The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-05-31
Mrs. Coolidge FOLIOlDs Presidential Precedent
II Enthusiasm for the Play; Washington Fan =
First President Attended
Theater in State; Presi-
dent Coolidge Goes
Seldom
By JEAN ELIOT

THOUGH PRESIDENT COOL
"A IDGE has never been much of
a theater fan. Mrs. Coolidge loves
the play and is becoming deyotee
of the National Players. She likes
to attend matinee performance
usually on a Wednesday slipping
in unheraided with Mrs. Frank w.
Stearns or some other woman friend
for company, but audiences are
learning to watch for her and her
appearance always causes a little
furry of pleasurable excitement.
The list of plays President Cool
idge has attended since coming to
the White House is not long. 1t
shows an interesting trend, how
ever. away from the highbrow to.
ward those lighter forms Of enter
tainment in which many of our
Chief Executives have taken pleas
ure. Robert e. Lee"-at which
President Coolidge appeared frankly
bored - and John Barrymore's
Hamlet" viewed in the early days
of the Administration, may be con-
trasted with such later entertain
ment as an occasional musical show.
But in my recollection Mr.. Coolidge
displayed more enjoyment at some
of the antics of Roxy and His Gang
than at anything else-unless pos
sibly the line in. 1.-THE Cocoanuts,"
with the Four Marx Brothers, in
which vociferous pest was referred
to as Senator Borah.''
Distinguished Precedent
There is the most distinguished
precedent for Presidential interest in
play. Not only was President Lin
coin, who was assassinated in. Ford's
Theater, great lover of the drama,
but George Washington was de.
voice of the theater and attended in
great state and dignity.
Thus, in 1892. the Father of His
Country had the presidential box
at the old John Street Theater, New
York, whittier he would come to
the play in black satin court-dress,
knee breeches, silk hose, powdered
wig, pumps, shoe-buckels and all.
Thomas Wignell, manager of the
theater would receive Washington
similarly attired in black shorts"
and wig, but bearing two silver
candlesticks with lighted wax
candles with which he preceded the
President and party to the deco
rated box. 1t is said that President
Washington attended three perform.
ances of THE School for Scandal
at the John Street Theater in 1892,
and, says an old chronicler of that
day: His Excellency seemed great.
~ charmed with Mile. Placide, the
lovely tightrope dancer from Paris,
who, with M. Placide and a, ballet
appeared in most gracious diver
sions between the acts of the play,"
Maybe, after all. It was the ninb:e
Mile. Placide rather than the piay
which caused President Washingt IN
to repeat his visits to the theattr
when he was in New York. ANY.
how, the entracte diversions OF
those days were essentially vaude.
vile.
President Wilson's Tastes
1t was vaudeville which made the
strongest appeal to the late Presi.
dent Wilson and, until he was
taken i'll, he used to appear at
kelth's almost every Saturday night.
While he was housed he transferred
his interest to the motion pictures
and feature films were run off for
him at the White House two or
three times a week
President Harding was fond of
musical shows. The last one he al.
tended before his tragic Western
trip was Al Jolson's "Bombo." IT
was Jolson, believe, who was TIE
author OF a famous Harding cam.
palgn song-"We need another Lin
coin to do the nations thinkin', so
Mr.. Harding, we've selected voI, +"