The sun., 1916-10-08
= MARJORIE RAMeEAU nj
~CHeATlNG CHECKERS

was only a little girl somebody discov-
cred that she had a talent for whis-
Ting. which up to that time had been
considered an exclusively boyish art,
and encouraged her. Since that time.
she says. she has literally blown her
self all over the world and has wh!s-
tied before all sorts OF celebrities in
all the capitals OF Europe. After see
ing Miss McComas once and hearing
her whistle one will never again feel
inclined to reprove little girls for
whistling 10 their hearts content "
like quoting the dour old proverb
about the whistling oma never
coming to any good.
She wa whlstlRg merrily one day
In a music hall when the producer Of
The Dollar Princess" happened
along. lie at oncc sought an inter-
view with her.
Can you sing" he asked.
"You bet I can" she said with true
Western enthusiasm.
So she Quit wh!stl!nG and tToke into
song.
She likes musical comedy n lot. II
,ove to dance and sing" she says.
.huSltal NpfIl''iN l'tiAINo
hut il is also a lot OF fun"
Under the management Of Charles
FrohmaE Miss McComas became the
understudy for five different actresses
Marie Tempest, Elsie Ferguson.
Nalli Vall!. Adr!enne Augard and Julia
SanGersG. She says this was the
most trying period of her entire ca
rccr. She nevcr knew what moment
, she would be called upon To step into
4 highly emotional role. n comic opera
ru... a brilliant comedy role or some
other part. Il developed versatility.
! however. which is one OF her strong
est characteristics. People who have
seer her in comic opera. when they
meet her next In n serious play. often
ask II she Is rc.utcd to the Miss Nc
Cymas they saw before.
When John Drew saw Miss Me
Comas he wanted her 10 appear with
him IN The Single Man" and after
that the drama claimed her. She APP
poarcd with Billie Burke in THE
Mind the Paint G!rl' and "A little later
IN The Marriage Market"
charles t'rohman about that time
produced for her what Happened at
Twcnty-two." 1T was "A delightful
failure" she says, at only lasted two
weeks. but II was my first appearance
n New York as n star"
"Silamandcr' was the noN piece she
appeared In, and more recently sh"
WAS the American buyer in Inside the
! Lines
She was in silent drama for a short
while and was "perfcCtly fascinated"
| .l,, .-,,-, ss,-g.h h., n,.trt..
Her real chance came. however.
when "p. R."-that Is the behind-thc-
footlights name for David Belasco-
sent for her TO take the leading fomi-
nine role in his new comedy Seven
Chances" She has found in that a
thoroughly congcnial role as an oiN-
cient. practical ana charming modern
girl,
The hest piece Of acting | do IN
Seven Chances" she says. lis where
| write in my notebooks in IN" first
act. You see am naturally left
handed. hut IL | We're to write with my
loft hand, the people out in front
would think. The poor girl has for
gotten her business or is nervous or
something :" | have t. write with
my right hand" She seized "A pencil
t. demonstrate her accomplishments
IN amhideXtrouS chiroGraphy. Well,
"IIurac" Greeley was no pcnmnn hut
he wrote with a SpenCerian finish
compared with Miss McComiS's right
hand efforts. Fortunately. however. no
one has TO read what she writes AMI II
looks all right on the far side Of the
foot'iGhts.
4 -.tla,N,, chat tl. ttt.TNst nuAF lie
not altogether prciudiced In her favor
il niGht hr mentioned that this versa
tile Young woman is shortly To appear
in another field of art. She has been
seized upon by Ncysa McAlein. the
artist, who is known as the painter
Of magazine covers for popular peril
odlcals, as the perfect model.
Miss MCNIein. who is strongly OPP
posed 10 the professional model, at n
matinee at the Cohan Theatre IA
! Miss McComas and immediately after
she asked her tn pose. A fun length
portrait OF Miss McComas IL to be
exhibited at the fall show AT n of
the Fifth venue galleries, She was
also the model for a cover for MCflurcS
NdUu>inr 10y Miss McMein and will
shortly he smiling at much larger
audience from all the news stands,
"Tha public wants To- So" pretty girls
on the magazine covers now ~ for
mcrly,' Miss McMoin says. "hut it
wants something different from the
worn out types, Mss McComas is d!f-
ferent, She Is pretty but not Of the
doll type. Her features are perfect
and hcr fnca shows character. two