New-York tribune., 1921-06-12
Interesting Chat and Stage Gossip for Playgoers
The Picturesque Career of
James Barton, Comedian
Co-Star Of ''The Last Waltz Came From Stock and
BtrIesque; Has Travelled With Carnivals,
and Even River Steamboat Shows

prepare for himself a eonspicuou,
place in the Broadway sun.
From the time he was FIVE years old
until to-day-he is twenty -nine-Bar.
ton has earned his own living. Often
it was a most precarious living. ST.
tended by hardships of all description.
with never place that he could really
call home. School was an expeYim.n,
more than habit, his education being
picked up in fragments in whatever
town ne happened to be settled for
more than weeks stand.
James Barton was born in Glouces-
ter, n. j., little town near Camden.
that happened to be the place vher.
his father and mother were playing an
engagement. Coming of g theatrical
family, he was destined from the start
for the stage. His grandfather VIA.
manager Of the old Front Street The.
ater in Baltimore. That city sheltered
him for longer period than anv
other place. He lived there off and an
for eight years. But he really called
no place home, though he lived for
various periods in Philadelphia, New.
port News, Norfolk, Savannah, Atlanta
and Jacksonville
In Burlesque When =
Five Years of Age
When he was FIVE years old he msde
his debut with Billy Watson's Beef
Trust" company, at the old Buckine
ham Theater in Louisville. His father.
Jim Barton, was a comedian with the
troupe, and his mother was merely
travelling with the company. Not losg
after he entered vaudeville with his
mother in a song and dance act. They
booked their own time, playing any
theater and any town that they could.
This continued for a few years.
Meanwhile young Jim was perfectins
himself in all styles of dancing. Dane
ing was the mainstay OF the cheap
vaudeville and burlesque wheels, and
the youngster and determined that
master with sufficient application.
When he was nine years old he made
great hit at the Howard Theater in
Boston with an imitation of Joe Welch.
With another boy, named Dave Os-
man, he formed song and dance team
when he was fourteen, under virtually
the same booking arrangements that
prevailed when he was appearing with
his mother. They were glad to pick
up business wherever they could, ae-
repting engagements at summer parks
and in summer stock companies as
specially team" When young Barton
obtained an opportunity 20 play dra-
matte roles with 10-20-30 stock COM
pany in Newport News he left his part
ner. He was then sixteen. The next
year found him a member of COM
pany presenting "Uncle TOMS Cabin"
and other old favorites on boats that
piled up and down the Pamlico Sound
in North Carolina. He played at diff
ferent times several roles in "Uncle
Toms Cabin" including Marks, Simon
Legree and Topsy. And many nights,
he says, he had to play all three.
And Again !
In Vaudeville
For the next four years he continued
his varied career in vaudeville and
stock companies. And in 1918, when
twenty-one, he joined a company pre-
senting "Peck's Bad Boy" It was n
hy-by-night organization that mansged
to exist only by means of stupendous
faith in Providence. The manager vas
one of those men who was accustomed
to say when asked for salary, Don't
tell the rest 1'm paying you" Such an
order only prompted Barton to rush ~
his associates shouting, 81 got minel"
whereupon general scramble took
place in the direction of the box Office.
Barton played Schultz, the grocery
man in "Peck's Bad Boy" The COM
pany had reached Fort Scott, Kan.
There it happened that the manager
told him that they were heading for
the Coast. Barton decided he had had
enough, and with fellow actor, named
johnny Barry, he quit. They framed
an act, picked up a few vaudeville
dates in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and
other cities and gradually worked sheir
way to Philadelphia, where they split,
Barton obtaining in the mean time an
engagement in comedy stock at Hsrts
Theater, in that city.
In 1914 he was asked by Jeannette
Dupree to be the principal comsdisn
in Her Own Big Show" which she
was putting out on the progressive"
burlesque wheel, and he accepted. He
was now making more money than he
ever had and the future looked rosy
until the worlds series came along
Then Barton picked the wrong team
the Athletics-and he lost all that he
had made during his season. Next be
joined the late George Clark's Arneri-
can wheel show, Hello Paris" in
which he impersonated a tramp and
Jew and displayed his skill in aero
batlc dancing, The NEXT two seasons