The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-08
Nv GEORGE ABBOTT

New York, Aug. 81 am sure II I
had TO DO stranded on o desert island
with members Of any one profess
sion, I should pick actors--and, Of
course, actresses. They are good
company, much better than general-
ly supposed; they surprise you, they
amuse you and they are the life Of
the party.
For years we have heard and read
about o character In theaters and
In fiction, who has been known best
as O ham. He has been described
as O conceited stuffed. shirt, o cheap,
egocentric person.
These characters Teappear 90
often that one would be justified
In assuming that there Is some pro-
totype for them IN iifo-and there
Is. Hardly any theatrical company
Is free from them. But oil actors
are not hams.
Stage Il o Siren
Acting looks to the outsider like
q very easy way TO make O living.
It attracts many mon Just because
It Is 90 delightfully."- lazy. II also
attracts land should) those who de-
sire to strut In public. II Ia o great
and legitimate medium for exhibi-
tionists. Some Of those thus at.
tracted have been intended by ma
ture TO DO coal-heaverg and the diff
culties Of getting on IN the theatre
col world being what they are, these
misguided persons frequently end
UP In some work far from the foot
lights.
Others develop o gift or enough
Of one to get by. The lack Of any
background TO act Us o ballast makes
II impossible for them to keep on
an even keel. They become hypno-
tized with the sound Of their own
lovely voices or their classic pro-
files. They become conceited.
But the majority Of human be-
ings who 90 on the stage do 30 for
another reason. They sacrifice nor
NAL life-inoney, comfort, friends,
everything that they have been
trained to think important-because
Of love for the theater. Once this
love Of the stage has taken its firm
hold, neither hunger nor pride nor
disgrace can break Its grip.
And the struggle to succeed IN
this fiercely competitive EtIG.....s
sharpens the wits, increases tho OBJ
servation and make q keener man
or woman, not more stupid one.
Mentally Ship-shape
Recently I had an opportunity
Of seeing what might almost be
called a laboratory test along these
lines, accounting, perhaps, for this
article that ! am writing for George
Ross.
went to London aboard the
Laconia, taking q cast Of eighteen
actors and actresses now appear
ing in the London company Of
boy Meets Girl" We comprised
roughly about one.eighth Of the
cabin passenger list. And II In any
mental and physical test the actors
coul beverage one.eighth OF the high
marks they might Justly be said to
be up to the average. II they re-
ceived more tina none eighth, then
they might justly be said to be above
the average.
Now, on shipboard, there Is q sort
Of mental and physical test. There
are open competitions that require
mental alertness-bridge compete
ton, treasure hunts and games re-
quiring adaptability since few habit
ually play them. Deck tennis, shut
fie board, for example.
There was q pretty general par
ticipation in these games. The
members Of our company, however,
won not one-eighth, nor one-half,
but all but one prize on the list
Everything but ping-pong, If you
must knowl
OF course. It's completely unim-
portant, yet It struck me as an IL
Illustration Of a quality In actors
which people do not ordinarily at
tribute to them.
I am sure, more than ever, thai
when II comes 10 desert islands
I'd prefer taking my chances with
the actors-and, Of course, the &C.
] trpaaaa.