The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-11
Basil Sidney. the English.
Matinee Idol" Who
Won Her.

TtlE lure that the matinee IDOL thc handsome hero Of
I the play, possesses for the feminine heart is one
that is favorite puzzle of psychology S"nmcn-
tai ladies who sit with adorng eyes and Ani'cy!m
hearts as he walks about the stage poS'tine and inm-
ing, murmur Isn't he lovely buy his .rt;irrS and often
write him notes that sometimes later h" a>;""
The author of the play who has provided brains
and the lines does not receive these The :a
ton, despite the fact that his is the mo~" force the
nero The actor In short time is usually bored death
by his elghttmesaweek repetition of lines ari
and while in the midst of impassoncd declaration is
thinking perhaps Of the proper kind Of rchukr a,i-
lister to his cook for the breakfast she has given him.
While the outside world Is not supposed to be cogn
zant OF all these things w~uld that every in
the stage world would know it. Surely the heroine
whom the hero repeats the authors burning words using
the stage Observation-Disclosures for gestures
and the managers hackers money for his clothes and
settings cannot be deceived II to thinking that this stage
love that the efficient in which it is delivered
any guarantee that in aotr life the actor could repeat
it his own hook sfuly. In other words thou
sands of orators have de aimed Iincons speech at Get
tysburg, but how there who could produce
duplicate Of it under ne same circumstances
This is all apropos of the fact that Doris Kcanc in
London has just married her leading in Romancr
When it heard the news the theatrical world gasped Be-
Miss keane had been the stake of threehan!
game in which gratitude ambition and love were typf"l
BY Edward Sheldon who wrote romance for her. Howard
Gould, who backed the show and Basil Sidney who was
her leading and, before mentioned recited the
lines that Sheldon wrote in the environment that million
aire Gould had provided
It we'll known in theatrical circles that Sheldon
had hoped that Miss Keane would reward MIN with her
hand for the devotion he had shown her giving her
most successful play that has been produced for years
The fruitlon of this postponed by the
trance of Mr. Gould, the monare. upon the field Tho
stage world said Well it is tough Sheldon but maybe
she won't marry Gould after aL''
Nobody thought of the leading man until the an
nouncenent of the wedding the cables
The handsome hero had won out over the playwright
and the millionaire hacker, and Miss Keane has proven
that the lure of the matinee idol potent behind the
footlghts as before them.
Miss Keane is the most popular American actress who
played in London She has been playing for three
years in London In Romance" She had appeared il, it
for year in New York When she came to New Yorl:
she young and beautiful and unknown She had had
moderate in moderate plays But the critic had
been indifferent to her, the public rather cold.
CLOCKS like foreigner doesn't she? Who is Shc?"
Well coifured in velvet coaks studied their pro-
gram1nes and asked the question.
"a Chicago girl. Distant relative Of Charles T.
Yerkes. Sort of poor relation Of his believe. At any
rate he paid for her education in the American Academy
Of Dramatic Arts
That was all New York knew or cared, until Edward
Sheldon met her. Met and believed in her and gave her
her chance he wrote the play Romance around the
character Of pra donna Theatrical managers of fame
and millions lent ready to his play for already he had
written three Ill produce it and put Miss So
and So in it. - said each who heard it.
'<No, said the young rolling up his manuscript
trsting into the pocket of his top and rising
''Why notf'' asked arbter of dramatic destiny
Because there is but actress whom wish
play the part She is the woman for whom wrote il,
Miss Doris Keane."
''But' the managers answered, with the words that
knell to the young players hopes THE publ"
wants name
''But name must be made. Every has been nj
some time in the process of making And the Young
dramatist whom Mrs Fske afectonatey termed "a pink
faced boy" went his way to the next manager
he found at last manager who so much wanted
Sheldon play that he said: g" II take Miss What Do You
Call Her with it." The curtain upon Of the
successful plays by Broadway. Broadway
ahame with enthusiasm athri with excitement. Ii told
the story of the patient percgrnaons of the young play
wright.
will he have his reward7 Will she marry him.? it
asked.
But the girl who became foremost actress in night,
bowed her thanks the audience, bowed her thanks TO
the Young author and remained mute and nscrutabc
the Sphinx.
he season passed Broadway was still puzzled, spcc"