Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-30
The Theaters
Continued from Page Six,

doing only Yiddisher stunts, but he
wanted to vary his act He looked
about New York for a new type, and
one cay hit upon the Italian. Down
into Mulberry street, the little Italy,
of the metropolis, he went, and spent
summer there, despite its heat and its
smells. He studied the people In their
work and their play and finally evolVed
his present admirable impersonation.
'But I never will get rid of the smells
I endured" says Welch. "They were
something awful"
The life of an actor is not only full
OF variety but adventure as well. Some
of these adventures border on the dan
gerous. Billy Onslow, the comedian OF
the Unique opera company, has had his
share of both. Born in Glasgow, Scot
land, his first bid for public fame was
as a swimmer, and he has several gold
medals for feats performed In that dl-
rection in Liverpool, Glasgow ana DuD-
lin.
1t was his ability as a swimmer
which saved himself and wife in the
foundering of The Islander, which went
down off the coast of Alaska several
years ago. From the time the steamer
struck the iceberg until 1t went down,
stern foremost, but twenty minutes
elapsed, and when Onslow sprang from
the side of the steamer the decks were
awash. Weighted down with his cloth
ing and at the same time keeping his
wife above water, he was forced to
swim several hundred feet to the raft
in icy water He says that every
moment he expected to be drawn un-
der by the suction of the sinking ves-
sci, but finally managed to reach the
raft, where they spent several hours
before help arrived. In this wreck
more than forty persons were lost, In
cluding the family of the newly ap-
pointed governor of Alaska.
AS to the variety part of his career,
Onslow for a time was a slack wire
walker, and spent three years with the
Norris e. Rowe circus. Later he did
acrobatic stunts in vaudeville, and pre-
vious to the burning of the old Biminf
baths in Los Angeles was swimming
instructor.
He came to this city in 1900 and for
several months presented an act at the
Old Vienna on Court street, under the
management of Peters & Hogan. He
then tried the simple life and purchased
a ranch. He now has the experience
and some one else has the ranch.
The return of Frank Frayne to the
Grand this week will be hailed with
delight by his many local admirers of
the Ulrich days. Frayne Is a little
comedian of ability and cleverness, and
should have permanent place in the
Cayety forces. Frank Richardson, an
other Ulricher, is also assigned good
role for mot Yet, but Soon." These
two will add much to the fun making
powers of the Gayety crowd. which
will now boast of five comedians, as
James Kelly, late of vaudeville, also
is engaged.
Victor Schertzinger, director of the
Belasco orchestra, will resign his posi-
tion in four weeks and soon after will
start upon a concert tour under the di-
rection of Frederick Belasco. The tour
Will open here, with one or two special
matinee concerts at the Belasco. Af-
ter that Mr.. Schertzinger and the
other musicians of the company will
go to San Francisco, where series OF
concerts will be given at the Alcazar.
Then will come an eastern trip.
George Clancy, once of Ulrich stock
fame at the Grand, has gone to Portland
with Walter Montague and company in
the latter's sketch, 'The Under Dog"
which was produced at the Orpheum
last week. The sketch has been booked
over the Orpheum circuit and Clancy
has been engaged to play the role he
so successfully portrayed here. The
sketch is unusual in that 1t is wholly
melodramatic, and has not grain of
what has hitherto been insisted upon
as a prime requisite in vaudeville
humor. 1t is near-tragedy from open
ing to curtain.
Fay Carranza, who is one Of the new
attractions at the Orpheum this week
is an Oakland girl. She has pure lyric
soprano of fine quality, and has sung
in church choirs there for several years.
This is her first venture into vaudeville
but she had no difficulty in securing a
profitable engagement.
Henry Stockbridge will return to the
Burbank stage from his vacation trip
in the east September Is. H. ]. CHM
and Maude Gilbert are expected back
by October 1. When she returns, how
ever, Miss Gilbert will be Mrs. CHM,
though she will retain for stage usage
the name under which she is now
known to the Los Angeles public.