Show World (June 1909)

June 5, 1909. THE SHOW WORLD 11 WHO IS THE BEST CLOWN IN CIRCUSDOM? the best clown? By WARREN A. PATRICK. The comedy portion of a cir¬ cus has always been the impor¬ tant consideration to my mind. 1 have contended for years that a circus performance could not be proclaimed a success unless the clowns were capable. This being true, I am greatly interested in the series of arti¬ cles which are to determine the relative merits of various well known clowns of circusdom. I appreciate that this has been a I much debated question since the days of “principal” clowns and for this and other reasons advanced in the introductory ar¬ ticle I feel that a decision will be of value to the performers as well as their employers. I am proud of the circus de- | partment of THE SHOW WORLD. I have been congra- ulated so frequently of late on the interest of the paper to cir- I cus people that I feel that I am not to be adversely criticised if I'direct attention to the very I) evident fact of the superiority of THE SHOW WORLD to I other amusement papers in this I important department. E. E. Meredith, the circus edi¬ tor, is well qualified to pass on the merits of various clowns and I have assigned this duty to him j with every confidence in his in- : tegrity, without the least doubt in my mind that the matter will | be determined in a fair and im- ' . partial manner. T$e attempt to determine who is the greatest clown in circusdom has called forth a flood of correspondence from circus people as was anticipated. It would appear that there are hun¬ dreds of circus performers who are r Ag and anxious to aid the circus editor in determining the best clown of the jcircus season of 1909 and while it isgiftlpossible to answer all of their letters personally it may be said that every, communication will be care¬ fully read and every argument consci- entiously weighed in reaching the final conclusion for which this series of articles paves the way. The selection of the one best clown from each circus will not be made in this article for the reason that several nominations are expected from small¬ er shows when the' reply of the cir¬ cus editor reaches the communicants, for in each of the replies the fact has been emphasized that every clown is eligible to a place in the preliminary list, although it is made plain that it is useless to include the name of a clown who finds himself in a group where others are so much better that he who runs down the arena may ob¬ serve the difference. Some of those who have written in regard to the circus clown articles have intimated that the circus editor was prejudiced. Such charges were not unexpected. The confidence in which he is held by the general direct¬ or of THE SHOW WORLD is jhown in the announcement in this issue. Perhaps those comedians who ■ear the outcome of such a decision • !® reac hed after carefully consider- ln 8 fie qualifications of the fun-mak¬ ers under the whitetops are already arranging for an “I-told-you-so” and ‘eehng certain that they will not be selected as the representative cut-up H° mc ‘ rcus with which they are analibf d ^ engaged in arran S in g . As stated in last week’s article it is impossible to select a specific clown “?!” each show without disagreeing ■th the friends of some other funny- Second of a Series of Articles Which Will Determine a Much Mooted Point in Circusdom.—Preliminary List is Enlarged This Week. BY E. E. MEREDITH man. Personal friendship often counts for more than ability when a perform¬ er attempts to determine the relative merits of a fellow artist. It is not so with the circus editor. Fairness, discrimination between SALARY¬ RECEIVING and SALARY-EARN¬ ING, and consideration of comedic gradations will govern the circus edi¬ tor in forming a conclusion in this most important matter. Roosevelt Hunting Stunt. The Teddy in Afriea stunt with the Barnum & Bailey show at the present time indicates the value of a clown who keeps abreast of the times, who is constantly on the lookout to make a clown feature of a travesty on well known character or on current events. • A description of this act will be interesting to everyone. A medium-sized gorilla, a lion and a giraffe come prancing down the sawdust track, as merry as three maids from school. Right behind them comes a giant native, followed by a strangely familiar looking figure in khaki and slouch hat and nose glasses, attached to which are flowing ribbons. The hair on his head and upper lip are red. So modest is he that he walks along as if there were no observers, except that at every second yard he pauses and sweeps the hat in dashing salute to every one while the mustache lifts in a smile. And at the third pause, as if by tele¬ pathic surmise, the native halts and salaams while the animals stand still. Dropped quickly then is the camera from the left arm of the mighty per¬ sonage, while the gorilla and the lion and the giraffe right about and strike an attitude where the light falls on them best. And after seeing that their features are preserved for future generations, they watch the valiant hunter poise his never-erring rifle, and they straighten up a little more and serve the purpose for which they were brought forward—they get shot. At the present time Roosevelt’s hunting trip is a topic of general in¬ terest and that such a clown stunt was not introduced during the Chicago en¬ gagement is surorising. The clown who creates such an offering as this is much more valuable than the “Joey” who does not know what month of the year it is without re¬ ferring to the dated posters and to the mind of the circus editor intelli¬ gence and originality cut a great fig¬ ure in the determining of the best More Nominations. As the plan of selecting the best circus clown is given more serious consideration it is realized that last week’s preliminary list was incom¬ plete indeed. It can hardly be con¬ ceived that the name of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Davis should have been omitted from the list, and yet a reference to page seven of the issue of May 29 shows that the amusing “Reuben” who has amused circus folks for many years, who was entertained by the brother-in-law of the president of the Republic of Mexico when in that country with the Greater Hagenbeck show, who became quite a favorite with Jules Limantour, minister of fi¬ nance of that country, is missing from the list. A score of letters have brought this reminder. They were not needed. The omission was so plain that it forcibly impressed itself upon every reader who was familiar with clowning and clowns. