AMUSING ANECDOTES OF SYBIL THORNDIKE

Shannon News, 13 August 1929, Page 4

AMUSING ANECDOTES OF SYBIL THORNDIKE

BROTHER’S BIOGRAPHY,

Some amusing -anecdotes from the career of Mias Sybil Thorndike, the premier - English tragedienne of to-day, are to be found in a recent biography by her brother, Bussell. , Miss Thorndike’s father was a minor canon of Rochester. It is no doubt typical of the man that when his daughter decided that she wanted to give up her musical career he merely said: “All right. We may as well have a shot at it.’’ When she was on tour with Ben Greet’s in America, she had her first chance t*o play Viola, the actress chosen for the part having taken ill.

“I relieved his mind of all doubts as to my ability,’’ she wrote homo, “and then I prayed loud —and oh, father, what I wanted to pray was this: ‘ Oh, Lord God, please smite her with a fell disease so that she can’t play for weeks, and lot me play the parts, oh Lord!’ But, no! Not your good, Christian, kind, little daughter. I said meekly: 'Oh! Lord God,’ please make her better, but let it be necessary fot her to, have one night at least.’” How she took George Bernard Shaw’s advice makes another good anecdote. She had managed to join the Play Actors’ Society, which had just started, and she was seen by Bernard Shaw in a farce. Shaw liked her, and thought that slhe might do as an understudy for Ellen 0 'Malloy in ‘' Candida ’ ’ When Shaw had heard her read the part he staid to her: “You go home and learn housekeeping, and have 'four children, or six, if you'd rather, and then come back, and show mo ‘Candida.’ ” It was while understudying Miss ©’MaJley on tour that Miss Thorndike met Lewis Casson, later married him, and became, according to .Shaw’s advice, the mother of four children. She did not show him ‘Candida,’ but in due time »he created ‘Saint Joan’ — a much greater achievement.