Evening star., 1925-11-29
American Turkey as
An Art Influence
By Ph,1ander johnson

tionate sympathy of the New World
with such songs as
Yes. we're Irish. that's no harm.
We will work and buy farm,
And we'll help our dear old friends
so far away
All, wurra wurra! A dancing
foot aud a lighthearted lay were the
exception then, introduced by way
OF contrast to the more somber
tragedies, which held the highest
place in more or less intellectually
guided public esteem. Pat was a
ng-and-dance man, cotempora-
neous with a sister soubrette, who
demurely sang:
we try our best to please you all,
We hope we don't intrude.'
The Duncan sisters could not rec
ognlze them even as distant ancestral
relations.
The Nokes family was a group of
wonderful entertainers, who rollick-
ed in manner that pleased all tastes
from fastidious to careless. in more
or less consistent farce, with music
and dancing. such as Bells of the
Kitchen Rosina Nokes, who even
tually starred alone, one of the &C
tresSes who could attract public at
tcntion by giving three short plays
in one evenings program, was
brought vividly to remembrance
when Laurette Taylor's serious play,
In Garden" presented Ferdinand
Gottschalk as a supporting member
in the company. Gottschalk, with
Rosina Vokes. was one of the most
quaint and snappy comedians of the
day. 1t was strange to see him strug-
Cling with wary solemnity through
barbcd-wire ENHANCEMENT of long
speeches.
OF the Daily family, who, in a farce
called "Nacation,' exploited talents
with extraordinary versatility, Dan
Dalv, whose scenes with Marie
Dressler were so funny, is the most
recent conspicuous figure of recol-
lection. OF the Berger Swiss family,
who played bells and musical glasses
along with a program of general in
| terest, Fred Berger, who was its mu-
sical director, is still making neigh
borly visits to the city from time to
time from his home in Warrenton,
Va. He managed the Columbia The
atcr for a long time. He introduced
Sol Smith Russell to the stage is a
monolopue entertainer. Russell be
came Berger's brother-in-law, and his
success in such plays as Peaceful
Valley" and The Poor Relation
was such as to make him much more
valuable as star than as an Incl
dental feature OF a popular concert
program. OF that eminent family,
the Four Cohans toured the coun-
try when the term variety" was
employed as a theatrical designation,
and not limited, as now, to service
as a title for publication devoted
to authoritative discussion of the
atricai news. Even the word va
riety," once contemplated with artis-
tic disdain, has been elevated along
with some of its most notable inter
prefers to exclusive and serious dis
tinction.
The latest independent movement
has pretty nearly a clear field in
which to operate, so far as strictly
legitimate drama is concerned. The
world is dancing. and the profes-
sional theater offers no competition
to more or less scholastic assertions
in rivalry 1t lends some OF the
most influential names to their lists
of patrons and protagonists, and
may do SO in perfect safety, knowing
full we'll that if anything of public
interest is developed means will
promptly be found to utilize it prof
itably through the customary chan
nels of distribution.
The Turkey Show" stands ready
as it has always done, to fill in any
spaces that may be created by a