Show i A 1 01 Green Tights 1 Attracted Otis Utis Skinner HP Fi T 1 To io Woman Who became His Wife Wire I p c ct I I t OTIS SKINNER NEW YORK April 11 By NEA It It was the green tights that did it The green tights the faun-colored faun Doublet and the voice like a golden bell Nothing was farther from Otis Skinners Skinner's thoughts than falling in love that day three thirty-three years ago when he strolled into the Garrick Garrick Garrick Gar- Gar rick theatre in New ew York YO-I for a re rehearsal re- re of Modjeska's l Henry III VIII Then all alj o of a sudden there slip she he was was was-In In the emerald tights and anti faun-colored faun doublets of a page re reCiting reciting reciting re- re citing the words of the prologue ina ina in ina a rich and thrilling contralto Modjeska l herself and the girls girl's mother were listening in the wings When she finished Otis Skinner strode up to Modjeska l Who Vho is she he asked My Iy latest Maul Maud Durbin of Denver replied madame And the future Mrs Otis Skinner Skinner Skinner Skin Skin- ner he thought For Jor two years the two youn pro pro- teges of ot Modjeska studied with her Skinner playing male leads and Miss 1 Durbin in juveniles Then Otis Skinner crossed the Rubicon with his own company opening September 22 1894 in Rockford Rockford Rock Rock- ford Ill III with a repertoire of Shakespeare and romantic dr drama ma Miss Durbin was with him playing playing play play- ing Juliet to his Romeo Ophelia to his Hamlet and Mistress l Hamilton to his D De Dc Grammont In roles of at sentiment and ro romantic romantic ro- ro mantic mantie charm says sas Mr loIr Skinner my wife has never been surpassed ed I would rather hear her Juliet than ihm that of or any actress playing it to toda to- to day da Their romance progressed rapidly that winter i We Ve were in n love with each other ether I In the beginning say says Mr Skin Skin- i nero ner 1 But by spring Romeo ami ml tn U I I j I I i I i I Juliet themselves could not have JI equalled our balcony scene In the little cemetery of New Orleans Otis Skinner asked Maud Durbin to be his wife They celebrated their betrothal with witha a dinner at the thc little French Cafe On April 21 1895 they were marI mar mar- ried ned I Our wedding was the first performed performed performed per per- formed in the First Church of Christ at Corning N. N Y Yon on a bright day in April Our assets were mainly rich hopes Then came janie the lean years year and many of them The Tho Otis Skinner company was wasI I presenting the cream of English I drama In credit creditable ble style But nut the public loves a name and as ye yet he had none For five rive years ears his wife barnstormed barnstormed barnstormed barn barn- stormed with him facing empty theatres short railroad jumps complete complete com corn indifference in towns that later packed his houses t to the doors and brought him back for curtain speeches But Otis Skinner was a gallant fighter In the face of debts and discouragement he kept up a bravo brave front insisting upon good hotels for his wife and whatever comforts he could secure or make sa says sas s Otis Skinner It was a her life more endurable We Ve owed everybody he sa says s 's from the barber balber to the scene shift shift- ers But we were happy I r remember a day when I was rehearsing Hamlet to m myself Suddenly Suddenly Suddenly Sud Sud- denly all my failures surged upon me in a wave of despair and I said to my wife I 1 am through I have hae nothing Jo 0 o give them and they dont don't want me It took her about fifteen minutes to make me eat my words When their one child Cornelia Cornella Otis Skinner was born five Jye years after their marriage Mrs Irs Skinner r retired from the stage She re returned returned returned re- re turned to it only once to play playa a role in The Silent Voice in 1915 for which her husband could find no other personality that pl pleased ased him During their daughters daughter's girlhood Mrs i Skinner a home at atthe atthe atthe the edge of Bryn Mawr 1 campus so that she might have the collegiate setting for her school days Her education was completed in Paris Many of Coq Cornelia e Skinners Skinner's verses have been published in magazines She was a member of her fathers father's company in Blood and Sand Otis Skinner has become one of the great characters chara of the American American Ameri Amen can stage But Mrs Skinner he says has been the man behind the guns This title she denies My Iy chief has been In Importance she sa says s 's keeping the home fires burning banning which is the poetic way of saying seeing that the furnace did not go out |