Variety (November 1908)

VARIETY THE WOMAN IN VARIETY. ARTISTS' FORUAl BY ANNA MARBLE. Just m I took my seat in a secluded corner of a tram-car an hour or so ago, and tried to make up my mind whether my new winter coat ■hould be made of unborn-dog or just plain almost-cat, who ■hould interrupt my reverie but Edna Wallace Hopper, who stepped into the tram to my infinite astonishment. Some- how one doesnt associate common or gar- den street cars with Edna, and she seemed very much out of the atmosphere in her magnificent new directoire sealskin, long three-quarter with postillion back and stunning black satin buttons for gar- niture. Her hat was a perfectly huge af- fair of mahogany peau-de-soie, its only embellishment being a softly twisted band and huge flat bow of old blue moire ribbon. She wore white glace gloves, and a long skirt of heavy black broadcloth showed beneath her lovely wrap. Of course, her hair was ondule to perfection and she has adopted the rather brilliant lip rouge so much affected by Parisian women. While we are on the subject of "maquil- lage" I want to caution you girls who go in for daytime make-up to be careful of the color of your headgear. At the Plaza I saw recently a very striking brunette whose rouge looked positively purple under a gorgeous hat of peacock blue. I thought at first it was simply the "num- ber eighteen" which was possibly affected by the damp air, but the very next day I saw another similar rainbow effect pro- duced through ' the combination of pea- cock blue chapeau and damask cheeks, and . then I realized the cause. It may be that the reflection of light results in the blend- ing of the brilliant blue and the red, fus- ing them into a purple—but you had bet- ter beware of a like result. Here's one of Willa Holt Wakefield's stories: "A little colored girl belonging to one of my servants in the South once asked me to take her to a concert which I was about to attend. 'Won't yo' please ma'am, take me, Miss Willa T' she coaxed eagerly. 'No, Callie,' I replied. 'You see, you are a colored child, and they would not let you in.' Callie, who was, by the way, as black as the ace of spades, shook her kinky head dolefully. 'See,' she ex- claimed, impatiently, 'See, dat des what happen—dat what happen ev'y time. I done toF Gawd to make me a white chile, an' he des laugh at me an' say, Aw, go awn an' be a nigger I'" And now you will hear the girls com- menting on Maude Odell, her figure, her face, her hair, her feet and her clothes— or lack of them. "I don't see anything to rave about?" observes one, with a sniff of disdain. "Isn't it perfectly silly the way some men are taken in?" says an- other with a feeble smile. "She's too big to be pretty," observes a third. "Her feet are awful; she must wear number eights," says a fourth, covering up her own short vamps, with a simper. And all this time Maude Odell, the lovely—the Junoesque— draws her nice check each week. Did you know that Mrs. Annie Yea- mans was a circus rider before she be- came an actress? Yes, and a dancer, too. She used to dance "between the pieces," as they were wont to say in the time of our elders. The late Jennie Yeamans was the favorite daughter of the ven- erable actress. I fancy this may have been because Jennie had a great deal of the fun-loving nature and high spirits that must have been characteristic of her mother in the tatter's youth. Speaking of circus riders, do you know that Grace La Rue also began her stage career with a circus, in this same capacity? I am still lamenting Miss La Rue's loss to vaudeville. Her stage clothes are always so attractive and she has ideas. Her lingerie is always effec- tive and dainty and her hosiery and shoes or slippers beautifully chosen. That reminds me, that some of the English artists use heavy embroidery on their underskirts for the stage. It looks rather shocking and makes you think of "amateur night" at some burlesque show. There is nothing so effective as lace or chiffon for underskirts, and our Ameri- can girls flouted the use of embroidery long since, unless it be fine hand-em- broidery upon sheerest mousseline, and even that loses its effect from front. Several years ago before Elsie de Wolfe foresook the elevation of the stage for the more lucrative profession of sup- plying good taste for cash, she wore some stage gowns that were the most gorgeous I have ever seen. One had, however, to examine them closely before realizing their true value. There was one frock of flesh-colored liberty satin with an overdress of gray chiffon exquisitely garnitured with paillettes in gun metal colorings. While this looked handsome from front, it never showed its righteous claims to elegance. One got the general effect of shimmering pale satin beneath the shadowy tulle, but the wonderful workmanship displayed in fashioning myriads of glistening scales into wide blown flower-shapes, and leaves and tendrils—work that had tired many eyes and hands perhaps—this was lost, even through the medium of an opera glass. So that it is not always the most deli- cate work that counts in the matter of stage effects. The prettiest of Lilly Lena's costumes is the Scotch one, with the crooked staff and dainty patent slippers. Somehow, when the English girls wear Scotch clothes they are more convincing than our own young women, who invariably carry the plaids as though they were at a masquerade party. Louise Gunning used to look a picture in