Why Good Actresses Make Good Wives
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ROBERT EDESON TAKES SOLID COMFORT IN HI3 HOME LIFE, WHICH IS IDEAL.
AMELIA BINGHAM HAS A COZY HOME NEAR THE THEATER WHERE SHE SCORED HER FIRST
MANAGERIAL TRIUMPH.
(Copyright, 1903, by Anna S. Ri.hardson.)
-IHENEVER a man of social stand
W I ing and wealth marries an ac-
ireaa, Lueie nnn;i a ucujcuuuub
how-de-do. Mrs. Grundy turns
her lorgnette in the direction of
the benighted youth, society shrugs Its
shoulders and exclaims: "It is a shame,
when he is so delightful; but then, you
know, she is quite impossible." And tbe
fight for social recognition is on.
A sensatlon-lovlng public is largely re
sponsible for these conditions. The do
mestic infelicities of the profession have
ever proved salable reading. A fair divorcee
will find her photographs in as many bou
doirs as bachelor halls. The mass of theater
goers prefer to think of the players as an
emotional class, given to hysteria and he
roics off the stage as well as on, and it pos
itively resents the idea of a chorus girl
enjoying any fare save lobsters and cham
pagne, while the joys of a five-room flat and
bath are not for a real soubrette.
Tbe omnipresent press agent is largely
responsible for this false conception of the
actress In private life. He does not employ
stories of domestic tranquility to draw
money into the boxofflce. He is bound by
rivets of iron to the champagne-lobster-dl-
vorcee idea, and society, as it is popularly
understood, is even lets catholic in its
views. The only difference between the two
is that tbe press agent knows better, but
has his salary to earn. Society does not
know better, for it Is too madly engaged in
its own little schemes for attaining social
precedence to interest Itself in any class
of humanity which will not further these
schemes.
The ambitious American actress of today
lRtralned in a stern school. She is not
jjjfied with the old advice to begin at
The bottom and work her way up, gather
ing practical experience as she goes. The
stage is too narrow a schoolroom to
meet her requirements. Her life Is given
over to study the languages, music,
dancing, history and the drama from its
. earliest beginnings. She studies the people
she meets in all cities where she plays,
and she is pastmistress of the arts nf
grooming and gowning. She ttust know
how to carry her gowns as well as to de
sign them. She realizes that to succeed in
the modern play one must be the modern
woman, not only behind the footlights, but
in everyday life. She cannot be sloven at
home and a fashion plate at tbe theater.
Thus it is that the training of the twentieth
r that of a daughter of the millionaire previ
ous to ber entrance Into society.
Tbe financial success which comes to a
popular star makes It possible for ber to
live in excellent If not luxurious style. She
takes as much pride In the appointments
of her home and understands as thoroughly
the management of ber servants as does
Milady Millionaire. And if she takes It Into
her well-balanced head to marry a man
whom society has always claimed as Its
own, she feels that she Is admirably
equipped for taking her position at his side
and managing his household.
The exceptional position of George Gould
as head of a great family and as a financier
with whom all multimillionaires vnust
reckon has given his marriage with a mem
ber of tbe profession more ' than ordinary
prominence.. What tbe world said when
his engagement to Edith Kingdom was an
nounced .and what it says today of his
singularly happy domestic life would make
entertaining reading, if arranged in parallel
columns a veritable case of "before and
after."
While Mrs. Gould has attained her social
ambitions, she has not made one false or
theatric move. Her ascent has been grad
ual, but absolutely sure. And 'hough the
spectacular was always expected of her,
she left eccentricity and constant striving
for unexpected effects to her rivals who had
never trod tbe boards.
The home life of the George Goulds Is
quoted as a worthy example to emulate by
the good, old-fashioned and most exclusive
element of metropolitan society. Women
who, none too sure of their own positions,
once looked askance at Edith Kingdom
Gould, now regard it as a special honor if
they are Invited to the week-end gather
ings at Georgian court. The Goulds' Lake
wood home is their favorite, and here Mrs.
