New Britain herald., 1930-03-22
VAUDEVILLE ACTOR
 DETESIS 'TALKIES'
Hopes to See Them All "ThrOWn
 Into the Alley"

"'Talkies' are my pet aversion," declares Charles T. Aldrich, vaude- vile actor for the past 4O years. who now playing at the Strand thcatcr and registered at the Stanley Hotel
 A vaudeville performer since his boyhood, star when the Keith cir cult consisted of two thcaters and s. Z. Poli was conducting store show in New Haven, Aldrich has lived through all the changes ir vaudeville in the last haltcentury.
 I'm sorry for it." he said today AS a man of 61 years looking back over it all, it is. gratifying to know that the decline of vaudeville started t2 or If years ago when the cry was set up for new faces in vaudeville, and men and women who have de- voted their entire lives to the per fecunS of specialized line of yaude- vile work were shclyed, while new performers were turned out in three or> four weeks in rehearsal halls. This brought on the decline.'
 "Talkics" Pet Aversion
 Speaking of the "talkies," Aldrich warmed up to his subject. saying:
 "'Talkies' are my pet aversion. l hope to see the time when the ampli~ fiers are thrown into the alley an, the theaters go back to vaudeville. believe it will 'come, sooner or later I can cite an instance to show th' trend: A burlcsquo house in the mid dlewest had been just barely keep ing above the boards for Il or 1" years. Each week the show WoulC draw enough to keep the owners 'ou1 of the rcd but no more. Then about year ago, the attendance began to pick up; soon there were sell-outs. The managers pondered over the sit uation, then came to the conclusion that their house being the only one in town that was presenting actual personalities, flesh and blood on the stage, that must be the reason for the business
 Mir. Aldrich believes tho high cost of equipping theaters for sound pictures will dictate continuance Of that policy as long as the public will stand it. for the reason that owners will not want to allow their invest ments for wiring, amplifiers, etc, go without bringing profit.
 Aldrch was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He made his first appearance as a performer in a comedy Juggling specially, and after several years in the middlewest and cast, he went abroad There he played in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Austria, Germany and Holland. For 17 years he was on the European stage, often playing three months in one house and at no time making more than seven appearances a week. He smiled as he recalled this condition and contrasted it with vaudeville prac- tices of today.
 Played Before King George
 On July 12, 1910, he played be- fore King George and the British royal family in the Palace theater at Shaftsbury avenue, London. On I the same bill was Harry Lauder, Nesta lilly and many other stars. lt was the first time the royal family had seen vaudeville show, or'as 1t was called. a musical hall perform ance. Traffic was demoralized that night as throngs turned out. to watch the king and queen as they entered the playhouse.
 Later Aldrich toured the country with tho Four Cohans, Nesta TillI and Lew Dockstaeder. He played the Lyceum here many years ago, and has also been in New Haven anc Hartford. His specially was q quick change and character act, but he also played melodrama under tho management of A. II. Woods.
 One of the weaknesses of vaude. vile in recent years, according tt | Mr. Aldrich, is it's lack of variety. IT an effort to put across refined vau deville," polite vaudeville,' ant Every polite vaudeville,' theatrica men have lost track of the fact tha the very basis of vaudeville is varl ety. The effect of this trend has beer to eliminate good gymnastic acts ant good monologists, placing all per formers on the stage i'll tuXedos ant evening gowns, with no possibilit! of contrast.
 Mir. Aldrich has three hobbies wife and two sons. Atwood ant Alden, who, he says will at lcas have the distinction of leading al alphabetical listings, if nothing else