Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-30
From "Peter Pan"
to "Oh Boy"


that Wendy built and the little chill
dren dancing all around in their cute
little pajamas, while Maude Adams
acted the fairy, Peter Pam" in the
play about ten years ago?
If you do, you may remember that
one of the cutest of the Riddles"
was a brunette with long ringlets of
hair and a wonderful complexion.
That cute Riddle" who played all
| throught Peter Pan" with Miss Ad-
ans was none other than the volatile
and effervescent Anna Wheaton, who
sings and dances through the two
acts of "Oh, Boy" which comes to
the Orpheum.
And what has Miss Wheaton been
doing since she helped Wendy build
the house in the forest of Peter Pan
and when she ran from the pirates,
| when Captain Hook came to capture
the children? Miss Wheaton has been
acting continuously with more or
less success on tour and great success
In "Oh, Boy" at the Princess thea
ter New York. While she has been
developing in her stage art and had
even played in musical comedy in a
small role, ii was not until she flash
ed upon Broadway in "Oh, Boy
that full recognition was given her
talents and to her marked person
ality.
II was born in Savannah, Ga, said
Miss Wheaton recently. IF you
would know the story of my young
life, 1t dates back to the stately
Southern mansion. as the novelist
would say, with thousands of slaves
laboring in the cotton fields, and a
proud old grandfather with white
hair, whose plantation was the pride
and JOY of the countryside for miles
around. Before | was born, my
grandfather, Col. Augustus Wheaton,
was mayor of Savannah. He served
with distinction in the Confederate
army and when the war was over he
returned to his plantation and found
1t practically in ruins, deserted by
the slaves, who had been set free,
the crops ruined and everything else
Just as If ii had been utilized by
Winston Churchill as the setting for
an army novel
This tragedy, however, affected
our family fortune before | was
born When | was three years old
my mother brought me to New York
80, ~, -. was Ten / was
~ ,,no,,, ttv aueiies ny lrlehu
,ra,,,, ~ AhsIlh' theh
i.tc.tN s.S ~, -. 'i,J thealer' was
naroo,. "a "h NJ '"e iuva Vi stage
- ~ 80, a'tu ~ a'sa 30 HS,ii S7i as,eeu 10
.,rh nv So ~, 90 s"e sniiu III tne pay,
s,s i VI Iieieii hltchie'
So ~ pc, WEN, anu MISS AnSllh
aIa ptiN my '''oIi'ei eNPeiSes Oh TOUR
.,y,,, .-....,
uel M letuIheu 10 new YORK
ait,ea 'i.i' toe se"soii, iiidue up my
hu " oeSo,,ie Sieat dctress'
,l'.a, .itat ai aiisS r%,onilan % was
ptepai,'s pIouueuion thal required
eue lhaiS ,' Shilulen' anu SO
Weh' UP W ms oiIice ana sat uoWn IN
@ @.iie wins tooH,' lhey rleu 10
Si5se t5 iIie out uoHeh tihles' put ,
iau tmS resIl,e'SS anu the reoounu
VI South, anu tney coula not IeaZe
me; rihaily Mr; frohman came aions
anu l caugnt nora Oh ms coat talis
| anu toIu hlih Wahteu 10 ne an ac-
'ess' :.
AS l iook pack on III now, IL LOOK
lot Oh nerve TOT young girl eleVeh
years ola 10 srap sucn FAMOUS
manager out ne laushed ana toid
me 10 come INTO ms once. Then he
engaged me Tor Peter Pan and
maue my appearance as one OF the
children who mad all kinds of ex-
perlences In that wohdertul play, full
of Indians and pirates. l stayed with
Peter Pan Tor three seasons, and
never grew up, l aid, l became so
1