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Show A Seme in the Crowded Dislricl.s of New York Where the Undeveloped donius and Talent of '1 hoiisunds of Lilllc Children Yearly Go lo Waste for Lack of the Luck That Bd"cll Little Doris Booth. ONE morning a little black-eyed girl awoke, a dweller in the poor quarter. of New York City, and with every prospect pros-pect of remaining there the rest of her life. The next morning she awoke a personage. For a man who had discovered many geniuses, among them Maude Adams, had seen her and said she was a genius and must, be brought up as one. It was as though a fairy godfather had waved his wand and transformed her lite from a thing of ugliness rto one of beauty. In the poor and crowded quarter ot New York, and of all large cities, genius may Hiring up as a flower. But the weeds grow t lickly about it. It languishes for lack of sun and air. It withers and dies, choked to death by the weeds about it. But occasion-fflly occasion-fflly one of these flowers of genius lives de-spite de-spite adverse conditions. Some ray of light rr reaches it. Mereiiul currents of air fan its S life. The weeds are not thick enough nor V. strong enough to choke it. Then comes some jjsfairy godfather or godmother .and transplants trans-plants it. And the genius flourishes. And the world rejoices as it does when a genius lives. That kindly fate is what lias come to Doris Booth. "Little Doris" they call her. It was Daniel Frohman who waved the fairy wand and changed the life of '"Little Doris." The tiny black-eyed dancer had floated float-ed out upon the stage a replica of Adeline Genee or of Anna Pavlowa. She had danced . as a bird sings, naturally, joyously, and with exquisite effect. "While she was withdrawing withdraw-ing into the wings she coquetted with the audience, cast at it a roguish smile, kissed , the tips of her fingers at it, and vanished with as much grace as though she had oeen schooled for twenty years in the relations of artist to audience. In the audience sat a slender man with a " silver Van Dyke beard and kindly eyes that looked at her through platinum-rimmed glasses. "When she had finished he led the applause. lie scribbled a note on his card and called an usher and sent the card back stage to the. child's mother. "Please come over to my office," he wrote. "1 am interested m 'Little 'Lit-tle Doris' and may be able to help her." The note was signed bv a name known . wherever there is an English speaking stage. It was "Daniel Frohman." The other dancers and sineers who had v contributed to the charity affair at the Wal- dorf-Astona gathered about the child and s; her mother. t "Your fortune is made," they said. "He is the man who gave Maude Adams her first engagement m New York. He developed E. H. Sotliern and made Virginia Harned a star. He took Margaret llhngton out of the ranks. You ought to fall on your knees and thank God."' But the patient, tired, sickly little mother was too busy taking "Little Doris" out of her tiny white robe of a classic dancer and putting her into the coarse black dress and heavy boots of her class and district to drop upon her knees. She sobbed under her breath. "Little Doris" patted her cheek and said: "What ails mamma? "W hy docs poor mamma cry?" "Hurry, dear ! And walk fast. A gentle- man is waiting for us. There's happy tears ps well as sad ones, darling." The mother in her eagerness nearly dragged the child from her feet as they hurried uptown. Mr. Frohman soon learned all that was to be known about Doris Booth and her family. The child s father was a grubbing clerk. Her mother was a frail, tired woman who had been a trained nurse before her marriage. The child had lived where she was born, in the poorer quarters of New York. "But when she was eighteen months old she was full of love of music," said her mother. "As soon as she heard it she would lean and sway, always in perfect time to the music. I did not know that was dancing. had never heard of classic dancing. 