Evening star., 1921-09-04


room 80 in the Klaubert
Theater building II you
do, you've had q liberal edu-
cation. and Mr.. Edison Is probably
waiting to start you in pasting watt
labels on electric bulbs at sixteen q
week
From which you might gather that
I've begun my career as a dramatic
agent. Uh-huh. You win. Anyway.
I've made my first stab. I haven't
taken floor space fronting on Times
Square yet, or had Trilby May Dodge
painted in gold letters on ground
glass door: but I've crashed into the
game, and up to date I'm the sole rep
resentative OF one Of our most prom
Using young playwrights. Absolutely.
There's hardly anything worth having
that Barry hasn't promised me, or isn't
ready to.
wasn't I telling you that he ad-
mitted having a big idea? Wen. that
was the last 1 heard from him for
nearly a week, and when he finally
did appear I could guess from the
flicker in his blue eyes that he had a
script concealed about him. He had
1nez was the first to spot 1t, though.
You go readin' again?' she asks.
Barry tints up pink in the ears.
why" says he, "if you and Trilby
May don't mind should like to
"All right" says Inez cheerful.
Uncle Neis and 1 go to movies"
shes such a thoughtful girl" says
], as the door slams behind them.
But Barry only lunches his shoui-
ders and hands me the typed sheets
"You said you'd do the reading, you
know" he suggests.
So l did, beginning with the title.
''The Prince and the Flapper."
I. "Yes. I like that. Now let's see
how you've followed it up"
I'll own that I was surprised. He'd
the first sketch-that Alex chap who'd
flivvered at being a prince but who
had achieved a knockout as a head
waiter-and he'd built up an entirely
new yarn. with seventeen-year-old
boarding school vamp featured as the
leading lady and comic king who
grouches about being recalled to the
throne just as he's got his golf game
going strong enough to beat the
vamp's daddy, a reckless breakfast
food pluto from Buffalo who never
plays for less than a dollar hole.
up a situation that got me chuckling
through the lines. =
'I believe you've done it, Barry"
says I. as finished:
you really think so?' he asks ST
wish I could get Morris Klaubert or
some of those fellows to listen while
you read It"
IF they DON'T" says I, "it will be
because the thing can't be done. I'm
going out with this tomorrow"
You're good pal, Trilby May"
"shush on the soft stuff" says I.
I'm a commission hound with no
mercy In my heart and a low cash
reserve. If you hear Of the police
reserves answering a riot call from
the theatrical district you can guess
and failed. Otherwise you can begin
figuring out your royalties
Which was just by way of keeping
Barry chirked up. Of course. Yet 1t
did seem simple enough to get
hearing. Perhaps this wasn't the
regular style Of submitting one-act
plays. but so much the better. I'm all
out where the Klaubert offices were
by looking up the number in the
phone directory.
You know who it is that's ready
to rush In where bright angels are
apt to hang back? Then you've got
my description. Cordially yours. And
may as well confess that my ideas
on how a big theatrical magnate runs
his business-well, they were about as
clear as pool Of pea soup. rather
think I expected to find large. i'm.
velour easy chair chatting confident
tally with John Drew and Julia Mar
lowe, or running over q new Barrie
play with Maude Adams. There would