The sun., 1916-12-03
Betty Parker ard
Vera MERCER
So Long Lefty

sire to go on the stase'
Have you ever tried to
figure just how you'd 60 about Y
II the desire Just naturally got the
best Of you? Well. this is the way
each OF the fourteen members of the
turn to the Right" company at the
Gaiety Theatre got that .first start on
the long road that has fnally led to
Broadway and a share In the seasons
greatest success.
Ruth Chester Mrs. Bdsconr) was q
nursery governess in a private family
In London, but the hopelessly limited
future of her position made her long
to better herself. She saw an ad In
. newspaper for n lady TO play a
small part in "Yvette.' and acting on
impulse, answered IL. She proved to
be Just the type required and by draw
Ing on her imagination a bit was able
to convince the manaser.tlat she had
had sufficient experience to make it
worth his while 10 allow her to read
h part for him, which she did In
such a satisfactory manner hat she
secured the engagement.
Forrest Winant (Joc Bdscom). had
had a great deal of amateur expert
ence playing in Mrs. Jasper Lynch's
entertainments along with Miss Dolly
Lynch and Miss Vivian Gould. who
Is now Lady Decies. 1t was Mr.. Win
ants work as Mo-drt in THE Greater
Love" that attracted Walter n. Law.
rence's attention. He Immediately Of
fered Mr.. Winant a small part In THE
Calling of Mrs. Patrick which Mr..
Winant says he grabbed since up
until then he had even paid his own
expenses just for the privilege Of
playing.
Miss Lucy Cottun's mother. sympa-
thizing with Miss Lucy's Deity Bds-
CONF ambition for a stage career and
her sisters desire to study art. brought
the two girls on TO New York from
Houston. Tex. Shortly afterward
Miss Lucy got n great deal OF COM
plimentary newspaper publicity as a
Harrison Fisher type OF Southern
beauty, and Miss Ariddne Holmes Ed
wards, the composer. happened to
mention in front Of the maid who was
cleaning her rooms that she would
enjoy meeting Miss Cotton. The next
day the maid was cleaning Miss Cot
toms apartments. which. by a strange
coincidence. happened to be on the
noor below In the same building. and
heard Miss Cotton express IA desire
to meet the composer OF God Bless
You. My Dear" Miss Edwards's most
popular n The maid old Miss Cot
ton Of Miss Edwards's wish to meet
her and 40 1t was arranged. In the
hope OF helping Miss Cotton to her
ambition Miss Edwards later had a
friend arrange n dinner party to a
Miss Cotton meet Miss Ina Claire. who
was then playing Prudence In THE
Quaker Girl" Mss Claire became in
terested in her and had Miss Cotton
placed in the chorus of that play. but
after six weeks she was chosen to
understudy Miss Claire. and later, with
the opportunity to play the part, came
her first success.
William l.. Meehan tMuDOs) vas
an office boy, but Williams dreams
were OF the stage. One day he was
sitting on a bench In the park when
some one said they wanted boys for
supers down at the American Theatre.
William responded Immediately, and
was picked out OF the hundred d
who had heard the news and done
likewise, because OF his especial ability
at diving through "a small portfolio
In the side OF n scenic vessel. His
nort alao included tho making ~ ua YES