Evening star., 1938-09-18
But Hugh Herbert, the "Woo-woo!" man of
the movies, isn't saying what he thinks
about Hollywood. His wife won't let him
bv FREDERICK JAMES SMITH

Good at dialect, he was funny enough to get
by, too Once he played seven straight weeks
at old Hammersteins, at 42nd Street and
Seventh Avenue.
Herbert wrote his own sketches. The most
successful was The Son of Solomon" which
ran for four years in the variety houses.
Finally, in 1927, Herbert landed in Holly
wood. 1t was strange place to the comic;
in fact it still is. They think I'm a screw
BALI" protests Herbert "A screwball! And
think Hollywood -"
"Hugh!" cautions Mrs. Herbert firmly.
"Yes, dear" sighs the comedian. who
am to cast aspersions? Woo-woo'
Herbert wrote for the movies, even became
director. He was co-author of the first full
length talkie, The Lights of New York" He
was directing film called Danger Lights"
when. on a remote location in Montana,
Raymond Hatton fell ill. To save time and
money, Herbert took over the role of comic
tramp.
When the producer saw the final film, he
turned to Herbert and said. You're an actor
from now on" That S the simple way things
happen in Hollywood.
Herbert didn't acquire his befuddled, giddy
style until later. He was working in comedy,
The Diplomaniacs," with Wheeler and
Woolsey, and had been on late party the
night before For one of the scenes he had to
climb forty feet into tree, which was sur
rounded by Indians.
Up and far out on a lonely branch, Herbert
wavered uncertainty. His head was throbbing.
"Woo-w woo!' he called pathetically. The In
dians took up the call. "Woo-woo!" they
yelled back. And the now famous Herbert cry
of Illustration - WOO WOO! ~ was born.
Since then Hollywood has heaped fame on
the comic with the fluttery hands. And now
and then minor anguish. There was the
scene in comedy when he appeared to walk
up to newsstand in Times Square to buy
paper. The New York scenes we're filmed in
Manhattan without Herbert. Later they were
projected upon studio screen in Hollywood
and Herbert walked before the gauze with its
movie of Manhattan and apparently bought
his paper. In brief, process shot,"
When Herbert's brother, living in Brooklyn,
saw the film he was annoyed. So! Hugh had
been in town and hadn't even phoned!
Herbert never has been able to explain the
thing. The Brooklyn Herbert merely Kisses,
Process - baloney! Couldn't spare nickel
for phone call!'
Recently, when he really was in Manhattan,
Herbert caught the attention of a young
woman who was having dinner at an adjoining
table with an elderly man. "A banker or some
thing" filters Herbert, Bankers still eat,
guess"
The girl kept looking at Herbert. She spoke
to her escort. who finally spoke to Herbert.
Are you - ah - the jolly fellow who acts
in the cinema - you know. the chap who
plays happy mental defectives?" he inquired.
You mean the man who goes woo-w -woo?"
chuckled Herbert. The man who does this?"
He put the tips of his outspread fingers
together in fluttery agitation.
Never saw him." sighed Herbert. woo
WOOL
Herbert goes in for mildly startling sar-
torial effects. Has weakness for brightly
colored scarves. Loves to try on hats in mems
shops, to see how funny they look When the
clerk gets on the verge of prostration, he leaves.
He collects trick puzzles, the kind you take
apart and put together again. Likes to tell
stories but can't tell them to large groups, in
spite of all his stage experience. Likes golf