Gould is rearing her children In an elegant
simplicity which puts to shame the charge
of tawdrlness and artificiality usually laid
at the professional woman's door.
While it is not given to every actress who
marries into private life and retires from
public view to score any such success as
Mrs. Gould has, there are scores of women
whose namei once adorned the play bills
in large type who are now happy In . a
quiet, domestic atmosphere, and, further,
are making equally happy the men who
braved popular tradition and married pro
fessionals. Is the American' public so fickle as to
have forgotten Mary Anderson and Julia
Arthur, both ot whom retired from the cal
cium glare to bask in the softer glow of the
hearth?
Actors are less apt to marry outside their
profession. This may be because a man
who succeeds on the stage is so entirely
centered In his work and himself for there
is no denying the fact that an actor is
almost invariably self-centered that he
meets few women from the other side of
the footlights. Matinee girls he regards as
useful principally at swelling the box office
receipts. He is more apt to fled bis recre
ations at his club than in the drawing room
of some social dame who would lionize him.
In England, actors of prominence lead a
social sort of existence. When their long
London run Is established they go in for
tea-drinking and visiting to an extent
which wculd seem a waste of time to the
American actor. The latter counts that day
lost when he has not laid one stone In the
foundation of his future ruccess, when be
has not given his press agent excuse for
manipulating the every-ready typewriter.
It he strays into tbe social highway. It is
in the direction of some function In which
his own profession is interested.
He goes to the horse show and to charity
bazars given in prominent places, not be
cause he cares much for horses or for the
worthy poor, but because bis manager says
it Is a good thing for him to put in an ap
pearance. The average actor is a bale fel
low, well met, just so long as social duties
do not interfere with the advancement ot
his stellar Interests. The ways of woman
are past finding out, and for love or the
satisfying of her hunger for a home the ac
tress will sacrifice what the world and her
world call brilliant prospects. The actor
never loses sight ot tho prospects; love is
a side issue to him.
Another barrier which stands in the way
of the actor who would marry In wha
might be termed the social ranks is tbe
American woman's deeply rooted objection
10 burning Incense. If she has family, po
sition and money in her own right, she in
sists that the incense burning be done by
the party of the second part. She is not
laying this tribute at tbe feet of a popular
matinee idol.
One instance may be quoted which is
quite fresh in tbe minds of New York the
atergoers, and which goes to prove the as
sertion. A typical matinee idol married a
widow with one child, a charming home,
and a goodly Income. She burned Incense
first across the footlights and later on the
borne hearth. Likewise, she burned a com
fortable share of ber worldly goods in ad
vancing the interests of her actor-husband.
He wore raiment which, while quiet in taste,
was of a qualify to make his fellow work
ers open their eyes. He came to rehearsals
In a smart coupe which made the leading
man's hansom look decidedly cheap and
tawdry. He met the Broadway stars on
their own particular reservation and the
antique shops. And his manager, being an
individual of broad experience, took note of
these things and decided that here was a
man worth -starring. With an adoring
backer there was no question ot financial
loss.
The still adoring wife played the role ot
"angtl,""and on the opening night was the
proudest, happiest woman In the theater,
as, half hidden by tbe curtains of her box,
she heard tbe vociferous applause accorded
her handsome young husband's initial
starring ventuie.
Six months Uter, and with the best of
grounds, she was a petitioner In the divorce
court. To the credit of the New York the
ater-goers it must be chronicled that while
the actor continues in tbe stellar ranks,
he has been made to feel that he has lost
the oldtlme tribute of personal friendliness.
His play is sufficiently strong to balance
the 111 feeling which the public bears blm,
but he is shorn of his glory as a matinee
idol.
When an actor marries in his own pro
fession he cherishes the ambition of sooner
or later seeing his wife retire. This is not
due, as frequently charged, to professional
jealousy alone. He knows better than any
one else the terrific struggle for tecognl
tlon, the nervous strain of simulating emo
tions night after night, and the tempta
tions which beset not only the actress but
any woman in the public eye. He feels
that, so long as his wife works in their
chosen profession, she must give the lion's
share of her thought and time to ber art.
