The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-09
MOST PUG|L|STS ARE POOR ACTORS Corbett Only Fighter to Make Good' on Stage
 FITZsIMMoNS OFF COLOR
 Britt, McGovern, Nelson and Cans
FITZSIMMONS OFF COLOR
Britt, McGovern, Nelson and Cans Would Be Weak Drawing Cards Without Their Fame In
 the Prize Ring.

| From the Washington Post.
 "Jim Corbett is the only pugilist who has
 won a legitimate place on the stage" said horseman at the New Willard yesterday By achieving in The Burglar and the Lady success greater than has hitherto
 come to any reformed pugilist on the
 stage Corbett has made the bonds be-
 tween actor and pugilist closer than ever
 before.
 l MT Corbett, who, in the oden days, when he was champion of the world, had
 always his soul filled with desire to act
 has, after many ups and downs, realized
 his ambition. There rejoice with him many distinguished persons who formerly | or at present carry on the fistic work that /, he has laid aside, and who, themselves,
 are afflicted in some degree with the drama.
 There is Robert Fitzsimmons, whose
 wife, Julia Clifford, was a principal in the ] musical comedy When Johnny Comes Marching Home at the time of their mar riage. Ruby Robert, as this stage fav- i orte is called, is starring under his own auspices in a melodrama, the pivotal
 
 which the noted thespain and follower of :, David Garrck and Savers and Heenan makes a horseshoe on the stage with his own heavy hands.
 Britt's "Long Suit" "There is also that magnificent actor, James Edward Britt, whose piece de re- | sistenee in the drama is that classic yclept 'The Bowery After Dark MT. Britt, lau 1a possible for him to amass real property in San Francisco. the home of his youth, appears as a newsboy, who enters the ring at the last moment and knocks out the bad man of the play. He also knocks | out most of the traditions of the drama, being amply supported by his small broth er, Willis who is always accompanied by a large cigar and desire to thrash stage hands.
 "Terrence McGovern was a little brother of the drama in a play called The Road to Ruin.' In this he also impersonated newsboy. He suffered so from stage fright even as many other great actors have suf- fered, that upon many nights he was un- able to speak his lines. He received the benefit of a dramatic coaching of Joe Humphreys, the silver tongued announc- err whosee appearances have been made in the ring more frequetly than upon the stage.
 James J. Corbett, the only pugilist who has had the facility of battling with drama of George Bernard Shaw, had many preliminares to fight with the drama before he became a good two- handed actor. His first appearances were l made in d piece called Gentleman Jim William A. Brady was his sponsor. Then came The Naval Cadet in which, as in Gentleman Jim,' there was three round bout In this part of the play MT Cor bett's act was perfect.
 Corbett in Shaw Play.
 "Then came Pals and then the actor ver..ared to sign articles to engage in
 t5ashel Byron's Profession the Shaw piece in which he played the prze-fighter. Although Shaw himself liked the play, the public did not care for it, and it was withdrawn MT. Corbett is now playing The Burglar and the Lady "He and MT. Fitzsimmons and Messrs. Britt, McGovern, and few others differ from the generality of the fighters who essay stage fights in that they can speak lines. Young Corbett,' for instance, and Battling Nelson, both of whom are upon the stage, are forced, through limitations of temperament. to eonfine themselves to appearances in their true caracter of boxers.
 Were they to daily with real lines the outcome would be too uncertain. George Dixon, that great little colored fighter whom Tom O'Rourke managed so long and so well, was also of the class who made every move on the stage a picture, but who couldn't act, Joe Cans, the con- queror of Nelson is an actor, but silent ono