The New York herald., 1921-10-16
Al JolSon Tells In
Fleeing Moment
of His Mem Play
Says He Took Production Be-
cause Author Was Poster
ing Him to Death.

the crowds are rolling In and incidentally
giving the cold shoulder to the very
comedian whom they are about to ap-
plaud uproariously in ''Bombo." For
Jolson, strange as It may appear, isn't
wearing his black face. though he Is
displaying his usual openwork smile.
good humored and yet with a touch of
ironical detachment whenever he spills
a new one.
He Is fietcherizing a stubby cigar and
wearing golfing cap and a large yellow
overcoat that might readily be called
Fido. Though the audience streaming
by doesn't know him his personal cronies
line In the lobby. seemingly six deep.
From all sides comes the hail, Hello,
AL" until he is kept fitting about like
a popular bootlegger. But he Is finally
nabbed by an unfiagging press agent
and chained to the hand of THE New
YORK HEBALD representative-for a
fleeting moment.
How dye do" says Jolson. PLEASED
to meet you. Excuse me a moment" !"
And off he skips to greet another individ-
ual who has promoter" written all over
him, while the air comes thick in Jolson.s
vicinity with such remarks as Couldn't
sign anything" and couldn't take stock
In that" The interviewer's suspicious
are confirmed when Jolson skids back
and announces blandly that he has just
successfully run the gantlet Of another
oil stock peddler
Only Time He Was Stung.
Got lot of those" he remarked.
cant count em all. Every one seems to
figure I'm naturally interested in bum
stock, bum shows and bum horses. Only
time was ever stung was when I'd been
playing the races in the Office of a big
theatrical man. and cleaned up a few
bets-say, seven or eight thousand dol
lars. A man sells me stock In an oil
well for $4,000. and the next week IL
went bloggo! OF course. II was really
a saving. because / didn't have to pay
the income tax on It, Pardon me a
moment"
He answers a wall OF distress from a
friend at the box office window who
didn't find the tickets promised to him.
nxes that matter up, settles something
else with another acquaintance, and then
bustles over to a corner of the lobby to
let group have a broadside of Jokes.
"rAat's the way he is.' says the press
agent. still undiscouraged. always on
the fly. In his dressing room he'll give
two minutes to one caller, and then IL a
sg o bootb!ack drops in with a mouth
organ Jolson will let him have an hour. "
For the first time in my life I'm a
happy man." declares Jolson, sliding up
| and apparently resuming the conversa-
- tn. r,,.e wx.t.. T..
the show--that's the least of my Joys
once it's gone over. But all my life rye
been living in furnished rooms or ho-
tels-see?-and now ! have a home
Up the street have a nice apartment OF
my own, with a negro nanny to cook
while I sit there-you know--and say,
HIM Bring on the dinner- But it's
angerous--to-night 1t felt so good ]
nearly fell asleep over my cigar. But
| won't have a valet--I can't hit tha.
stuff yet-my shoes will have the same
old shine. The cooks name is Beatrice
but I'm think of calling her I'll be
right back!''
He slips from the interviewer's
clutches and careens about the lobby
some more. When he spins back in the
natural course of his orbit around the
foyer he is tricked into standing still
for moment by being asked about the
play he is going to produce. which
stretches his interest over as much as
three minutes.
IT'S a Hawaiian play called Aloha
Lei.' he says, "and It's pretty thing
about a couple OF lovers with a touch OF
| leprosy who shoot each other I'm the
end. Just the sort of play a bug like
pe would produce. But it's really quite
| fine. showing how these lovers would
rather get straight ticket to Paradise
| together than to die a lingering death
| on the ieper island. and The Bird OF
Paradise went big. so maybe this won't
curl up. Probably it'll make the Theatre
Guild jealous. It's life. you know--al
these happy endings in plays are the
bunk. But if II doesn't go over big the
way II Is I'll make the lovers get married
and raise a flock OF children.