New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-29
THE LOW COMEDIAN.
SOME OF HIS TRAITS AND TRICKS AS SEEN
BY AN ACTOR. :.

BY AN ACTOk.
From the time of those celebrated English como
dians Munden and Lston there has existed radit on
that the player of funny parts was when off tho stage
serious sad almost woe-begone person. Those actors
are represented as having been at heart tragedans.
unlucky forced through circumstances some pecu-
arity of face form voice. into trying TO make people
laugh instead Of cry. But the modern comedian has
no desire to affect his audience to tears, though I'M
fortunately he may to doing so, not in the
way he would desire, but at the thought. persist
emily borne in upon him. how unfunny he IL. Recog-
nizing that his efforts are not as CONFUSING as ne
thinks they ought to be- the comedian Of to-day often
sets to work to build up n reputation wag and
Joker in private e II no get his exploits of this
sort into the newspapers he delighted for he believes
that when the public reads what funny things he
thinks of and does it will be in moro kindly humor
to appreciate his strictly professional efforts When T.
A. Sothern the famous Dundreary." was alive,
scarcely week passed without some fresh eocen-
tricty or practical joke being inflicted upon the con-
filling public through the medium Of the carefully
instructed reporter One week 1t was the advertise
meut Of the attempt of an aeronaut to descend from
Trinity Church steeple bird-like flying machine ;
another week it was the famous dinner at the Gram
Grey Park Hotel given to the husband of Adelaide
Nelsou when Dan" Bryant, the minstrel was intro
duced as William Cullen Bryant the poet; Nelse
Seymour as Governor Horatio Seymour; aud when
each guest upon sitting down solennly pulled out
bowiekn from the back Of his neck and carefully
laid it at tho side of his plate Then, at given signal
the gas was extingushed and terrific fight was sup
posed to take place. during which the frightened Eng
lishman crawled under the table, whence when order
was restored he was with difficulty induced to emerge
Florence and Sothern always playing jokes on
each other aud whenever they met on their travels one
or the other was sure to suffer- The writer was stay
ing with them at the Lindell Hotel in ST. Louis
when Florence put In an advertisement for dog, the
answers to which to be sent to Sotherns m.
That day the office stairs and passages were crowded
with all sorts and conditions of men," women and
children Zach with dog. At last it was necessary
to bring the police the rescue but not until Sohern
had been waylaid by some of the most importunate
who insisted on his purchasing his freedom at rates
varying from 80 cents to 81 But Sothern worked his
revenge that very night. His piece was over early,
while that Of the Florences, " The Mighty Dollar"
rather long As soon as Sothern was at liberty
and it is probable that he hurried up ltle-he with
all his Dundreary" makeup and dress on jumped
into q carriage and driven rapidly as possible
to Pope's Theatre He rushed on the stage in the
middle of Mr. and Mrs: Florences last love scene and
asonished the lady that shs became speeches. and
unable to proceed for several minutes, during which
ure hugely.
Sometimes the comedian gets unexpectedly caught
by some popularity in more of his audience.
and then he does not relish the joke so heartily. A
famous actor was oncs annoyed by getting up
to 90 out and osteDatously putting his greatcOat
before the performance ended With woud-be
crushing emphasis, the actor said to him, Don't co.
sir. haven't finished yet" The imperturbable in
diyidual replied in an equally loud and clear tone.
know You haven't but I've had more than enough"
Sothern played before an audience in small Eastern
town. which battered itself it very arstocratic,
and believed that the highest sign of good breeding
not to give any manifestation of delight The
first act passed in dead and awful silence At tho end
of it Sothern spoke to the company saying tia. it
was evident thsy not pleasing, and that in tho
next act they must pitch-in aud give it to them
for all they were worth" They redoubled their
exertions but all to purpose they might apparent
ly as we'll have been acting to collection Of tomb
stones When tho curtain fell that act the manager
came around and congratulated Sothern on the pro-
found impression he had made. adding that the people
of the town had never been much gratiied. Bat
they don't laugh" objected the comedian. Laugh
sir" said the manager raising himself to his full
height and his breast swelling with pride as be re-
callod the arstocratic behavior of bis patrons.
should hope not indeed. There one vulgar person
snickorod, and put him out "
The of the olu-tashloned low-comeuIan-h ne of
the oily and unctuOus type, OF which Burton was one
of the tavOrlte examples-ls rapidly dying out Tho
is 10 found in the dsfavor disusc of the
one farce and the influence of the French dram
atists which has been potent upon the American
stage during the last twelve or fifteen years. The
best paywrg gifts. who have laid the action OF their
plays among people in good society, have recognized
the fact that Glowing is out of place and
unnatural in the drawing room, and have sought to
gain the comedy relief needed to the serious acton
by wit of dialogue and slight eccenricy Of character
and manner. The blows with "stulied-club,' the
padded figures, the chasing with shotgun the catch
ing in ratraps tho falling into wash tubs and the
smearing of faces with SCOT jam through hidi ng
in ehimncys and dark cnpboards. have boon happily
driven from the drama proper and been dismissed to
the variety stage or that extraordinary compound OF
id0cy, vulgarty, stale muse burlesque and fancy |
dancing which has for several seasons overrun the |
country. ana is known the musical farce comedy
The comedian, perhaps more than any other mem |
Der OF company, aims mt working up an outside |
popularity He is proud of being recognized in the |
streets or in cafes and in the latter ia not ayerse
telling jokes and stories, hamming the last comic
song. or even to giving recitation. lie cultivates
many acquanances and has always an eye to sccur- |
ing possible baoker" for that play in which he de-
sires to starr Whoever else of tho company may be
unaffected by that peculiar and prevalent desire known
as stellar fever the comedian pretty sure to have
badly He will take the cOnidng listener ON one
side, and tell him OF tho fortunes made By such |
chance " hits as that of Saml OF Posen," AID in !
innate that with couple of thousand So he could
knock the public silly Comedy Is what they |
want my boy" he says in his penetrating stage wills
per. They're just dying to laugh the business man
wants rcllcl, so uOes inc VINO Is uOuschoiu
drudge or the fashionable variety who Is haunt
cd by The colossal proportions of her dressmakers
bill Make 'em laugh and you have 'em Oh the hip. |
What do they want to cry fori They've enough to
cry for in real life. Now I've got a hummer-a
that just make EN- want to hold on to
each other and yell You've seen what ! can do when |
hadn't very much chance. Only let me get a show
for my piece and III parayzc them. Let me come
and read it YOU and IT You don't say its outand out
the funniest thing you heard, why I'll I'll
give You tho manuscript y"
In the theatre the low comedian is generally at the
bottom of all the mischief He looks upon himself as
licensed Jester, and rcsents the idea that any one
ought to be offended mt his alleged Jokes. In the !
dressing he stufs wet paper into the boots OF
the who has to make quick change or scws |
up the bottoms of his trousers coat sleeves lie
hides pads, shakes burned cork towels, and is
continually writing pretended love letters to members