Evening star., 1950-06-25

not ham" off stage: the noises
and facial contortions are simply
his means Of communication.
The writer spent two days with
Caesar at New York's Roxy The
ater where he was doing five-a-
day. He was never alone. The
crowd around him ranged from
5000 out front to the camp fol-
lowers in his dressing room--one
manager, two writer's, one "liaison
man" from NBC and an old buddy
from the Coast Guard, a har-
monica player temporarily at
liberty.
Always Studying.
Caesar is a half Inch taller than
6 feet. weighs 200 and has the
massive shoulders and trim waist
of a weightlifter. He is brown
haired, brown-eyed and, despite
two picture assignments in Holly
wood, has his own teeth, which
are good.
He relaxed in his dressing room
with a glass of celery tonic diluted
with seltzer and talked about his
boyhood in Yonkers. N. Y.
"It seems like was always
studying" he said. "Saxophone
lessons and Hebrew lessons for my
confirmation and regular school.
Also, I was always running away"
The man from NBC broke in.
1--WE handled a lot of the top
people," he said. But he's the
easiest"
Caesar wasn't listening. He was
taking down a pistol. He always
keeps pistol around. He likes to
take them apart for relaxation.
II guess I'm still running away"
he said. Everybody has something
driving them. You know, some
thing happens in your life and
you want to get even"
Caesar said he used to play the
sax up in the Catskill. It was at
a Catskill hotel that he met his
wife. They have one child now,
3-year-old Michele Andrea.
I'VE live in a f1ve-room apart
ment In Forest Hills" he said.
Nothing pretentious. The rent is
only SITS a month. That's small
compared to what we paid in
Manhattan. Yes, I got a television
set. Twelve-inch is enough for me.
I'm not big guy. you know.
I'm not stingy. I'll spend, but
not like crazy. I have Is suits.
That's enough, huh? My brothers,
Abe and Dave, they each have
more. I tell you. you can 60 nuts
from too much money, too. Every
body is slapping your back.
"Let People Work."
Everybody pulling at you,
everybody on the bandwagon now.
You got to keep your head. You
work hard, so you take vacation.
even if at the last minute a guy
calls up and offers you $4,000 for
a one nighter. But you need the
vacation, too."
The conversation turned to
Caesars brand of comedy. Various
people recalled how good he was
in Make Mine Manhattan" on
Broadway. on his television show
and his current theater appear
ance.
The comic looked panied.
From even when I was a kid"
ne said. Il was always interested
In people. I used to watch
Italian ditchdiggers and try to
initiate their talk. I used to watch
the drunks in my fathers restau-
rant. Before the crash, he had a
restaurant.
When a drunk got nasty. my
brother Abe-he's bigger than me
would ask him to leave. The
drunk got nastier. Then Abe went
to work. Mother couldn't look.
My father couldn't look. Abe
just went-baroooooooom, and the
guy was out in the street.
I can't tell jokes, bang, bang,
bang. bang. I'm no good for night
clubs. You got to pay attention
it you're going to enjoy my act.
You can't listen with one ear all
the time you're wondering how
much the dame next to you can
drink.
so, no jokes. I let the people
work. A millionaire born with a
yacht In his mouth can't enjoy
it. Same with the people watch
ing a comic. They have to be
made to work. to think it out in
their own minds.
"But don't hit them on the head.
Always put some warmth in it. Be
gentle. Give them a chance to
breathe. Don't try to be too much.
If you're good. they'll pick you
out"