The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-09-17
OLDEST ACTOR
PENSION FOE
Harry Davenport Cinema
Man Gets $500 Weekly;
Wants to Work
By FREDERICK C.. OTHMAN
u. P. Hollywood CORRESPONDENT

HOLLYWOOD. Sept. l.. tuPD.
Harry Davenport, Hollywood'S
oldest actor--and also its buricSI
reported yesterday that insofar
a. he's concerned the social Sc
curly board can take its old age
pension money and buy daisies
with it.
Life began at 20 for Davenport,
ne said, and that was two years
ago when he came to Hollywood
with Il lifetime Of stage cXpcr-
fence for sale. He found an I'M
mediate customer and he's been
earning $500 week ever since.
Pm - now" he said, "and I'm
working just rs hard rs ever did
before. Maybe harder. SO it
pains me a little when | see other
men Of my age in good health and
mind sit down rs if their lives
were ended and accept a dole.
1T may seem Il little tough, but
what a 70-ycar-old man must do
is refuse to be licked. He don't
need to dye his hair, or anything
like that, but he must be able To
show that he knows his job and to
prove that he is no loafcr.
"If he can DO that, he's all set
and he doesn't need any pension
schemes"
SO inccnscd was Davenport. in
fact, over the asserted pension
plans spawned in California that
he dropped President Roosevelt Il
note urging him not to pass out
public funds to anybody, simply
because the recipient had reached
the age of 60.
II was s. years old seven years
ago" he said. land | was just
getting q really good start"
The tall. whitc-haircd Daven-
port. whose eyes sparkle blue and
whose back is as tsraight as the
next mans. currently is working
in Samuel Goldwyn'S 1.-The lady
and the cowboy" with Merle
Obcron and Gary Cooper. Davcn-
port takes the part of an cconom-
and a passion for swing.
I'D danced all my life" Davcn-
port said, "but | didn't know much
about the jitterburg business. SO
| went down to the Palomar clos
Angeles biggest dance haln and
took some lessons. They tell me
now | can swing it with the best
of the carpet cutters"
He was born in Now York in
1866 and made his stage debut ut
the age Of five in Philadclpha'S
Chestnut theatcr, managed by his
father. Thereafter he appeared
in such Il list Of plays and musical
comdcicS as would take Il book 10
compile. Off hand he can recall
around $50 separate rolls.
Things really did look bad for
me in 1884," he said. II couldn't
find work anywhere, 80 ! took an
acting job with the WPA. got
$50 Il month and soon found was
managing and directing the show.
too. That was no fun, but it did
enable me to survive. Then along
came "Threc Men on Il Horse"
and | played for month after
month after month in the Chicago
company. Alex Yokel. the produc-
or, wanted me to go into the New
York company in 1886, but | said
I'd give Hollywood a try.
$50 | came out here. ! knew
people in the movie business. but
| didn't get my first job at War
ncr Brothers solely on the basis
of friendship, and certainly not
on the basis of charity. proved
to the producers that | could take
the part they had in mind and
play it better than anybody else.
"AftcI' that picture | stepped
into ano her and Pve been doing
it ever since. In the last two years
I've worked in 81 movies. ! be-
licve that's a record. In fact, |
think Irc got another record. I've
been in theatrical work for CT
years. don't believe anyone else
has had anywhere near so long a
stage career"