The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-12
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BUREAU
FREDERIC J. HAEKIN, Dtxsc&ez.
washington. D. G.
FIGHTERS FIND F'OOTLIGHTS
FASCINATING.
Washington. D. G.

made Broa dway unsafe for the pro-
fessfonal actor Raymond T. Fosdick,
who has just returned from Europe,
brings the startling news that no less
than ten thousand actors have been
trained by the American Expedition
airy Force.
That would make an army of occu-
patton large enough to hold all the
Broadway theaters and a good many
of the road theaters. And these SOL
dier-actors, according 10 Mr.. Fosdick,
were moro of a hit than the profess
sional companies that went overseas
to amuse the doughboys.
The plans of the committee on
training camp activities, of which Mr..
Fosdick is chairman, included both
professional shows to tour the Eu-
ropean camps, and amateur theatricals
gotten up among the men. 1t was
calculated that the professional shows
would, of course, be the main thing.
But it didn't work out that way. The
shows gotten up by the soldiers ex-
ceeded the professional shows in num-
Der, splendor and popularity. They
outgrew their native camps, and were
Droduced in Paris theaters, witnessed
great success by European notables.
In Justice to the professionals, 1t
must be added that one reason the
soldiers made such success OF their
plays lay in the fact that many pro-
fessional actors were in the ranks. The
doughboy plays were amateur plays
organized and directed, in many cases,
by Broadway talent, and often with
Broadway talent in the leading roles.
TT, vx-I,i this of
10000 footlight warriors brings to
Broadway is further mitigated by the
fact that many of the doughboys were
trained only as chorus girls. They
were a great hit in No Mans Land,
where there are no women. but they
do not pretend to be able to compete
with those to whom skirts are no dis
guise.
At one time there were about 200
companies of these soldier actors
i touring the A. f. F. Some of the
shows were representative of entire
army corps, but more often a show
troupe would be selected from single
division. In not a few cases. smaller
units, such as regiments and Compa-
MES, put on shows Whenever a show
proved extremely popular with the
| men for whom it was first produced,
| it was Immediately placed on the army
| theatrical circuit. and sent turnout
| the particular army corps in which it
was developed. If it was a real top
notclfer, it was sent thru the terri
tory of a neighboring corps. In this
way, Il show that proved successful in
the First army might be sent to the
! Second or Third army areas. Shows
| were also sent to the British army of
| occupation. where they made a tre-
| mendous hit. Tommy Atkins liked
American shows so we'll that his off,
GERS were continually requesting more
of them.
The casts of the shows were COM
| posed mostly of privates, the majority
| of whom were new at the game. Often,
| however, there would be a few pro-
fessionals in the cast. Sammy took to
| the stage with so much ease that often
| q show was produced after a week s
rehearsal. In the musical comedies
| there was always great rivalry amC ng
the boys to take the parts of girls
| in the choruses. Some of these girls
were really beautiful, provided you
| didn't get too near. Their costum es
| were often rare works of art, and
great pains were taken and no small
amount of money was spent to pro-
vide the right getups. Som stimes
Paris dressmakers were hired to make
the costumes for the girls" There
was always a great deal of dancing,
/ both pony and ballet, and in one show
private dressed very fetchingly to
represent Carmen made a big hit by
his excellent toe dancing.
General Pershing often attended
these shows and immensely enjoyed
every number, even the jokes that
were pulled at his own expense. On
i one occasion, a comedian pictured to
his audience an event that happened
in the year 1850. He impersonated
| General Pershing as Rip Van Wrinkle.
with long, flowing white whiskers,
waking out of a thirty-year slumber
and declaring:
Great Scott, forgot to order home
! the 18th diVision!"
| On several occasions, a first class
army show was brought to Paris
where it was produced in a local thea
| ter. On these occasions, President
| Wilson and the American peace COM
mission often attended.
Mr.. Fosdick. who witnessed a num-
| Der of productions staged by the sol
diers, speaks highly of these shows.
Il have seen good many musical
comedies produced by mems colleges
4 he said, land l have no hesitancy in
saying that the soldiers shows were
far and above the average production
of college organizations. The soldiers
perhaps were a little more mature,
and they often had professionals in
! their OUtfits-men who had had long
stage experience at home.
These shows were enormously
popular and had no small effect in
maintaining the morale of the troops
in the trying days that followed the
armistice. 1 have seen men standing
in the rain for hours at a time so as
to get a good seat I'M some barn or
tent where a show was to be given
| and the occasion was the talk OF
weeks among the men of the outfit
In this country, the theatrical divi-
| sion of the commission on training
camp activities has been operating
| twenty-three liberty theaters at the
various cantonment camps. and the
idea has proved so successful and pop
ular, that the officers in charge of this
work feel sure the plan will continue
in peace times.
u Unlike the system that is in opera
ton overseas, professional shows are
-. -.