New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-19
ABOUT OTTO KRUGER

popularity To-Day tnhn OtIo hIuBti'
Two seasons ago he was quite unknown
in New York; to-day he is greatly in
demand for comedies and farces. At
the tag end Of the season Of 1s14-15
he made what was practically his first
New York appearance as the marathon
runner in "The Natural Law" He was
capable enough, but nobody paid n
great deal of attention to him. George
Cohan saw him, however, and last year
he played the husband in young
America" incidentally scoring his first
substantial metropolitan hit. As a re-
suit of this performance David Belasco
was only too happy to borrow him for
Seven Chances even though it was
understood that he would have to sur
render him when Cohan wanted him
again. The time came last week. Kru
ger is now playing the principal role in
the farce at the Cohan and Harris,
Captain Kidd, Jr.," and playing it with
intelligence and discrimination, albeit
exuberantly.
Otto Kruger is another example of
German efficiency. For him the road
to Broadway was long and tortuous,
but in travelling it he learned his pro-
fession. He did everything. In the
beginning he studied the piano, with
the usual concert visions before him.
This was in Toledo. From to II he
practised faithfully-not,a as he himself
says, because of any ingrained love of
faithfulness, but because his parents
were doing the thing with the custom
airy German thoroughness. He acquired
the stagelust in his late teens, just
when he was beginning to be able to
play every instrument In the band and
to write the music for it, too. To cure
him his parents dispatched him to a
Wyoming ranch. He stayed there for
three months, doing everything on the
place for $50 month, and then escaped
and managed to get to Kansas City.
There he found an "opera" company
and asked for a job. The man said
they weren't quite ready-the music
wasn't written yet. How long would it
take? Oh, two or three days. Just
take the score of THE Royal Chef"
and change every third measure-that
would keep them within the law. Kru-
ger rewrote "The Royal Chef" in two
days and thereby earned his first pro-
fessional money-$3O. But he had to
go back home to get his first job as an
actor. 1t was with the resident stock
company in Toledo, and the salary was
nothing a week But thereafter it went
up by leaps and bounds, until at the
end Of month he was earning $40.
Then began six long years. Young
Kruger played in all manner Of COM
panies, most Of them very bad. There
were melodramas and comedies and just
plain tent shows, and when any aggre-
CATION stayed in one village longer than
a single evening 1t was only because
they lacked the money with which to
get out. On ono occasion Kruger an
swered the advertisement OF rep"
company in "The Clipper" and jumped
to the wilds Of Texas. They handed
him thirteen parts, for the company
was playing thirteen plays. Kruger
learned them all in q couple OF days.
This ability TO memorize part in quick
time was to stand him In good stead
little later.
When he got as high as the Stair and
Havlin circuit Kruger believed that he
had reached the end OF things. He used
to think Of New York, Of course, but
vaguely-merely as something to be
hoped for. He worshipped anything and
everything that came out Of New York.
When he reached town where New
York company was playing he used to
stand near the stage entrance and
watch the players come out, just to see
actors who had really played in New
York. Then, fortified by sheaf OF in
troductory letters, he came to New
York himself For once luck was with
him, for his chance came almost imme-
distely.
1t was the year that "The Lure" was
here, and the run Of the play was just
drawing to a close. George Probert,
being averse TO a prospective Chicago
engagement, had handed In his notice,
but the management had not taken it
seriously until the day before his de-
parture. On Friday afternoon Kruger
was told TO see the performance that
night. After the performance he was
handed the Probert part-74 sides,
which means that IL was long one.
Here, at last, was his New York chance.
Kruger stayed up all Friday night and
all day Saturday and learned the part.
He had ono hours rehearsal at 5 o'clock
Saturday afternoon. and played the part
Saturday night, having been up since
Friday morning. But it was a New
York appearance. That night THE
Lure" went to Chicago and Kruger went
along.
Then came "The Natural Law"
Young America fame.