Evening star., 1920-02-22

AHtDOE Oh "ueOrSc tsu0nhoB tVns
That Percy MacKaye should hold
great love for the theater is not to
be wondered at when it is recalled
that he is the son of Steele MacKaye
actor manager builder playwright. so
we'll known to the older generation
Mr. MacKaye has written not less
than five grand opera hbrettos. round
dozen plays, nearly as many community
dramas and nine or ten volumes OF verse
and Of essays.
Mr.. MacKaye is unusual in having
had all his writings appear between
book covers, as well as presented up
on the stage. The Metropolitan Opera
forces and the Chicago Opera Com
pany have made stellar features OF
Van Wrinkle" having been the event
this season of the Chicago organiza-
tion at home and more recently In
New York as well. Its score Is by the
late Reginald do koven.
walter rJOnea-Few actors have had a
more varied experience than Walter
Jones, the popular comedian. Most OF
1t appears to have had an influence on
his future, though he doubtless con-
sidered it hard shedding at the time. =.
While he was treasurer of the Grand
Opera House in Cincinnati ne "nlleo
nasium on the roof of the theater, ana
soon became a proficient acrobat. he
practiced not only alone. but with tne
various acrobatic troupes VINO piaye9
Cincinnati. Then he ran away and and
Joined a circus in the double capacity
Of acrobat and tuba player.
81 didn't know a tuba from horn OF
plenty" said Mr.. Jones, but the poss
handed me the instrument and told me
to 60 out and play in the parade took
~ h,n hoh foflOv
with the cornet and blew with all my
might. Silence ensued. Not sound
came from the horn. Just as was
about to give up in despair an enormous
below issued from the horn and put
the whole band out of joint. The cornet.
list turned around angrily. Don't blow.
he said, just puff your cheeks.
y Since that time Mr.. Juaes art in
pantomime and facial expression has
contributed greatly to his success as
comedian.
Jack Lets Himself Go.-"An actor's S
success depends almost entirely on
getting well placed" says George w.
Lederer. And Mr.. Lederer ought to
know, for he has been around the
theater a good deal longer than ne
really likes to confess. Besides, ne
talent" Edna May, for instance. He
discovered her in the chorus and made
a star Of her in 'The Belle of New
York" and gave her an international
reputation. And there are others
lots of 'em.
There is Jack Donahue. who has
made such a hit as an eccentric
dancer and comedian. This isn't Jack S
first appearance on Brodway. but II rs
the first time the newspapers and the
public have paid much attention TO
him. He scored the biggest individual
hit in New York this season.
He was born in Charlestown, Mass,
and when he was ten years old he ran
away from home. His father discov-
cred him after a search dancing on
the tailboard of a patent medicine
mans wagon. The whipping he got
had only a temporary effect. Another
medicine man came along and Dona-
hue ran away again.
Dancing came as natural to me as
eating" he says. II never could make
my feet behave. I didn't enjoy those
woodshed conferences with my father.
He was strong man. but still I had
to dance. After a while they got me
a Job in the Charlestown navy yard
as a draughtsman, but I couldn't
stand it.. Then I got into vaudeville
] wanted to do something better, and
that was better than nothing, so I
stuck to It. After q time I married
and my wife and / danced together.
Al Woods gave us a chance in The
Woman Haters' Club and after that
] Joined Raymond Hitchcock's "Hitchy
Koo" show of 1918. But I have never
before had the chance 1 have in .An-
gel Face" to really let myself CO."