New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-18
BY Harriette Underhill

Having interviewed Frank Carter on
the subject of personality, we know no
more about it than we did before. AS
soon as we saw him in the "Follies"
the other night We determined to add
him to our list of victims who are to
be interviewed in regard to this gift
of the gods, because we had an idea that
he might know more about it than most
people.
Of course every one recognizes per-
sonality when he sees it. 1t is that
thing which enableth man to enter
tain us the while we say "He getteth
away with murder, aye, verify"
If you have it, however, it won't mat
ter whether you have any other talents
or not You may go and bury them,
for you won't need them; and if you
haven't it--well, you won't need your
talents anyway, for you'll never get a
chance to display them.
Lately we have been studying this
personality thing a lot, and every time
we spot any one who has it we imme-
diately go and demand an interview,
but up to the present time we have
been able to unearth no facts which
may be set down to aid the acquisitive.
One reason we can't find out anything
about it is because none of the persons
who possess it seem to be aware of
that fact.
Now, when we visited the "Follies"
it was with the avowed intention of
doing beauty story" We thought
of interviewing the peaches Of 1918"
and augmentng it with a few remarks
by Lillian Lorraine; or possibly few
''hints on clothes" by the beautiful
Dolores. And what happened? Why.
we saw Frank Carter and were back
again Immediately on the personality
quest For here was personality plus.
We recognized it as soon as he came
out in the patent attorneys office and
engaged Eddie Cantor as office boy.
And then in the next scene, where he
sings "In Old Versailles it was still
more pronounced. Now, no one could
accuse MI. Carter of being real
singer. In fact, when you hear him
sing you wonder why he doesn't dance.
No other person would dare to chop
their notes off at the end the way he
does. He acts as though he Just
couldn't be annoyed sustaining them.
However, we do not believe that any
other person could pin his medal OF
the girl he left behind" quite so cf-
fectlvely, although we agree with him
that "She deserves it more than L."
He doesn't deserve it at ail-at least
rot for his singing. But do the deserv-
ing people Of this earth ever get anv
medals pinned on them? They do not.
To think with US is to act. SO we
immediately called Mr.. Carter on the
telephone and asked him if he would
like to be interviewed. He replied that
he could think of nothing which would
delight hin, more. and to obviate any
Danger of mistaken identity he would
wear a earn alton in his buttonhole and
carry Tribune folded in his right
hand.
Now, all the thirgs which we have
said about Mr.. Carter in tie preceding
paragraphs we have >sN>ady said to
him. We told him ~ Nway that we
didn't care very n.uoN Scr his voice
but that We loved ~ way he sang, and
we begged hiy, to Ass us how he did it.
And we asked hin, if he knew that he
played all his scenes as though he had
Just dropped in for the evening and
considered it a jolly good lark?
NO" he said. "Tell me some more,
You know, no one ever tells you the
truth about yourself, and if they do
ell you that you're rotten they never
tell you why. But I don't need env
one to tell me that cant sing. know
it quite we'll"
How charming! No need to pursue
the subject further. SO we said: Tell
US. please. Mr. Carter. what is person
ality?"
Personality? Why, you know, per.
soraAts IS that thing which enables
people to get their stuff across without
any effort"
hut Mr.. Cnrter WAS thinking in
terms Of the theatre only.
NO. we don't mean schat is person
atty but must one be born with it?
May one achieve it, or does one some
| times have it thrust upon him 7"