Evening star., 1941-12-07

gave me tryout and I fell into
my niche; tumbled off the steps
of the little stage to the laughter
or the crowd. / developed that fall
into a speciality and I've taken no
fewer than $4,000 up to the present
writing, in all kinds of places and
with several kinds of results.
For a couple of seasons as a big.
red-haired kid, 1 played DR.. Lewis
Medicine Show and my salary went
up to SIS per week.
But I felt the call of the drama
and left the doc for the John
Lawrence Stock Co., doing one
night or more stands through
Illinois, Indiana and adjacent
States. I was all of 13 by this time
and went in for old-man parts. All
painted up and with a creak in my
voice I'd portray anything from
stalwart farmer of so to an old
broken-down roue of 90.
But Stouts Minstrels crossed my
path, and I deserted the drama for
blackface and became a rollicking
end man.
A Girl Was to Blame.
Then Hitner's Showboat, Cotton
Blossom, hove into view on the Mis-
souri, River. and l went in for en-
tertainment on the ripping waves
that lap the long shores of the big
stream. I left sthe shoWboat ab-
ruptly, and cute little trick named
Posey was partly to blame The cap
tain was determined that she
should not be exposed to my bland
ishments and smiles and forbade me
to leave the boat at night, especially
with Posey.
But cooked up a scheme. Posey
would trip light-heartedly down the
gangplank and I'd lock the door of
my room and slide down rope
from my window to the dock and
meet her somewhere ashore.
Came a hot night. and the cap
tain howled for all doors and WIN
dows to be opened I didn't re-
spond because I wasn't there. I got
back to the dock in time to hear
him pounding on my door and de-
manding that I open at once.
I started skinning up the rope at
top speed and had got about half
way when the captain broke in my
door and peered out the window
The shock was too great. fell into
the murky river and out of the win
dow to join me in the water came
my clothes and valise. along with
some well-chosen words.
Youngest Comic.
I thereupon decided to go in for
burlesque. For couple of years,
when I was IA and IS. I played the
best-known burlesque houses over
big circuit including Indianapolis,
Kansas City, Buffalo, Toronto.
South Bend, St. Louis and Chicago.
I was the youngest full-fedged al
legged comic in the business.
At the Gaiety in Kansas City got
a chance to work double shift, and
that led to the most important event
in my life-a pretty, blond girl
named Edna Stillwell. An act failed
to show at the Pantages, and the
manager let me fill in. besides do
ing my regular stint at the Gaiety.
Miss Stillwell was an usherette at
the Pantages. She also brought the
performers checks backstage She
brought mine at the end of the
week, and my attempt to catch her
attention was rewarded with
freezing brush-off. Shes told me
since that she didn't like my act,
nor the way I dressed, nor the way
1 talked.
So, our paths parted. only to cross
again few months later at walk
athon at the Ell Torreon ballroom
in Kansas City. BY then I'd taken
to the role of master of ceremonies
for valuations operated by Tebetts
and Seltzer. And 10. and behold.
who should be working at the Ell
Torreon but the pert little blond
number from the Pantages.
But she still was icy. For four
weeks I tried to thaw her out. Then
one night from the stage I tossed
joke which she laughed. 1t
was her first smile for me, and I
moved in fast, taking her out occa-
sionally for a couple Of weeks, then
a little more for the next month.