West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-09-16
JASPER IS THE FIRST REAL
DOG ACTOR IN REGULAR PLAY
Famous Dog Was Born in Frost
burg and Has Made Great Hit
on Broadway-HiS Life is Insur-
cd for Big Sum and Has Nice
Bank Account


Following article taken from the New
York Herald. was raised and edu.
Gated" in Frostburg. Md. He has q
bank account of $4,000 which he has
earned with his brains. He has been
received by President Taft, President
and Mrs. Wilson. Champ Clark and
Other notables. Following IL what the
Herald says of Jasper"
The play Young America" which
is one OF the snappicst successes of
the new theatrical season, wasn't writ
ten entirely for Jasper, but he had n
lot To do with the making of t. First
II was ME and My Dog" i'm rehearsal
But the boy" end OF IL came out
strong in the developing, 40 they
changed the name first TO "Thc Lit
tie Gangster" and then To young
America" by which title IL was pre-
sented by Messrs. Cohan 4 Harris.
Jasper is the first real dog actor i'm
a regular play. He acts. The blood
hounds in "Uncle Toms Cabin" were
IA group of rough "supes" compared
with Jasper. He wouldn't notice such
dogs, much less say "How do YOU do?''
To- them
In the play Jasper has the last part
or the first act almost to himself The
big scene is his They are going To
drag the unkempt young desperate.
Art to Jail The boy is sullen until Il
occurs to him that his dog. Jasper, will
have no one To look after him. lie
cries out for Jasper. The dog comes
racing I'm, To be fed by the boy from n
piece of cocoanut pie, which the kind
hearted Mrs Doray has bestowed upon
Art
Jasper is fondled by the boy and
then rises to his greatest dramatic
height when he gives battle to the two
policeman when they arrest Art. Jas
per uses his emotional voice TO its
fullest, and i'm his struggles the little
dog actually yanks around the police
man with whom he grapples. This
policeman Is none other than Jasper's
business manager and trainer-and
owner-Dixie Taylor, who wears ar
mored gloves OF reinforced buckskin.
The policeman conquers the dog,
apparently, by shutting down his nos
trils and checking his wind" Jas
per's snorts are tragic i'm his lines
right here, but that is all acting. Mr..
Taylor doesn't really cause him the
slightest discomfort.
They drag the boy away. All leave
the stage and the policeman, with n
last effort. shoves Jasper back and
slams the door, leaving Jasper alone
I'm the room, on the stage. AS the
curtain falls Jasper is leapng at the
door. clear TO the top of IL. barking
his head off after his captured mas
ter.
Great applause. Members OF the
company take curtain call without
Jasper Audience smites it's palms
for Jasper. II must have Jasper And
what does Jasper do but come right
out and take "A curtain" all by him
self.
He's the greatest dog Of his day.
He has "A two year contract with
Messrs. Cahan e. Harris at half the
salary of the President OF the United
States. Cohan & Harris have taken
out an accident insurance policy upon
him for 100000.
Jasper lives in hotel near Broad
way where several other widely known
actors live.
Hc has his teeth brushed every
morning.
lie sleeps in a crib like a baby's.
white with blue trimming.
His special bedclothes, sterllizcd.
arc changed every day.
His bath comes every other day.
because daily baths diminish the gloss
OF his hair
Jasper's father was an italian grey
hound and his mother a bull TERROR.
lie looks as II he might be all bull
TERROR until upon inspection one sees
that his jaws and nose are much
longer and finer drawn and that he
has length of leg and a lightness OF
body iiom the small greyhound of the
Italian breed. lie is five years and
three months old. lie waa earning
S35 week al the age OF ten months.
Dixie Taylor. who received the puppy
as gift from a Snowman friend.
changed his name from MulIigan to
Jasper, when he took him ON the
Chautauqua circuit.
Jasper appeared ON the same pro
gramme az a trick dog. a mind read
ing dog. with William Jennings
Bryan
When eighteen months old Jasper
was making $50 a week and about
two years ago he went on the Keith
circuit vaudeville at $500 a week
Tie always wanted. however. to get
into "the legit" Now he's in. They
say he wants TO play Hamlet"
Between the acts. in the alley along
side the Astor Theatre, Jasper sub
mittod TO being interviewed. also to
be patted on his sleek head.
OF course, Jasper doesn't really
speak English h--that is. his English
Is poor. From association with the
slangy Art and his pal. "Nutty"
uoos,,or O., s.xya... st,