New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28
How the World
and His Wife
Make the Stars

Star making in the theatre is a curl
Gus matter of uncertain causes. In
many instances the managerial dream
of capitalizing the popularity of an
artist accounts for the luminaries
which flash on the theatrical sky with
out permanency of place or position.
That they flicker and 90 out is due to
the failure of public agreement with
the managerial mind. 1t would there
fore seem a risky proposition for a
producer to arbitrarily push player
into stellar position without first sound
ing public opinion, for who can lift
any one to that high place in the thea
ire save the world and his wife?
Full recognition Of this fact is to the
credit of David Belasco, who, if you
might corner him with the accusation
of having made Ina Claire a star, would
deny the allegation. In substantiation
Of his denial he would point TO the pre-
liminary announcements of his pro-
ducton of polly With a Past" which
asserted only that the piece is a COM
edy by George Middleton and Guy Boil
ton, to which was added the cast of
players selected to present it, with one
name printed no larger or holder than
another. The electric sign over the
Belssco Theatre in Fortyfourth Street
gives only the title of the play. The
billing features no one. The news
paper advertising is no respecter Of
players. The programme prints the
cast all in one type.
In the matter of Lenore Ulrich, who is
playing the title part in Tiger Rose"
at the Lyceum Theatre, history repeats
itself. Mr. Belasco went about his an
nouncements of this gripping story of
the great Northwest in just the manner
that he went about the announcements
Of polly With a Past" and yet Miss
Claire and Miss Ulrich are the high
lights of the current dramatic season,
proclaimed stars by everybody except
by Mr.. Belasco himself.
OF the producers contention, this
much is certainly true in the case of
both artistes. He made no claims for
either players or the productions in
which they were to appear. In the
case Of Miss Claire exploitation was
so completely avoided that those &C
quainted with the history of her ac-
complishments in the theatre were
curious to know in just what manner
Mr.. Belasco had been attracted to her
gift of mimicry; her terpsichorean
ability or her musical comedy accom-
plshment. Singly or collectively, these
might not have seemed TO the average
\ layman of a nature to win Mr.. Be-
/ lasco's attention. The morning after
the first production of polly With a
Past" Mr.. Belasco leased Miss Claire:
"See," he said, "the critics have
made you a star"
Whereupon Miss Claire generously
1 ltlclteu Nlldb II ~ ihiul DttH loi VI 4.
Belasco's discernment, patience and
genius the world would have remained
forever unaware that she possessed
capabilities beyond those of clever
mimic.
But, after all, it is that gay old dog
of pleasure seeker" who doesn't give a
continental cuss who deserves the
credit so long as he gets his 81 worth
of entertainment who is the main fac
tor in the making OF a star or the sue
cess of production.
While it was primarily due to the
unanimous proclamation of the critics
that both Miss Ulrich and Miss Claire
reached the heights, it is the agree
meut of the great public that is re-
sponsiblc for their permanercy in the
armament.