The New York herald., 1922-01-15
De Courpille, Here
With First Revue,
Former Reporter
London Producer Attributes
Success in Theater to EX-
pel1ence as Writer.

Albert De Courville of London, former
London reporter, now English producer
with more than fifty successes TO his
credit is in New York to make his first
production at the Shubert Theater Jan
uary % in Pins and Needles" which
has just completed a years run at the
Gaiety Theater, London. He Is bring
ing over the original English cast and
chorus of English girls. He is pro-
ducer, author. composer and owner of
all the revues which he has produced
gince his days on the London Daily Mail.
He has occupied practically every thea
ter in London at some time or other
since 1913. even Drury Lane being used
for his "Razzle Dazzle" in 1915.
Among his many productions are Joy
Bells" Push and Co." shell Out"
Business as Usual" "The Whirligig."
"Flying Colors." Zig Gag Zig Saw"
"Smile," Merry Moments" and Same
to You"
People think l have been successful"
he said deprecatingly. the other day,
land perhaps l have-at least they are
kind enough TO say so. But whatever
success l have had 1 owe entirely to
the fact that have been of that versa
tile calling the newspaper man.
In 1912 was reporter on the Lon
Gcn Daily Nail As newspaper men usu-
ally are. ! was on friendly terms with
the notables of the day. one night 1
was dining at the Savoy with Sir Ed
ward Moss, director of the London Hip
podrome Sir Thomas Upton and Sir
Thomas Dewar. Moss was complaining
that the Hippodrome was losing money
as rapidly as it possibly could and Lip
ton broke in with a suggestion:
why do you not hire some one to
run your business who knows nothing
about it?' he asked. He could not run
IL at any greater loss than it is now
being run and possibly he might i'm
prove it,
That was my chance and. as every
good reporter always will. took it.
I am the man. 1 said.
'All three men smiled indulgently.
Confidently I said: L am thoroughly
qualified. / know less than nothing
about your business. But believe
newspaper man can do most anything.
will improve your business. l can make
fortune for you
They made me private secretary to
Sir Edward Moss. 1t was some months
before / got a chance to take a chance
but it finally came. Ny chief, Sir Ed
ward. went away i'll for a long rest No
sooner was he safely out of London than
j began to take chances. l had no
ghost of authority to do what / did, but
j signed up the leading artists and ar
tistes l could get and I ordered about
While they were being made / wrote
revue with the aid of lyric writer and
a musician who worked out my themes.
Then without waiting for any one l went
into rehearsal
when l began to advertise the pro-
duction for a premiere at the Hippo
drome Sir Edward returned in a hurry.
There was a heated meeting OF the board
OF directors and / was called In.
Gentlemen told them in their SOL
emn meeting, it is too late to stop me
now. The scenery is built and painted
and the artists have long term contracts
We are close to the dress rehearsal and
the premiere. Besides, the revue is an
entirely new type of entertainment and
/ think 1t will be a success
When you are robbing a train or a
board of directors-it does not matter
which-the element of surprise is always
a powerful factor in your favor If you
can control 1t. And that board was sur
prised.
I'm the pause that followed I pulled
out my watch.
Gentlemen I said. "a rehearsal is
about to begin. Let me invite you to be
present
They went TO that rehearsal. And
they liked the piece. II was Hello, Rag
time The production was made and the
premiere came. The public liked that
first English revue also. IL ran for a
year. There was no trouble about au-
thority after that. ] was backed by a
syndicate composed of the directors and
j went ahead.
but. as 1 said before. whatever sue
cess / have had I owe entirely TO my
newspaper training. A newspaper man
can do everything and anything and he
seldom lacks the nerve to take the
chance when his big opportunity comes.
Any real newspaper man will agree with
me-"