The evening world., 1912-03-09
Happy Author With HE
Feet on Rug Made Of
housand Dollar Bile
Tells How HE Tailor
and Me- CHM Stood for
the Gallant Officer.
He Had a Hunch That
the Policeman Would
"Cef OUer," and Now
He Remembers George
Nash, Who Was a Great
Audience, and Others.
BY CHARLES

draughty lobby, his overcoat
buttoned tightly about him
and his hat pulled down over the
back Of his neck. As q gale Of laugh
ter from within swept through the
swinging doors he looked up 1t the
towering d%oorkeeper. That impres-
slve parsonage wore the air Of In.
difference that distinguishes door.
keepers. He gazed fixedly at nothing.
After all, the poor unfortunate with
the wan smile had no one but him.
self to blame! II there was no room
for him inside. whose fault was It?
II was impossible to feel any sym.
patty for him. But he did awaken
. certain interest. Something about
him told me that here was the an
swer to the question heard the whole
length Of the theatrical beat: who's
the chap that pulled 'Oficer 666'f"
The arm Of the law that governs the
0aisty Theatre reached out past the
stern d~oorkeeper and I grasped the cold
hand of Augustin MacHugh. He made
no attempt to hide his identity. In a
chilled voice ne explained he was hang-
Ing around to see ~ actor, and then.
throwing himself upon tho mercy of the
house manager. he backed into the SUBJ
treasury Of that rising young financier.
Freddie Zimmerman. As o a. O
clearing could be made In the vulgar dis
play Of wealth We at down with our
feet resting pon . rug made Of thou
sand-dolfaf bille.
Il was born IN Brooklyn" began the
author Of the most suoceaaful farce Of
the ear shall I 60 ont"
HE STARTED OUT ~ A erAoe
PickPockEr.
by all means" I urged. He BRIGHT
sned UP and looked enough like Francis
Wilson 10 be his understudy.
IRON B~roo&iyn." continued Mt.
M~aoIIugh. II driftsd into acting. I got
my start - . pickpocket with Richard
NsnaAsA In Cyrano Dc Bsrgsrac.' A.
forwards I played with him In Tieidei-
berg and then Joined Henrietta Cros-
name company. Bur most Of my stage
experience was gained In stock com.
panies. However. I FED that owe
everything to vaudeville. wrote
sketches and appeared In them. This
may sound IKE an easy matter. but II
isn't. In vaudeville you must land oil
the time. The hardest audience In the
world 10 . vaudeville audience. It d.
mands snap all che while. Moreover.
It teaches you vatueo-that's what I'm
getting at. In other words, I believe
the author who 10 able to write q grip
ping playlet can write Q gripping play.
But the dramatic play. like the dn-
matte sketch. must Be constructed 10
that Il will break for the laughs"
Even the serious author shouldn't
take himself too Seriously"
NO." declared Mr.. MacIiugh. Tie
can't Cet along without an occasional
laugh. And n big laugh 10 worth fou.
or i've small ones. But laughs are moi
everything. oven In farce. No play can
win success. I believe. unless II contains
1t least one character to whom you feel
afks aying 1t the end Of the perform
anos. I'd like 10 shake you BY the
hand"
In Jumping 20 the conclusion that
managers had been eager TO give "On-
Ger 666" tho clad hand ] brought . look
OF pain to the fond authors face.
without mentioning names.'' no 70.
piled. II know OF at least three ofdces
! n which the play was never taken out
Of It, cover. I tried for three years to
place y. but In all that time Il never got
beyond q stock company production in
Toledo. Ohio. In which appeared.
Broadway managers couldn't see II. But
whom I read II to Francis Mc0inn, who
" now playing the policeman. he raved
II ds was . great ~audisncsi never