Evening star., 1948-06-06

tease tne Old LaIayeLte square
Opera House, first opened to
the public. on Monday. Sdptem-
Der 80, 1895. and subse-
quently for many years known as
the Belasco Theater, is question
that no one at this time seems able
to answer. OF course, it is an ideal
playhouse, having been erected espe-
cially for theatrical purposes. and
where many of Americas foremost
actors and actresses have performed
in the '90s and well down into the
l900s. Lillian Russell and her COM
pany gave the first performance
there, the play being "Tzigane," by
De Koven and Smith, especially
written for Miss Russell.
Miss Russell was a great favorite
here. Her popularity was not gained
entirely through her good lookss but
was due in part, at least. to hard
work and study. At the age of 18
she went into the chorus of variety
at Tony Pastors Theater. New York,
at the small salary of SIS week.
She soon married the conductor of
the orchestra, named Braham, who
later ceased to be attracted by her
beauty and obtained divorce.
Braham was capable musician and
while married to him Miss Russell
took every advantage Of his knowl-
edge to improve her musical edu-
cation.
Teddy Solomon proved to be her
next matrimonial venture. It was
he who wrote the music to BILLY
Taylor" and, like her former hus-
band-one removed-also became
her conductor. It is said this was
real love affair, and soon daugh-
ter. Dorothy Lillian, appeared upon
the scene. Unfortunately for Solo,
mon, he returned to his native coun-
try, England, which he had left
without the formality of a legal
separation from a former nuptial
alliance and became involved in the
clutches of the law. To Lillian this
was indeed severe trouble, but she
bore up bravely, and when she later
met John Chatterton, an operate
tenor-otherwise known as Giovanni
Perugini-she became Mrs. Chat
terton.
In World War I
During World War I Miss Russell
was assigned to foreign service,
which she performed with credit to
herself and to her country, having
previously become the wife of Alex
ander P. Moore. Her maiden name
was Leonard-Helen Leonard-her
mother being Mrs. Cynthia Leonard,
one of the original workers OF the
woman suffragists. Both Alexander
and Mrs Moors are now deceased.
Miss Russell's company, when she
played "Tzigane" here. included Ed
Hof7, a Washington man whose pre-
vious experience with the McCaul
and Bostonian Opera Companies no
doubt is still remembered. Fred
Solomon, Charles Wayne and Jo-
seph Herbert were the three CO.
medians in "Tzigane, and it is
pTOUdUlG OIlc tlldy lCIIlClIlUCI 1lOW VIC
last two convulsed the audience in
a drunken scene in this play. Marie
Celeste, another favorite some time
back, was of this company. At the
end Of the second act, Miss Russell
was called for by the audience and
responded by making some very
pleasing remarks, as also did Man
ager Albaugh.
A Fine Figure
Two years after Miss Russell
played In The Wedding Day. she
was featured in La Belle Helene"
at the Lafayette Square. She was
also this time surrounded by some
very entertaining and talented peo-
pie, among whom were William E.
Philip, Thomas @. Seabrooke and
Edna Wallace Hopper, who quite
recently was telling the ladies how
to keep looking young and hand
some. In her heyday. Miss Hopper
was indeed clever and graceful
actress, and her figure showed up