Little Prima Donna With Small Role

 Irene Dunne has the smallest part in one of Broadway's biggest successes. She "works" four minutes eight times a week or a total of little more than half an hour per seven days. Her income from this short period of labor enables her to study music, Italian and dancing. Irene has ambition. Who can tell? Perhaps some day she may work all through a play. Miss Dunne is the little secretary in the paint factory when the curtain rises on the "The Clinging Vine." Before the next scene is one-third over Irene is merrily subwaying her way Bronxward. If you should see her and evening you'd probably exclaim "Awful late for a school girl to be out." Irene, of course, would have no time to notice you, she'd only clutch her armful of books more tightly and move swiftly on.

 The little girl is doing exactly the kind of work she wanted to do. When Henry W. Savage was angling for a "type" to play the secretary to Peggy Wood in "The Clinging Vine," his line reached out and pulled in Irene. She had asked the Colonel for a small part. He had heard her pretty voice, he liked her apperance, but he hesitated to offer her her only four minutes employment per performance. But the part was written, it was important and, well, would Irene take it? 

 She would and she did. And, strangest of all, she had no sooner signed a contract than she telephoned to Zelda Sears, author of the play, thanking her for keeping the part short.

 "Unheard of," cried Miss Sears when she had regained her composure. "This is the first time I ever heard of any actress thanking an author for a small role."

 "Now I can study everything," said Irene. And if she reads all the books she carries to and from the theatre her culture will be all-comprehensive.

(The Evening Telegram , New York, March 29 1923)