Evening star., 1918-02-24

they were real stage folks. All are
leading actresses, who have grown old
in the theater. Some of them have been
stars in other years and have tasted
the sweetness of personal triumph IN
careers started long, long ago.
There are, for instance, Mrs. Felix
Morris, Viva Ogden, May Galyer, Eilza-
beth Leroy. Maude Sinclair: Kate Jep-
son. Clara Coleman, Mrs. Mary DAVIS
and Lottie Church, who plays the role
of Minerva in "OId Lady 81"
Mrs Church is still so thoroughly an
actress that she hesitates when you ask
her age but if you press the question
she will tell you she is nearly sixty.
Three-Score years. and all but fourteen
of them have been spent in the theater
Caflotta Church she was called When
she made her debut in the famous old
ST. Charles Theater in New Orleans. A
few years later she married John A
Stevens and became star. Lottie
Church was the first leading woman for
the late Al Hayman, creator OF the So
called theatrical syndicate.
Clara Coleman was one of three
daughters of Joseph Coleman, who for
a dozen or more years were starred IN
juvenile plays as the Coleman sisters
She afterward became the leading wom-
on for John McCulloch, the Lester wal
lack Stock Company and for noted stars
of that period.
May Galyer, too. was a child star.
They called her Little May" when she
made her debut at the age of five in
Cinderella" in the National Theater
in Washington. Later in her career
Miss Galyer was leading lady with J. h.
Emmett in " Fritz in Ireland" and she
was a member of the original cast of
shenandoah" Then for seventeen
years she acted in Charles Frohmans
companies.
Kate Jepson was born in Washington
and made her debut with Sol Smith
Russell
Mrs. Felix Morris is a product of the
California Theater. the famous san
Francisco playhouse in which so much
theatrical history has been made. Mrs.
Morris was at one time leading lady for
Frederick Warde. VIVA Ogden, VINO
made her debut with Effie Ellsler, was
for years one'of the principal members
in support of the famous Clara Morris.
Mark Twain secured her first theatrical
engagement for her.
Mary Davis, the granny of the group,
carries cane in the play, but does not
off the stage, for in spite OF ner elshIy-
odd years she needs no assistance her
eyes are clear and SO is her memory,
and names and dates of nearly three
score years enter into her career. MIS-.
Davis made her professional debut IN
1852, in the old National Theater in
Merrimack street, Boston, with Edwin
Forrest She has acted with Fechter,
Janauschek. E. L. Davenport Mrs u +.
Newers, w. E. Sheridan, Maggie Nit
cheIl and Charlotte Cushman.
These are the actresses who play the
characters of the residents OF the old
ladies' home in ''Old Lady 3D. in re-
markable contrast to Emma Dunn, who
is a young woman in her early thirtles.
Lew Dockstader Humor.-Lew Dock
stader, during a long period spent
behind footlights, has not only
visited every city in America, but prac-
tically every town as well, and as
minstrel heading his parade, has trav-
eled the highways and byways OF these
communities. He claims that the vocal
chords of practically every city are
tuned to a laughing piteh-the larger
the city the greater the attunement-
In proof of this claim Mr.. Dockstader'
offers a number of incidents which he
has encountered.
"DocksJader's ministries played
thriving western town. Directly op-
posite the station and on the corner
was a saloon. In large letters over the.
door was 4 sign reading open All
Night" Next to this was a restaurant,
and on the plate glass window. in neat
letters, We Never Close" The third
building was occupied by Chinese
laundry, and the oriental. not to be out
done by his neighbors, had painted on
a piece of cardboard in his window the
announcement, Me Wakee Too"