The Washington times., 1921-11-27
NRS.LESLIE(ARTER
REACHED TOP
QUICKLY

QUICKLY
However, Famous Belasco Star
In ''Zaza" and "Du Barry"
Was Compelled to Put in
Plenty Of Hard Work.
A NAME in incandescent lights
~ over the portals Of . theater
usually means many previ-
Gus years Of small parts and much
Of personal sacrifice and struggle.
To this rule Mrs. Leslie Carter II
the outstanding exception. A. far
a. the public II concerned she began
her dramatic career a. q star. Her
name has been incandescont in
front Of every theater in which Mrs.
Garter has ever played for the last
twenty-five years. Until her APP
psarancs under the selwyn manage
msut In ''Ths Circls- It has stood
alons f~ thssushout The years of
Mr.. CArts's lang associatiou With
David BslAsoo ne held The osnhss e
SvWy Gtaeo-<he sole star q svoy
prsduotisa N; whadh 80 appeared
under - usaAaosnsat - ~ =. ".
ArAa Lsst1s CAxtae. hswsvsN IA
net Win haR place m he thaatsr
withsut hard work Hsr evolution
~ . star took place under the
pr4vxHs tutslass q Mr.. ,Bslasoo
rathsr than In TIE public sys. But
thre1GA It al che worked unoeas-
fns1y to futm hsrsslf - she had
bslisvsd she might do from hsr
earliest youth
A KsntuclE1an b. bfrth. sh0 was
brought up under the old time
Southern prejudios against any
business O. professional activity for
. woman. but altar her marriage TO
Lealis Carter. Of Chicago, and her
subsequent divorce, she made up
her mind that she would make har
own place in tho world Because
the theater was the thing she loved
above al other things Mrs.. Carter
determined TO 30 TO David Belasco
and ask for the opportunity to
prove herseif. -......
Thus began the association b.
tween Mr.. LsGiis Carter and David
Belasoo, which lasted through
eighteen years Of brilliant success.
Under his tutslags she studied
many. many partA The public
never saw her Interpretation Of
them. but she worked none tho less
for that.
OF course, II was hard 10 wait
and work through several years
before abe tried her wings on
Broadway, and harder stin whom at
last tho great hour came and
''Ths Ugiy Duck1ins." in which she
played the principal role, proved .
failure.
It was shoTtly withdrawn. and
Mrs. Carter was presented once
moro in . musical piece called
Miss Hsfystt." in which she 40
quilted herself with suoh credit that
Mr.. Belasco determined to write q
play to moro adequately fit her
talents. That play was Tho Heart
Of Maryland. in which Mrs.
Carter starred for three seasons in
this country and afterward in Lon
don.
At the close Of her London sea-
son In Tho Heart Of Maryland"
Mrs. Cartr returned to the United
States to create the title role Of
"Zaz-" "Zaxa" had its premiere
in Warrington on December 20. h..
1898. going into tho Garrick
Theater. Now York. January .,
1899.
"Du Barry followed. and likewise
had it, outof-town premiere in
Warrington. going subsequently to
the Criterion Theater. New York.
After one season in "Du Barry"
and 'zasa." Mrs. Carter appeared
in "Andrsas 1t the BelAsoo Theatsr.
which she played until the spring
Of 1905. when she severed her long
association with Mr.. Belasco.
subsequently, Mrs.. Carer appear
ID under thsy management Of
Charles Dillingham; in q repsrtory
Of her most successful plays. after
which she became her own man
agsr. appearing In "Kassa," . play
By John Luther Long. following