The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-18
COMEDIAN TELLS
OF THE OLD DAYS
Thomas Leary Talks on Many
Ancient and Delight
full Themes
Funny Man With 1.-The Merry
Widow" Celebrates We'd
ding Anniversary

Ia stay IN san Francisco only I'm
not big enough said Thomas Leary.
Not big enough 1 asked.
7 would like to get Job on the
police force and stay right here. where
I belong" said the Merry Widow"
comedian. but they tell me that I'm
not tai enough
San Francisco il stiu the home OF
the LezryS Father, mother and
daughter agree 10 il. and father ought
70 know. He lived here long enough.
When Alice Nielsen was q struggling
soubrette and an ambitious prima dom
"a OF the Wigwam. Le2ry was a San
niscences OF old and dear San Fran
clsco as a fisherman - full OF yarns.
Name the old timers IN theatrical
san Francisco and Lesry knows them
all
When / set enough money 70 set
tie down permanently said Leary, 7
an going 20 buy q ranch alongside Of
Marcus n Blooms and we'll spend
cur late years gessiping about what
used 70 be.
he was a great director Of his
kind. and IN his day Blooms orches-
trauous we're the wonder OF the
world His band used to make them
Up For instance. he wrote the music
70 Empty Is the Cradle, Baby's Gone
Harry Kennedy. who was the pioneer
n ventriioo niEn. was the author of
the lyrics. Bloom would write the
melody on a scrap Of paper. hand &
around 70 the players in the orchestra
and they would DO the rest That
was the way Bloom orchestrated the
condensed operas We used 10 give at
the old. old W7Ewzm. when Alice
Nielsen was 70 be heard for 10 cents
7 knew her when she was Mrs.
Sutwtg in Kansas City, then later
when she came out here I was man
sger al the Wigwsm and enga ged
her. Tn ashamed 70 tell you about
me salary Even then she said she
was going 70 be q prims donna While
we were playing these abbreviated
operas she was a student and . work
- She held her ambition IN front Of
her al tire time
Do you remember AdoIph Bauerz
He was The musical director at the
TiToi IL those DAYS Once he said to
me- Leary Il Gilbert and Sullivan
heard the way you msngle their en-
sembles they would curse you, sure
But Bauer used 10 come over TO hear
Us every Saturday afternoon, just the
same"
Mind you. Lesrys theatrical expe-
riences In san Francisco 90 back 70
1875 when q stroIIing band OF play
ers OF which ne was one came TO this
city with Sullivsn's sPinafOre-" Leary
was playing Buttercup. the sou0rette
role. but he insists to this day that #
vas not q burIesque.
How could IL be g burIesaus" he
asks. when Kate march, was the prima
donna and PLAYED Josephine: Tommy
13ree. the aspiring senor. and Carl
- IT,
Engls Rd-pIayed the bos'n? But when
we struck this city we found that the
TiFoI was then giving its first per-
Torrance Of Pinsfore'"
As q ''kid7 Leary managed a theat-
ricsl venture across the bay. at Golden
Gate hall. and then he went east with
Thomas Kesne. who was going 10 ap-
pear IN Richard III
I went into vaudeville and then be-
came clown IN a circus
About that tine n met Mrs. Leary,
Who then was one OF the Huh twins,
a famous combination which Tony Pas
Tor once exploited IN his company. It
Is told Of Leery that with the advent
% their first born. there was no place
70 lay the infant save in the tray of
the TOP OF a trunk. That was the
bzby-s cradle.
which reminded Lezry
We celebrated last evening the
tventy-sixth anniversary OF our mar
rage
when he said we he meant his
wife, and his daughter, Georgsana
Lesry, who understuoies Natalie in
The Merry widow and plays Nine.
Nova Kovish-
And 50 Thomas Lesry talked on
His chat ranged from Fred J. Mack
Isy. who came 10 this country VITA
Lydia Thompson. 20 an initiation cere-
nony OF last Thursday, wherein Must
cal Director McGhie OF The Merry
widow company was given another
degree in Masonry.
We should have sent him home to
his wife in an ambulance" said Leary,
but he could sIill walk"
So the man who came TO the Wig
wan when most o. rs were little folk.
and extended season OF four weeks
into a four years engagement, talked
OF, and in the light OF his "reminiscences
I forgot to take notes.
But we cali San Francisco our
home, and IL I could get a Job on the
police force I'd stay here and never
leave, he said.