The sun., 1903-12-13

less for burlesqueing purposes. There
must be considerable action to suit US and
play that Is all talky talk wont 90.
"The first night2 The Weber and Fields
first night is celebrated all over the country.
1t is really though only grand dress
rehearsal. It is a trial night with us In
more ways than one.
"When the curtain goes up you can SEQ
people sitting there with an expression on
their faces that says, Well, here 1 am.
Now Just make me laugh II you can
That's a nice spirit, isn't 1t, for an over
worked comedian to face?
well, we face 1t all right, and hand out
bright lines over the footlights until we
see that expression chase itself away and
we know we've made hit.
Now, the second nighters tho regular
theatregoers, are entirely different. They
come to be amused
Il don't suppose was asked by the
interviewer, that you have as much trouble
with your costumes as some stars-Maxine
Elliott and Lillian RUSSELL for instanoe9'
'We've had our troubles, all right. But
experience has taught us what to do. Un-
like most stars We don't want our clothes
TO fit, so We go to bad tailor and tell him
to make us a fine suit, and he hits 1t all
right every time. They never touch us
anywhere.
We've got a tailor that's the worst you
ever saw. If you ever want a suit that
doesn't fit, go to him. He's an expert.
Once we went to q department store
and told them what we wanted-that the
suits must not fit. They seemed to under
stand, but wish you could see us when We
got into them. Why. you couldn't have
told us from chorus girls, we looked 30 neat
and trim I've actually and Mr.. Weber
ended his wall on that subject, 'been asked
II had my suits made at Tiffany's or the
Knickerbocker Ice Company"
yes, we do get tired Of our makeup.
believe" said Mr.. Fields solemnly. that
/ could put that makeup on in the dark
If was fast asleep"
And my stomach-pad." continued Mr..
Weber. People say to me. Why don't
you wear one Of those rubber bags that
you initiate It's the latest thing know
in swell fronts. but simply can't I've
worn that old wooden thing for fteen
years, and am helpless without It,
"I've got to thunp that wood. That
and the wooden piece in my wig where
receive most Of my blows arc stern neces-
stiles to me. In the old vaudeville days
they used to say, When in doubt, hit Joe
Weber on the head
'One night l changed my wig, and for
got to tell Fields. They had omitted to
put the wooden piece In the new one.
didn't forget again. There are some things
one doesn't forget.
"Our stage names are like our makeup
We don't seem to be able to change them;
we've had them too long; its twenty-five
or twentythree years.
.One night, at the old Miners Bowery
Theatre. came on in my makeup. and
some one in the gallery shouted. Hello.
Miker The contrast between the name
and the German costume took like measles,
and from that day it's been Mike. and, OF
course, with Mike. there had to be Meyer"
1T doesn't make any difference what
names they put on the programme" said
Mr.. Fields. Sometimes I say to Weber.
What's your name on the programmed
and he'll say. haven't looked, but be-
lieve l heard some one say I was Adoiph
Blumenspiei or Hordtio Hefno,neU, and
then say, All right and when we 60 ON
the stage l call him Mike, and he calls me