The San Francisco call., 1908-10-25
By Walter Anthony

"HERE is nothing particularly new
in the reflection that fun making
is a serious business. The re-
mark lacks originality, but it is
always true and in view OF the Kolb
and Dill season which breaks into full
sumner tomorrow night at the Prin-
cess theater II is timely
Millions Of dollars are souandered
III the United States every year TO feed
a few laughs 10 the public: money Is
spent like water to provide gowns for
chorus girls and TO stage frothy plays
which otherwise would be forgotten,
and frequently are in a few short
months. The aspiring writer Of musical
comedy shows sinks into insignifcance
compared with the stage manager and
producer who mount the product Of
his pen. give il life and inject into
il, at enormous expense Of energy and
money. those as yet undiscovered and
unidentified elements which make
success.
"A knight for Day at the Ameri-
can last week is an illustration of this
fact for al first the piece lost fortune
for its producers II was withdrawn
hastily and furtively: il was a failure
and thing 10 be hidden away. That
was in 1906. when IL was called
Nam selle Sallie." In 1907 II reap
peared and was a big hit in New York
and made record run OF one year in
Chicago The difference between the
failure, "Mam'seIle SaIlie,r and the
success, a knight for a Day" was
merely matter Of money, and a stage
director The plot underwent no
change, for there wasn't any plot; the
lines were frightened up some. and the
rest was business" and .sbroilers'' and
- s~-1-+
These commonplace announcements
were the result OF an interview with
Messrs. KOlb and Dill. purveyors Of
Dutch comedy and successful New York
stars.
found Dill in the wardrobe room
next TO the Novelty theater. Four
seamstresses were. bending over four
sewing machines, and the activity Of a
big millinery shop. and a huge depart
ment store rolled into one, was IN the
air Piles Of garments lay about on
a Ire floor, shoes and slippers in mounds
IS big as hay cocks impeded progress
in the big room; on the walls papier
mache horses and goats and donkeys
hung inanimate and only potentially
comical; rows and rows Of funny little
silk hats-the kind that set Jauntily on
the top Of the crown-were uncovered
for a brushing. and mysterious curtains
around the apartment concealed ex-
pensive gowns for statuesque show
girls, and little frOcks for the ~broiIers" >"
Hundreds OF garments of fine fabric
hung on racks till the place looked like
the bOudoir OF a modern King Solo
mons palace and his multitude of
wives.
Dill was ruefuily regarding the rents
in the costly lace that embellished
creation He concluded that it would
All have TO come out" and then be
sent 10 the cleaners II was only one
Of a score Of the same kind
How much did It cost2" asked
innocently. never having bought such
a gown.
OF a head salesman, cost s125."
For how many2" I prodded.
A scornfuI glance from Dill. He
eyed me as Kolb eyes the little fellow
when ne is about TO launch forth on
a stormy, chaotic sea Of elucidation.
Apiece said he.
I commenced TO add up the rows that
tvere suspended under the dust ex-
cludilg curtains and TO multiply by
100 and I got into the thousands OF
dollars so quickly that my mental
arithmetic baked. All yoursg
asked covetously.
And KoIb's." said he, kicking at
nile OF slippers. These cost $3.50 a
bafr. You see we supply everything
except stockings
Don't they wear any2r said
thinking Of SaIome- ~
sure they do, but they buy them
themselves. Everything else we supply.
There's an Investment Of $4,000 right
here in this room. and we have 10 pay
= pe- cent for our Insurance
This was getting awful Dill hadn't
shown even the ghost Of a smile