about going on
the stage?" she queried settling down
more comfortably in her easy chair
in the living room OF her aunt's
home, Miss Mary A. Dolbow. at No.
1904 dupont street, well, j would
say unless a girl meant to work, and
work hard. and had stacks OF ambi-
ton and that little spark called
talent lying latent within her, that
Il is practically useless for her even
70 try going behind the footlights."
And just what made you stage
struck?" the unsuspecting inter-
viewer asked A question to which
Lady San Mel took exception
u am not and never have been
stage struck" she replied quickly. 81
have felt the call of my art and sim
ply could not help going on the stage.
The power to act Is within me. feel
II right here" and Lady San Mel
pointed dramatically to her heart
And then came the inevitable ques-
fion concerning unprotected girls and
the glamor OF the footlights. Gould
a girl go on the stage and retain her
self respect and religion? was asked.
"She certainly can" said Lady san
Mel vehemently.
81 have as vet to be insulted, and,
oh. the warnings I received from my
friends when It became known that
was about to go on the stage. have
heen courteously treated by every
manager with whom | have come into
contact There are Just as many gem
tlomen on the stage as there are on.
A girl can be a manicurist and be IN
snitod: she can be a waitress, a
stonographer. a bookkeeper. school
teacher. anything at all, and be in
suited. II all rests entirely with the
girl"
Continuing. Lady San Mel, (and
that by the way Is her Oriental namel
stated that she was not exactly sui
fragist. though she believed IN II to
n great extent and confessed that her
ambition was TO so into legitimate
work and star In some musical pro-
duciion. She has an outline TOT one
written and sometime within the near
future she hopes TO collaborate with
a real composer who can complete IL
for her to star in. a.,
"I have received two offers from tne
schuberts TO come with them. sala
LADY San Mel. "but so far nave
heen contonted with vaudeville WORK
and have not as yet decided to accept
them. I want to gain little more eN-
pericnce (you see have only peen on
The stage since my graduation from
Columbia In June, 1879, peiole so
into legitimate work"
LADY San Mei's act Is charmins
little one. comprising for the most
mart a series of Chinese and Ameil-
can songs. She proudly told how ior
the arst six months of her career she
scrubbed around, played in httle
towns not worth a pickayune and
CARRYING with her one costume. How
ever. she declared she kept putting
her very best into her works, regard
less how hopeless town she played
in and zone can't give her best with
ont getting some Of the best of life IN
reiurn.' she said after the six
months I received an offer from
the Keith circuit and here am.
now travel with three trunks" she
concluded. smiling brightly and with
animation.
little word about Lady San Me
herself would perhaps not be amiss
She is the daughter OF Doctor Moy
of Pittsburgh, well-known physician
in that city. Through her mothe
comes her title, Lady San Mel, whiol
she uses almost exclusively. He
Americanized name is Josephine Mo.
However. as her title is Legitimate
she prefers to use that She is
graduate OF Columbia University clas
Of 1913. and has been on the stag
practically since her graduation.
When seen by the interviewer las
evening Lady San Mel. who has guam
titles OF dusky hair. which she wear
piled high on her head; melting blacl
eyes and clear olive skin. wore 1
becoming gown of navy blue puss,
willow taffeta combined with chiffon
One cannot talk with her without not
ing her hands which are shapely
with long, slender fingers. accentuated
by very long pointed nails. At this
juncture it was suddenly remembered
that Lady San Mel was formerly en-
gagged to be married TO a lieutenant
in the United States Army. When
asked about it she shrugged her
shoulders i'm true Oriental fashion
and exclaimed that it was broken off.
intimating at The same time that art
and love were not congcnial
She says she loves Wilmington and
would rather play here than in any
other city almost As proof OF the
fact that she has genuine affection
for this city Lady San Mel spends
her vacations when she has any. here
with her aunt Miss Dolbow. al No
1904 DUPONT street
PRICE-STARR NUPTALs.