The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-08-22
BARBARA EDWARDS GRIFFITH
As Eleanor Dare in The Lost Colony
No. 5 of a Series of Success Stories
of The Cast of This Great Show

Idtilef Oh MI. al Dell, TIE ueSlSlGT
of the Waterside Theatre. Mr.. Bell,
a native Englishman, felt for Bob
bic sincere affection and a genu-
inc regard that prompted him, UNI
til his death, to send her small
tokens of esteem which she loved
and treasured. And on this, her
wedding day, this octogenerian
made, with his own hands, her
wedding bouquent, spray of
bronze gladioli to match her
bronze satin wedding dress and
shoes dyed to match. The West
minister Choir who furnished the
music for The Lost Colony, stood
on the small hill outside the chapel
door and sang Bobbie's requested
Bach Chorales, using the hand
pumped organ for accompaniment.
This wedding was, as Bobbie put
it, "a true religious Indignation, !"
for the ceremony was in an Epis-
copal chapel, the minister was
Methodist, Bobbie was Baptist and
Andy was Moravian. This seems
typical of Bobbie. and Andy, for
they possess deep sensitivities and
broad understandings and sympa-
thies. There was a wedding break
fast at hotel on the beach and a
honeymoon of one day before they
returned to play Eleanor Dare and
Sir Walter the following evening.
Their next three years were
spent in Goldsboro, where Andy
taught music and assisted Clifton
Britton in the teaching of Drama.
Bobbie was, during this time, min
lister of music at Saint Paul's
Methodist Church.
Bobbie now is the mother of
seven-months-old Andy Samuel,
Jr She is busy, successful, happy.
There is also in the family very
smart West Highland Terrier with
a personality of his own who is
named Lenly Gilbert, for Andy's
great-uncle.
In addition to being housewife
and mother, Bobbie handles all of
Andy's personal mail. with Sam
taking up most of my time, things
are complicated, but the letters get
answered." she remarked.
In reminiscing about her days in
The Lost Colony Bobbie recalled
the night that Charles Laughton
and Paul Gregory saw the produc-
ton. She, as well as the entire
cast, became very nervous when it
was learned that these two were
in the house, and the show was
excellent! After that performance,
thirty of the cast attended a party
in beautiful cottage high on a
sand dune. This party had been
planned for weeks, but became
something to remember when Mr..
Laughton and Mr.. Gregory came
with Sam Selden, then director of
the show. Mr.. Laughton, dressed
informally in gray trousers, loose
shirt, barefooted and hair askew
from the wind, stood by the fire
place and read, by request, first
"Train Sequence" from Tom
Wolfe; then from the Bible the
story of the children in the Fiery
Furnace; and finally, excerpts
from king Lear" She recalled
with note of sadness the singing
of the blues by the late Ainslee
Pryor as he composed "on-the-
spot" haunting lyrics while strum-
ming a guitar.
Bobbie thinks this years produc-
ton of The Lost Colony is excel
lent; she likes very much the cast
ing and the treatment given the
show by it's director, Clifton Brit
ton and his staff. How does she
feel about playing the role of
housewife and mother rather than
acting on a stage? She says that
i this matter was settled five years
ago. She and Andy agreed that q
family could support only one ca
reer at time, and to whichever
one of them success came first, the
other would wait, and, in waiting
support the success of the lucky
one. Andy gained attention with
his What 1t Was Was Football, =
and Bobbie has been his enthus-
iastic and understanding support
er, secretary, audience and critic
Boobies success then goes be-
yond the footlights; It extends into
her personal relationships with hel
friends, to her thorough enjoymen,
Of her present lot in life as house.
wife, mother, adviser to her hus.
band; 1t is, now, conferred in Andy
Samuel. .Trs Whatever eha doac