The average manager, too, does not care to
engage husband and wife in the same com
pany, and so, unless they are in a position
to dictate terms to the autocrat In the
office, they must separate at least ten
months in the year. Mrs. Mansfield, once
known as Beatrice Cameron, has not ap
peared behind the footlights In many sea
sons. David Warfleld's wife travels with
him, but never treads tbe stage at his side.
Maud Durbln seldom plays with her hus
band, Otis Skinner.
If ever an actor may hope to flee the
limelight of public notice, it Is at his own
fireside, and if his wlfd shares his art as
well as his home, between lntervlers, man.
agers and modistes he will have little or
no comfort or seclusion.
There has never been a time In the his
tory of the stage when the average fire,
side ot the actor has been more attractive.
It is an age of big financial returns for
stage folk. Actors are no longer traveling
mountebanks, with only a chance resting
place In sight. They are in a business that
boasts a secure financial setting, and their
abiding place is of their own choosing and
not In the gift of fate.
Where both husband and wife are on the
stsge, their joint income offers them every
worldly comfort and many luxuries. Nat
Goodwin and his beautiful wife, Maximo
Elliott, lead a most leisurely existence,
playing profitably when they will and in the
summer running over to England, where
Miss Elliott is one of the popular, as well
as pretty, figures In Mayfalr.
James K. Hackett and Mary Mannering
have most artistic New York apartments,
and during their recent' runB in the metrop
olis they made the most of their home,
which, though simple and severe in Its
furnishings, bespeaks the artistic taste
ct both huBband and wife. Their summer
are spent principally In the woods.
Amelia Bingham has a massive residence
close to the theater where she scored her
first stellar success. Her husband, though
still Identified with his Interests in Wall
street, gives most of his time to the man
agement of his wife's many companies, and
can almost be classed In the profession.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Bingham have a fad for
collecting works of art and their home Is
a veritable repository tor curios.
Mrs. Flske finds a sympathetic manager
and comrade in her husband, Harrison
Grey Flske. His playhouse is primarily a
home for his talented wife during her sea
son, but away from the theater they have
long since gathered around them a charm
ing circles of friends, and their Sunday
evenings are noted for their artistic and
literary flavor.
Never was a star more carefully guarded
than is Henrietta Croeman by her hus
band and manager, Maurice Campbell. He
can spot a prospective Interviewer three
blocks away and . ward him oft as only an
ex-newspaper man can. Mr. Campbell
travels with his wife during the season
and In the summer they flee to some re
tired resort, there to enjoy a placid, out
door life with their only son.
Both Robert Edeson and Alice Fischer,
two newly launched stars, lead Meal
home lives. Mr. Edeson's wife, Ellen
Berg, travels with him as his leading
woman and their Idle hours are spent In
planning their country home at Sag Har
bor, which recent good fortune h
awarded to their Joint efforts.
Alice Fischer la known in private life ai
the wife of William Harcourt, a leading
man ot excellent standing. Their home
overlooking Central park ts kept open by a
faithful maid the year round, and their
Sunday afternoons are exceedingly popu
lar, when fate is kind enough to bring
them to New York simultaneously.
The "road" never sees the best side o'
the popular actor or actress. Here anf
there are scattered congenial friends, but
to the majority New York is home, and
their social interests seldom stray many
miles from Broadway. Here they estab
lish their lares and penates until hot
weather drives them to the shore or the
mountains but even then they avoid fash
ionable resorts and seek the quiet com
panionship ot a few friends, as far re
moved as possible from the maddening,
wearing atmosphere of the theater.
Opprobrious
Mrs. Nurltch Mrs. Betterdaze told me
she was going to send her boy to you for
a job.
Mr. Nurltch Yes, she sent him and I
turned hjra down proper, You'd oughter
seen tbe hlgh-ha-nded letter she sent with
him -said1 she sent him to me because he
"must have work of some kind even it he
bad; to work' for a mere pittance." The
nerve of her callln' me names like that!
Philadelphia Press,