GREAT ACTRESS' STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 121, 22 May 1909, Page 15

GREAT ACTRESS' STORY.

remahkabls biografht. The senfr.tka of the day, says a. telegram from Berlin, of March 12th, published Iα London, Is the appearance of a remarkable bonk at confessions written by tUe celebrntLd German actress, lime. Heleno Odlloa, "•lift far two decades occupier] a foremost position on the German attge. Those confessions ore candid to an amazIde degree. Tie great netrets describes In detail how, being the daughter of a poof v.T.BliM.uoaau, eho worked her wny to the stage, and then tar.n with astonishing rapidity to the iiimmlc of her profession. Sh» dccerlbes her bitter experlencen, her lotb nffalrs, and her different taarrlugca. Sao relates bonr übo wnn drunk on the stage, niicl bow one Jealous admirer, who surprised lirr with a tinted rival, attempted to murder tbeai both, and gives man; other piquant descriptions of the Inner life ot a. eautlnealal EUge queou. Mmc. OdllOD, who Is now foiiy-Dvo years of age, iiiic proSnccd a volume ot confessions wlili'h are almost unique In the auili of literature. Describing her philosophy ot life, she writes: "Laughing seems to have liceq ivy motto. I owe much, Inilecd I «wo .lliimst everything to my laughter. Until my tlilrty-iiliith year my life ccu-jlstcd of ono IODg laugb. "I inuEhcd vrlth the world auJ at tha wortd. My laughter was not always holy. I laughed and laughed until my thirty-ninth year, aud tben the gravity ot life overtook mc. The terrible seriousness o( life surprised roe." " ~"^ HUMBLE OniGIN.

Mme. Odllon writes with regard to her humble origin:—"My parents were very goad peoole, but tbey experienced mister. tune. Iv consequence of their credulity they were obliged to give up their own laundry nnd work for other laundries. While still a child I was obliged to'work hard at washing clothes, and a yets .eg two later I had to sew button-holea. I went to a Sunday school and was tbe darling of all, especially of the boys, with whom I flirted uuboundedly. "What ideas I had at tho oge of four. teen! At that ago one ought to bo at school, but I came of poor parents, nnd had to go out Into the world. I bad to earn money. I took lessons from tho court actor, Jnffee, and thus equipped I went on tho stage. My first engagement was * ter. rlble disappointment, because I was dismissed for conspicuous lack of talent. That was a terrible blow. Dismissed! Yes, I was dismissed. How could I face my mother? "Fortunately I Immediately secured another engagement at tha theatre at Kern* uttj, where I played small roles, with obligations to be a ballet girl when required. What could I do 3 I was obliged to ncccpt." Mme. Odllon's first important role was that of Eerenger In "Moderns Klelnstacdter," and she started with a conspicuous failure. In the Interval after tho first net her fellow nctors and actresFes abused her without mercy, saying, "Your lack of talent must ruin the piece-" One uctnr said to her. "You acted like a pig." It was bitter experience, but useful. EFFECT OF COGNAC. Mme. Odllon then describes how she was once drunk on tbe stage at the fifty-sixth, performance of "Madame Sans-Gene," at Vienna, in ISD4. She says: "I was drunk from braudy. It happened In this way. I had been visiting Boron and Baroness Leltcnberger, and in response to the Baron's persuasions I had drunk three small glasses of Cognac.* Then I went to the theatro and broke down iD the mlddto of my part." At this period her first admirer deserted ber, and Mme. Odilon pretended to attempt suicide by cutting open her wrist veins. It was only an assumed attempt, however. Intended to alarm her admirer. Mme. Odllon's next engagement was at Lubeck, and here again she was dismissed for incompetency, although her salary was only £7 per month. After her dismissal she boarded with a poor family for 45/ per month, and spent nnother penny every evening on 6upper, consisting of sausages. ! Mme. Odllon's first Berlin engagement was at the Wallner Theatre, with a salary of £10 monthly, which was soon Increased to i2O, nnd, us sho bad never dreamed of earning such sums, sho was supremely hnppy. She proceeds to describe In detail her rapid rise to fame, ber engagement at the Eoyni Playhouse, Berlin, followed by stage performances at Vienna, Prague, nnd other Continental cities. She married the popular actor, Alexander Gerardl. was divorced from him, then married again, and wa6 again divorced. At the nge of 39 she was struck down by a paralytic stroke, nnd niter ber partial recovery attempts were made to deprive ber of tbe control of her largo fortune on the ground that she was mentally Incapable of looking after her own straits. Mmc. Odilon docs not believe in matrimony for actresses, and writes: "I need no man to command mc. I believe that an actress ought not to marry. She bos n, higher mission than to obey a husband. There are exceptions, but tho exceptions confirm the rule. HOPELESS IN THE HOME. "An actress can never bo a good housewife. Sho Is entirely at tha mercy of ber servants, unless sho leaves everything to her hußband, and such a husband is not worth much. An actress has to learn her parts nnd attend rehearsals in the morning and performances in tho evening. How can she attend to tha duties of a housewife? "In the theatrical profession one has to count with the jealousy of husbands. Jealousy with or without cause Is terrible, and I have experienced it in both cases. The Jealousy of nn actress' husband is les3 rcapoaablo when directed against an actor with whom his wife rlays on the stage. Every grasp of the hands, every took, every stage kiss, every embrace, all of which are required by the author, excite jeatousy. One Is either a woman, and then must abandon tbe stage, or one is an actress, and then must abandon marriage." In IKM Mme. Odllon appeared In London. Sho write*: "The English actor has something on tbe stage which tie French actor only partially possesses, and which a German actor only rarely possesses. I mean that tho English actor Is a perfect gentleman from head to foot. Just ns tho English »ctors know bow to dress, so do they understand how to behave. "In Germany tho actor dresses, on the stage like a prince, but he behaves like a hooligan. This is the bitter truth, but It Is true. Most German actors do not understand how to cat. Tbey do not know bow to hold a knife or fork. They do not underetaod how to bold themselves or bow to talk. "English actor* and actresses, on tbe other hand, being ladles and gentlemen, behave perfectly naturally on tbe ntago In playing society parts."