Evening star., 1941-10-12
Comedy Is
Serious
Charlie Ruggles
Worries Over
Its Future
BY Franklin Arthur,
Associated Press staff Writer.
HOLLYWOOD

HOLLYWOOD.
Comedy" the gray-haired little
man was saying seriously. "iS very
serious business"
There may be lot of funny peo-
pie in the world, but I'll defy any OF
em to be funny in front Of cam
era without working their heads of
at it."
Charlie Ruggles has spent 35 years
as a professional laugh-getter. Un-
less YOU know him, he might never
betray in casual conversation that
he's a very funny fellow at work
He's not the boisterous of f-stage
comedian Jack Oakie is. He's not
the dron sort of wit Jimmy Stewart
is. In fact, except for twlnkllng
eyes, he's mostly downright SOBER
about it.
He's particularly serious when he
talks about comedy's future. He
thinks it's in a dangerous state.
But No Comics.
1.-The other day." he remarked, Il
was talking to a big director. He
was telling about three or four
young leading men and a couple of
pretty girls he had tabled for star
dom.
And what I asked him, are
you doing about new crop OF come
dians?' Why, nothing he replied,
So I told him what I thought. It's
( this.
The movies, within my memory
haven't developed one real come
dian Not only that. only handful
don't have gray hair, if they have
any at all. Of course, it takes eX-
perience to be a good comic. But
the important reason is that the
movies never have taken the time
to boost along youngsters with that
sort of talent.
Bob Hope is very funny. Yet he's
no movie creation. He came to pic
lures from vaudeville and the radio
Same for young Red SHELTON"
He'll Be Better.
Shelton is the uproarious individ-
ual who's giving Hope few eve
nings at home by taking over master
of ceremonies roles at banquets and
benefits. He, too, is a stage-radio
product.
Skeletons good" Ruggles con-
tinued. He has fair for comedy
Hes born to it. But, if he's properly
handled and given boosts the next
five years he'll be 100 per cent bet
ter for the experience"
Ruggles has no urge to go back to
the stage, which he deserted II years
ago, even if he does think comedy is
easier there.
You get a lift out of a f1esh-and-
blood audience" he said, "and if
you see you're going over you can
stretch out the laughs. In movies
you can Just hope that what you
think is funny will be funny when
it gets on the screen"
"No Funny Stuff"
Every now and then Charlie gets
himself into a straight part. He
doesn't exactly dislike them, but he
finds himself toying with bits of
funny business. He remembers par
ticularly Invitation to Happiness,
with his brother Wesley directing, a
couple of years ago.
Yves told me-" Charlie said
there wasn't a single laugh in the
part. And he meant it. Every now
and then. during rehearsal, I'd try
an innocuous little gag. Yves would
call me aside and say. No, Charlie
no funny stuff After about four
weeks of that I was going nuts.
Finally I begged for just one
comedy scene, I'd figured out an
act to use in a boxing ring. Wes
agreed and I was happy. I breezed
through the rest of the picture. /
went to the preview to see that one
routine. But Yves. or somebody, had
left it on the cutting room floor.
Which proves that you can't out
guess the director, even if he's your
own brother"