Variety (May 1918)

VAUDEVILLE ENTERTAINER'S EXPERIENCE BACK OF T RENCHE S IN FRANCE Clifford Walker Spent Five Months Performing For American Soldiers Abroad. Appeared Anywhere and Everywhere. Spent One Day in Front Line Trench by Special Permission. Gave Up Season's Engage- ment to Go Over. The forthcoming experiences for the American entertainers who volun- teer for amusement service aoroad were passed through by Clifford Walker. He lately returned from France, where he spent five months entertaining our soldiers behind the lines. Mr. Walker is well known over here as a specialist, and he can supply a variety of entertainment unusual even for a "single act." He is preparing to re-enter vaudeville on this side, and will devote a short portion of his turn to the impressions and observa- tions secured by him while abroad. A note of distinction achieved by Mr. Walker while with our forces in France was the special permission granted him to go into the front-line trenches, where he remained for an entire day. Accompanied by two Signal Corps officers as escorts Mr. Walker made the final two miles to the front line over shell holes, in full view of the German batteries. Under instruction the three men were walk- ing 40 yards apart. At the battalion headquarters dugout Mr. Walker was given a guide, who took him into a communication trench and then into the front line, where they remained from eight in the morning until five in the afternoon. The enemy was throwing high explosives that day. Mr. Walker says the noise seemed like a thunder storm one thousand times magnified. Within six miles of the front lines the barrage fire sounded as plainly and as continuously as though workmen were riveting on the street. Mr. Walker says as far as he knows no other entertainer has ever been in the front line of the trenches other than Harry Lauder, who was in the British front line. Walker thought he had a permit to go to the front, but reaching a point six miles behind the lines, where he gave an entertain- ment, he found his pass was of no effect for further progress. The chief bf staff at this point, when hearing the circumstances, informed Mr. Walker he would issue him a permit as a reward for the entertainment the men had so greatly enjoyed. Travel- ing in a hospital supply wagon the entertainer was taken to the point where the Signal Corps officers accom- panied him on foot. Any inconvenience of entertaining the soldiers—and that there are in- conveniences Mr. Walker admits—is so thoroughly overshadowed by the appreciation of the boys that the recipient of it quickly overlooks everything else. It suffuses one with pleasure, said Mr. Walker, the other day in lightly going over his travels back of the lines, when it is seen and heard with what delight our soldiers accept the diversion of amusement., Mr. Walker left New York last Sep- tember. He was then engaged for the season for "The 13th Chair." Chair- man Sloane of the Y. M. C. A. inquired of him if he could and would sail the following Saturday. Inoculated and securing his passports in record time, Mr. Walker left on the Saturday specified, throwing up the season's engagement. His transportation was secured through the Y. M. C. A., and while abroad he received $1 daily for his maintenance. Reaching a port in France Mr. Walker delved at once into his enter- LAUDER'S GIFT TO MORRIS. Precedent was thrown to the winds by Harry Lauder last Saturday, when he presented William Morris, his American manager, with a diamond ring, heavily set in platinum. It was the occasion of Lauder's last day of his farewell American tour. To the audience at the Metropolitan on Friday night last, he said he was go- ing to Australia next fall, but if travel- ing the other way didn't look "right," he might return via the U. S., in which event he "might give us a chance to see him again." taining purpose, giving two shows nightly, often also in the day time, performing wherever he happened to be around soldiers. At one time when a tent was too small he had a piano removed from it to the road and per- formed before 2,000 soldiers on the roadway. Mr. Walker found he could entertain for nearly two hours con- secutively under certain condition*, but when in a low tent his voice would give out within 45 minutes. During his travels he was accom- panied at times by a Russian pianist and a French violinist. In one village he met two amateurs from New York and joined with them briefly to enter- tain. New Year's Eve last, with the assistance of a French girl, a singer from Paris, he entertained the ambulance drivers from 8:30 until 11 :30. During the afternoon Mr. Walker taught the young woman "Oh, Johnny," and when she sang it in broken English toward the end of the performance it brought tears of joy to the eyes of her audience. Mr. Walker mentioned the French girl was a very fine artiste. She sang folk songs for the soldiers. Mr. Walker estimates he*made per- sonal appearances before 150,000 of our boys while on the other side. One evening he gave two shows suc- cessively while standing on a plank in a road. The first was for soldiers, and when requested to repeat it for nurses who were unable to be present at the first show Mr. Walker did so. During that day Mr. Walker made three points, walking three miles to each one. For about three weeks after landing in France the entertainer occupied a room in the home of the mayor. It was the local boarding.house. He was in a room with two other visitors to the front. It contained three army cots and a stove. Mr. Walker chopped the wood daily to keep up the fire in it. For light they had candles. Candles were a par? of his stock in trade while behind the lines. They served him for footlights at night wherever he might be. Mr. Walker also performed near the burial ground of the first American soldier killed in action, Nov. 3 last. The burial ground is enclosed and bears a tablet reading: "Here lies the first soldier of the Great Republic of the United States, who died on French soil for Justice and Liberty." Whether it was a coincidence or not Mr. Walker says was not known, but it's a matter of record that during the short time required for the