BEAUTIES OF THE AMERICAN STAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5008, 4 July 1903, Page 5 (Supplement)

BEAUTIES OF THE AMERICAN STAGE

(London "Daily Mail.") 1 "Who are America's most beautiful actresses? Well, that is a difficult and delicate question to answer." And Mr Charles Trohman leant back in his armchair in his drawing-room at the Carlton Hotel and meditatively surveyed the ceiling. The famous American theatre proprietor was on one of his periodical hying visits to England. His qualifications to answer the query propounded by the caller are indisputable. Ho has more than a,hundred theatres under his direct control, and has first call upon the sendees of the leading actors, actresses, and dramatists in the United States. To "Frohmaniso" a theatre is the same thing as to "ilovgamse" a railway or a heel of ships. Mr Frohmun is a shrewd courageous jnan. who has encountered and overcome mountainous difficulties in his time. Yet the question aforementioned—to quote from a dramatist who, no doubt. had he been a contemporary, Wotud himself have been “Frolmianised” ‘gave him pause.’’ “There are many beautiful actresses in America as there are many beautiful actresses in England,” he said. “There is a larger number of actresses in America, and that is the only reason why there is a larger number of beautiful actresses there. In both countries there are actresses who are personally beautiful and ACTRESSES WHO BECOME BEAUTIFUL when they act. For on the" stage beauty is not sin.ply skin-deep; it is achievable even when it is not a woman’s original possession, and it is often achieved to such a degree by a woman, already prepossessing, that it weaves a spell of doubt as to where the personal charm leaves off and spiritual or artistic charm begins. “To this class belongs Miss Maude Adams, the leading American actress and perhaps the greatest favourite on our stage. Her fame is known throughout England by reason of the successes she has made, and that is why 1 mention her first. “The soul, the skill, the power, the feeling of Miss Adams’s acting lift her audiences above thoughts of personal attractions.

The impression that is carried away from her performance is that a girl of fragile mould, a type of the delicate American girl with mind and ambition notably in excess of physical endowments, has, by soma remarkable process of histrionic enchantment, taken an impressive heroic proportions when the drama is serious, or has transformed herself into a sweet and attractive heroine when it is comedy. She succeeds in investing each character with a charm and potency entirely and peculiarly its own. The fact that this s'ight girl in the second season of her starring career gave a new and tender and more beautiful than over meaning to Siiakespeare’s Juliet illustrates better, perhaps, than anything else could w r hat I mean when I say that Miss Adams belongs, by preference, to the category of actresses who become more beautiful when they act. "Among America’s stag© beauties Ethel Barrymore may easily claim first place. She is the handsomest woman in the profession, and besides that an accomplished actress. Her type is Grecian and as truly classic as the modem product ever becomes. She is fair and tall, of a figure that suggests the woman our American, artist. Howard Chandler Christie, draws. Miss Barrymore was born in America. Her father, Maurice Barrymore, an actor, was born in England. Her mother, an actress, and one of the famous Drew family for many years identified with American stage history; was born in America. Miss Barrymore is not only well known socially in London, but she is also favourably known professionally. She came here first when I presented William Gilotte in 'Secret Service,’ and after that she became a member of Sir Henry Irving’s company. Now in America she is a star. Her line of work is comedy. Last year sho had the Clyde Fitch play 'Captain Jinks.’ This season she is appearing in 'A Country Mouse’ and ‘Carrots.’ in which as a French peasant lad she wears trousers for th? first time. "Lilian Enssell, the American operatic singer, is still one of the beautiful women on onr stage. She is a blonde of the superb order. She sang once at the Lyceum Theatre htere, under the management of Abbey and Gran. Emma Eames, the grand opera singer, is, too, an American of whose looks and voice we are proud. Clara Bloodgood is one of our beautiful actresses. She stepped from so-' ciety to the stage, and in a few seasons won thfi position of a star. The same personal charm that made her a social favourite, added io excellent skill as an actress, ha s established her as a stage favourite. In the same class of beauty as they come pretty near to being the same types, are Virginia Earned, who plays ‘lris’ in America, and Isabel irving, who appeared in London with the Duly company. Also Katherine Florence.

, •" Types of beautiful American actresses that are well known in London and need no description are headed by Edna May, whose photographs are sold in Now York as in London and in San Francisco, as well as in South African Her pictures have the same remarkable vogue that Maud Brauscombe’s had years ago. Tiien there are Fay Davis Julie Opp. and Suzanne Sheldon—three American girls who wore brought,forward in London by George Alexander at the St. James’s Theatre."Our Annie Russell, who played hero some seasons ago in Bret Harte’s ‘Sue,’ is of tile fair English type. We have a great many charming actresses of the petite and winsome type, amongst theso Sandol Millikcn, and Comedienne, Eleanor Robson, very pretty, who supported Kyrlo Bellew, Bonnie Maginn. the dancer who is pronouncedly blonde, with cherubic curls, and Jessie Busley. of a darker order of beauty, whose hoydens are delightful, and who is unsurpassable in boy parts. Edna Wallace Hopper and Millie Jomos also belong to , .this, interesting "Ida Conquest is another of our actresses whose classic, blonde beauty compels admiration. "Wo have some striking dark types of beauty on the American stage. London has seen our Maxine Elliott, who is one of the most delightful women to look upon as well as to know. Her sister. Gertrude Elliott, who is now Mrs Forbes Robertson, also adds to tbe fame of our country for charming women. Hattie Williams, a very pronounced brunette, is one of our successful comediennes. Julia Marlowe is a beauty of the poetic southern type who is famous fo r her success in Shakespearian roles. Blanche Walsh, who has just succeeded in the American production of ‘Resurrection.’ is a fine-looking brunette. Margaret Dale, the loading woman of John Drew’s Company. is a glorious specimen of the Cas. tilian typo of beauty, and she is besides a very clever comedienne. Mabel Gilman, who appears in musical plays, is an ah tractive little actress of the Spanish, type of beauty. "This is only an off-hand list, and X have no doubt omitted many actresses who deserve to be classed among our stage beauties. Especially this may bo the case as regards musical artistes. I can assure you, however, that the women who have escaped my memory are all beautiful, and would be mentioned here could I on the instant recall their names.’’