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are with the Buffalo Bill show this season. They do not wear -any makeup, or rather have made themselves resemble the characters they would represent. A number of correspondents nom¬ inate Dick Ford, as a representative clown from the Cole Brothers show, so his name is included in the pre¬ liminary list. Friends of Joe Sherry have insisted that his work with the Sparks show entitles him to this hon¬ or so his name is also included. Barnum & Bailey Clowns. The interest being taken in these articles was evidenced when a' man in high power with a circus wrote that he was deeply interested in the de¬ cision. “I have had my eye on Hor¬ ace Webb for some years,” he wrote, “and if he is the producer that your article gives him credit with being I should like to secure his services.” A dramatic critic of a Pennsylvania paper whose judgment is genially considered able and who recently wit¬ nessed the performance of the Bar¬ num & Bailey show believes that Henry Stantz should be the selection of the best clown with that circus. Other correspondents favor Henry Sylo, at least half a dozen prefer Ba¬ ker & De Voe and one. communica¬ tion favors giving Harry La Pearl the honor. It is said that Horace Webb re¬ ceives the largest salary. He is cred- HARRY BEESON’S CHOICE (By Harry Beeson.) Uniontown, Pa., June 1. The selection of the best clown with the Barnum show is a difficult task. The one who took the part of a dude and was constantly working (one of the Four Comrades) was very good. The pair who worked together (Baker & Devoe) were also good. These would be my first selections. In a second table I should list the man with the small dog (Fred Egner) and the man with a heavy fur coat (Harry La Pearl.) ited with getting $75 a week. He fur¬ nishes a great deal of stuff, it must be remembered. Baker & De Voe are reported to receive $90 joint. As intimated above, SALARY-RECEIV¬ ING is not SALAY-EARNING, and while salary is taken into considera¬ tion in weighing the merits of the clowns it is not a criterion by which worth is necessarily estimated. James H. Rutherford. A good photo of James H. Ruth¬ erford, who has the honor of being named first in the list of clowns on the program of the Hagenbeck-Wal- lace show, appears on the front page of this issue. He is well known not only in circusdom but in vaudeville as well. His first circus experience was with the Duggan Brothers circus in Chicago some fifteen years ago, where he appeared as a contortionist and clown. He was later engaged with the old Andy McDonald shows and in 1899 joined the Walter L. Main shows. In 1900 and 1901 he was principal clown with the John Robinson show and then went to the Ringling Brothers shows, where he remained five seasons. The next sea¬ son he was equestrian director of the Walter L. Main show after which he was engaged for the Hagenbeck-Wal- lace circus. He is in his second sea¬ son there. Mr. Rutherford is the originator and producer of numerous clown en¬ trees that have aided him in establish¬ ing himself in the first rank of clown- dom. He is the author of several suc¬ cessful vaudeville sketches including The Man Outside, A Case of Snakes, Five Minutes from Yale, and Half Back Hank. He has appeared in these playlets with his talented wife, Lottie Rutherford, during the winter seasons, playing many of the leading theaters. The Ringling Clowns. A1 Miaco, who is included in the preliminary list as a representative clown of the Ringling Brothers show, was the only man in his line men¬ tioned in the Sunday notice in the Boston Herald, which was prepared by the press department of the circus. He is spoken of as a former associate of Tony Pastor and Dan Rice. Jules Tournour, of the same show, is a veteran circus clown. For many years he has been engaged in amus¬ ing old and young and a list of three of the best clowns with that show, no matter by whom it may be pre¬ pared, will contain his name if the compiler is conscientious to the least degree. George Hartzell’s work was spoken of in the first article of the series. He may have originated the Teddy in Africa stunt now used in the Bar¬ num show; information at hand does not make this point entirely clear. Important Announcement. It is expected that the selection of the best clown from each circus will be made in time for publication next week. In the meantime the friends of the clowns with the smaller shows are advised to communicate with the cir¬ cus editor lest some name should have been omitted from the preliminary list which rightly belongs there. As stated last week the “best clown” may be with some small show. The profession of entertainment is one in which the man with the unim¬ portant enterprise JreqUjjiitly has more ability than the nqaff engaged in a similar capacity with some impor¬ tant organization.* The fact that a down is with Ringling Brothers does not necessarily _ make him a “clever man,” although it may be stated as an abstract propd^tiari that every em- ploye^with a Kg. jurcus is capable, else' hj would ^TotSipld his position. The c|rcus is unlike the theater inas- muclx^a .1 .four-flushers cannot remain wjtl^ fhd ; tapted enterprises for any length of time. PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE “BEST CLOWNS.” Barnum & Bailey. HORACE WEBB. HENRY STANTZ. HENRY SYLO. HARRY LA PEARL. BAKER & DEVOE. Ringling Brothers. GEORGE HARTZELL. AL MIACO. JULES TOURNOUR. Hagenbeck-Wallace. JAMES H. RUTHERFORD. KID KENNARD. ART BORELLA. JACK LANCASTER. Sells-Floto. LON MOORE. GEORGE BROWN. SHORTY MAYNARD. Buffalo Bill-Pawnee Bill. MR. and MRS. BERT DAVIS. Sparks. JOE SHERRY. Cole Brothers. DICK FORD. Campbell Brothers. RALEIGH WILSON. Welsh Brothers. VINCENT HAUG.