Evening star., 1923-04-22
Burlesque Stepping Stone toFan1e

FREQUENTLY the claim is advanced
that burlesoue as represented by
Columbia Wheel attractions has been
the training school for host of
players who have progressed to fame
in other lines Of stage endeavor.
HarrN Jarboe of the Gayety The
Sater now offers a definite catalog OF
names favorably known to deHotees
of musical comedy and vaudeville
names that were first programmed on
theater bill by burlesque producers.
Part of the list was compiled oS
Ashby Deerins for a recent issue OF
a New York daily. but he missed
several names that figure large III
present day theatricals.
The Columbia wheel entertain
ments seem to give training anu sA
perience that makes the transition
TO musical shows or NauueNil,e @
raratively easy. At all events our-
iesque has been for such FAMOUS
ac,ors and actresses as Weber ana
Fields. Louis Mann. DAVID WarneIu'
Grace La1sue. Mcintyre and aeath,
Nora Bayes and sam an1
stepping stone 10 lhei
greater fame.
Here are some others: ;
LANES Barton. comic star OF musl-
cal shows. was a coiumpld whe
yorite. Dorothy Jordan. CONCERT Star
md Grand opera singer, began TO mrs.
attract attention with lrWin's Ma1es ,
tics; Barney Bernard began Win Win REG ne q
Riders Might Owls: Alex Carr Nas
SONG; Clark and Mccullough: of
Music Box Revue" graduated from
Redtni's "Chuckles": Gailagher anu
Shean formerly starred in their own
Ts,~t,, 1,i -
lesuue: Kyra, sensational dancer
with THE Passing SHOW" graduated
from the burlesque stage; AL Joison'
with his brother, Harry. startea III
burlesque; Eugene and Willie nov
ard we're burlesquers before they
-ioined the Winter Garden forces;
Leon Enrol, now star of "Sallie,' and
a famous "Follies" comedian. was
previously featured with The JERSEY
Lillies"; Frankie Heath. of Green
wich Village Follies. was IN IN he,nss III ,
Dixon's Revue: Florence Mills was
starred and featured in Columbi
Wheel shows before she created the
role of Mrs Marshall IN Irene
James Doyle and Har'and Dixon APP
\ peared in bur.esIue Se,in scf9re iney 'oi"
I.aurette Taylor in "Humoresque,
was featured and starred In Colum ola
shows: Jay Brennan, or savoy am
IL. u
in burlesquc: Frank Dobson' now
with Lady Butterfly" was with
golden Crook: George Sidney, ap'
peared in burlesque before he heSar
starring as Busy 1zzy; Georee
4 Rckel, Harry Watson and the late
I'D Wrothe were burlesque stars 1T
Me, Him and T.; James c. Morton
was formerly of Morton and moore
4 Columbia Wheel attraction: Andrew
Toombes, now of Ziegfeld's "Follies,
rni1 lac
Roger Imhoff. with John Murray
Andersons companies. was original.
a burlesque comedian: Ina Haywood
Winter Garden prima donna was
A" at the outset OF her career
ethel Shutta, with The Passing
show" was soubrettc with "Towr
Scandals: Grace Louise Anderson
before appearing in oh, Lady Lady.
was prinia donna OF the "Rowery
Rurlesquers"; Vic Casmore, now OF
Lady Butterfly" was in Lew Keliy's
own show; Sam Howard. the brother
of Eugepe and Willie, was With But
1saa.a nsst en. 81 nFoSoGes OF sessndaia Was pre-
tios,sia &ith bon Tons; Bernard
GorceA nov in "Wildfower." wa:
formerly in Beauty. Youth ane
Folly" on the Columbia Wheel; Ger, r,
clouds" went TO musical coined!
from "The Lid Lifters": Ben Bare
and Jack Pearl, in Winter Garden
shows. reached there via Girls Ia
Carte: Lillian Fitzgerald, featured
with Eddie Cantor, appeared in THE
Maude Haywood. with Eleanor
Painter, in The Exile" was with
Hello. america: julia liza, keisty stSr,,n was :
Widows" Midgie Miller OF Spice OF
1922" was featured by Max Spiegel
on the Columbia wheel. Al Herman
first played in burlesQue, then vaude'
willie and is with Greenwich Village
Fcllies."
Ted Lewis got his first stage ex.
rerience in burlesaue and Solly Ward
went straight from burlesque to
The ranks of vaudeville fairly teen
with graduates from burlesque ano
list of all those who have trans,
ferred their "specialties" to the
Keith. Orpheum, Loew and other cir
-cuits would be too extensive to pub
lish. few of the more conspicuous
instances of burlesque beginnings that
have lead to vaudeville follow:
Sophie Tucker was initiated to the
stage in one of J. Herbert Mack's Co.
lumbia shows, Fannie Brice was seen
few years ago with The College
Girls" Emma Carus was originally in
burlesque with Robie's "Kpicker-
recognition in burlesque. Blossom
Seeley was singer in Fred Irwin'e
iMajeStics, Clarfce Vance entered
Vaudeville from Gay Morning
lesque ccmedienne while she team
ed" with her sister Mary, Bert Baker
was a featured comedian with the
Bon Tons" Billy Arlington was fea-
tured with Golden Crook" the NORM
sisters were Taxi Girls" before they
entered vaudeville.
Catherine Crawford, a Keith head
liner, was with AL Reeves: Jack Con-
Eyo Hr-if ~ -
the Watson sisters long starred with
Max Spiegel's shows, Emmett Gala.