her kilts, but she never looked the real "goods" so far as atmosphere is concerned. But Lily Lena looks like the incarnation o' one o' Bobbie Burns's poems. Most of her other gowns one does not remember after the act is over, for they are all vaguely pale- colored. But the Scotch make-up is naw Confine jour letters to 180 words end write on one side of paper only. Anonymous communications will not bo printed. Nome of writer must bo slsnod end be held In strict confidence. If desired. Tuscaloosa, Ala., Nov. 14. Editor Variety: Jno. J. Hubbard, Jr., manager of the Gaiety, Valdosta, Ga., on last Saturday night was $21 short on our salary, but told us such a straight story about having made payment on his new machine, etc., that I really thought he was on the square and took his check, dated ahead, for the $21 with his promise that the check would be met promptly. The check was sent in on the date named and came back marked "insufficient funds." I sent it oack again and wrote him asking him to please have funds there to meet it. It came back the second time marked "payment stopped," and though I have written him several letters, I cannot even get a reply. Scott Leslie. (Leslie and Livingston). (Where the maker of a check will stop payment, as related above, after the check has first been returned "Not Good," it is almost conclusive evidence of an intent to defraud. In this instance the manager, knowing the act to be out of his town, and believing it would not go to the bother and expense of suing for the amount in- volved, stops the payment in the expecta- tion of cheating the act eventually out of the $21, or possibly settling for a lesser amount. A manager of this stamp should be made to deposit the salary before play- ing. If the managers who pass worthless checks would have the experience of an act or acts waiting until the last moment before appearing to demand their weekly salary be posted in advance, it would cure a great many of the habit in short order. —Ed.) so readily fergot, ye maun carry awa the picter in yer een. Well, well, isn't John Hyams the reck- less father, to encourage strong-mind- edness in his infant daughter to such a fearful extent! You heard about his allowing his three-year-old baby "Leila" to manage his vaudeville tour? And then it will be just like a man to wonder, when she gets a little older, if she ex- presses a desire to vote. The day may come when Leila Hyams will smite her daddy with reproaches, she may hurl at him the accusation: "You; you yourself put me in the business at the early age of three. I booked your act and mother stole all my original business to use in her imitations, and now you blame me because I want to go in for women's rights!" TIPS: To some of you—It is pronounced SAH-LO-MAY! To some more of you—Please don't say "limbs" when you mean "legs." To still more—If you have occasion to use the word Madam, give it the English pronunciation unless you are playing a French part. To Maude Odell—Gee! But Tom Hearn would be jealous if he could see you use those dumb-bells! Atlantic Ctty, N. J., Nov. 14. Editor Variety: We note in to-day's Variety Luce and Luce's most childish letter saying they were the headline attraction at Haaleton, Pa., week Nov. 2, not Bates and Neville as stated. Yes, 'tis true, oh I the cruel truth, they were topping the bill of five acts. Bates and Neville were billed aa "extra added attraction." If your Hazleton correspondent accept- ed the headliner from the amount of ap- plause received, why, we can't help that, can we? Luce and Luce were third: we closed the bill—and this closes the argument. Bates and Neville. Hotel Roaelyn, Lancaster, Pa., Nov. 14. Editor Variety: Mrs. T. Rose Hariden, one of the 8 Musical Haridens, now visiting in Lan- caster, paid a visit to one of the picture houses known as the Scenic, and when the illustrated song chorus slide was thrown on the sheet, inviting every one to join the chorus, Mrs. Hariden did so. Two days later Mrs. Hariden paid an- other visit. When seated, the manager approached her and in a loud tone of voice threatened to have her arrested and taken from the theatre if she sang again. He claimed it was against the rule of the house. Yet they put the chorus on the sheet and invited you to join in. I don't suppose Mr. Mozart is aware of such management. The Scenic is on his circuit of houses. The people in Lancaster are not used to dealing with people from Broadway, evidently. They take them for "rubes." The manager wants to know if they do business like that in New York. Some one start something and tall him. H. J. Hariden. Rochester, N. Y., Nov. 14. Editor Variety: Kindly mention that Florence Belmont, of the original Brockman, Mack and Bel- mont, is not connected with the latest act under that title. I am with "The Girls From, Happy- land." Florence Belmont. St. Louis, Nov. 10. Editor Variety: We desire to deny the report from Kansas City that we were to leave "The Fads and Follies." We expect to remain with the show throughout the season. The Musical Bells. UNITED BOOKING FORT WAYNE. Ft. Wayne, Ind., Nov. 19. Commencing Nov. 30 a change of policy will occur at the Lyric, the number of shows daily being reduced from three, the present style, to two. Bookings will be made for the Lyric through the United Booking Offices, of New York, according to the announce- ment made by Manager Balfe. Acts play- ing Toledo, Cleveland or Detroit will come in here.