Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-19
Theater' and Ph0toPlay


America. He will soon start on his
! irst concert tour of this country. I'M
der the direction of William Morris,
| hitherto known as the manager OF
Sir Harry LADDERS world tours.
According to the reports of his
achievements abroad. Burke combines
many unusual qualities-rare. indeed.
in these days of specially trained
artists--in that, while his vogue in
opera and recital seems to have estab-
liShed his worth as tenor. II Is
claimed that lie is also gifted ACTOR
, and. moreover. is blessed with a rare
personality
He made his debut with Nine. Mel
ba in La Boheme in the spring of
last year. Since then h. has sung the
PRINCIPAL tenor roles il the repertoire
Of Sir Thomas Bcechnanss company.
creating the principal paris IN PUG
ems three rev one-act operas TINS
year. following the premier" Of which
the composer brought him before the
curtain TO proclaim that. of all the
young tenors of today. Burke was
best qualified to sing his works.
The story of Tom Burke's life is a
romantic one. The young tenor. born
at Leigh. in Lancashire. of Irish par
ents. thirty years ago. was educated
by the Jesuits at st. JoSeph'S School.
and he sang in the school choir which,
as he says. sent him crazy about
music" After he left school he studied
Mort. and when he was twenty-one he
thought of joining the Halle choir.
but the examiner. MIR. Nelson. on
hearing him sing. told him he was too
good for any choir and sent him to
London.
In 1913 a wealthy patron financed
him and he went to Italy and studied
with Ernesto Coli of Milan. He
studied five years in Italy and now
sings in English. French and Italian
xx-itl NJ
''C'avalleria Rusticana" and "Rigo-
1etto" We're among his successes in
Italy. and Mascagni specially selected
him to create the leading role in La
Ladoletta" at the Massmo, Palermo.
The sun and warmth of Italy are
said to have fired his acting with
the color and passion of that country
of romance. and the sun and warmth
of Italy. too, have made golden the
liquid qualities of his wonderful voice
spite of his youth. he is already re-
garded as the finest tenor ever born
in the British Isles.
''Gimme..~-Have you noted the
new disease: 1t is called the
"gimmes."
Nancy Fair. who is at Polls this
week. says it is widely prevalent.
This strange malady is disfiguring
the lovely and marring the beauti-
full. asserts this vivacious comedi-
enne. 1T has peculiar characteristics
affects girls mostly. One would be
wasting time to attempt to isolate the
germ. 1t can't be done. That's why
Il Is such e strange and yiEulent one.
ONCE a girl tinnocufated. the
poison spreads through the system. |
changing her personality and she is
never the wiser. 1t manifests itself
in expressions such as I'D like this
or I'd like that or 1t would be great
to do this and that-and the other
thing" Then as the germ gets a
stronger grip you hear Lend me your
cane. or fan: or umbrella or Give
me that pin.' or I want your hand
kerchief for a bathing cap
You will find variations. too. such
as Take me to a show or a Dance
and again Buy me that and Bring
me that and Let's do this. Give me-
Take me- Hand me- and Let's
that's the 'gimmes,' and many girl
is losing the admiration of some fine
man because of the -gimmes.'
A Relative OF Stevenson.-Austin
Strong. author Of SO Wise Fools
passed most of his early life in odd
corners of the earth. The playwright
was born in San Francisco in 1881,
and soon afterward was taken to
live in turn in Honolulu, Samoa, Aus
tralia and New Zealand. For several
years he resided at Vailima, Samoa,
with his relation, Robert Louis Ste
venson.
Young Strong's education was ac-
complished for the most part at the
English College in New Zealand,
where he specialized in landscape ar
chitecture. From an early age he was
attracted to the stage and often laid
aside his charts and plans for essays
on the drama. But he long persever-
ed in the profession approved by his
family.
When he was studying in France
and Italy he suddenly rebelled and
left for London with a play he and
his uncle. Lloyd Osbourne. had writ
ter together Martin Harvey was
inouced to produce this maiden effort.
The Exile" at. the Royalty Theater,
but it failed to last.
Coming to New York. he wrote for
Francis Wilson 1.-The Little Father
Frohman. esented. His next play
was THE Toy Maker of Nuremberg"
produced by Frohman in America and
by Cyril Maude in London. 1.-The
Pied Piper" with DeWolf Hopper.
followed. and then came "A Good
Little Devil" which Strong adapted
from the French for Belasco
Mr.. Strong then went to work on
"3 Wise Fools" called "3 Wise Men,"
until the eve of it's presentation in
New York. 1t remained on Broadway
for over ten months and since then
has been scoring heavily in the larger
oil