The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-24
Mr. George Dan1erel Merry Wido7v" Star,
 ArrlOeS in Vaudeville Bednng From
 the Crest of Monster Wave of Succes
Ny DOLLY DALRYMPLE

H lV vaudeville has ever accomplished O is that it has brought to us MT. George Damerel, the famous Merry
 Widow star, beaming from the crest of monster wave of success. | MT. Damerel is unique. He is the aris-
 tocrat among the musical comedy stars
 of today.
 Others may have patents of nobility or
 their family trees may go back to Will /! liam the Conquerer, but MT. Damerel has | the manner.
 | To be funny and yet impress you as MT. Damerel does, that he is at all times of the ccrdon blue,' requires extraordinary gifts.
 It is easy to be funny and coarse. but
 difficult to be a gentleman on all oc-
 casions when making 'em laugh" on the
 musical stage today
 I accused MT. Damerel when was chatting with him yesterday of being duke" or prince" or something in disguise, earning his living just for the fun of the thing, and he laughingly lab eled it a very extraordinary idea, but !, prince or potentate be that as it may,
 
 I that "goes over" whether he's doing vaudeville stunt" opera or musical com 1 edy surrounded by a chorus of 100 pretty l girls--and he's the kind who looks well l in that sort of 'setting.-'
 l Whenever he is on the stage, MT. Dam- l ere brings the spirit of gaiety with him, | and his peculiar style of comedy is always refined and distinguished. Whether in the drunken" scene, when he makes his entrance in his vaudeville act, which Is easy to make unattractive, to the beau- tiful dance which he coes with all his old time grace, rhythm ana charm. he is always artistic.
 Somebody once said of MT. Damerel that he possesses the energy of George M. Conan, the technique of Mordkin, the poise of Donald Brian and the acrobatics of Fred Stone-some compliment that. Any way, what he can do with his feet in the matter of dancing is tremendously clever.
 "In my vaudeville act" MT. Damerel said, speaking of the dancing craze, T lntroduce only one dance, not because l think dancing Is on the wane, but be- cause I think stage dancing has been worked to death. For the past two years everybody who could dance (and many
 
 dance, So that the novelty has worn off Another thing, all the society people, in fact every class, has learned to dance the new-dances, and when they go to the theatre they want novelty, and not the things that they can do themselves" T think every child should be taught to dance" MT. Damerel continued. When was little tot went to dancing school, and until I stepped into the part of the prince in the Merry Widow had never taken another lesson in dancing. Of course I had done ballroom dancing all along, waltzing, and that sort of thing and when the role Was offered to me I wondered how I was going to do the dancing. But a funny thing happened. AL though the dancing was eccentric, and very quick and fast, it came to me as naturally as if I had studied dancing all my life. You see the principles were there; I'd learned to use my feet prop ery when was a child. and when I needed it. why, it came to me as easy as anything
 The Merry Widow really started the dance craze" MT. Damerel said When you stop and think of it, the new dances began with the Merry Widow That was the first step toward modern danc- ing.'
 You were awfully lucky when the part in the Merry Widow fell to your lot" I observed presently.
 fYes, it was luck in a way,' MT. Dam- eral agreed, although from the time was q small boy my ambition had been to become an actor and do something really worth while. My first recognition was from MT. Otis Skinner. whom hold | in very affectionate regard for his kind ness and always encouraging words to me. Mir. Skinner sent for me to do some | singing behind the scenes m one of his phys; somebody had told him I could sing, and I accepted the offer. and dur | ing the season Mir. Skinner needed an un- I derstudy for one of the parts in the play. l and asked me if I'd undertake it. I'd
 never done anything up to that time ex- cept sing. I'd studied in a musical col lege and had made a speciality of voice, bit l saw my chance-the very thing I | wanted. experience-and so gladly ac- cepted MT. Skinner's suggestion. Luck again played into my hands, for the actor who was doing the part fell suddenly i'll
 and l played the part the remainder of | taht season.
 During that time met Mr. Henry 1 w. Savage and sang for him." Mr. Dam- erel went on to say, "and he told me that 1 some day he was going to give me a
 good part in one of his productions. That was good many years before the Merry | Widow but good as his word when the | chance came for him to keep his prom | ise, MT. Savage sent for me and told me  | taht he had the part he had been look l ing for and asked me if could open the engagement on Broadway nine days from | that date. I accepted, and then refused, l when I thought it over. I really didn't
 feel that could do it; again I reconsid- cred, and the result was that did just what MT. Savage had asked me to, and l he laughingly told me arterward that al- though I'd changed my mind several times, he had gone on with his plans from the first interview we'd had, be-
 cause he knew we'd open the show just ! as he'd planned"
 l You know" MT. Damerel said refiec- l lively, that there are advantages of
 course, in being identified with one partic-
 ,ilar part, but there are many disadvan-
 tages' too. People are always making comparisons Is he as good in this part
 as he was in the Merry widow?"' they
 ask. As comparisons are odious, why do
 It? And yet one must pay the penalty
 or nelng Identified with certain role. | Such is the nrica of c,,roocC