The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-04
Dolly Takes Pleasure In Presenting Some
 Stories Fresh From London Did Mr. Percivdl Knleht
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

n ERCY," "Algie' and Reggie
 boys have never made 8 very \ strong appeal to me, but 1t just goes on to show how there's absolutely nothing In a name, and that although your papa and mamma may have been mean enough to name you "Percival, you've been clever enough and have lived long enough to get over it.
 This is exactly what has happened in the case of Mr. Percival Knight. the dashing young comedian of "Nonody Home," round at the Jefferson.
 Instead of being perfect lady," or even worse-one of that now almost ex- tinct variety of animals known as "dude." which. if you are like I am, you always know is going to be the case with a Percy" or an "Algie," or a Reggie boy, MT. Knight is very man. ly fine. young fellow. with a tremen- dous amount of magnetism and an over flowing good nature. and-hold your breath. I'm going to shock you to death a sense of humor. and he's an English man. too, if you please.
 Serious and rather dignifed, even re- ticent at times. MT. Knight gives the impression at first of being entirely friendly and not a bit 'fnterviewable, !" but once Ion his way" there are flashes of genuine humor: this. however, seems to come as if it were expected of him rather than because of any bubbling spring of farcical unrestraint which crackled through the small talk of the occasion.
 You give him the benefit of the doubt, however, and believe that the inartistIc environment of a prosaic daylight talk is probably to blame. and that with big open fire, some bon companions, dim, twilight room and "a bottle of good cheer" he would astonish us by his scin- tillating speeches which have already brought this clever young actor fame and fortune.
 If you've heard him do the famous know that Percival Knight has a sense of humor.
 That delectably spicy, delicious, naughty, little dissertation on the sub- ject of a perfectly good "Ostermoor." which he drawls out so "English-ly," is irresistible:
 Bed, bed, beautiful bed,
 Fall it right over your head; Wrap up your heels in it. Have all your meals in it, Make an hotel of your bed. Puzzle your brain in it.
 Yes. entertain in 1t,
 Don't mind If it's harder than lead. Hop in it, flop in it,
 Drop in it, stop in it,
 Beautiful, beautiful bed!
 'Of course you know I've lot of Scotch about me-" MT. Knight said. as l asked him to talk a bit about the diff ference in English and American humor (which he pronounces with a very dis tinct "h'). Anybody, however, who comes from the British Isles Is English. You see. I've been in this country a long time now, and I've grown rather used to your ways and ideas. Now as to an Englishmans sense of humor-as com- pared to an Americans, it's just as fool ish to make the comparison as-well- take the people of the United States for instance A New Yorker who drops down in your Montana would be as much of puzzle with his slang and his manner isms of speech as. say Dorcetshire man who drops into Lancestershire. People in different parts of their own country don't understand each others humor, much less those who are sepa- rated by thousands of miles,"
 T recall that Rose Stahl told me when she took The Chorus Lady to England" MT. Knight said, that it was weeks be- fore the audiences even so much as laughed. Then when they understood the slang. the papers printed long articles on the subject and a book sort of a glossary was gotten out and people took it to the theatre and followed it as they would libretto. Then the play went like wildfire.''
 English audiences are the most appre- ciative audiences in the world,' MT. Knight continued, "once they understand, but when they don't they are not unlike other audiences placed in the same posi- tion.''
 'Tell me what you consider really funny story" I begged, land then I'll
  Will Cheek of Nashville, MT. and Mrs. Ed Irwin, Mrs. A. J. Lamb, MT. Crook Whatley, Mr. R. F. Smith. MT. Paul Savage, MT. Sam Sturgeon, MT. Frank $. White, MT. John Denson and MT. Leon Steele