Evening star., 1915-11-21

lean citizen-of which I am proud. AL
| though born in Germany, my father
was of French descent. My grand
fathers name was Paul Herve and my
nother's name was Jean Briquet.
In 1908. when everybody was pro-
ucing French farces, sailed for Eu-
.'ope on a vacation, and while In Paris,
but giving the public some music with
it. So l went to Chantilly, wrote
musical farce in three acts, and called
1t Alma, Where Do You Live? When
York, at the dock 1 was met by several
newspaper men who wanted news. and
told them in Paris l had secured the
American rights of several French
musical farces which l proposed pro
ducing in New York in German The
first play of the French nature was
Alma, Where Do You Live? and when
they insisted upon knowing the au-
thors, l thought of my French an
cestors and told them that the book
was by Paul Herve and music by Jean
Briquet with the American adaptation
by myself.
After the .Herve-Briquet' trade
mark was established I had to con-
wrote Adele Auction Pinochle,' the
first play in which characters of the
style of Potash and Perlmutter were
introduced; The Midnight Girl and
Herve and Jean Briquet.' I must say
that these plays have never been pre-
sented in France. I must pause here.
also to give due credit to Edward A.
Paulton. known to the playgoers for
his Little Boy Blue for hts share in
the English versions of my works"
A Gallant Act-Once when Josef Hof-
mann. the distinguished pianist, and
his family were spending the season
in Biarritz a careless servant spotted
Mrs Hofmann's gown with food, which
left grease marks. After dining and
their guests were assembled in their
private parlor, and while the con-
versation progressed. Hofmann appear
ed with a small vial and piece OF
| chamois. Kneeling down in front Of his
| wife. the pianist started to cleanse
the spots from her gown. which was
of delicate pearl tint; and he succeed
ed. too in removing every trace of
stain He did 1t all so quietly, so
easily and so skillfully as to awaken
a new sense of admiration In those
who had witnessed the operation"
Poll Players to Try Shal<espeare.-An
announcement of special interest comes
from Polls this week that the stock
company Is to make its first venture
in classic drama December 6, by pre-
senting Shakespeare's Julius Caesar"
OF wider interest, perhaps, is that
part of the announcement that, for
that week only, the distinguished
Shakespearean actor. r. D. Mclean.
will appear with the Poll Players in
the role Of Brutus, the part in which
he co-starred with William Faversham
two seasons ago. A. H. Van Buren,
will have exceptional opportunities in
the role of Marc Antony, while Mark
played by Frank Keenan, in Washing
ton during the Faversham revival two
seasons ago. Florence Rittenhouse
! will be seen as Portia, the wife OF
Brutus. the part played by Julia Opp
in Washington.
This will be the most ambitious un-
dertaking ever launched by the Poll
Players, presenting even creates dim.
culties than the memorable staging Of
Maeterlinck's beautiful play, The
presented by the players last spring.
kitty DoneF-"Young man, will you
be so kind as to stand one side. I cannot
see the stage-you are obstructing my
view. sir" The foregoing speech was adj
dressed by the veteran actress, Ellen
Terry. to little Kitty Doner at a BEN
eft performance at the New York Hip
podrome.
But am q girl-not boy" replied
Kitty, standing to one side nevertheless.
Bless my soul-a sirlr calculated
coming to? Come here, my dear, I
su.a to saz psS sS
the famous star and the girl in her
teens, Just beginning her career-as a
boy, for Kitty had lust made her first
hit at the Winter Garden in the role
Kitty Doner's parents are profession
al dancers. and are known the country
over as the vaudeville team OF Joe and
Nellie Doner. Nellie Doner came to
original pony ballet. and for several
seasons led the dancing ensembles at
the New York Hippodrome under the
management of the Messrs. Shubert. Joe
dancer in the days of the Henderson
extravaganzas in Chicago. 1t is natu-
raj that the Doner children should all
be dancers-in fact, Kitty has a
as famous as his father before him.
Theatergoers who remember Vesta
Tilley say that Kitty Doner is her
equal as a male inpersonator. and that
looks like boy In every particular.
At a tailors' convention in Chicago
last summer Kitty was unanimously
chosen as the oflcial model, and, as
an added compliment, the Doner cut
away was named after her.
Kitty complains that she spends too
much of her salary on mems attire,
that II leaves her nothing for women's
furbelows. Strange to say. Miss Doner
is not at all mannish when dressed as
a girl. Simple frocks. hats and shoes
supply all of her needs, and 1t is only
in the glare Of the footlights that the
male stride, the swagger cane, the
smart suits and the accompanying Gig
arctic are in evidence. Next to the
star Of Dancing Around"-one AL Jol.
son-Kitty Doner Is quite the liyest
wire in the big entertainment