The New York herald., 1921-09-25
News and Gossip
of the Theatres
and Their Players
James Watts's Success in the
Greenwich Village Follies'
and Other Stories.
ny LUCIEN CLEvEs.

the career as profitable as James
Watts. alias Jimmy. vino set out to
be an opera singer and failed COM
pletely. Mr.. Watts this year Is again
the leading comedian OF the Green
wich Village Follies." He was lucky
enough to be with the organization
when It began it's career down in
Sheridan square three years ago.
Everybody connected with the enter
prise at that time enjoyed great flnan-
cial success. Mr.. Watts, who is said
to receive every week as much as
many an important opera singer gets
abroad. has been steadily employed
with the organization ever since It's
opening night. After the long engage
ment at the Nora Bayes Theatre the
company took to tho road and kept
up Its activity until rchearsals began
for the present engagement at the
Shubert Theatre.
And all the funny things he does
that amuses the public he learned
while cultivating q tenor voice for the
operate stage. He studied at the Con-
servatory Of Melbourne. which Is his
native town. and then went to London
for finishing instruction with Nine,
Nevada. The voice did not pan out. 1t
just quit like some other voices which
are expected to carry their owners to
fame.
But he learned a lot beside bel canto
at the Nevada home in st. Johns WoodA
He studied the musical guests a. well ~
the dancing celebrities. He initiated
them so irresistibly that the music hall
stage seemed his inevitable medium.
He got there. then achieved the VIM
ter Garden and finally anchored with
the Greenwich FoiIies. He had kept his
eyes open and even copied his wonder
full wig from the hair Of a duchess who
sat in box at Covent Garden.
And the most wonderful thing is that
the tenor voice is coming back rapidly
and In such fine condition that II is con-
stantly trying to urge Mr.. Watts to be
a singer. He wants to keep-for at
least q while longer-in the original
Greenwich Village Follies" millionaire
set According to the mercantile ex-
changes 1t Is a good crowd to be in.
Players. Famous ana Otherwise.
Reginald Pasch, who has become the
nearest possible successor to a matinee
idol since that type became extinct out
side the movies, has acted tho plays OF
Shakespeare frequently In Germany.
But he knows them In English and
wants to play Hosnlct after the run Of
"The Merry Widow" Henry w. Saw
~ l~tx~ ~rlD
the point, but It is possible he may al
low an extra matinee later--very much
later.
Joseph A. Jackson. who learned the
profession as a New York critic Of the
drama. II the author Of 'The Retake,"
q one act play which has Just been pro-
duced with great success in Los An
geles.
Lionel Barrymore. instead Of acting In
Blood and Sand" at the Empire Thea
tire on Tuesday as originally planned,
was seen in Boston In an English trans
lation Of "The Claw" by Henry Bern
stein
Plays That Have Passed.
Among the plays that have already
passed out after q few performances
are "The SlSylark." ''The Teaser." per-
sonality," "The Mask Of Hamlet" "The
Scarlet Man." THE Poppy Cod" Goat
Alley" "Nobody's Money Tho
Triumph Of X" "Tarsan." Sonny Boy"
Don Juan" and March Hares."
Mme. Maeterlinck to Act.
Mme. 0~orgette Leblanc, formerly tho
wife OF Maurice Maeteriinck. whose pro-
fessional appearances In this country
have hitherto been confined to her APP
pearance In opera. will soon bo seen on
the dramatic stage. She viii produce
In November q drama founded on
"Salammbo," by Flnubert. This appear
ance will mark her debut In English.
Elaborate Incidental music win be pre-
pared by native composers.
Launched ON . ShoostrinE.
Harry l.. Cort, who has been the man
ager OF the successful Shuttle Along"
which has been for so many months at
+, the Sixty-third Street Music Hall. Is
proud of the fact that he launched what
has proved TO be one Of the successful
ventures Of the year on what would be
called in the profession shoestring.
The authors and composers Of Shuttle
Along" who are also among Its most
amusing actors, approached various
managers before Mr.. Cort had an OPP
portunity to start them He was the
first 20 realize that the tirne might be
ripe for a summer show.
For weeks he travelled about the one
night stands, since no r1anager would let
him into one OF the many vacant tho
aires The outlay on costumes and
scenery had been practically nothing.
But he had finally 20 beg the music hall
| from his father. John Cort Although
| there was no stage or scenery, the place
was transformed In time for the opening
| Of the season. Up to date II has sur
vived tho most elaborate OF oil the sum-
mer shows and gives every indication
of lasting for weeks 20 come
what's In . Names
Tho author moved into more modest
quarters after he had been rather ex-
pansive In the matter OF lodgings. The
play has started out with every indica-
tion OF success.
1T was not until observed" tho au-
| thor snid. "that my name was not In All
the advertisements OF the play that
spoke TO the manager He said II
wanted n done he would gladly print the
name along with the t:tle. So he put II
into every paper for the week, had u
| displayed on all the rosters ] felt quite
proud OF the prominence enjoyed.
But felt more or less of sinking
| feeling when ] discovered that the ex-
pense for all that publicity had 70 come
out OF my royalties. IT amounted to so
4 ..tx f..k l,xr wro Int