Evening star., 1938-07-31
Wolfert
Continued From First Paee.)

Otis Skinner. And Otis Skinner. Of
course, is the Cambridge, Mass. min
ister's son who acted the history Of the
American theater for more than so
years, and. as late as 1882, was per-
forming nightly in Merchant of
Venice" Cornelia is his only child
and Ane's quite an achievement He
gave her her first part, single line, in
Blood and Sand" l8 years ago, and
he has been weeping floods over her
sad parts and laughing gales over her
funny ones ever since. Daddy" ex-
plains Cornelia, has never been neu-
trail about me-"
That's lucrative business Miss
Skinner is abandoning Production
was something she could create with a
wave of the hand, and other expenses
were in proportion. For her first per-
formance as monologist, she was
paid $50. But, Immediately thereafter,
the price went up. Now there are no
performances that net her less than
81 900, and most are closer to $4,000.
However" says Miss Skinner, "it
isn't really the legitimate theater.
These character sketches. etc, are
well, don't know what they are, kind
Of the missing link between the lecture
platform and the stage"
In great many years of trouping,
the main streets of A States have slid
under Miss SINNERS arches, and she
has seen as much of all sides of
America as anybody alive. There is
a story she tells OF performance some
years ago in Michigan City, Ind, that
gives a bird 's-eye view of all the years
in her profession It's not typical, but
it runs the gamut.
THE train pulled into Michigan City
at 6 o'clock in the morning. A
shy and soundless little man who in
troduced himself as Greenebaum was
waiting for her at the depot, and with
him was his daughter. The girl
squirmed frantically for few mo-
ments and finally thrust Happy
Times" book at Miss Skinner, one of
those volumes in which you dash off
your name and cheerful thought.
Although it was murderous hour of
the morning, Miss Skinner summoned
up smile and a happy line or two.
Then Mr.. Greenebaum took her to
her hotel, let her rest a while and
returned politely and soundlessly and
shyly to conduct her to the Rotary
Club luncheon at which she was
scheduled to give her performance.
He provided her with large but
ton for her dress. On it was printed
Call Me Cornelia." He surrounded
her with one large round-faced gen.
tleman whose button read Call Me
Bill" and another round faced gentle
man whose button hinted Call Me AL"
Then he disappeared.
Bill and AL and Cornelia had a fine
time together. They ate lunch and
sang songs whose words were flashed
on wall and finally Cornelia got up
on a dais and did her stun. The
boys liked it fine.
When she had finished, Mr.. Greene
baum popped up, still very shy, and
escorted her to her hotel and then
back to the depot. On the way, he
told her how much he appreciated her
coming to Michigan City. Your per-
formance was very entertaining and
cultural and edifying," he said. y
always think 1t is not enough for some
thing to be merely entertaining. It's
more important that 1t should be cul-
tural and edifying as well.'
MISS SKINNER listened sympa-
thetically. and he went on from
there to explain that he had brought
the Chicago Symphony and leading