New-York tribune., 1921-06-05
By Harrictte Underhill

Wasting energy. Inc reason people
think he is clever (if they do think so)
is because he has sense enough to keep
his failures away from New York. AS
for the rest of it, he is just a very
mediocre actor who has plugged away
when others were playing. We know
this to be true, because George Cohan
himself told us of it.
The idea of interviewing George
Cohan thrilled us as nothing had done
in long time. AS matter of fact, we
begged as special favor to be allowed
to do it, and gave as an excuse the fact
that he was now appearing as the
fourth vagabond in his satirical melo-
drama "The Tavern"
Having seen all of the previous vaga-
bonds--Arnold Daily, Brandon lyman
and John Meehan-of course, we
couldn't slight Mr.. Cohan. We sat in
the stage box at the Hudson Theater,
close enough to the scene of action to
have prompted the players if any of
them had forgotten their lines, and, as
q matter of fact, after you have seen a
play four times, if you are not all
ready to become general understudy,
then you have no memory.
How Cohau Lost
Against Actress
We had expected to talk to Mr.. Cohan
after the performance, and in honor Of
the occasion had worn our new, blue
and silver gown and Spanish shawl.
And then it happened that he had to
do something at midnight in Friars'
entertainment and couldn't see US; and
we wondered if he, too, had become
starrish and hard to meet. They do get
that way; but lest Mr.. Cohan be under
suspicion for the length of time it takes
to read this paragraph, we shall say now
hat Mr.. Cohan isn't. He's just little
Georgia Cohan as much now that he is
the sole representative of that illus
trious family as when he was one Of the
four.
Our interview was arranged the next
day for 2 o'clock at Mr.. Cohans office,
and ut one minute of 2 we were there.
So was he. "You see," we explained to
apologize for our punctuality, ''we re-
nembcred that you once said you never
were late and that all work and nc play
did not make Jack dull boy"
"Yes?" said Mr.. Cohan, with interest,
And when did l express any such SEN
timent as that?"
''Why, the time you were rehearsing
people for The Honeymooners.' We
called at the theater resolved to ask
you for a chance to exit with others,
laughing, and then you looked SO fierce
and SO efficient that we decided to exit
alone. In other words, jumped your
show before was in it." Mr.. Cohan
laughed. SIS that a fact?" he said
well, you should have stayed.
wasn't fierce"
But you were efficient. You can
never explain that away. You've done
nothing but work since you were five
years old. Now, when are you going
to start in and have good time?" We
really said this SO that Mr.. Cohan would
start in and tell us where his favori.e
haunts are. We never encounter him
anywhere.
Has Never Seen
A Roof Show
Don't you fool yourself" responded
Mr.. Cohan, genially. "If bolt from
heaven should strike me dead this in
stant I'm away ahead of the game"
"But when and where do you have
your fun? Do you ever go to the AL
gonquin, or the Montmartre or the Ritz,
or to any of the roof shows?"
Never"
Where do you eat and drink? 2"
"At home"
"And is that fun?'
"of course, invite people in to
help me-"
"Actors?"
mo. 1 don't care so much for
actors"
"No? Then whom do you hke?"
Policemen" responded Mr.. Cohan,
promptly. And then, sadly: "You know
there isn't much of gang around any
more"
Here Mr.. Cohan was called away, and
he was gone SO long that we began to
think he must have forgotten us.
While he was out we looked at his
youthful pictures hanging on the wall.
You were a sweet kid, weren't you?"
we said when he finally returned. "Look
how innocent you looked at the age of
two. But here, when you are sixteen
here you begin to show signs of failure
wickedness. And here is where you
used to say, 4 thank you; my mother
thanks you; my father thanks you!'"
And then Mr.. Cohan made out check
for $1,o00,00o and handed it to the
waiting messenger before he seated
himself opposite US again in the bay
window. We looked at him. He still
looks young and guileless, and we spec
ulated on the wonderful brain that was
inside that prematurely gray head, and
longed to say to him: "Mr. Cohan,
please talk about yourself. Tell US
how you can be so much more clever
than other people" But you can't just
say that to a man, and he wouldn't
talk about himself, so we decided to