New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-12
Veteran Actor Has Had
Much Experience with
Papier Mache Babies
and Real Ones, Too.
By GEORGE S. KAUFMAN.


The heart Of William Danforth had
been won over by papier mache baby,
and the curtain at the Longacre The
atre had descended. As Paul Fabrc,
the rich but grouchy father in "The
Girl Who Smiles" Danforth had con-
tinued until the next to the last min
ute in an attitude of intolerant obJec-
ton to his daughters marriage And
then, Just when all the out-ot-town
people had given up hope (your New
York theatregoer is too wise Bird, ne
relented and allowed the curtain TO
come down on happy family reunion.
AS intimated, 1t was his grandson
the PAPER mache baby, that did IT,.
And, inasmuch as William Danlorth
has a couple of his own-bless you, no,
not papier mache ones-that looked
like the moment of moments to pick
ones way through the stage debris to
his dressing room and take a chance on
asking a few questions.
Particularly and especially, informa-
ton was wanted in regard to this mu-
steal comedy father business. Half
the musical shows that have come into
New York in the last twenty years
have had William Danforth cast as the
father of the prima donna. The other
half wanted him, but he was busy.
Certainly, when the history Of the
stage is written and the book closed, It
will be found that William Danforth
was the worlds champion all-around
catch as-catch-can musical comedy
father
Eyes, indeed, it's funny how they
run" With a quick motion, that actor
swept away the makeup of the million
aire crouch and stood revealed as de-
cidely pleasant-faced human. "For
long time it was brigands. guess |
was a couple of dozen of the most un-
principled scoundrels that ever lived.
But there's one thing about brigands-
there's something picturesque and ro-
mantle about them, and the audience
nearly always has soft spot for them.
II doesn't matter how wicked bri-
gand is, there's sure to be lot OF peo-
pie that like him.
"Well, played brigands with Frank
Daniels for ten years, sandwlching IN
a Cuban planter once in while to
break the monotony. Then suddenly
things switched and | started to plaS
kings | played a couple of kings with
Daniels, and then one with Hopper IN
'IIappyland.' | guess played kings OF
one sort or another pretty steadily for
a couple of seasons, and then this
father business came along.
SO here | am. I'm musical comedy
father, and it looks as though | was
going to have to~stay one: This is the
second season in a row that I've been
the father of Natalie Alt-last year il
was Adele Before that? Oh, The
Girl From Montmartre,' and Little Miss
FiX-It,' and The three Romeos,' and
The Debutante,' and any number Of
'em. They were all fathers.
But the worst of it was that nearly
all Of them were millionaires. Oh,
know what you're going TO say-that It
must feel nice to play millionaire.
Well, it does, but think of the money
You have to spend for clothes! Don't
forget that the actor has to buy his
own clothes, and that a millionaire has
to dress pretty we'll.
THE one I'm doing now's a mill
ionaire. He's pretty tight, but often
they're generous fellows, who give
away all kinds of money. I've given
away more money than Rockefeller
ever possessed and barrels Of
il. Sometimes it hurts me TO think
Of it. But ! don't need libretto to
know that that's what fathers were in
vented for"
William Danforth, in fact, doesn't
need libretto to tell him anything
about fatherhood. Out in Keyport. n.
j.. there is Virginia, aged nine. and
John, five. II you envy Danforth his
job in New York success, picture him
travelling TO Keyport every night after
the performance. Keyport is near
Perth Amboy; it is reached only after
a long and complicated process. and it
Is invariably 80 o'clock in the morn
ing when the actor sticks his key into
the door
But John and Virginia, he assures
you, are well worth the trip. In fact.
he could sit in his dressing room and
talk TO you about them for hours; and
you had better be careful or he'll do it.
He'll tell you that Virginia likes the
stage and that John hates il. and that
Virginia disdainfully refuses TO take
dancing lessons in Perth Amboy. "Who
ever heard of an actress coming from
Perth Amboy?" asks Virginia. And