The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-10-21
FUN IN VENTRiLOQ UISM.
FRANKS THAT ARE PLAYED
BY VOCAL ACRoBATS. 0

FRANKS THAT ARE PLAYED
BY VOCAL ACRoBATs. Il
ventriloquists Command Good Salaries
Nowadays Practice in the Rudlments
of the Art-Havlng Fun at Other Peo-
pies Expense. i
*.Although the Canaanites. the
Egyptians and the ancient Hebrews
practiced ventriloquism, it is only
within the past rs years that anybody
made much money out OF, the art, !"
said Harry Kennedy, the wellknown
ventriloquist, to New York News
reporter.
EYES," said Kennedy, ''there are
today several good ventriloquists on
the stage and in private life. and the
former command very fair salaries"
In response to the question, "what
is ventriloquism?" the artist contin-
ued: 1T is the art of so modulating
the human voice that it seems to come
from some other direction than the
right one. It is vocal delusion."
One of the follies of the different
beliefs in regard to this subject is
that one must be born with a pecul-
iarly formed larynx in order to be-
come a ventriloquist
AS Mr.. Kennedy informed the
writer, some people take to it more
than others. Some are so instituted
that the art comes easier to them
than to others, and it is also true
that the practice of the art percepti-
bly, changes the form of the throat
that is, the lump called Adams
apple, which becomes large and
round, instead of sharp; besides one
becomes used to the utterance of
many cultural sounds.
He said further that during the
twenty-three minutes duration of
his act upon the stage he generally
retired exhausted, as every PARKWAY
sound he uttered that appeared weak
to the audience caused him just as
much exertion as though he was
calling to some one on the street a
block away or more.
1.-The first thing necessary to learn
the trick" continued Mr.. Kennedy,
els to become a. good mimic. In
learning this I would advise a boy to
go away as far as posi- BILE from other
people, otherwise he runs good
chances of becoming unpopular.
Let him try and sound the letters of
the alphabet without moving his
lips.
This of course requires patience
and practice, and he will find a stick
err when it comes to the consonants,
and more especially to the letters m
and p. Always initiate sounds as
they fall upon your ears, especially
if they come from distance.
"Follow these rules and you have
the first rudiments of ventriloquism,
and If you have natural gifts you will
succeed.
''The most difficult letter of all to
master in enunciation in my stage
act is 'm,'" continued Mr. Kennedy.
Everyone is intently watching my
m outh, and when / announce this
fact before proceeding with my reci-
tation, o, Listen to tho Watermill,
| often have to smile to see nearly
me going over the line inaudibly and
with great variety of facial contor-
tons"
Albert 0. Duncan is also profess
sional in this mysterious art, and
seems to have had lots of fun, out of
it. He, like Mr.. Kennedy, doesn't
believe much in book-learning in this
regard, and thinks that natural gifts
and severe practice are absolutely
| essential in order to obtain any salts
| factory results. In reciting some OF
! his experiences he said that short
time ago, he stood upon street cor
ner and watched two peddIers dis
putting in pigeon English their re-
spective rights to display their wares.
At first they seemed quite polite
to each other, and he happened along
just at the right time.
| For lark, he, initiating their dia.
| lect, threw his voice into the mouth
of one and made him apparently cal
the other liar. After things got
pretty hot, a policeman who came
along grabbed each by the collar
Then the ventriloquist explained
| matters.
The policeman seemed to be the
only one who comprehended matters
and he threatened to show the practi
cal Joker the inside of station eel
should he repeat the offense.
On another occasion Mr.. Duncan
was on a street car belonging to {
| line where dogs were forbidden, bu
where occasionally woman woult
| succeed in smuggling her pet canine
The car was not crowded but thu
seats were all occupied, and among
the passengers was a young LADY
wearing a sumptuous fur cloak.
| First he began by initiating til,
smothered scream of baby emanat
ing from under the damsel's cloak
This attracted the attention of ever,
one in the car. The young lady wa
at first completely mystifed, ant
moved about uneasily in her seat
| The jDassen rers then haran to 1o,, ~