BUTTERFLY IN KING EDWARD'S BEARD

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 32, 20 January 1939, Page 15

BUTTERFLY IN KING EDWARD'S BEARD

me 2 TO. see the butterfly with which His Majesty was doing some sleight of hand become ‘entangled up in King Edward the Seventh’s beard . . . to hold @ spiritualistic seance. for Neville Chamberlain, and catch Sir Oliver Lodge and Conan Doyle napping .... these are some of the experiences in the life of Jack Win, radio entertainer from Australia, now touring New Zeafond with his sister Nora under engagement to " eek . the. NBS. ;

-New Zealand, -under ‘a six-weeks’ contract to woe "the. . NBS, Win and "Windle Win .and his sis‘ter Noga); : witty pair of radio entertainers from Australia, ar--vived by: the Awatea in Wel‘Hngton last week on one of the ‘city’s cold and wet .summer: '- days. When Jack Win ealled into see the ‘‘Record,’’ his lean, sensitively humorous face quivered in a smile. 4 ‘AYING: their first visit to ST asked someone to direct me.to your office,’ he said, ‘‘and they directed me to the -Health Department. Perhaps ‘they thought I needed it, ar_gviving to-day. In Sydney, when I left, we were having . heat waves. os His Quiet Way HEN he sat down and taiked in his quiet, slow way, every now and then pausing while his ‘ mouth gave that tiny involuntary quiver as if it had just stopped itself in time from breaking into a broad smile or * letting out a hearty laugh. Occasionally he dropped a ‘‘Winism,’’ one of those quaint sayings, known under that name in Australia, which he ~ seatters as he goes through an existence that he has found often alarming, never dull and always amusing. He dropped one now. He had been talking of Royal ‘Command performances that he had given in London years ago, before he came to Australia. He had kept those autographed Royal Co»nmands and put them in a frame and when he had hrug them up outside his "theatre in South Africa somebody had vanished with them. Sentiment Is Off ~ At the time he wa _ upset about it, but ‘not now. It didn’t matter after all this time. These things lost their senti--ment, and, anyway, sentiment was going out these days. There wasn’t even sentiment in love these days. His lips quivered. "It’s face powder that catches a man,’’ said Win, ‘but it’s baking powder that ‘holds him,’’ He finds his: aninsement in the simple. things. of life.: He _’ found it at his table on the voyage. across to New Zealand. ~ «The ‘trouble ‘with people on ships is that they eat too

— lite a -much,’’ said the officer at Win’s table, with perfect seriousness. Then the officer | had breakfast ... fruit, fish, eggs and bacon . and two chops. ... FoR *‘Record"’ readers Jack Win recalled one of those Royal Command performances at Buckingham Palace. It was for the Royal Family when Edward the Seventh was King, ‘‘T liked giving Royal performances,’’ said Win. ‘‘The audience was not half so critical as most.’’ oo This time he gave’ sketches, monologues and some sleight of hand. King Edward came across chatting in as friendly a manner as possible, He was much taken with the sleight of hand; a_ butterfly trick done by means of string attached to the head and tied to a butterfly which danced at ehest level in front of the performer. King Edward wanted to try the butterfly trick, but he couldn’t manage it, said: Win. Every time he tried the butterfily got tangled up with his beard. At The Seance SLEIGHT of hand was. part of Win’s performances then. He had done a good deal of magic since the days he had started out in London as a drawing-room entertainer. It was through a charity drawing-room entertainment that he first went on the boards. A big music-hall manager in London was at the charity performance, saw Win give a sketch that he had written. ‘"‘T’d like you to do it in the halls,’’ said the manager. ‘Oh, I don’t think it’s much good,’’ said Win, But he played it on the halls and it went down-so well he was still playing it after 10 years. His magic helped him to expose charlatan mediums who were making huge sums from eredulous people in England. Once, years ago, he went to Birmingham as the guest. of Britain’s present Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain; to. give 4 ‘‘seance.’’ Sit Austen ‘Chamberlain, . Sir: O¥iver . Lodge, Conan Deyle: and 4 great many others attended. Win raised the huge, heavy table and made all the usual.

. "things: happei, to the © delight . Of the guests. ~ Only Neyille Chamberlain ‘was in the seeret. The others went away marvelling at his spiritualistic control, and it was not until next.day that the present Prime Minister told them it was all done by applied mechanies. Though he set out to expnse charlatans, Win does not believe there is nothing bechind

the veil of death. He has had some experiences of his own Clairvoyance Once, in the corridor of his house, when he was coming in with a bucket, of coal, he saw his son in the passage behind iim, thowigh the son was miles away at the time. He went in to. , Sisters. ‘What: ‘ig: "sea dhe : "gaia: yon look queer... me .. "Nothing,"’ said Win, ‘not " wishing: to. frighten her.. "What's the time?’’

She told him. He had ‘a telegram next morning telling him of the death of his son the previous night. The time was right. : PERHAPS it was magie that ‘led him on to inventions as a hobby. For, once he invented a special motoring and fishing. glove for which the famous firm of Dent’s paid £5000. And another time he invented a special hairpin with a barb to it which stopped it from failing out. ""They paid me £250 for that,’’ says Win, ‘‘and a fortnight later bobbed hair came in,’’ Sister Nore ‘OR a number of years he has played in sketches with his sister Nora. ‘‘She has a peculiar, husky, fascinating voice,’’ he says, ‘‘and a_ sense of drama.’’ She has played on the London stage, could have played big parts in the West End but for her music-hall contracts. They have lived in Australia’ since 1926, loving the sunshine.

The climate is much __ better there for his sister, even though she was given.up by doctors once with pneumonia in Adelaide, only her will to live pulling her through. Three times they have booked their passages back to England, and each time cancelled their berths when they read in .the newspapers of terrible English weather. They have a curious ancestry for entertainers, in a way. It goes back to Charles Wesley, the famous writer of English hymus. Apart from the "weather, only one thing worries Jack Win about New. Zealand, People will take him for his ° double, Lord Nuffield.