New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12
LEO DONNELLY

! I 60 D0NNELLY, who is doing lot
l. for "Mary's Ankle" at the Bijou
these nights, has had career like one
of Richard Harding Davis's heroes.
Unlike most actors, Donnelly does not
profess to have heard the call of the
stage at seven years of age-one of the
reasons, perhaps, why he is now so
fresh and spontaneous. Instead, he
hirted with life, and death, too, in
many guises before he finally settled
down to the uncertain repose of the
theatre.
Donnclly began his career on the
schoolship Saratoga, where he spent
two years, and on which he made a
tour of the world. During this time
he fell heir to $4,000, and, unwilling
to die rich, he invested quarter of it
| in play called THE Globe Trotter,"
which had already failed twice. once
with Maurice Barrymore as the star
and once with the late William Hoey
in the stellar role. II failed again
under Donnelly's direction, and he fol-
lowed this up by losing $4,000 more in
a cafe in Philadelphia. Still troubled
by the residue, he lost an additional
$4,000 in a ten-cent cigar, and had to
give notes for the $4,000 deficit.
Undismayed by these fiers, Donnelly
then went TO Havana, as treasurer Of
comic opera company made up of
American performers. OF the twenty
four chorus girls in the troupe nine
teen married wealthy. Cubans and left
the stage. Donnelly permitted the
principals and the remaining five girls
to 20 back to the United States, but
remained in Havana, with an idea OF
going into business there.
1t was evidently intended that good
fortune should continue to pursue him.
While in Havana he received another
legacy Of $4,000. He paid off the
$4,000 worth Of notes, and immediate
ly lost the balance in trying to market
an automobile oil.
He was then, successfully, news
paper man, private secretary to the
multi-millionaire son of Philadel-
phia brewer, and soldier in the Span
ish-American War, receiving seven gun
shot wounds in the battles of San Juan
Hill and FL Cancy. He has been sup
plementing his fortune by a pension
which the United States government
has been allowing him in recognition
of his services in that war.
At a big mixed entertainment for
charity in Philadelphia some years
ago Donnelly stepped on the stage 10
explain to the audience that Blanche
Ring, one of the entertainers, was de-
layed, and to ask the audiences indpl-
gence until the singer arrived. He
talked against time for five minutes,
improvising, until signal from the
wings notified him that Miss Ring was
ready. When he attempted to retire
the audience insisted on an encore. A
Keith booking followed. lie remained
in the varieties until 1911, when he
and Jean Havez, the song writer,
formed a partnership for the writing
Of acts and turns for vaudeville per-
formers. They filled $4,000 worth Of
contracts in the first year, and collect
ed less then $1,000. Then they wrote
Caby Deslys's first show at the Win
ter Garden.
Donnelly's best WOW, exclusive OF
his we'll timed performance in "Mary's
Ankle" has been done as that eager
salesman, Mozart Robiner, in the Pot
ash and Perlmutter series. The third
OF that series is now opening without
him, so IL is safe 10 assume that
Robiner is not in the new personnel.