The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-01-11
The Seamy Side Of Broadway
BY Dixie Hines

New York. Jan. l0.--Madame Mar
guerita sylvia, the distinguished opera
prirna donna, Is the proud mother of
two children, who already show I'M
signs of professional genius
Just before the Christmas holidays the
star returned from California to spend
the time with her family and -inei--
dentally do a few weeks of vaudeville
for which she is paid enough every
week to enable her to eat at the best
restaurants every day for like
period
Like other doting mothers, Madame
Sylvia and her husband, Major Bern
ard l.. Smith, u. s. NJ. C.. were ar
ranging their Christmas lists The
eldest of the children, sylvia aged APP
proximately five, spoke glowingly of
the good behavior of her Younger sis
ter, aged two. Dahpne. on the other
hand. was not outdone in this respect
as To her sisters excellent behavior
during the time their famous n other
was making films in the West. When
the virtues of the younger had been
duly expatiated upon by the elder. the
suggestion was made as to what
might be suita bic in the way of a tin
to Santa Claus.
But why do YOU tell me what to
write to Santa Claus about Daphne >"
sylvia inquired. why doesn't Daphne
tell me herself?"
Because" the tot answered, "I am
Daphne's press agent and Da pine ia
my press agent, and We tell about
each other"
Helene Handlers, q noted opera and
concert singer. lived in commodious
and sumptuous quarters at 90 River
side Drive in New York until last
week. Now Miss Handlers has de-
serted Riverside Drive. the Rialto,
music circles and everything for a
needed rest cure. and it all came about
because this newspaper, among others
printed a story that she sought A
jester. a regular funny man who could
be humorous without being vulgar
who could imply wit by insidious
methods.
Miss Handlers has won considerable
fame as a singer. and she has added
to this distinction by proclaiming the
advantages of laughter as a rclaxa-
tion to singers and others using the
vocal chords. TO complete her en-
tourage she advertised for n lester
She wanted some one who could do
the VIII Rogers for her. who would
take the daily i<ist of news and tone
1t INTO repartee repertoire and thus
give her the digest each day She
Thought the expense would be JUST,
fed, and made it known that there
was position awaiting such a per
SON
For two weeks Miss Handlers has
been trying to sitt the letters she re
ccived, Many were important, bear
ing upon her. business matters. but
loads have come from prospective APP
pilcants, and each has given her a
sample OF their humor 1t was the
latter that forced the fair singer to the
haunts Of the mountains.
The postofficc department has tried
to help her. but 1t is no use. After
reading several hundred and submit
ting herself to follow their lin- or
ever that what Is needed in this coun-
try Is school for the development of
mirth.
SO long as we are obliged to RELY
npon the professional humorists," the
singer declares, I'VE will be a lusu-
brious nation. 1t isn't possible that
bumor Is the elusive sort OF thing that
cannot he A'stematized and yet the
lettars received from so-called funny
men have forced tears from my eyes
until tho water department feared I
had. mcnopolizd all the aqua In the
city. How sad is most of the humor.
almost as sad as the average funny
paper
The German theater has eiven up
the ghost in New York. and now we
have neither German opera nor Ger
man lsia sass - sSG,eess ss
Coincidcnt with the desertion OF this !
old theater. where many noted Ger |
man players appeared for many years, I
comes the announcement of the for
nation OF a regular American ana !
opera company, warranted 100 per
cent American from soup to nuts.
rms organization. sponsored by
many noted music patrons of New.
York and elsewhere, will present :,
repertoire Of prize winning operas
next season, notably "Shanewis." an
J ndian opera, and The Legend" both
raving been performed at the Metro
politan Opera House by the cner,,
there. =
from the Atlantic to, the Pacific the
torsfn has been sounded for Amertcam
H. = =