Evening star., 1924-10-13
FLO W E r S
For the Living
Nora Bayes
BY GEORGE ADE.

Some seasons ago Will J. Davis,
the Chicago theater manager who
specialized on discovering talent for
the singing stage, took small group
of us out to a summer garden to
hear a young woman from Milwau
kee. He said she had a voice and
certain individual charm and a pleas
to look and listen and then tell him
whether or not he was right in pre-
dieting for her career.
Out at SunnySide, which was
pretentious vaudeville establishment
without any roof over it, we sat back.
rather skeptical and waited for Nora
Bayes to make good. She came on,
demure and youthful. attired some
what like a sweet girl graduate. She
was unrufied and evidently sure OF
herself. but her vocal selections and
the rendition and the general de-
meanor were simply correct and con-
ventional. She impressed the audience
but did not hand out many thrills
Her number on the bill was a serious
effort. Not by the wave Of an eye
lash or the twiddle of d finger did
she attempt to put over a comedy
effect She was as dignified as
church soprano up in a choir loft.
We told VIII that he was right and
that indefinable something or-other
which made people sit up and pay at
tention but not one of US suggested
! to VIII he had shown US future
queen of comedy.
Our jury met Nora Bayes that eve
ming and learned that when she was
| not in the glare of the footiights she
| had a ready sense of humor. quick
| wit, a most amusing vocabulary and
( 4 q a
| things in general. She was an in
! teresting combination of debutante
| and wise cracker.
For one so blessed with the gifts
which are needed by the professional
| entertainer, Nora was some little
time in deciding to get away from
The Last Rose of Summer" and win
| her encores by singing AHooray-
! Horray. My Fathers Going to Be
Hung" She seemed ambitious TO be
! successful singer instead OF
! comedienne. Finally she found out
that she could be both at the same
time and after that her rise to fame
was rapid and unchecked
Be assured that her continued pop
ularity has not been the result of
accident or luck. She worked and
persevered and when she had
! achieved a success which would have
Z
She gave up her engagements and
went to Paris and studied under the
best teachers and learned new secrets
of technique and delivery. She never
fails with in Intelligent public in
vaudeville, concert or musical comedy,
because her reading of lines and songs
is perfection. Her enunciatlon would
satisfy any Shakespearean actor. The
boy on the top shelf hears every word
that Nora speaks or sings. Her voice
has a quality which this poor Scrlb-
bier will not attempt to define, but
it gets to the emotions of the listen
ers. She wins them. And her comedy
is always Quick-fre and well pointed.
When she first appeared in London
she was either too far ahead or the
English We're too far behind. Any
way she didn't seem to score. In
due time she went back and conquered
London, just she had conquered all
of the big towns back home.
Wherever Nora goes she leaves
trail of smiles and gigsles, for she is
an original-wise, cheerful, snappy
and obseryant. She has adopted a
cluster of interesting orphans. Her
longtime friends are those who are
active above the shoulders. She is
quoted and admired in and out Of the
dramatic profession, adored by the
balcony patrons and supplicated by
theatrical syndicates.
She has climbed a long way since
we saw her that evening at Sunny
side. More power to her!
Copyright, 1924