Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-11

family will probably not dissent from Bills verdict
Bill, that evening will tell several other friends that
used to thin was SO funny has lost his comic
qualities And the bad news spreads Maybe, in this
way YOU may lose theater patrons, and no actor
afford to do that
fine day, and his comedian friend rejons Fine
for WHAT then will Bill stride forth into the forum and
remark again and again that that fellow Hitchcock is
certainly funny guy Here's he cracked today"
Whereupon the excrucatingy humorous retort is re-
peated for the edihcation of the companys possible
ggge.
Hin l hear you, my reader, protest. but if you
call Fine for WHAT? sample Of the
humOr of professional comedian, can't see how such
alleged testing rebound the latters credit as
funmaker'
To which I am forced to make sad reply. 1t really
doesn't matter what the quality of the out-of-the-
theater hunOr pedded by the comedian may be, long
he delivers himself of of hunor. In other
words, he must never carry normal converse
ton His reputation IS at stake. If he talks other
ordinarily intelligent talk then something is
wrong He is losing his cunning, they say. He is get
ting old. He isn't nearly funny he used to be-
And (sarcastcaly) they call him great comedian.
You will all these remarks until you think you'll
have to in alarm and call out the fire depart
ment to put out the burning of your left ear.
alter comedian that everyone from the waiter in the
hotel who you your breakfast to the belboy who
brings pitcher of ice water before you tumble
into bed expects you to say something that will make
him laugh hard he'll get the stomach ache and that
he will be disappointed if you don't. This state of
affairs holds particularly and more orcefuy true cut
side of the larger cities On the road absolutely
imperative that comedian live up traditions, if he
fill the theater that any subsequent visit
The whole thing, as you in your charitable heart of
hearts must begin to feel by IS something of
tragedy. Imagine having to attempt to be funny all
the time, day in and day out, without rest, without
leup, for no intrinsicaly sound reason-and free of
charge! The whole thing must be approached, how
by the comedian who wants his road audiences to
be large and enthusiastic, with a calm mind, cool
Judgment, and always serene and most amiable
grin A comedian must always have what IS called
twinkle in his eye and what is called merry smile
"paying round the corners of his mouth" even when
eating macaroni watermelon, which IS feat very
difficult of simultaneous accomplishment.
Thus it about that a comedian who cherishes
his popularity and the dollars that said popularity
coins for the boxoice, must look to his
dian off stage largely and thoroughly as he does to
his more professional appearance before the theater
audiences In other words, he must study, rehearse
invent, and practise his ex-oico comedy much the
that he does the material that the public
pays for. This gratis comedy may be edited by him.
SELF written for him by others, may be impromptu
The latter however, cannot be relied Sickness for
instance may befa the comedian, his power of
temporaneous wit may temporarily desert him; and
in such a crisis what he say make the doctor
laugh unless forsooth, he has the joke for the doctor
we'll prepared and rehearsed beforehand:
THE comedy that the comedian must have
tap in his daily life of the theater has
be quite much part of his professional career the
comedy of the show he plays in And the wise comedian
will get comedy for off-stage USE for the gratica
ton of the publcs peculiar superstition and attitude
each year To save myself time and worry, pract
clly write myself complete and different table of this
ex-otfcio comedy" every year l rehearse it until
know it by heart and then am ready to please every
body. 1t goes particularly WELL let insert, the
road although it its purpose pretty well in New
York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and other large
cities BY preparing this daily life routine
edy" las 1 cali it, beforehand, the comedian him
self lot of trouble. He rattle it off in quasi
impromptu fashion the occasion demands, without
his miserable life is thus made mite comfortable
The general caiber of this funny stuff that pre-