Variety (December 1914)

24 V\RIETY IRVING BERLIN'S CAREER When the first night audience at the Charles Dillingham's production of "Watch Your Step" at the Amsterdam theatre, New York, Dec 8, saw a slight youthful looking man acknowledge the plaudits with a curtain speech after the finale of the second act, they would probably not have believed it had they been told that this youth, who com- posed the music of "Watch Your Step" and was then thanking the throng in a "$2 Broadway house," had lest than seven years before, unknown and unheard' of, sung songs in a "dump" on Chatham square. Between the Bowery (of which Chatham square is the lower end) and the most expensive theatre in New York (Amsterdam), a line of 50 hits had marked Irving Berlin's song-writ- ing record. That same night Mr. Ber- lin added seven more hits to his list, having written that many for the pro- duction. The first show Irving had ever writ- ten numbers for, with the applause and the remarks denoting that "Watch Your Step" would be the biggest success of this New York theatrical season and with a swarm of friends ready to ac- claim him the popular song-writing king of all years, this modest little fel- low of 26, with an unlimited source of originality ("International Rag"), walked out of the Amsterdam theatre that evening with his immediate family of mother and sisters, took them home, and then repaired with his private secretary, Cliff Hess, to his own apart- ment on West 71st street, there to re- main without other company unt* 1 a couple of personal friends called upon him at three in the morning. It v/.is a shining example of Irving Berlin's modesty. Seldom has a successful first night occurred in New York when the one most responsible for it could not be found after the performance at the most famous Broadway restaurant, the center of a large admiring crowd. That same morning at three he sang over the song hits of the piece with- out a protest, exhibited to his visitors a collection of exquisite chinaware, and "hoped the show would get over for Mr. Dillingham's sake." Irving Berlin's career dates from the time Max Winslow discovered him on Chatham square. Mr. Winslow, now the professional manager for Waterson, Berlin & Snyder, the music publishers, was then acting in the same capacity for another firm. Berlin called on Winslow for new songs. Max gave him one and told him to sing it that night, when he would go down to the "dump" with "a bunch," and if he (Irving) did it all right, he (Max) would get the crowd "to throw some coin to him." That evening when the Winslow party arrived at the "dump" they found Berlin singing a "blue" parody on the original song. This is something that first attracted Mr. Winslow's attention to the youthful wonder. Whenever Irving got a new song, he would have a parody, usually off-color, to sing in- stead of the written words. Mr. Wins- low became attached to the bright little fellow. They occupied apartments to- gether on East 18th street, Irving hav- ing by this time secured an engage- ment at Kelly's on 14th street. Irving informed Max he could write songs himself, he didn't need those of others, and persisted until Max asked the publishing house (Harry Von Til- zer) he was then with to "give the kid a chance at $20 a week." Von Tilzer*s said they couldn't afford it, although Winslow told Irving to write a song, and finally placed "Wait, Wait] Wait" with Von Tilzer, out of which Berlin realized $200 in all. Irving "free lanced" for a while, getting $25 for "Just Like A Rose," to which Al Piano- dosa wrote the words. About this time Mr. Winslow joined the "Snyder firm" staff, and placed with "When You're In Town," ''When I'm Alcne, I'm Lonesome," "Want to Be in Dixie," "Alabam," "Everybody's Doin' It," "When I Lost You," "Myste- rious Rag," "He's A Devil," "Snookey Ookums," "This Is the Life," "Michi- gan," -"Take a Little Tip From Father," "International Rag," and others that escape memory. Mr. Berlin's greatest popular song hit, "Alexander's Rag Time Band," was not an acknowledged success until some time after it had been written. Mr. Winslow was the only one around the Snyder concern's quarters with confidence in the possibilities of the number. It had been tried by two or three people in vaudeville, and they had taken the song off as impossible. Mr. Winslow never lost faith. Gordon & North were producing "The Merry Whirl" as the show for the summer run of 1911 at the Columbia, New JOHN C. PEEBLES Presents VAL TRAINOR AND HELEN In "Kloroform, N. G." "Will fit in any bill."—VARIETY. Kindest Wishes to Everyone. it Irving's biggest flop, "Durando," originally written as a poem. Henry Waterson, head of the W. B. & S. con- cern, suggested music be placed to it. The song was a big stage success, but no seller. Mr. Waterson took a per- sonal interest in Irving, and shortly after the "Berlin hits" commenced to be sung. The boy turned out a new style of song that caught on, whether it was a rag, rag ballad, Italian or "Yiddish" number. He wrote them all. Among his early song hits were "Men- delssohn's Spring Song," "Next To Your Mother, Who Do You Love?" "Kiss Me" (an immense hit, in the writing of which Ted Snyder was con- cerned); "Sweet Italian Love," "Call Me Up Some Rainy Afternoon," 'Wild Cherry Rag," "Land of Harmony," York. Max asked Ted Snyder to call with him on Aaron Hoffman, who was in charge of the production, and try to induce Mr. Hoffman to give the song a chance in the show. When the couple reached the stage door a boy got Winslow's name wrong, and Mr. Hoffman sent out word he was too busy. The next morning on the sub- way Max met Aaron and told him of the "turn down." Hoffman explained, and asked Max to come around that afternoon. The song went into the show, and the verdict of the first night crowd at the Columbia was that "Alex- ander" made "The Merry Whirl" that season. The song didn't take hold at once as a seller, although the melody spread rapidly. About August the sales shot up, until a total M 2,000,000 copies were sold over here. There is no record of the European sales, where "Alexander" afterward became at pop- ular. Another song hit of Irving's, "My Wife's Gone to the Country, Hurrah, Hurrah," was written by him, assisted by George Whiting (George Whiting and Sadie Burt), while the men were being shaved. Mr. Whiting had just left the New York Central. He walked into the barber shop, saying, "My wife's gone to the country." Berlin remarked that was a good idea for a song, and before the shaving was com- pleted on both, they had, while seated in the barber chairs, written the first verse and chorus. Of later events in Mr. Berlin's life the public is generally familiar, al- though the history of his famous "Friars' song" is worth mentioning. The Friars proposed a dinner at the Hotel Astor to Irving. In his custom- ary way he fretted over what he should do and that he might "flop." Irving concluded to attempt a speech of thanks against the fluent speakers of the evening would be useless, and con- ceived the "song-speech" that he deliv- ered before the "wisest" crowd in New York, to the greatest reception ever given a Friars' guest of honor. Mr. Berlin's "Friar-speech" was a marvel of ingenuity and the melody contained, more "tricks" of composition (accord- ing to Irving's own admission) than any ten numbers he had ever written. Though pronounced by many of his friends before delivered publicly as the best thing he had ever done, Mr. Berlin was wobbly on his feet up to the moment he finished it. Although Irving Berlin will reap great fame and much fortune from "Watch Your Step," this boy has earned both. No one who saw him in his home during the hot summer nights, laboriously working with the assistance of Mr. Hess, until all hours of the morning on the score of the Dil- lingham piece, could begrudge Irviag a tithe of what his hard work has brought him. And those who know him well believe that his natural genius for writing music and lyrics will lead him into other fields in time, when he shall have tired of the syncopated tunes. NINE "KICK IN" COMPANIES. Bookings are now being made for nine "Kick In" companies for the road next season by the A. H. Woods office, Victor Leighton booking them in the same fashion the "Within the Law" companies were handled, each playing repeating dates in the territory allot- ted.