Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-09-26

they kept the fur. Nobody could
find me. At last they heard me
moaning in the fur box. AS they
pulled me out all covered with fur
the manager said:
James, you are discharged
Il don't know whether it is from
sn~obbishness, but there is not a show
girl-or anybody, for that matter, on
the stage-who hasn't assured me
sometime that her mother hated to
have her go on the stage. My mother
forced me on. 1t was the only place
from which never was discharged. y
Mr.. Powers began his early stage
career In Long Branch.
81 earned "a a week and my board.
for which. besides appearing between
every other dance, ] had to clean
the lamps. You see in those dayseI
was what is known as a shining Dc-
tor Out Of the 81 ] hadsto pay a dol
lar a week to an agency and 10 cents
every sunday TO go to church. I used
to think It was pretty hard to have
to pay to be good. Under these con
-ditions it. seemed a fine thing when
one of the performers offered me $40
a week If | would sign a contract
to put myself under his management
for ten years for the same amount.
Is Saved From Himself.
"If it had not been for the inter
vention of a friend / would have
agreed to the arrangements. | would
have been the prize loser then, for
before the expiration of the time Sip
ulsted in the contract | was receiv-
ing a salary Of $3.50 a week. quite
ri difference between that and $40,
isn't there?'
Mr., Powers believes that each
musical comedy star must build his
own vehicle If he wants TO keep rid |
ing; in other words, that though there
are enough good authors there are
not enough to go around. For this
reason many stars who are famous
for a season. or two enter the ''legiti-
mate" or Vaudeville after a vain
hunt for a musical comedy in which
to star. 1t Is in following out this
belief that we find MI. Powers as
co-author with Arthur Anderson of
1.-TWO Little Brides"
1--WE always written my own lines,
not from choice, but from necessity
and always with "A realization of the
fact that the music of the composition
destroys every situation in which the
comedian finds himself. After every
musical interruption he is compelled
10 begin his work over again. And
when he does this he must feel fairly
of what he is doing.
Musical Comedy up To- star.
"A musical comedy is up to the
If 1t fails he is held respon-
sible. On the other hand a straight
star may survive several bad plays.
The public recognizes him as a good
in one bad play after another
forgets the plays. But in musical
the whole responsibility is
aid at the door of the star. The
audience doesn't feel any real SYM
Jathy for him.
"On a first night it gathers much
Is a crowd congregates when an
goes up in an aeroplane for
he first time. 1t watches him with
1 certain anxiety-that's all. IL the
,iece falls down IT falls upon his
read and his alone. In any event,
he audience gets d first thrill-it is
n the death.
IF the piece proves a success the
'eward m later. | shall never
'orget the face of a man that was
ike so much solid rock to me on one
opening night in New York. l did
ny best to break 1t into a smile and
allied. Yet that same man came
'ack no less than four times after the
had set the.r seal of approval
ipon the performance and laughed
lproariously. And there you are.
Here's another thing" he pointed
nut. you may win a laugh at one
performance, only to lose it at the
text. Curiously enough. hat laugh
nay never be heard again. And the
comedian counts laughs as another
nan might count dollars. They mean
everything in the world to him. For
Example, l have counted 227 laughs in
Two Little Brides that 1 credit to
myself. This score simply represents
ny share of work in the book. TO
this is its only value.
81 am not seeking for glory as an
My only claim to distinction
n that field of work is based on the
that I've probably used up more
writing paper than any other
living author.
Does Not Aim at Hamlet.
MY ambition I have 40 dream
/ ever playing Hamlet. MY aim