New-York tribune., 1921-02-20
Zelda Sears. Chorus Girl
Thirty Years Ago, Is Now
AT Top Among Playwrights

You never can tell where q chorus
girl will end. She may become musi-
cal comedy star, or g movie queen, or
the wife of millionaire. In seven
cases out of ten she can be depended
upon to do something sensational or
romantic. This is the story Of chorus
girl, slim, brown-eyed and sixteen, who
has turned out to be successful
playwright. This season she has the
unique honor or having her first two
plays produced on Broadway within a
week Of each other. Both are sue
cesses. Lady Billy" is entirely her
own work and was written in three
weeks. "Cornered" claims her as un-
official co-author or play-doctor de
luxe. But her characteristic dialogue,
sense Of humor and method Of situa-
ton building dominate both plays. The
name of this chorus girl playwright is
Zelda Sears.
Before you go step further In this
romantic tale" Miss Sears now inter-
rupts, "it's only fair TO warn the reader
that it took the chorus girl thirty
years to become g playwright. And
that her slim sixteen is now a fat
forty"
"But you're not fat" you protest,
"and certainly you don't look forty"
Well, l. am says Zelda ,placidly.
"I've been on the stage nearly thirty
years, my hair is white and my figures
stylish stout Ny heart, however, is
still sixteen. Life is just as funny and
romantic and wonderful as it was
thirty years ago. So it is with the
theater In all my years as an actress
I've never been so happy as this season
when I'm also. playwright. In fact,
| had definitely left the stage when
Mr.. Sarage asked me on few hours
notice 70 take the part I'm playing in
'Cornered.'"
"How did you happen to seek the
atrical career in the first placer" is
asked.
Romantic, suppose" replies Miss
Sears. Before went in the chorus
did newspaper work on The Chicago
Herald. Then I started out for musi-
cal comedy, and who do you suppose
was the manager Of my first show?"
You speculate on Florenz Ziegfeld,
Charles Dillingham; and David Belssco,
where's your sense of romance %
despairs Zelda. at was the man who
is now my husband" And the name
Of this husband, Miss Sears is per-
fectly willing you should know, is
Louis c; Wiswell, general manager for
Henry W. Savage, Inc.
From Chicago | came to New York.
Through Louis Defoe's influence | be-
came showgirl for A. E. Erlanger.
Then | met Clyde Fitch and became
his secretary. This got me out of musi-
cal comedy, but not omedy--for be-
gan TO create the comedy roles in all
Mr.. Fitch's plays. spent some won
derfully happy seasons in Girls
The Truth The Blue Mouse and
The Girl with the Green Eyes Mr..
Fitch was writing a play for me, THE
Cat and the Canary at the time of his
death.
~ also had the advantage Of study
ing stage direction with Charles Froh-
man and this has helped me wonder
fully in play construction. Meantime
went on acting in other peoples plays
starred for two years in The Nest
Egg, Anne Caldwell's first success.
had a long engagement in The Show
Shop, and spent year in vaude-
Vile"
And now, at the risk Of spelling the
whole story by telling the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth,
Miss Sears must tell secret. For a
doze1syaars she has been "play tink-
er" dt9 Broadway, revising, rewriting