New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-17
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DortS Aea1le

Doris Keane may owe something to
others in her struggle up the artistic
ladder, but she has been largely the
creator of her own opportunities, and
her final great success in Romance"
is entirely her own. Miss Keane awoke
che morning to find herself famous.
But until her Cavallini prompted the
metropolitan critics to exhaust their
reserve stores of laudatory comment,
she was but one Of that multitude that
are ever fighting for recognition.
Not that Miss Keane had not won
popular approval in such plays as "The
Hypocrites," by Henry Arthur Jones,
and Decorating Clementine." Broad
way had acclaimed her long before
Sheldon's famous love drama was writ
ten. But her position in the theatrical
skies was not brilliantly conspicuous
until she appeared in the role of the
Italian opera singer who loved and was
loved by young New York clergyman.
Miss Keanc became an actress be-
cause nothing else really interested
her. She is a native of Michigan. Sue
cess on the stage had been her dream
since childhood. Approaching this am
bltlon, her uncle, the late Charles T
Yerkes, sent her to a dramatic school
The rest depended solely upon herself
From the start here career was one of
such encouragement that at times she
was not certain that she had chosen
the right ealing. Yet she held on
studying languages and plays, OBJ
serving the work of the already ia
nous, and seeking for the opportu
, mites that might lead to somewhere
But the opportunities invariably van
ished into thin air.
For example, Charles Frohman en-
gagged Clyde Fitch to write cycle of
three plays for her. Then came the
untimely death of Fitch. Then Nine.
Vera Komersarchesky, the Russian ac-
tress, became interested in her to the
extent that she offered to give Miss
Keane two years personal training and
then send her on world tour to play
IN French the Russian artists roles.
But Nine. Komersarchesky's death ban
ished this opportunity.
1T seemed as if the coveted role was
just beyond her reach. And then, with
that suddenness that is often marked
in the life of the theater, the manu-
script of Romance" came into her
hands. 1t presented the long-awaited
chance, with leading role rich in
color and charm. A production was
arranged under the direction of Charles
Dillingham; at Maxine Elliott's Theater
and the young actress became famous.
For the last seven years Miss Keane
has been associated, with brief inter-
ruptions, with Romance" She had a
successful season in the play in New
York and on tour of the leading Ameri-
can cities and then came the record
breaking engagement Of four years in
London-the most prolonged success
ever achieved by an American actress
in England.
Miss Keane, after playing Romance"
for two years in this country, went
abroad in the early summer of 1914
1t was October, 1915, however, before
she made her first London appearance
in the Sheldon play at the Duke of
York's Theater. The interval had been
devoted to travelling and in leisurely
preparation for the production. a
preparation which included wait of
some three or four months until the
services of Owen Mares were available
for the leading male role,
With the exception of two brief
absences, due to illness and needed
rest, Miss Keane acted Romance" con-
tinuously until the fall of 1918. Bv
that time some 1900 consecutive per
formances had been given-a worlds
record for serious play. For Miss
Keane the feat was a remarkable one.
1t will be recalled that Cavallini is not
only role calling for frequent and
firing emotional outbursts, but that
the character is on the stare during
practically the entire time.
The engagement continued thronob