The sun., 1919-10-12
Her Triumphs in Diplomacy" "For-
get Me Not and Other Plays and an
Engagement in California Where
She Played Under Belasco Are
Recalled in Memoirs
By ROSE cooHLAN.

actors In their time. One evening 1
was called out of the Union Square
Theatre and ordered to go next door
to Wallack's, witness school" and
then go around and see Mr. wallack
after the play. On entering his dress
ing room >he said How do you like
the part of Naomi TyeS" 1 said, Its
a splendid part, but what's the matter
with Effie to-night?" "Efie is ex-
pecting a little stranger. so she wont
be able to play for some time, conse-
quently you must play the part to-
morrow night" / looked at him In
amazement. "You ask me, your lead
ing lady. to go on as an understudy?"
He replied emphatically. Come, now,
be a good girl; you are the only one
who can replace her to the satisfaction
of the audience" i yielded and with
a little makeup. especially in the line
OF retrousse nose. Played the West
Indian heiress until the end Of the
run. At the close l was presented
with friendship ring. a circle of tur-
quoise and diamonds, by Lester WAL
lack.
Genesis of "Diplomacy."
Now 1 shall tell you of my lasting
successes that achieved on the stage
Of Wallack's Theatre. There was a
new English play bought by Lester
Wallack called Diplomacy" / was
given the manuscript to read, as there
were two leading characters. and Mr..
Wallack wanted me to decide which
part 1 would prefer, as he was wait :
ing to engage one of two actresses for
the other leading part. If I played
Doro, Mrs. Kendal's part in the Lon
don production, he would engage JEFF
fries Lewis for Zickd. IT, however,
would consent to pay that part he
had Maud Granger waiting for the
part of Dora. read the first evening
up to the end of the third act. Then
I told Mr.. Wallack l certainly would
play Dora. He quietly said :"Have you
read the whole play?' And / re-
piled ITO the end of the third act"
when he answered.: Read the fourth"
Well, the next day he engaged Maud
Granger, and we commenced rehearsal
at once. The cast consisted Of Lester
Wallack, Harry Montague. William
Floyde. Joe" Shannon, Frederick Rob-
ertson, Rose Coghlan. Maud Granger,
Pearl Atting, Sarah Stevens and
Madam Ponisi. That was a great
night. Every one in the play made a
personal success. l have revived "Di-
plomacy" several times since then and
my ZicId. know. is still remembered
| Mr.. Montague, too. made a wonderful
| impression as Julien BeducIdire. I;
was produced April 1. 1879, and played
| till the end of the season. Mr.. Mon
tague then decided to leave Wailael
to become a star and he opened In
San Francisco in Diplomacy" in July
And at last Miss Jeffries Lewis played
the part of Zickd with him. I went
back to London at the end Of the sea
son. and there I heard of Montague's
death on August 1.
| My brother Charles had decided tc
try his fortune in America, where
he opened in Bulwer Lytton's play o.
Money at Days Fifth Avenue The.
atre in New York. September IL, 1876
Ir TT he appeared in THE Lady Of
Lyons" with Fanny Davenport, ant
on May %. 1877. in the same play with
Adelaide Nelson. September 10 fount
him at the Union Square Theatre II
| Pink Dominoes." Then came 18th,
Man of Success" The last play he ap
peared in at that theatre was "A Gel
ebrated Case"
To my surprise Mr.. Wallack had al
ready signed contract with m,
brother, Charles Coghlan, to becom,
his leading man the following season