The Washington herald., 1921-09-04
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|Da!BylD4aya

INTRODUCING GENE BUM
NEW YORK, Sept. s.--n = popu-
iarity contest were held for the most
popular man in New York thestricai
circies there is little doubt but that
the ;prizs would 80 10 Gene Buck
maker of lyrics. playwright, talent
discoverer and tots Of other inter
esting' things.
Gene Buck crept into New York
unannounced from Detroit about
twelve years, ago. He made
living illustrating, covers for
the home and mother. down-on-the
farm ditties- of,that day. He hadn't
beene here long before he attached
himself to Flo Ziegfeld. who had
Just burgeoned and bioomed ~ the
producer OF the Follies.
Buck. has had hand In mixing
the ingredients OF the Follies since
that time. He is Ziegfelds closest
j confidant. He u forever dtsepyering
new talent and getting them jobs.
The most famous scenic artist In
New York, was daubing away In an
East Side attic when Buck found
him, brought him out OF obscurity
into riches and fame.
A dozen stars now have tnelr
names hung In electric lights Pc
cause Buck saw their apinty wnen
others had passed them BY. Gene
buck In considered the snappies'
. dresser ON broadway. Hats ars
named after him, and 30 are cigars
He ls in his early thirties. tall
rangy, and has eyes that twinkle
. with Gaelic deviltry. He has JUS
| written q play that Belasco - sooi
10 nroduce with David warmed q
the star-and that means that nj
4 future 10 financially secure.
he lives down at Great Neck j
I the theatrical colony in one OF IN
E finest homes there-Mortgage Mano
Il he calls II. His near neighbor !
Ring Lafdner and they nave re
10 Gently finished q play when oeai @
with Lardner's hero Oh she IL
Know Ne Al" series. S,
Buck calls Augustus :
Gus" Victor Herbert VIC l. e
shubert "Lee"-and he has u
widest acquaintance In tne e
YORK theatrical world. He ls
novinr spirit in the Lambs Clr
o and only recently when the Gre'
> that II was without proper III
I, equipment Buck organized an ou
II door theatrical entertainment
l. EVER star on Broadway co.
:. ,ributed to the evenings entertain
80 ment-iust because Buck ask
le them. And Great Neck now n
,r onlv has proper fire equipment D
had enough money left over to p
a couple Of new cells in the ci
IL prison
w several years ago he was ma
= ried to Miss Helen Falconer. t
charming and beautiful leadil
as lady for years with Fred Stol
r. Gene Buck is typical Of Broadws
and yet he Is not a part of 1t.
at "a never seen in the cafes or
ep high lige haunts. He is devo
NJ churchgoeS, and like his go
-. friend George N. Cohan, is CO
ne stantly helping those who are Il
lit. ing to beat their way through Il
atrical barrierA
Some Of these days. no dou
NO Buck will have his own theater
No write his own plays. All be wo'
have TO do would be to amour
-, such a plan and a score OF theat
ds cal magnates would come on
re run, check book in hand.
~ But Buck is studying the thea
learning all the tricks of
ith trade, and while he is increas
nd his store of knowledge royal'
T., pour in on him from q dozen
ferent places.
AN Buck is youthful and advent
lin. Gus, but he has keen, straig
forward vision and construct
us' mind. He would never take
in conventional leap without
mis- equally conventional look.
Broadway and the Rialto nj
" in their hectic history. had
60 few Gene Bucks! They come,
ow face, very rarely to any comm
7. ity.