Pueblo chieftain., 1922-03-12
BY Frederic ]. HaskIn

opened its mid Victorian doors in an
old-fashioned house on West Forty
| seventh street here 1t Is called The
Stage Door Inn" and is the enterprise
of the National Stage Woman's Ex-
change, newly Incorporated organiza-
tion of actresses and society women
whose chief purpose is to provide en-
| ployment for hard-up members OF the
| theatrical profession.
This has been one OF the worst thea
| trical seasons that New York has ever
lived thru. Play after play has closed
abruptly almost as soon as it has
opened, and as consequence hum
| dreds (some say thousands) of actors
and actresses are out of jobs. Some OF
these are managing to live with rigid
| economy on their small savings. but
the majority have turned TO other lines
| of work. Many OF the leading ladies
4 of yesteryear are now holding secrctar-
ial jobs in Wall street. or selling var
ious lines Of merchandise in New York
| shops. A character actor of once wide
spread fame is now a clerk In a fash
ionable mems wear shop, whilo two at
tractive little actresses whose names
were fairly well-known three years
ago, are now forcing best sellers upon
the public in a Fifth Avenue book
store. Still others who have n knack
for many things-dolls. lamp shades.
hats, and the like are working in
dustriously In their own homes and
RIdyIB IbF All dppIetldtlNe HlaIhCl.
ORIGIN OF THE IDEA
This last explains how the National
Stage woman's Exchange and It's tea
room came into existence. There was
certain actress named Anita Clar-
endon who had not been able to get
part for two years. She tried secretar-
ial work and then interior decorating,
but could not secure a really worth
while job because she had not had suf-
ficient experience. Finally. she dis
covered that she could mako lamp
shades with great skill and rapidity.
but she had no place in which TO exhi-
bit them TO the public. At this point.
friend who was going away for the
holidays. offered the use OF her apart
ment-which fronted on a busy street
for exhibition purposes. Miss clar-
endon accepted both for herself and
for several other actresses also engag-
ed in various lines of home manufac-
turc.
Tho results of this brief holiday ex-
h!bit were so encouraging that the
women decided TO open an exchange
TO soil the many attractive little nov
elites made by jobless threatical pco-
pie. Then one OF tho exhibitors re
called the motto so popular In New
fork-"When in doubt. start a tea
roomi" So a tea room was added to
the plans: after which some one suE
gcstcd that they also have a manicur-
Ing parlor. Eventually. tho whole four
! stories of tho Exchange house will be
crowded with its activities.
Tho tea room or Stage Door Inn
opened with formal reception recent
ly. at which many promincn, men and
women OF tho stage appeared ss the
first patrons. Mr.. T.. NJ. Ga,tio pre-
scntcd tho Inn with diamond wri.,
watch. to be ratified off for it's benefit
while Mr.. William a. Brady was 50
much pleased with tho decorations that
he Immediately gave the exchange "A
contract for work on the sets OF his mex;
two plays The oak-panelcd rcs,au-
rant. with Its great fire place. cozy
wall seats. Nowcred crctonnc curtains
and slender table vases. Il exception
ally attractive. and the menu Is equal
| ly SO.
| WAIT BETTER THAN MATTRESSES
The young ladies'. in white caps and
aprons. who move swiftly and expert
| ly about tn. tables serving food are
all actrcsscs of several years cxpcr-
| icrce on tho stage. Miss MadNc Sur
| trees. the first to wait upon n patron.
Is Just back from Canada. whore she
appeared in French Leave and the
Davenport sisters. nieccs OF the fam
I Gus Fanny Davenport. arc others. They
are surprisingly adept at waiting table
! in view OF the fact that they have
I never don. IL before.
| This is because they arc actresses.
according to Miss H,ida sponE. presl-
4 btEh VI AElF sN!ElpDIl slhEf W oman
| Exchange. They can walt better than
wai,rcascs.' she says. -'bccaurr in tho
/ first place they have tho artistic in
stinct to do everything beautifully and
in the second place. they have been
I trained professionally to handle their
own personalities harmoniousiy and
| cfficen,ly.''
With the exception OF the cooking
and laundering OF the table linen. all
1 OF the work in connection with tho Inn
Is done by actresses. Upstairs. in the
room above the tea room. a character
woman. who has just returned from .
long engagement In London. may bc
found homming napkins and table
cloths at a sewing machine. while In
aothcr corner is Miss Msdge Corcorau.
once popular In the companies OF T..
/ ~. Sothern and John Drew. working on
/ tho Brady decoration contract. The
room in tho rear OF tho second floor.
which at present contains nothing but
clothes line usually strung with nap
kins. aud ironing apparatus. is pro
sided over by another actress. Elsie
7 Cohn. who was recently located by tho
Exchange when she was i'll and out OF
, work.
, Another pathetic case narrated by
/ Mrs. Ecsso was that of a young actor
who came to the Inn tho other night
and asked for work. He was war
veteran who had been I'm hospital
I Tor several months. Since then. he
had not been able to secure a job of
any sort. altho he was willing to per
form any task that would pay the
price of room and board.
AS hc .,ood In the hall, telling me
his story. the smell OF fried chicken
was waited thru the door. and I saw
| him turn pale and grip the arm OF tho
divan. Tho man had probably no. had
/ food for days. SO I invited him In to
dinner. and later sant him 20 SEQ an
/ er-army officer who might help him"
| WHAT THE EXCHANGE HANDLES
] In the Exchange itself. which Is in
| tho basement. various products are on
/ sale. There are chic little hats. some
Of which are made by a very clever
milliner who Ia also a member of tho
l Sally" company here In New York.
dainty. handmade baby clothes. jeIly.
Jam. candy. lingerie. dolls. slippers.
handmade handkerchicfs. mems neck :