1 thought the child was-having a fit of soma PHOTO PACH 6 BOS, " - " " r 'j i " lit? ! J I f & ? ' - y , , 5, - r ','.,'. f " IdS farasr- Vj V S 52,, S-mi vwi' j .) 9 Vt U 7 - ''; 1 How tke Star of f X r"; , ':i:f I , J;; Good Fortune SWe ; Jr" . u ' fjf : Down on Little t. , V: : - :VV:V V ,:,tvl Doris Bootli and V, r l:'--:vX TP V.; Pointed Out tke Patk r X: " ' 1 X VW:: ;;V ; f to .Fame and Rickes 1 ,Y V. i ; , ' , o r i- , : - , 4 - , - . - 4 - , ' " - ' "- ' v ' . " s" - - ' . , " j "" A v ' ' . , " " j A Scrne in the Crowded Districts of New Yoik Where X ?. ', v j , -". " . .' the Undeveloped dcnuis and Talent of lliousands " ' - '!v " i? v ' , J' of Little Children Yenrlv Go to Waste for Lack ,CJ- ' " " ' - ' ' -" v t of the Luck That BJcll Little Dons Booth. . . , , 's,' . ONE morning a little black-eyed girl "i"-fel, ! ' s , C ' - ' ' i awoke, a dweller m the poor quartet. of - -8, f . ' ; t r f t ' . New Yoik City, and with every pros- ' " ; t , ' ' t " ' T . ' ' V - pect of remaining there the rest of her life. pach epos, -v , - - , " ' l y, , '-4 The next moimng she awoke a personage. ' v 1 f ' lr ,j :. For a man who had discoveied many .X 4 , 1" " f ' geniuses, among them Maude Adams, had . '"X, ' '-' " S " " f ' seen her and said she was a genius and must, ' - - ' ' ' ' ' . " ' '-L L 4 be brought up as one. kind, and wondered whether there was any . Tv " ' " , ! ' s " " " , ' It was as though a fairv godfather had epilepsy m the family I knew there wasn't 4 , i ' '.' f ' "f - v' 4 i ' -waved his wand and transformed her lite m mine. Mv husband said. 'No The only " ' f'"V" . 1 ' ' from a thing of ugliness ito one of beauty. queer thing f know m my family is that they . , ; ' ; . , o In the poor and crowded quarter ot New a,e .distantly related to an actor, Edwin, s U , ' -c ) 5 , ' - ' s , . ' v, 1 York, and of all largo cities, genius may Booth'" e v 4 , " : "f ',J 't f 4 Biring up as a flower. But the w eeds grow Thereafter there was a complete change f . , ' - - " , ? " K ' y ,--)T- r 5J . J t 'lickly about it It languishes for lack of m her kfe. It was signalized first by the ?J - v J t . ' sun and air It w ithers and dies, choked to family's removal to the West Side A sec- ' t ' ' - , - - - f- h n U L ' - ! , death by the weeds about it. But occasion- ond landmark was a childi en's party which t ' , - "? 3 J " t T ;4 fVi ' . filly one of these flowers of genius lives de- Mr. Fiohman gave m his suite in the Lyceum , , . l ' , ' " T, s ,'' ' spi'te adverse conditions Some ray of light Theatre to fifty little girls and boys, most J Z ' (- ; f ", , , V - t 1 " ' "r reaches it Meiciiul cm rents of air fan its of them of the theatre, and to which Eose - ' ' r - ' - . J ' ' ' i ' V ife. The weeds aie not t luck enough nor Cecil O'Neill was invited As soon as Miss f t. f s , " 4 ' " - , " ' J strong enough to choke it Then comes some O'Neill saw "Little Dons" she fell 111 love ' ' "J , - ' - " 1 ' ' 51 " ' , " ' , fairy godfather or godmother and tians- w-ith her m her impetuous fashion A ' ,,, s . plants it. And the genius flourishes And Kneeling on the floor beside her she gath- , , . 1 1 r- . - f-",. the world lejoices as it does when a genius ered her into her aims and said : S 'J - U ' v ' 1 ' j " J livos. "Yes, you little darling, I am the mother , , " , , ' , S i - That kindlv fate is what has come to Doris of the kewpies and I mean to be a mother to ' f w t ,. '''' " K ; Booth. "Little Dons" they call her. you." C " T ". " :- kJ ' . J It was Daniel Fiohman who waved the Since that debut the little genius' life has w k, ' i ' " 'rv' ' fairy wand and changed the life of "Little oeen on a different plane and tends eon- -.