STORIES OF COMEDIANS

Shannon News, 26 October 1926, Page 2

STORIES OF COMEDIANS

MR IjTCSMK HKXSOX'S BOOK. "FIRE PROOF" N*EW YORK. In his autobiography, "My Laugh Story/' Mr Leslie Henson gives good measure. It is full of interesting things and of interesting people. He tells us that, in his boyhood days his dramatic instincts drew him towards tragedy: "I died in the snow on any and every occasion. And while I die'd I whistled my own death-music. It was a moving sight." Business claimed him for a while, but not for long. After being trained in a dramatic school, he began concert. party work. Eleven years ago his; musical comedy career began. Since then he has played in only three theatres, the Gaiety, the Shaftesbury and the Winter, Garden, •ind taken part in only eleven tirst nights--which, seeing that Mr Henson detests these experiences, is perhaps just as well. American Brevity.

New York, left one permanent impression—that everything was "Absolutely Fireproof." This device was printed on everything possible in his hotel, from the notepaper to the fire-escape. . It was perhaps no wonder that a letter came to him addressed, "Leslie Henson . . . New York, Absolutely Fireproof." Brevity and bustle he notes as the keynotes of American business and home. life.

"Which is just why, over there, they call a lift an 'Elevator,' a blouse a "Shirt-waist,' a tube a 'Subway System,' all lor brevity, as you observe. Likewise, a car is an 'automobile," boots are known as 'tall shoes," while a tram- —bless it—is a 'trolley car.' " The actors story of his Avar service is perhaps the most interesting part of the book, abounding in good stories. One of hi-3 first friends in the Royal Flying Corps was a Cockney comedian;-,who expatiated on the virtues of his uniform:

"W'hen .1 gets home for a bit of leave people, dash at me. when there's an 'hit of an air, raid. Mistake me for a blinking expert, they do! And what does I do? Why, I just takes out my 'andkerchief—having told them not to be alarmed —and holds up to see Avhich way the Avind's ,a-blowing. Having seen which I says to them firmly—" No. There Avon't be no raid to-night. Wind's in the Avrong quarter;' And they takes it from mo like lambs. Why, I've quieted doAvn the whole of Blackheath that Avay dozens of times."

Very good is Mr Henson's description of the success of "Tons of Money," the play, and the failure of "Tons of Money,' the horse: "While we -were basking in the first flush of .successful management. Tom Walls whispered gently in my ear one clay, and then began the story of 'Tons of Money,' the horse. . . °ln course of time wo got hold of what we thought was a decidedly good-looking animal. Tom Webster, of cartoon and Tishy fame, thought it was decidedly ugly, and drew numerous and coiiiic drawings to that effect? . : . I went down to see the racj run. feeling sick with anxiety; arrived to hear the bookies yelling and the price of my horsc lengthening steadily; saw 'Tons of Money' finish nowhere; said 'Thanks very much!' and went baek< to town. . .It did Tom Webster a good turn, and Tom had always been a pal of mine. Tishy was worn to a shadow; and I think it was not inappropriate that my comic racecourse effort provided Tom -\\iili a new funny-horse, as a successor to his beloved Tishy!"