FIRST MEETING WITH ELLEN TERRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19762, 13 April 1926, Page 11

FIRST MEETING WITH ELLEN TERRY.

. . i FOOTLIGHT “LOVES” AND “STUNNERS.” FIFTY YEARS ON THE STAGE. SIR J. FORBES-ROBERTSON’S RECOLLECTIONS. (From Ode Own Cobbbspondent.) LONDON, February 26. “Recollections o£ a Stage Life” formed the subject of a very interesting address given by Sir J. Forbes-llobertson before the Livery Committee of the Stationers’ Company at Stationers’ Hall. 'He thus summed up his reminiscences: ‘I am proud to be a link with the great past. I think that we English are justilied in saying this: That we have a procession through the generations of great actors the like of which we cannot find in any other country in the world. We are accused of being cold and reserved, but the fact remains that our history of the interpreters of the drama is a bigger and finer history than that of any other country. He had been privileged, he said, to make love on tire stage to some of the most beautiful women in the world. His career as an actor dated from 1874, and the first woman he had the pleasure of making love to was 'he beautiful Mrs Rousby. &he was a supremely beautiful creature, and he was 21 and very impressionable. The next one who might be described as a ‘’stunner” was Miss Ellen Terry. He had been engaged to play the (over in a piece by Charles Rcade, who said that ho (Sir Johnston) bad better go and call on Miss Terry. She received him most graciously, floating into the room m palo blue. The decoration of the room was mostly grey-blue, with yellow matting, and the furniture was bamboo. In the centre was a statue of the Venus de Milo in front of which was a box containing perfumed incense. The grey smoke floated round the statue, and Miss Terry floated in and seemed to be mixed up with the whole surroundings. She was then in her 27th year, and too alluring and exquisite for words. Miss Terry’s great beauty m those days was not appreciated by the man in the street. It was only the artists and sculptors who worshipped at her feet, because the Victorian beauty of the open face and sloping shoulders was in fashion, with the hair worn down on each side. As time went on, however, ner particular beauty became a sort of vogue. He remembered having to make love to her on many occasions. He hoped he succeeded, Vut love-makine on the stage was ' er ? hard. The Romeos and Orlandos were most trving for young men. Talking ot Mis. Terry’s beauty. he rememhereo Whistler saying: “For love of Nell. I d go *°The next beauty he had to make love to was another “stunner,” Adelaide Neilson. She was really a most beautiful young woman then, and a very good actress. ACTRESS AND linguist. After mentioning Miss Marion Terry, Sir Johnston said that a brilliant actress "ho never really arrived was Miss llorence Gerrard Then there was Kate Vaughan, lovely in face and figure, who danced to perfection. He danced with her in minuet and gavotte. There was always a plot in suck dances, and they were apt to be complicated. Though Kate \ aughan was most wonderful among English dancers, she never could remember the plot, and he had to push her about with the aid of the dancing master. One of the greatest actresses to whom he ever made l ove was Mme. Modjeska. She was an excellent needlewoman, spoke six languages, and was familiar with the literature of Europe. In his estimation she ranked absolutely in the forefront of the greatest actresses he had ever seen. Another great beauty was Miss Mary Anderson, and there were also Miss Kate Rorke, Mrs Patrick Campbell, Miss Laura Cowie, and Miss Gertrude Elliott—the last, of course, being bis own wife.

THE BANCROFTS. 'Hip lecturer acknowledged owing a ,roai debt Of gratitude to Sir Squire and T -uiv Bancroft. People did not realise wir t the Bancrofts did during their splendid career. not only for the stage, but for Che fro.it of the house well. All of reforms were introduced which di<l not obtain until long afterwards itt other Lend, 'theatres. H.s was paid on Friday night by a periecuy charming man, who put it on his dressing table it was the custom in other theatres for the actors and actresses to stand m a row in the - rridor and wait their turn to CO into the treasurers office. He remembered at one theatre waiting three weeks because he would not stand in that of Samuel Phelps, Sir Johnston said that though Phelps was externally so forbidding and gramte-hke, he was to those who knew him the simplest and sweetest of men. He never knew Phelps speak of Macready without being much moved and deeply concerned in his anxiety to impress on them all what a great man Macready was, and he gave many instances of Macready s kindness. APPRECIATION OF HENRY IRVING. Sir Johnston said he had had luck. Io all callings there must be a certain amount of luck. He had had the luck to be engaged on three different occasions by Henry Irving, and no one could have been more" sympathetic and kind. Whatever might be thought about Irving’s acting—and some thought him not always Quite successful —he was a great man who would have “arrived” in the Church, Diplomacy, or in the House of Commons.