burial the German guns were silent. A memorial will be erected on the spot after the war. Mr. Walker stated that the feeling of hatred harbored by the allied forces < against the Hun quickly communicated itself to our boys over thefe. When informed that a similar feeling was fast developing over here he expressed no wonder, and mentioned a few atrocities committed by the barbarious Germans which had come under his personal observation. While in the front-line trench Mr. Walker obtained an idea of German markmanship, and he agrees with the soldiers over tliere that it is excellent. (Continued on page 16.) LONG JUMP THROUGH ERROR. Lydell and Higgins reached' New York Monday morning, from Canton, O. They expected to appear at the Colonial, New York, this week, but owing to some error in their route sheet as received by them through the Harry Weber Agency, when reach- ing here they found the Colonial knew nothing of it. The act is laying off. Bobbie Hig- gins has been ordered to report un- der the Draft in another week or so, which will dissolve the team. JOE SHEA IN CRASH. Badly bunged up as a result of an auto accident Tuesday morning, Toe • Shea, while in bed at his home in New York, surmised the doctors were keep- ing from him the information that some of his ribs had also been broken. An ambulance carried Shea to New York after his car had crashed into a telegraph pole about 10 miles this side of St. James, L. I. Mr. Shea was alone in the car and making his regular morning trip to the city, going about 50, v>hen the steering gear became loosened. The car jumped into a ditch and bumped the pole. While badly bruised it seemed miracu- lous Shea had received no more serious injury than the physicians found upon examination. BEREZNIAK ALLEGED UNETHICAL Chicago, May 8. Leon Berezniak, theatrical lawyer, has been sued for disbarment before the Bar Association on charges of unethical conduct in getting out route books bearing his photo and many testimonials from alleged clients, re- garded by the prosecution as adver- tising. BESSIE McCOTS PLANS. Bessie McCoy Davis will remain in vaudeville during the current month and then joins the Raymond Hitchcock show which comes into the Globe June 3, under the management of Dilling- ham, Klaw & Erlanger. She returns to vaudeville in the fall—at least that is her present intention. "FOLLIES" REHEARSING. The new Ziegfeld "Follies" for 1918 is in rehearsal. It is expected to open early in June. Among the new principals are Savoy and Brennan, Frank Carter and Mari- lynn Miller. The "Follies" book and lyrics have been written by Gene Buck and George Hobart. Dave Stamper and Louis A. Hirsch are to furnish the score. SAVOY AND BRENNAN WITH MOSS Bert Savoy and Jay Brennan open next Monday at B. S. Moss* Hamilton for a tour over the circuit. The men have been routed for three and four days at each house. WARD LEAVING WITH CHAPLIN. Charlie Chaplin left New York Wednesday for the Coast, accompanied by Fred Ward. Ward will have some part in the charge of the Chaplin studio. Of recent seasons Ward has been handling some bookings for the Dil- lingham and Ziegfeld attractions. Valeska Suratt Give* Up Her Time. The vaudeville time held by Valeska Suratt for the remainder of the sea- son has been given up by her. Miss Suratt pleads illness, partly acquired by the inconvenience of travel this sea- son. This week at Keith's, Cincinnati, Fritzi Scheff has her place on the pro- gram. Duffy and InglU Leave Abruptly. Cleveland, May 8. The Hippodrome program lost Duffy and Inglis very abruptly by managerial cancellation one night toward the end- ing of their engagement last week. The team also were taken out of the Hip bill at Youngstown, for this week. No ftldMUpptn* th« sheriff—CHAS. ALTHOFP DANCE ONLY TWICE WEEKLY. Vaudeville and musical comedy seem to have no chance of obtaining Mischo Itow, the Jap dancer, who dances with a Danish girl named Linhal. The couple say their stage work is too strenuous to perform it over twice weekly. Last week Itow took the Little theatre, Philadelphia, on his own for a recital, and netted $400. CHARGED WITH DESERTION. San Francisco, May 8. Howard Johnson was arrested here last week charged with desertion from Camp Fremont. Johnson was formerly with a sketch in vaudeville. At one time he was a "song plugger." RATS, TWO SESSIONS WEEKLY. To make up for some of the many postponements of the White Rats in- vestigation, there are to be two ses- sions weekly before Referee Schul- denfrei, according to the new schedule. This week hearings are listed for Wednesday and Friday afternoons. The last two adjournments were made at the request of J. J. Myers, the Rats attorney. The latter has not com- pleted his cross-examination of Will J. Cooke. The first of the scheduled hearings for this week was called off at the last minute due to a lengthy court case which Mr. Sapinsky was trying. Friday's session will probably be held, however, and two hearings will be attempted next week. Mr. Myers has promised to bring James W. Fitr- patrick to the hearing or to Mr. Sapin- sky's office in the matter of the missing Rat books and data. The court has granted an order to examine Fitzpat- rick, who is a field secretary at Camp Dix for the Knights of Columbus. WHITE AND HAIG APART. George White and Emma Haig have separated as dancer partners, the cause probably lying in the fact that White is subject to draft call. Miss Haig is scheduled for the new Hitch- cock show. White is on the Century Roof. LONG DISTANCE MEMORY. Chicago, May 8. Mort H. Singer this week attached Harry Bulger at McVicker's, for $134, alleged back royalties on "The Flirting Princess," due since 1912. Lou Goldberg attached Sam Liebert at South Bend on a claim for $91 for commissions. Quit on Account of "Clothe*." When Lillian Lorraine left "O'dds and Ends," she was replaced by two young women, Hattic Lorraine and Venita Gould. It was expected Hattie Lorraine would wear the "clothes" and Miss Gould add to the playing performance. Lately when Miss Gould wanted to display some wardrobe of her own, it is said an objection was interposed whereupon she gave notice of leaving and reopens next week in vaudeville.