New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-24

THIS story is roll call OF "Follles
L graduates, a backward look at
those who have served their time in one
of the ten preceding productions and
then gone their ways. For many vaude-
willie headliners and musical comedy
stars, 70 say nothing Of dramatic
satellites, have been proud to do their
bits in the Ziegfeldian national in
stitution."
Back in 1907, when Mr.. Ziegfeld first
gave the "Follies" 20 Broadway. the
cast included Emma Carus. Nora Bayes
and Jack Norworth, Billie Reeves
Bickel and Watson, Charlie Ross,
Grace La Rue and Lucy Weston. All
of these folk are now in vaudeville,
except Miss La Rue, who is next door
in "Hitchy-Koo."
It was at that time that Nora Bayes
thought she was a straight singer,
with a Serious" career in front OF her.
Indeed, she had spent some three years
studying voice cultivation in Paris.
One day she sang an ordinary song,
with funny faces interpolated, and she
was a tremendous sensation. So Mr..
Ziegfeld engaged her. In 1903 Miss
Bayes introduced her great song,
when Mother Was a Girl" She used
to take between fifteen and forty
encores a night. This was the most
economical song ever staged, as 1t
permitted Mr.. Ziegfeld to release four
vaudeville acts which had been en-
gagged to fill in the time utilized by
Miss Bayess encore.
Billie Reeves was with the "Follies"
three years, and it was he who started
the awful precedent that there must
be a drunken man in the ensemble. A
staggering acrobat Is now as much a
fixture Of the "Folles" as are W. c.
Fields's bouncing billiard-croquet-golf-
tennis balls. Reeves was succeeded by
Leon Enrol, now with Raymond Hitch
cock. The present inebriate is played
by Fred Heider, newcomer.
Bickel and Watson were "Follies'
favorites for four years. They first
learned the knack Of provoking laugh
ter as circus clowns Professor Henri
Bergson says that laughter is a social
gesture. II this is so. there have been
few performers at the "Follies" since
the time Of Messrs. Bickel and Wat
son who were such efficient social
gestieulators. In 1908. this pair in
troduced a dissonant German band.
The next year they were piano-movers.
At present they are in motion pictures
and rarely heard Of.
Those who don't remember Charles
J. Ross. will certainly recollect his ia
nous song "Budweiser's Friend of
Mine" Mr.. Ross now dips into the
varieties on occasions. but is particu-
larly fond OF benefits.
Another early-timer who is now in
vaudeville was Arthur DEACON. DEACON
was the impersonator Of the late "Dia-
mond Jim" Brady for some time. being
succeeded by VIII West. Both were
successful, judging from Mr.. Brady's
dislike Of their impersonations.
Barney Bernard, since famous as
Abe Potash, the well known pinochle
player, was a "Follies" star in the
early days. In those days he was sole
II a comedian; his fare for the
pathetic was still undiscovered.
In 1910 Mr.. Ziegfeld made one OF
his few errors in judgment by engag-
ing Eva Tanguay TO join his company.
In the curb language Of Seventh ave-
nue. and Forty-sixth Street, the cyclonic
one "Aopped," which means that she
did not prove acceptable to the dis
eliminating clientele attracted 20 the
"Follies." Those who saw Miss Tan
quay last year in her adventure as a
musical comedy star can readily grasp
Why this was 30.
The Dolly Sisters, who are now I'm
proving each shining hour In the splen-
did cause OF dramatic art, were i'm
portant fixtures in "Follies' Of the
past. In 1912 they made n memorable
nj, as the dancing Siamese twins.
Ann Meredith. now Frohman star,
WAS member Of the "Follies" Of 1919.