The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-25

tflan Hamlet was. lie was no
actor That's as sure thing as the
old-fashioned way of spelling"
Mr.. Lew Dockstader stopped long
enough from smearing his face
with handful of unpleasant look
Ing black grease paint TO nod his head
emphatically two or three times, much
ike horse that wants more oats.
Yes, SIR" continued the half made up
minstrel, addressing himself to a Herald
reporter, who was making up" In his
dressing room in the New York theatre,
where his MINISTRIES were appearing,
Hamlet was no actor at all. What
really mean is that the people who play
the part are not actors. Not a little bit
Not ace high. 1 know what I'm talk
ing about, too. l know when a mans
an actor.
And why wasn't Hamlet an actor?
Lack of art?'
Lack of art nothing Hamlet didn't
know when the ghost walked. The
rankest kind of an actor knows that
I've been a real actor ever since 1 bad
any use for government printing on silk
paper"
SO you consider Ministries actors?"
Actors! Why we have actors beaten
INTO souffle, whatever that means; but
it sounds good aud looks light mad tastes
funny. Minstrels not only know when
the ghost should walk, but they make
MN walk before he can stand alone. oh,
yes, mister, the meek and lowly minstrel
Is the real thing in the actor line He
knows how to get his salary In ADVANCE
without worry or a message"
What do you think is the first requisite
to being good actor?"
If you aspire to be a popular, well
known and really great actor, in New
York, the big kind that gets a four limo
agate note Ill the papers every now and
then about some engagement, you must
walk slowly up and down in Broadway
between Herald Square and Forty-second
street eight times every afternoon. 1t
helps some, too, in creating artistic fame
to look worried. That worried look, as
though you were trying to decide wheth-
er to play Ibsen or pinochle, will most
always land good engagement, and
make the herd of mere passers-by look
at you with vulgar curiosity and pretend
they know YOU
Are not actors usually worried? Is
not that natural expression and not
acting?"
Too true. alas they are usually wor-
~
43-horse power worry
About art?"
well, you might call it art / suppose
some sort of art. Generally it has to do
with the art culinary, to wondering
whether or not John will stand being
hung up for another shave. No wonder
the worries of art drive actors to fast
living and dissipation. No wonder they
cut into the grape when somebody asks
on fnfaic~ In
some one near by to touch. It's nerve
straining life we actors lead, with art
in big red letters hanging over u.s."
Still, you minstrels should be gay. You
deal in fun and merriment and not sad
ness. It's your happy mission to make
the world laugh
Yes, so the advertisements say"
1T must be a great joy to you"
The answer was the rolling of the white
of an eye in a blac1ened face and gut
teral noise that sounded like "stringing :"
rs 1t not better to laugh than to
cry?"
II never cared much for tears, except
Observation-Disclosures, TIERS; Just like
that, tears, ticrs-tiers of we'll filed
seats"
Does that prove that the minstrel
art Is nobler one than that of the
legitimate dramatic actor?"
Yes, sir; yes, sir. Say 1t again. like
the way you talk"
For instance, do you class your work
higher than Nine. Bernhardt's because
you make them laugh, while she makes
, them weep?'
"Higherl Why she would have to climb
a ladder"
Again, supposing you and Mrs Patrick
Campbell are playing against each other
In the same city. Now they laugh at
you but not at her, and
"Oh, not necessarily, not necessarily
rs 1t pretty difficult to be MINSTREL"
well, take one of your leading actors
there's Mansfield. The critics all say he
is great actor, but he never made the
slightest success as a minstrel. Between
you and me l don't believe he ever will.
That ought to prove the superiority of
the minstrels art"
DO you find much difficulty In get
ting new jokes?'
"Oh, of course, just make em up as
! go along. Say them right off extempor-
aneously on the stage--if l happen to re-
member my lines. Very simple thing to
make up joke you have been studying
all summer to commit to memory. It's
those you don't know that are hard to
remember"
what is your best source of supply for
Jokes that you learn for extemporaneous
use?'
You can always dig up something fresh
in Joe Miller and Bill Shakespeare. Bill
Is the most useful, because he wrote
more, and then the almanacs have not
worked him as hard as they have joe"
Still, you know that Mark Twain has
said that there are only twenty-three
jokes in the world?"
well, there are twenty-four now. The
new one is Marks white suit. I am glad
to know where the 23 gag came FROM
but l never suspected Mark of being
its author. / always thought 1t was
Chauncey Depew. 1 was always sorry
Mark never fuond time to join my show"
Did you want him for introductory
mo. / wanted him as matter of
economy. 1 wanted to save money by
him."
How so?'
"Oh, he would save ME the expense of
buying a new copy of Joe Miller's Joke
Book every season. Mark knows it by
heart. | believe he has come to think
The wrote It,"
what do you consider the biggest joke
of all?"
Now, here is where I'll fool you I am
not going to say Taft. Anybody could
make that answer. Well sir, the biggest
joke of all is the all night bank. New
York thinks it has something new and
does a lot of Dragging. Well. 1t is a
chestnut yVhv there has been an all