The New York herald., 1920-01-11
Chrystal Herne
Once Feared She
Would Be Failure
Young Actress Makes Rapid Prog
reSS in Emotional
Roles.

Remarkable because il has taken place
in comparatively short time. the change
in Miss Chrystal Herne from a sweet
ingenue to a skilful player of strong emo
tional roles is displayed in THE Acquittal."
This transition has been of considerably
interest during the last three years to fol-
lowers Of the theatre. It was as sudden
though not so strongly marked as the re-
markable advance OF John Barrymore
from comedian to notable star, and
was more unlocked for than Miss Ethel
Barrymore's transition from light to strong
characters though Miss Barrymore be-
came star overnight and Miss Herne is
still but featured player"
Miss Herne has recently, however, car
rted with her a constant element Of sur
prise. This extends even into her own
family. 1t is a fact that her own sister,
Miss Julie Herne, on the first night of
THE AcQuittal' at the Cohan & Harris
Theatre, was entirely fiabbergasted by
Miss Chrystal's entry. which is unusually
effective, and went back stage half angry
because she had not been informed Of her
sisters progress.
Behind the scenes Miss Herne also i'm
presses one as having come into a. sort of
new power. That power. however, is not
OF conversation. If anything she is a
worse conversationaiistt than she was three
years ago after she had made such an
impression in that strange play, "Our
Betters." enacting Il kind Of role that no
American actress has attempted before
or since.
Interesting Takers.
This sort of thing is beginning to grow
a Bit tiresome. There is only one of the
leading actresses who is an interesting
talker in her dressing room; there are two
or three others who can be, after terrific
pleading and urging on the part of the
interviewer. Probably in their houses
they talk increasingly about themselves and
their roles and their costumes, but around
the theatres they certainly are an un-
chatty crew.
However, IL became clear from Miss
Herne's limited condolences that she is
inclined to be an individualist. Her ia
vorite sport Is playing comedy roles, and
in order to crafty this inclination she has
in the summers quietly flown TO Far
Western cities. Hero she amused herself
by playing In comedy and even farce for a
few weeks, and returns again, refreshed.
to her dramatic career. The managers
here won't let her waste her talents in
fragile roles any more, SO that is how she
gets around them and asserts her person.
ality as she wishes.
Because I am myself sentimental, I
detest sentimental roles on the stage and
will never again play the broken lily or
the clinging vine, as 1 did in my ingenue
days" said Miss Herne, who looks you
In the face calmy and disconcertingly all
the tine-or rather during the little time
she is. speaking. You say have had an
easy time on the stage; I am glad TO say
" has been quite the opposite. l was al
most born on the stage. l have been on
Il all my life.
Suffered from Modesty.
Until three or four years ago l suffered
a.s only n striving actress can in the firm
belief that was not going to amount to
much, that I had no talent Then suddenly
the years of work and study and expert
ence OF all kinds came to a sort of matu-
rity or coordination, and a. clear idea
OF what wanted TO do opened up before
me. think that happens to a good many
persons. Work will count some time. 1t
may be a long, toilsomc road with many,
but work IS never wasted entirely. Some
one told mo once, While there's work
there's hope and 7 believe IL.
Il should like, If l may, to say some-
thing about Miss Rita Weiman, the author
OF this play. l think she has n wonderful
understanding of women, and Is one of
the new writer's who may be relied upon
to break away from some OF the little
traditions Of the stage, and write some
American plays of much consequence"