New-York tribune., 1921-05-15
Mind Painter
Girl Who, Sings
I'm Last w altz'
Daintiest Star in Light
Opera Is To BE Seen
at the Century 'Theater
BY Harriesse Underhil


the line "Mind the Painter Giri' when
we did an interview with her, and then
Heywood Broun went and used 1t in his
review and stole our thunder. Not that
we blame him. He had perfectly good
right to it, too, and, indeed, it quite
aatters our vanity TO think that our
fayorite critic of our favorite news
paper would deign to think of the
same thing we had thought of. How
ever, as Dulcie said, Great minds run
in the same channels" II any one
doesn't believe that we thought OF 1t
before he did just ask Miss Painter
herself, for as we stood on the revolv-
ing stage at the Century Theater after
the final curtain of "The Last Waltz"
we confided our idea to her and asked
her to approve it. Whatever you
write will be NICE" she said, thereby
proving that she has more faith In us
than we have in ourseif. Never do we
sit down with pencil in our hand and
a pile of copy paper before US but we
think aat last it has come! We can't
think Of thing to write and we'll fall
down on eur assignment and be dis
missed from the job in disgrace" And
it does happen so sometimes, just as
an actor will go up in his lines. Our
star reporter was once sent to do big
story on the horse show, with US for
his humble assistant, and he ccnldn't
write anything; so after trying for two
hours ne went home and they had to
call on US for a story just as they were
gaIloping to press. 1t sounds like the
tails Of the good little understudy,
whose virtue was rewarded by having
the prima donna break leg half
hour before theater time and going on
and making good in the part--but it
really happened. We confided this to
Miss Painter the other night, too,
when we told her of our constant fear
of disaster. "And is that how you got
your start? It's the way got mine, but
it's so long ago we won't talk about 1t"
Jut then Lee Shubert came up to
congratulate Miss Painter. He spoke
in such detached manner, just as
though it wasn't his own show. Told
Mas Painter that ne had enjoyed her
performance and thought that the show
was terribly clever and all that sort
Of thing. We agreed with him per-
fectly. "The Last Waltz" is the last
word in musical comedy.
But then Mr.. Shubert said the same
thing the night previous about "Phmbe
Of Quality Street" and we couldn't
agree with him at all. You see, Mr..
Shubert once made the remark that
we could have the whole theater if we
wanted it and he evidently intends to
keep his promise, if it takes years and
years. So for the opening Of each
Shubert show come two tickets. On
Monday night We saw the Barrie play
were among those present when the
Oscar Straus operetta was presented.
We liked it the better of the twol
1t seemed as though everybody in
Painter girl at the end Of The show.
Shs stood on the stage while people to
right Of her and people to left Of her
voiieyed and shundered. She wore her
last act costume, minus the $4,000
chinchilla ceat, which, she confided to
us later, was only loaned for the oc-
casien. "And did you see the fur fy?'
she aaid, "when the Prince grabbed me
by the arm? I heard Monsieur, who
owns the coat, gasp, as he saw the Will
Ian snatch about $1s worth of hairs out
of that precious pels. He was standing
in the wings to watch the coat make
its debut"
s'Then it didn't belong Co you, that
loveiy garment And we had been hop
Ing to get look at it,"
Y should say noti Eow do you
think I'd get $T5,ooo coat? I'm not
. screen star, you know, only an opera
singer"
"But we thought, perhaps, you
bought itn- we began.
EYES, she interrupted, "on the easy
payment plan, Ell? Well, I'm ssuper-
gtitious, and / once knew an actress
who bought $4,000 chinchilla coat
and in three weeks she lost her job
and had to give back the coat, and she
never could get another coat nor an
other JOB, either. Oh, no! My money
buys bonds. not chinchilla coats" Miss
Painters frock was made by Lucille,
who also furnished her slippers, hat
and bag The dress was short affair
Of blue taffeta, embroidered in gold
and trimmed in combination of rose
and green yibbon velvet. 1t sounds
weird. but Lucille can do the same sort
OF things with materials that Griffith
can do in pictures. The hat was shiny
black straw. with the same combination
OF coiors; the stockings wem gold and
the sandals were gold and black bro.
aeas- "Do you think my dress is too
sfertfa Miss Painter inquired. sIt is.
isn't IL. and I'm going to have 1t made
longer"
"And spoil It," we said. For while
we sS aot, as rule, advocate those
knee-length dresses, it is not because
we think that their wearers display a
lack Of modesty. only lack Of SYM
ne&Yy@ However, no one on The stage |