CAREER OF “LILLIAN" ANDREWS.

South Canterbury Times, Volume XV, Issue 2067, 7 November 1879, Page 2

CAREER OF “LILLIAN" ANDREWS.

The following is clipped from the San Francisco “Post,” and as it refers to a well-known and highly popular New Zealand lady, it will be read with insterest by her many friends: — Lililan Andrews, an actress who has recently come to.Calfornia, was born in 1857 in Denbigh street, S. W. London, Englannd. Her father was an American and her mother —Mathilde Emmeline Andrews, a celebrated beauty was English. When the subject of this sketch was but twelve years of age her father died, leaving the wife with three daughters to support. Lillian, being the eldest, was sent to an aunt living in St Kilda, Australia, where her education was finished. At the age of fourteen she left school and was put in a photographic gallery to be taught the art of toning and coloring pictures. She does not come of theatrical stock, and it was much against the wishes of her family that she embraced the profession. She made her first appearance in public as a concert singer, having a fine soprano voice. This, however, did not satisfy her ambitionjbttt as her aunt was deaf to her entreaties whenever the subject of going on the stage was mentioned, the young girl resolved to act for herself, keeping hep own counsel and watching for an apportunity, which she soon obtained. One day there passed through the town a burlesque company going to Castlemaine. Fortunately for her, the family were spending the day at a lunch party in the country. It required but a short time to put together some of her best clothing, write a hasty good-bye letter, and elope with the actors. After being in the company but three weeks she married the leading man, and, to verify the old saying, “she married in haste and repented at leasure.” Leaving the burlesque troop, she and her husband accepted an engagement at the Duke of Edinburgh’s Theatre, Hokitika, ’ New Zealand, where she did small parts. From there they went to Greymouth. Subsequently she joined Charles Bmrford’s company, and travelled over New Zealand for one year playing the seconds in comedy and burlesque to Miss Clara Stephenson’s lead. Her next engagement was to John Bennett, in Sydney, where she opened and made her first success as the Little Mother, in the play of “ The Geneva Cross,” in which May Howard was then starring. Since that time Miss Andrews has been doing leading business in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, and, in fact, all through the colonies. At her farewell benefit in Brisbane the town presented her with a diamond set. Miss Andrews’ married life has been anything but a happy one, owing to the fact that her husband was an inveterate gambler, often using her salary as well as his own for such amusements. He \7as exceedingly jealous of her, which gave rise to many quarrels. She determined to secure a divorce, and after taking the necessary legal proceedings she took passage in the steamship City of New York, bound for San Francisco, arriving here oh the 22nd of last May. One week after her arrival here she played Portia for Mra Judah’s benefit, Miss Jeffreys Lewis who was to have played the part, being taken suddenly ill. Lawrence Barrett, then being on his way to the Portland engaged her to accompany him for the leading business 3 She returned to this city just in time to play Ophelia at the Grand Opera House for the benefit of the Masons ; then made a tour through the interior. Her first engagement here was at the Baldwin, where she opened as La Grande Virginia in in the play of “ L’Assommoir.” She has been offered an engagement at this theatre for one year, but as she and the management cannot agree about the terms, nothing has as yet been decided. On the failure of Imogene she was called into requisition at the California Theatre, where she finished out the time which had been previously alloted to that star. It was at this theatre that she made her best success, and proved herself versatile actress. Miss Andrews is of medium height, and rather inclined to embonpoint. She has dark eyes, soft and sad in their expression ; brown wavy hair'; fair complexion ; the general expression of her face indicating more than ordinary intelligence.