The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24
~ WITH, THE PLAYERS AND THE MUSIC FOLK "
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experienced eye. OF the WY slit of
mouth splitting briny jests whenever
it sags open? I thought so. But
there was Miss Josephine. as slim and
dainty a soubrette as bedecks the
musical comedy stage. and there were
Jerry !. and Helen Cohan, the other
half Of this inseparable quartet. and
.he gentle prOgenitors of the tother
nalC
Hat I had il, 7 would take them
.n. I would discover anew the hu-
norist unappreciated by his family,
She soubrette mamma jealous Of her
sylnh-lilSe che-ild. I would listen to
The sorrows OF an old comedian, han
lIering for the good old days Of
song and dance. 1 would sympathize
with the troubles OF the soubrette
daughter Of an attractive mommer. I
would hearken 10 the humorist's tale
~ woe Twas an old story, but ever
new. and I persuaded the Four Cohans
10 divulge things last Tuesday. That
they were not quite what L was pre-
pared for is neither here nor there.
Jerry J., otherwise Papa Cohan, drift
ID in first, wondering where the chill
dren were" II was at the Columbia
Theater, and we waited in the opera
glass den Tor the rest. AS Mr.. Cohan
took the table TO which i invited him.
he explained that wife and daughter
hadn't had any time to buy things late
iy on the One-night stand route and
were shopping. But they would soon
be here. Son had no excuse"
I'm glad of the chance 10 meet you
first" / told the gentle old man. He
is Immediately attractive, with his
bright Irish blue eyes, silky white hair,
rosy skin and slim, gently-drooped fig
ure. And viii YOU just tell me when
YOU left vaudeville-to decide a vexed
question:"
let me see, the comedian cogitated,
lit must have been four. no, three
years: Oh. yes. it was just before
Ethel's baby was born"
Why that's the way we women
reckon things," I laughed.
It's as good a way as any" the old
gentleman decided in his soft. nasal
draWl. Yes. Ethel's baby is years
old now, and was born in Los Angeles
- Ethel is Mrs. George NJ Cohan, by
the way, Ethel Levey in public, and
now playing a song and dance en-
gagement at the Orpheum. Yes, we
had an interesting time in Los Angeles,
went there after finishing our engage
mcnt here. We had a house, and
hired man that was a murderer, and
dog that was a murderer-
-"
Straight goods beg your par
don" and Jerry J. bowed in unem-
barrassed apology. This slang is very
catching. George. now, dreams it,
But the fellow was really a murderer.
Struck a man in the heat Of passion,
goaded into il. Got four years. Harm
less sort of fellow, really. They amt
so different from you and me.
But as ] was saying it is over three
years since we went out Of vaudeville.
A big break"
Bigger than you have any notion
off, the comedian confirmed. Folks
don't want you right off the variety
pan. ] don't know whether our Or
pheum reputation viii help or hinder us
here, for example. It hindered at first.
We wanted TO go into Hanlon's theater
the Grand Opera -house-in Chicago
just about when We started. He would
Mt take US. But time has its revenges.
] had the pleasure Of seeing Mr. Han
ion and his wife drive up IN their car
riage TO our show-him in his tuxedo
and have 10 drive away again because
he couldn't get tickets. We were an
awful success. And maybe you think
] wasn't gleeful. OF course, I was
sorry for his wife-we're all a mixture
~ good nature and iendishness You,
in your business now
My. wasn't that an awful bull" the
old gentleman said placidly. But,
then. I'm Irish; what can you expect?
All daughter"
Daddy" 1t was Miss Cohan, a slim,
fair-haired. slip Of a lass. with her
"daddy's" eyes. who had broken in
upon rs. Where's mommer, and broth
er? I'm sorry TO be late"
You should be" daddy said. kiss
ing her. and then we all went upstairs
10 the luxurious Office Of Mr.. Gottlob.
with its gallery Of actor photographs
and fat safe.
Il was tuckering over the baby"
Miss Josephine informed me, tucking
her foot under her schoolgirl fashion,
as she pumped cozily on to the lounge.
Your father told me all about
her"
"Her?"
Born in Los Angeles. three years
ago. I recited glibly.
"Oh, that's Ethel's." Miss Cohan
cried. Mines a boy"
And ] was sorry then for Mrs. Ethel
with only a girl, Yours / saie
aloud. i didn't know that you were
married"
Very much so" Miss Cohan owned.
She is the wife, it appears, Of Fred
Niblo. who politely prOffers the Four
Cohans in the newest musical frivclity,
Running for Office this week at the
Columbia.
Ethel and I were saying only last
night how lucky we were to have good
nurses for the children. When we
were little tikes our mammas had to
keep Us in their trunks at the back
Of the stage. Good performance at the
OrpheuIn this week, daddy. / went in
10 see the Mortons, old friends Of
ours"
zr-oe ssses thinking " ii fsGaddv