-.! " ' ' ' .i ; 4-f: - . 's ' 4 - Doris." The tiny black-eyed dancer had float- stantly toward the heights. Word that ' ; , ',''"' ' ' , ed out upon the stage a replica of Adeline Daniel Fiohman had practically adopted her, -1 " . ' " N -t ' . ky Genee or of Anna Pavlowa. She had danced . or as she says, had "signed her for life,", ' ? ' - ' v ; : as a bird sings, natui ally, joj-ously, and with travelled with magic swiftness. The little ' r ' . - - ' , -s - : ' exquisite effect. "While she was withdi aw- unknown had become a celebrity. -j, ,' , ,V T' " x w . - ' ; ine into the wings she coquetted with the Mr. Frohman, who has nurtured many 5 , - a .'.' - - -4 x "5 ', ' audience, cast at it a roguish smile, kissed players, is giving the benefit of thirty years t s 1 - - the tips of hei fingers at it, and vanished experience with the stage to the fortunate . - x ( - N ',' C " - - , ' " with as much gi ace as though she had neen five-v ear-old 1 ' , t . - - j' '' V- schooled for twenty j ears in the relations "The instant I saw her I thought of f " V v,. - - . ; r 1 kv , - , of artist to audience. Maude Adams," said Mr. Frohman. "She ' " r t , . " ' r c ' . j In the audience sat a slender man with a reminds me of Maude Adams as Miss Adams ff '' ' ' ' " i " 's ' " ' , t'-V " silver Van D.vke beard and kindly eyes that was thirty j eais ago, when she came to me v v ' , ' " , . " looked at her through platinum 1 immed a thm, angular, awkward girl of fifteen and S '", i ' ' 1 ' 12 ' 'v "' glasses. "When she had finished he led the engaged her to play the sister of Loid ; N 1 n ' , - ' 5 - ' ' " " ' N applause Chumley. I saw in this child the coquetry - 1 ; r , , 1 . -' " - , ' He sci lbbled a note on his card and called of Maude Adams and the passion of Julia i 'l - . ' ' ! , , " ; , an usher and ent the card back stage to the Arthur. I knew that I saw a future actress, I - j child's mother "Please come over to my a leading one of the next generation. Her f ' - ' , , 3 office," he wrote. ' 1 am inteiested m 'Lit- face has that quality of reflecting thought ? J . 'J tie Doris' and may be able to help her." and emotions that give vividness to an act- i , , , ' ' ' K . ,l $ The note was signed by a name known ress. I shall supervise her regimen and edu- ' ' , 1 f 'J wherever theie is an English speaking stage. cation to the end of making her such an ' , ' " , ' " t ,1 It was "Daniel Fiohman " actress In about twelve years she should ' ' ' - '''''.. The othtr danceis and sineers who had make her debut as a gi own-up. Meanwhile 1 ' . v contributed to the chanty affair at the "Wal- she should occasionally play a child part, not , - dorf-Astona gatheied about the child and often, for the child actor grows into a meiely, ' ' " 1 , c J her mother. passable actor at most." - " 1 , "Your fortune is made," they said "He ' 7 -'. . ' ' , ' -.2 is' the man who gave Maude Adams her first T f v t - t -1 engagement 111 New Yoik He developed " VL - ' ' - ' ' ' I E. H. Sothein and made Virginia Harned - J , ,1 - , ' ' , ' ,"0 ''' ' - '. , 'i a star. lie took Margaret llhngton out of , , . , t v- - ' s the ranks You ought to fall on 3 our knees . 1 x : ' . ' ' J : ' ' i and thank God " 4 . , " ' !""''' - - ' '- " 1 But the patient, tired, sicklv little mother , t "c v , v. ; T . was too busy taking "Little Dons" out of - , ""V J . '- " " ' ;,'K'" " . ' " " "5 Photo her tiny white robe of a classic dancer and . S ,v- v ' ', 1" " " ' " vj , " " ' , ' ? - putting" her into the coarse black dress and - ' - - " , - . - ' " 1 heavy boots of hei class and distnct to drop .I " 1 ( ' " ' v ' A ' " ' 1 ' . j upon her knees She sobbed under her . . ' breath. "little Doris" patted her cheek (V 1 1 ' " - and said: " What ails mamma ? W hy docs j . : j'e.v-.i . -- . :k" ::, ' v.