The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-04-19
Be Born I'm Ireland,'' Is Eileen's
 Advice To Would-Be Screen Stars
BY ZELDA RFDEIL-

Here's real bona fide advice to girls
 who want to be screen stars-and as
 it is given by real screen star, it is
 worth needing:
 Begin young; work hard; dress
 simply; live modestly and quietly;
 avoid avagance-and, if possible,
 be born in Ireland"
 You see, she was born there. so that's why.
 Eileen Percy is a Fox star whose
 rise in the ranks has been little short ! of marvellous. But, even though it
 has been Spectacular, she worked for it-and she worked hard.
 Miss Percy was born-I told you where above-in 1902. When only a year old she came to America, stayed here a couple of years then went back | again and was in convent for six years. Back to America again, so that at the age of 14, Miss Percy was a much-traveled young lady. | Escaped Titanic Holocaust. She had seen all the great cities of Western Europe and had crossed the ocean Il times. She narrowly escaped the Titanic disaster. For three years, following her fathers death, she had supported her mother and brothers and sisters. She began as an artists model When eleven years old Eileen was called the most beautiful child in America. Harrison Fisher, Penrhyn Stanlaws, Charles Dana Gibson, How ard Chandler Christy, Philip Boileau, Clarence Underwood, Haskell Coffin, and James Montgomery Flagg all painted her portrait. She appeared on the covers of the 'Cosmopolitan," " the Metropolitan" and the Saturday Evening. Post.'' Dads Girl,'' Harri- son Fishers famous "Cosmopolitan" cover, is a picture of Eileen Percy aged Il. In the garden of Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney's New York studio is a beautiful fountain with the figure of a lovely child, and the child is Eileen Percy, aged 12.
 While all this was going on she had become an actress. Her beauty at of ''The Bluebird'' at the Century theatre, and they had discovered that in spite of her youth she had more than beauty to recommend her
 Her first part was Bread" but she understudied all the principal parts, and played them from time to time, for she was three years with the company-posing for artists in her spare time. With '.The Bluebird'' she toured all the principal cities of the United States.
 All this was enough to turn a little girls head, of course. But it didn't. There was one circumstance that pre- vented thiS-she had to earn a living for herself, her mother, sister and three brothers. When pressed to tell 
 things she missed most in her child hood were the pretty things that are dear to the heart of every girl. But who, among the thousands who saw her dancing in the F'ollies, would have dreamed that this was SO?
 Consider it financially. When she joined 'The Bluebird' she made S25 week, besides what she made by posing; and when she was in the Fol lies she made S75 a week altogether. She was the only one in the family earning money
 Her. mother was her partner and her pal, managed all her business, helped her to get engagements, and kept house for the six of them. They lived in an apartment rented at S45 a month. Not the least important ex- pense was for a private tutor for Eileen. The rest of the children could go to school, but Eileen could not, and the tutors salary made a big hole in the weekly account.
 Young, But Couldn't Play.
 Not only was there little money to provide pretty things, but there was little time for Eileen to play. She worked hard and sacrificed much for the success that was to come. It was her childhood dream to provide a home for her mother. It is her great regret today that her mother did not live to enjoy her reward.