The New York herald., 1922-06-04
Nose 5Coghlan Tells Of the Changes
Stage Has Undergone IN so Years
Half Century Behind New York
Footlights Lends Authority
to Her Views.

to Her Views.
which was one of my most popular
roles. should have taught me If the
good angel had proved voiceless. 1t
was my own choice to play Lady Dolly
in that play, but MA Wallack was firm
and cast me for the seventeen-year-
old Vera. He engaged Caroline Hill
for Lady Dolly was the more
reconciled, for Caroline and | were old
pals. playing together in London in
Merriwell and Palgrave Simpsons
piece "All for Her. in which. by the
way. my Lady Mursden got brilliant
comments.
Virtuous Women Parts
Always Succeed Best on Stage
But / did not learn the lesson on
the stage which life has taught me; l
hankered after the brilliant, sparkling,
intellectual parts that playwrights. so
frequently write for tEeir characters
not notable for morals; preferred the
willy, brainy, insidious women, the
Zickas. La Belle Russes, the Forget
me-n0ts, and would never play, at
least never choose the admirable. low
able but "mushy" heroines. Had 1
never appeared in any but in sympa-
thetic, virtuous- characters l might
Lave made a fortune in starring. For
my days were those when the Antelids
ruled the stage.
Let me tell a little story about the
play Moths that concerns Miss Hill
and myself When on the first night
of this play came the great scene be-
tween mother and daughter, Lady
Dolly and Vera, when she whispered
terrible truth in my ear l shrank
back and involuntarily gave a scream
of horror. Naturally. since she was
an artist, she quickly smothered this
scream by placing her hand over my
mouth. The applause was tremendous.
We responded together to call after
call. The papers next day were unani
nous in praise of us both, and sim
cerely Hoped things would continue to
be pleasant.
But it was not to be So. On the Sec
ond night in the same scene Miss Fill
anticipated my scream, putting her
hand over my mouth before I could
utter 1t and screaming herself. The
scene was killed
I said nothing that night, and next
day Mr.. Wallack wrote me delight
full letter, telling me I need not have
feared playing at 80 the part of Vera,
for had beautifully succeeded in
portraying a splendid type Of young
woman. ] was not, however. satisfied
and would have carried my complaint
to him, but he was Ill: Instead went
to Theodore Moss, his manager, and
inquired If Caroline Hill had a signed
contract for the following season. He
replied that the management had
given her a contract to sign but had
not signed it themselves.
"She is very clever, don't you think
so?" he added.
Very" replied; "a great deal too
clever for me. ! want my rights as
an actress respected, but cannot
fight for them. If Miss Hill remains
in the company shall return to Eng
land,
Mr.. Moss reminded me that they
held my signed contract for another
season. i'-
"Yes, know it," said I. but I ran
away in '73, and I'll do the same in
49,"
In these early years that must seem
antediluvian to the hundreds Of young
people playing now made my first
tour and learned something about
America and Canada. The tour came
about for the reason that Mr.. Wal
lack for a large sum OF money was
persuaded to let Mrs. Uangtry's debut
occur in Wallack's Theater, the Park
Theater. where she was to have
played, having burned down.
Charles Frohman directed our tour.
We opened in Toronto, which seemed
to be about the only town that had
knowledge or appreciation of the IA
nous Wallack company. For the first
time in. it's history it played outside
it's own theater in a repertoire of the
old comedies. The tour was scarcely
a financial success. ! remember play
ing in Baltimore at the Academy of
Music, and when salary night came
around there was in the house about
$500.
answer to me when told him / was
ashamed to take the s400. represent
ing my salary, he had handed me.
Said he: You certainly have earned
it, for you and Mr.. Gilbert are the
only members Of the company the
people outside of New York seem ever
to have heard Of. Besides. whatever
the business is, it's all in a managers
life"
Defense of the Methods
OF the Older. Trained Actor
We older people are accused-I
think unjustly-of playing little too
strenuously, eclipsing the natural
note. For my own part have kept