On Meeting Comedians

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 526, 1 December 1928, Page 26

On Meeting Comedians

Leslie Henson and Chaliapine. . . George Robey’s £70,000 . . . When George Gee Prayed . . . DO not know whether there is no truth about comedians or whether there is too much (writes Hannan Swaffer). Anyway, the worst about them is the way in which, whenever they see you, they will insist on telling you funny stories. The only pardonable cases of this kind I know are George Robey and George Graves. Robey works so hard at it that you enter into his enthusiasm and have to laugh, even if against your will. Besides, Graves, who is a kind-hearted man, is not. given to telling me the same one twice. More than that, like George Robey, he tells them well. But some of the others are dreadful. One comedian has told me the same story nine times! The highest-paid English comedian to-day is George Robey, who used to

?iarn £6OO a week at the Hippodrome, and who. when he found salaries falling off, went into his own show to prove he could even earn more by himself, without a manager. He did He is now worth about £70,000, I should say. In private life some comedians are the most serious and dull of people. Many of them, you see. only learn a part, and are most unfunny outside it. Others have to rely on all sorts of

props. If they' have nothing to drop managers would drop them. W. H. Berry is the best of the propusing comedians. Give him a Bypaper, a drum, and a balloon, and l» can earn £250 a week. The funniest comedian in privat? life, is Leslie Henson, who can keep a whole room amused with new gag?, suited to the occasion. Even Chalb pine had to laugh, annoyed though iw was at first, at Henson’s imitation of him, done at a private party. Some comedians know the trut. about themselves —Herb Williams, for Instance. He says, quite frankly, that he and his wife went on the stage as serious musicians, but thai the audience laughed at them. They tried to be serious for a week, and then elaborated their awkwardness They were comedians by mistake Some comedians leave off beinfunny, suddenly, to tell you all about Christian Science, and then become so serious that they are funnier than they were before. The most popular comedian in Pj 1 * vate life is Joe Coyne, who, in spite of his success, is curiously unspoiled, and who always talks kindly to othei players. He started as a boy in a sort of dime show. Now he knoweverybody. Robey has frantic furies about various people at times, but they art honest opinions, and he is seed straight. One comedian supported a Coallu* candidate on condition that UW George played a game of golf wl! ; him! Another one gets more 8OI 7 0? '' ful every day because he has not b* l knighted yet. Another one will at private parties, the same 11118 ’ minable song, not knowing that a friends cheer him ironically. He ways goes on thinking they are joying it. . One comedian says the most on- . things about other people. tet, you write one word of criticism, him he always writes in complamm°_ One comedian refuses to London, and argues that Go! ; Green is the provinces. He “ to go to Manchester once, but <* after complaining that he coul ” leave his son. His son is a up man. . • ny Harry Lauder, although not stra a comedian, is the most s , minded of the lot. He is a ™ earnest convictions and I have a him suddenly break off into a ious speech. George Gee, although he do ■ * x claim to be a religious man, to on the first night before his - chance at the Palace, he kne.t in the dressing-room and pray , success. In half an hour he West End star. . irtirf There still remains alive - Roberts, although he has retirß „„ o! He was by far the funniest our time, and the only comed>a was given a blank sheet oi P c his part. He went on the st "f j»ji. gagged, and was different evel T h Sometimes he was so funny " rtß y jokes that the rest of the c could not continue. They doubled up with laughter.