ACTOR'S LIFE IS FASCINATING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 44, Issue 134045, 12 January 1918, Page 6

ACTOR'S LIFE IS FASCINATING.

Cyril Maude, star of the J. C. Williamson production of "Grumpy," to play at tho Opera House ou Thursday next, has had a life unusually rich in stage experience, and after thirty years before tho footlights is still able to feed tho fascination of his calling, but at tho same- time is aware that the profession is a. dangerous one for those who enter it merely because of the fascination that the stage l\ lrf for them. "The actor's life can either be a. lazy and a starving one,'' Mr Maude said recently, ''or it can be a hard-working one and he can nearly starve. So it can be seen.that- it is a terribly dangerous one to go into, but withal a most fascinating one, as it holds out the most extraordinary prizes for the really successful. Often these prizes become slightly niagnilied, but still they are there. There are thousands more actors and actresses than one ever sees or hears of. These are the unsuccessful ones. Sometimes they become very bitter, and sometimes they are the kindest and sweetest people in tho wide world. I consider one of the greatest privileges accorded the successful ones ol' the stage are the opportunities that they have of meeting Uninteresting personages id' the world. I only wish that I had kept some sort of a record of all the famous people I have met in England, l-'ram-e and America. -kings, queens, and presidents, and prince- of the blood. And very informal some ut' these interviews were, loo — such as mice when I. was seat for from behind the scenes, when I was dressed in a suit of pyjamas and a dressing gown, with mv bare feet in slippers, to see a famous prince ;.nd princess. Another time, when I had to go and visit another equally distinguished princess, who is now a queen, .1 was made up as a very drunken old man with exceedingly iiisi'epufahlo and dirty clothes. \ remember once going around to the ante-room ot' a royal box to pay n;y respects to a wonderful old princess and her three daughters, .lust tln-u there was a great scare iv London about bombs, uiii-'h were being exploded ill all sorts of places. | happened to be carryin<_* one ~f tho-e collapsible opera hats, and f have often wonder,.,! wheih-T it was only my fancy which made me see a look of horror on the face- uf the princesses when, in my iiorvou-m-ss, I opened that hat