Zelda Sears - Actress

Actress

She moved on, working successively as an extra girl and in an opera chorus. Sears joined a class in a dramatic school. She journeyed to New York City with a letter of introduction to a New York theatrical manager. Her initial opportunity in New York City was obtained through A.L. Erlanger. She joined a ballet and earned $20 a week while also learning toe dancing. Her first part was a very small one in a stock production of Sowing The Wind. She played comic roles on stage, learned shorthand, and even opened her own typewriting business. The impetus of her writing career occurred when her landlady went on vacation to the mountains and Sears managed her boarding house while she was away. She began to copy scientific articles for the noted surgeon, Dr. William Bull. Sears observed life in his sanitarium and turned what she saw into a fictional story, which she sold to a magazine. Readers became privy to the inner workings of the institution by reading Zelda's The Name Above The Door. Her income grew after several more short stories were accepted for publication.

Dissatisfaction led Sears to return to Chicago, where she joined the acting troupe of John Stapleton. Her first meaningful part came by way of Harry Parker, who was general manager for William A. Brady. Sears' stage career was further boosted by her acting in a production of Lovers Lane. Other plays in which she appeared were Women and Wine, Girls, The Blue Mouse, Love Among The Lions, The Girl He Couldn't Leave Behind Him, Keeping Up Appearances, The Nest Egg, Standing Pat, The Truth, The Show Shop, The Scarlet Woman, and Undertow.

In 1907 Sears was appearing in Baltimore in a play called The Truth by Clyde Fitch. The star of the play was Clara Bloodgood who was best friends with Sears. Bloodgood despondent about something concerning the play and Fitch committed suicide in her hotel room.