The Washington times., 1915-09-27
Billy ArIigton, Coemdian With
Golden Crook Burlesquers,
Highest Paid Man in His
Profession.

Fate, with her stranglc- hold on the
destiny Of man. often literally turns
her subject a complete somersaut so
that her sister-goddess. Fortune. may
cast a gracious smile or frown upon
him.
You can cite thousand instances
where the somersaulting which has
completely changed the career OF the
fortunate or unfortunate fror, disa stcr
to fortune. or. wee versa. has been
literal. but he's rare being who has
been figuratively turned upside down
by the capricious whim Of Fate for
better.
Billy Arlington. the star comedian in
the cast Of THE Golden Crook Bur-
lesquers." which opens at the Gayety
Theater for a weeks run. is one Of
that he is the highest paid man on the
burlesque stage, according to his man
ager. and all because he was somer-
saulted at the psychological moment.
Reverses Were His Lot.
Billy Arlngton's career-that is. his,
theatrical career, the calling in which
he has been able to earn a good living
and big money" to use the theatrical
parlance-began with a somersault. Re-
verses had been young Arlington's lot
from the time he ran away from his
home at Smithfeld. Va. and made his
entry into a concert hall at Newport
News. Va. as waiter. He was prac-
tically down and OUT as he himself
puts 1t. having failed as an usher in a
theater and in other ways.
water bottle In the other. young Arling-
ton dashed In and out between the ta-
bles and was just making his way
across an open space in the room when
and women nearby Jumped. expecting
that the waiter would have a bad fall.
What was their surprise when the pros
pective victim turned q complete loop
the-loop and landed safely on his feet,
without tho slightest effort.
:. Result of Accident.
When the applause had subsided the
white-aproned young man was greeted
by his employer and asked why he had
done such q stunt He explained that
1t was all an accident.
Il tripped, and as l realized I was
falling forward deeided 1e ontb. t" d1 whas as,d
Arlington. To this day the comedian
insists that the somersault was the re-
suit of an accident. He says he never
met Fate face to face and doesn't know
An athlete for years and clean
liver, with the purpose OF raising as
much as he can. the standard of the
4 burlesQue stage. Arlington insists on the
y elimination Of vulgarity from the bur.
lesque productions with which he has
been and Is associated
He was just eighteen years old a,
that time, having been away IRON
home since he was fourteen. Nigh,
after night the young wanderer, ben,
on getting to some place where excite
meht could be had, watched with envy
the applause which went from the
crowded concert hall to the singers
dancers and musicians who were en-
ployed where he worked. Every spare
minute. the young waiter. In his humols
way, spent at work on different aero
B batic stunts. which he had seen done II
natural ear, also became his delight
and he spent many hours trying tt
play an old violin and to beat the
piano in the music hall.
Tossed Into Calcium's Glare.
But all his efforts and the interces
sion Of his friends to his employer t.
Eive him a chance to entertain wen
for naught, until fortunate somer
saulting tossed young Billy right int
the glare of the calcium.
1t happened so suddenly that for
\ minute the struggling young waite
didn't know whether he was beinf
fired from his position in the musi
'itchen with a water bottle at thu
time the trivial event which trans
formed his lot happened. Scores OF mel
End women were seated at a table, in
tcrmittently listening to and applaud
ing the singers and other performer
of the evening, grouped on SINAI
platform at the head OF the cafe.
'Profanity or lewdness of talk o
manner is not essential in produc
ing laughs" declared the comedian
today in predicting that the time wa
here when burlesque managers mus
I give higher class performances
they would be successful. The aver
age theater-goer doesn't laugh at vul
garity. He wants something clever
something funny. It's only the tent
man of every ten who thinks he's got
ten his moneys worth these days
he sees decidedly off-color produc
tion."
That one short, pithy hell in tn
production in which Arlington is az
pearins is pretty good proof that tn
comedian Is a stickicr for clean bur
lesQuc. This inferral el'u ion, Tath :