The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-03-26
"DIVINE SARAH"
FOUGHT HARD
AGAINST DEATH
Continued from Page ~


her powerful emotions. AT the
height of her career this form of
acting, based principally on love,
hate and jealousy, held the pre-
dominent place now dedicated to
character delineations, and Bern
hardt never was surpassed, her
critics say, in this emotional school.
Hundreds of parts she either re-
wrote or created to suit herself,
seldom being content to act them
as interpreted by others.
Three generations have praised
and even worshipped the art of
Bernhardt, and hundreds upon
thousands of people around the
world have thronged to see and
marvel at her acting without I'M
derstanding the French language,
which she invariably employed
upon the stage. Once, in Rio de
Janeiro, she was called before the
curtain more than 200 times by a
wildly enthusiastic audience, and
many times, in other parts of the
world. she was obliged to answer
performance.
Almost Legendary
The long life-story of Bernhardt
is almost legendary. Closely wo-
ven with dramatic incident, off as
well as on the stage, it was set
down by herself in lengthy vol
ume published many years ago. and
as one sof her critics has said,
through the pages of the book
peers the face of a woman, a little
tired, weary of her own reputation,
and blessed with more than her
share of the vanities Of the SEX"
AS she and others have told the
story, it is summed up here:
The date of her birth, the record
of which was destroyed in the
flames of the Commune in Paris,
was commonly accepted as October
%, lS45. Her mother was Dutch
and Jewish, and her natural father
French official.
AS child Bernhard spent much
of her time with relatives in Paris,
and at the age Of IL was sent to
the Grand Champ Convent, Yer
sailles, where she made her debut
in a little miracle play given b.
the children. Even at this ea-
age, the pale and sickly child is
said to have displayed the fits of
temper which were characteristic
of her stage career.
After year or two at the con-
vent, she conceived a passionate
desire to become nun. To this
her mother recorded unqualified
opposition, and suggested theat-
rical career instead.
"She's too thin to be an actress"
said her godfather Let her be
Il nun"
81 wont be an actress" little
Sarah categorically exclaimed.
''Rachel is an actress. She came to
the convent and walked around the
garden, then she had to sit down
because she couldn't get her
breath. They fetched her some
thing to bring her around, but she
was 80 pale, oh, SO pale. l was
very sorry for her, and the nuns
told me that what she was doing
was killing her, for she was an
actress, and SO ! won't be an act
ress, won't"
Fate Determined
But fate had determined other
wise, and at the age of IA Bern
hardt was sent to a conservatory
At the end of the first year she
won second prize for tragedy. A
subscription among the players at
the Conledie Franchise enabled her
to spend another year at the con-
servatory, and upon the completion
of this she carried off second prize
for comedy. Her first public ap-
pearance was at the Comedic
Franchise in August, 1862. She
took a minor part without any
marked success.
Five years later she emerged
from laborious obscurity with. her
first definite success as Cordelia
in a French translation of king
Lear at the Odeon, then as Queen
in Victor Hugo's "Ruy Bias" and
above all as Zanzett in Francois
Coppee's lie Passaht," which she
played in 1869.
Then came the Franco-Prussian
war. Bernhard increased her
popularity by becoming war
nurse. In 1871 she was made a
life member of the Coincide Fran
caise. She clashed repeatedly with
M. Perrin, the manager, over the
roles she should take, and once in
a fit Of pique fled from the thea
tire and decided to give up the
stage. She plunged into sculpture.
Her first piece, "After the Storm"
- finished some years later won
place in the Salon. She returned
to- M. Perrin only to break with
him again, mourning forfeit of
1000 pounds which she paid.
She invaded England, receiving a
tremendous ovation, then toured
Denmark and Russia. Next she
came to America, where her sue
cess was instantaneous. She
toured the United States and Can
ada eight times in some IS years,
and appeared several times in the