FROM THE STAGE TO THE STREET.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1687, 1 March 1913, Page 12

FROM THE STAGE TO THE STREET.

FAMOUS COMEDIAN NOW A

BOOTBLACK,

"THE TWO MIKES" AND THEIR AXE

TRICK,

A footlights favourite of days gone by is now obtaining a humble living as a bootblack in Southampton Row. He is Michael Ford, who will 6till be remembered by many as one of "The Two Mikes," the knockabout comedians who used to bury axes in each other's heads in the course of their performance. It was about forty years ago, Ford told a "Daily News and Leader" inquirer that, he and his partner, Michael M'Carthy, began their public career. At first they.

sang on Saturdays and Mondays at a hall in Queen's Square, Seven Dials, known as the Beehive. They received no salary, but shared a benefit once a quarter.

On similar terms they "worked" the Electric Hall, Soho, and the Middlesex Hall, Somers Town. For a time they 6ang as an "extra," working during the day as french polishers, but they soon became famous for their axe trick, and went to tho music-halls for a living.

"The axe turn was my own invention," 6aid Ford, "and I was very proud of it. A vulcanised plate was first of all put on tho head, and <i copper plate on the top. This plato was lined outside with flesh-coloured cork to receive tho axes, which were made of wood with six bradawl points, which wero invisible to tho audience, but which, of course, buried themselves in tho cork, and held tho axe as if it was sticking into the skull. "Our first engagements wero at the Sebright in Hackney Road, tho Victor in Old Ford, and Emanuel's, opposite tho London Hospital. They wero all—like the original music-halls—public-houses with

rooms for sing-songs. Charles Godfrey was top of the bill, and we boomed it. We got 30s. a week between us, but wo soon got an engagement at the Bedford in Camden Town, wliero wo got .£4 a week, and in a few weeks' time wo were at Collins's Musical-hall at .£lO a week, and tho Old Mo, at .£l4.' . "At Hnrwoods Varieties in Pitfiold Street, Hoxton, wo performed for the first time twice nightly, and after fulfilling engagements at the South, London, tho Standard, and other halls, we returned to the Old Mo' at .£2O a week. "Our .two famous songa, 'One More River to Cross' and "Lend .£lO to Cnllaghan' were then the rage of London, and thero was a tremendous fight among the agents to book us. Eventually we selected Mr. Hugh J. Didcott, who booked us for .£3O a week in England, Scotland, and Ireland. We ran for ten months without a break at tho 'Old Mo', and in the early eighties went to Folies Bergeres Winter Gardens, in Paris, at £35 a week, with all our hotel and travelling expenses thrown in." On their return to London. "Two Moro Mikes" appeared at the Pavilion, Oxford, Tivoli, Alhambra, and other West End halls, and then they went on a long tour through America and Australia, receiving .£SO a week and travelling and hotel expenses. As the comedians grew in experience they added new features to their performance. Car.es which burst into flames when they struck each other, the "invisible" wire." with tho aid of which they burlesqued strong men, and n "steel" bar —really gas-pipe—with which they beInivmred each other, added to their fame, and they soon found themselves on a prosperous tour in America. Returning to England.'' in 1802. Michael and his companion dissolved partnership. The former had '.C2OOO in cash, and this he invested in the Red T.ion Inn. Part Street. Covent Garden. There ill-luck came, illness drove both the comedian and his wife to the hospital, and ho lost all his savings. Now Michael Ford ig struggling along as a bootblack.

. A fire lirolto out in the Palace at Potsdam, but it was Speedily 1 ' extinguished. Tho Kaiser watched with great interest the firemen at work.