-.r'-: . -; - ' poor mamma cry ?" ' : ,-'.f. , . v .'. -..'.:yi',;i,.-.;:1;.:.; ..i;v; , . -':rC: .vti. .. . v "Hurry, dear ! And walk fast. A gentle- f " l.'i : f- ;r ' -. man is waiting for us. There's happy tears .-,- .' ' '"' '--'jp;-f:,-'! -yr--- , . . .v.- . . rs well as sacl ones, darling." The mother .. .. - - r-? . s."-'f:;'-- '.-vi:: .v . ; - ' i.. . , - S, in her eagerness nearly dragged the child I ' ' v'-.j'-"- ':5-rc ::.' - y :.: . v.'.-.v -.'-, ; from her feet as they hurried uptown. t , Mr. Frohman soon learned all that was to V , x fj-r- ;-: -.', y...: .... i :.- :: .... V' : : - 1?V be known about Doris Booth and her family. 1 . . ' . . ., V? '' ,. . . i, .:. - ,-. . : : : ' ; - . ,.: -. - . , ". . . - . . : '. . . The child s father was a grubbing cleik. ( ' t. ' , Her mother v as a frail, tned vv oman who had , n " .a. . been 'a trained nurse before her marriage. ' " - '"' ' ' " ' ":- " '""i,;-v,wv-.. A The child had lived where she was born, in N . . .-...,: -..3.v . t'-,JAhKik2.-?. .1 the poorer quarters of New York. , : - . .: . , . ." "But when she was eighteen months old - . . 1 Four Photographs That Show the Genius of Lilllc Doris in Interpreting Various f " Shir5 "AUlnsJiZiiwoi-d - Emotions-the Genius That Caught lite Great Th.catrical Manager's Eye ' lean and sway, always m perfect time to the . , . , , and Put me Child in a Place That Hundreds of Actresses Envy. music. I did not know that was dancing. . ":" J had never heard of classic dancing. 1 ""- . . ... thought the child vvas-having a fit of soma ' Copyright, 1017, by the Star Company. Crcat Brllcin Klhu 1-tvserveO. 1 kind, and wondered whether there was any epilepsy m the family. I knew there wasn't in mine. Mv husband said. 'No. The only queer thing I know m my family is that they are ,distantly related to an actor, Edwm Booth.' " Thereafter there was a complete change in her life. It was signalized first by the family's removal to the West Side. A second sec-ond landmark was a children's party which Mr. Frohman gave in his suite in the Lyceum Theatre to fifty little girls and boys, most of them of the theatre, and to which Rose Cecil O'Neill was invited. As soon as Miss O'Neill saw "Little Doris" she fell in love with her m her impetuous' fashion. Kneeling on the floor beside her she gathered gath-ered her into her arms and said: "Yes, you little darling, I am the mother of the kewpies and I mean to be a mother to you." Since that debut the little genius' life has been on a different plane and tends constantly con-stantly toward the heights. Word that Daniel Frohman had practically adopted her, or as she says, had "signed her for life,", travelled with magic swiftness. The little unknown had become a celebrity. Mr. Frohman, who has nurtured many players, is giving the benefit of thirty years experience with the stage to the fortunate five-vear-old. 1 "The instant I saw her I thought of Maude Adams," said Mr. Frohman. "She reminds me of Maude Adams as Miss Adam3 was thirty years ago, when she came to me a thm, angular, awkward girl of fifteen and I engaged her to play the sister of Lord Chumley. I saw in this child the coquetry of Maude Adams and the passion of Julia Arthur. I knew that I saw a future actress, a leading one of the next generation. Her face has that quality of reflecting thought and emotions that give vividness to an actress. act-ress. I shall supervise her regimen and education edu-cation to the end of making her such an actress. In about twelve years she should make her debut as a grown-up. Meanwhile she should occasionally play a child part, not often, for the child actor grows into a merely, passable actor at most." |