Evening star., 1927-11-21
Marcelline's Tragic Last Act
Reveals Irony of Clowns Career

the Savannah Morning News. DO
they just go on clowning forever
and ever, refusing to grow old, kept
young by the very age of their jokes
and the 10 laughs they have made to
grow where only one grew befCre?'
And the News wonders what, would
have happened eff he had broadcast
an appeal for 10 cents apiece from
those whom Marcelline had made to
laugh: would the laughers have said
that they had long ago paid for all
their laughs when they bought circus
tickets?'
A more positive view of this same
question is held by the Newark Eve
ninSi News. Whicn states that 1t Is
"too~ bad all those laughing children
of two decades ago did not learn In
time of the plight of their cid friend.
There might have Deen no need OF
that tragic exit The News also
recalls that Marcelline was "a man
who lived much alone. student OF
his work, sensitive. proud. that "once
he was rich as the stage counts
riches, Then he was poor and grow
ing old The sweep of life trod upon
and over him, and he took the I'M
memorial way out"
where in it, says the Worcester
Telegram, with the added conclusion
that "if there is, it must be that the
man who relies upon public acclaim
alone for his welfare is in great
peril" The Utica ObserverDispatch
expresses a similar opinion, with the
added statement: Fun is poked at
our cinema stars and kings of sport
who are not unmindful of the main
chance and have their profitable side
lines. But these celebrities have
learned the lesson which the tragic
suicide Of Marcelline only emphasizes
anew" Yet the Nashville Banner is
impressed by the fact that during
the years of his obScurity the kindll-
ness Of the heart of Marcelline never
failed him. He would go as an un-,
known To visit hospitals. especially
those where children We're patients.
and amuSc them for hours ut time.
-
This story of misfortune. to the
T,N,Ni,ience Journal. is "a striking X
Surcyf,uous reminder Of the tragedy
;hAt stake oar laughter and fun"
1hs LAFAYETTE Journal and Courier
xucks>~yS that some of the most in
;nVs.sIV pathctiC stories and dramas
have been built upon tho theme of the
iusuNriNuS Pautalcon. but none can
match for pNiGnauCy the true tales or
such Sorv,,Wiu$ characters as Slivers
and Mar,Vlhnc"
A story tN illustrate the sadness he
hind the clowns life is told by the
New Ecdto,d Standard: Susan Merl-
weather relates the near escape from
"A nervous breakdown of DIR. Durand.
the famous ncurologist. The daugh'
ter, sensing his danger. persuades him
to attend a performance of the clown
.Grin,al1i at whom all Paris is laugh.
ing. Next day the doctor is consulted
hy one Henri lie Febre. victim OF
tortured nerves. Rest the doctor pre-
srrihcd. There is clown. Grimaldi.
he said who is convulsing Paris. Go
To see him-he will help you-make
YOU laugh To which LIE Febre re-
piled. L am Grimaldi'"
1T is painfully serious work, and
nerve raCking." asserts the San An
tonic Evening News. this business OF
being funny. Mark Twain was OF
somber brooding nature; life's bur-
dens rested heavily on Artemus
Wards shoulders: Eugene Field and
James Whitcomb Riley were solemn
enough back of the scenes; so were
Dean Swift, Richard Steele ana
Charles Dickens" The Little Rock
Arkansas Democrat adds that 'it is a
strange quirk of nature that makes
tragedians of clowns and-quite often
clowns of traSadians." Recognizing
this point of view. the Portsmouth
Sun, nevertheless. comments: Maybe
so. But the reporters wrote that Mar
celline was broken i'm finance and in
capacitated by rheumatism. He
chose the suicide route. ..e.~-