| Show L I 1 1 X H LI I THE GO A T I By Jack Lait Lail His Fury When Arp Aroused s d dWa Was Wa the he Terrible Fury of ofa a Patient Man and tan and He HeWay Way Was Aroused ACTORS being of a kind that draws ws the substance of life from display applause front HrAnt If title and artificial dist distinction dis dis- t enforce upon one an- an mot rigorous subdivisions of Jt The public is prone to toju ju l. l p lightly such terms as 5 ar leading woman r and prima donna t th se actors such t I 4 are ere of deadly differentiation significance for they are rap TiP In ha n Ul their ir realm d IJ n actor liv lives h s for what t e tors rs think of rat him him rath- rath rr r f jr what other actors acton must mustAf J pf Af f him for an actor gives s j gr r actor only what that P t f actor already ady h has s. s One E. E u J col acknowledge that an an- d lr 4 capable of a trying or nr I l l rolp roIF until the other has hasIt ogle It and nd holds it An And an I II I Il I rth rather r jaw such I gage down another actors actor's I t and tear ear such ic alt t from front his throat 1 than w the he most post ringing encomiums critics It is an axiom in int int t Em ff business that no performa perform- perform I a j i. js ever J given Jen en with the vim yim 11 fort effort foTt which mark marks a 1 prof pro- pro I f oia pra Qa matinee when actor rs r.'s j. j s w off to o a actor tor Actors spend bJ a i million dollars a year t talc papers advertising toi to tor i tit r fh actors actor who can do them n then pod For Por every At liberty r ad ue seeking an JQ engagement nt there ar axe tiny fifty Booked solid cards f n crR crA crowing iq AI AU jl this his cn engenders end rs class feel feel- f feeling r t id hi ing The legitimate player I el-I 4 m makes has f bold to o scorn the w v Tau Jin the vaudeville performer 4 S1 ib 11 l the e the burl burI bur- bur l I gp t hick spurns the circus tnt talent The star demands a st when traveling and Ind a d jp hJ room apart from the they y S supporting poring Jing mob The headliner f d d vs is s that her or his name bp tH je Abou ben hen lead lead- j JU a aJ lJ l the rest and in larger Jarger ty f i Jt t need not be large but Jt it ite n t e J larger than the others' others The titles are not arbitrary j jie TJ ie l are fixed by technical I i I gs 5 A star for example isOW is i 08 OW whose name precedes the I til Un pf f a play lay as s hue boodles i in les le's s Toothbrush sh V Were re J It it bow Y r Hello Hoboken Uh li Hank flank Hawkins Hank bank I old be f featured not starr starred Mite Ye stars become stars because I y deserve it others find ways I It t t to bring about theatrical knighthood knighthood knight knight- It hood od through influence or knight knight-I other ther cir circumstances A knowing mana manager manager man man- a ager er once defined a star as a apayer I payer who can succeed in a bad I j play He was right When a I i players player's name name is more valuable I than han what he plays in he is a i I at ar There are probably two i I i u i America And there are I 12 billboard made stars in the dollar twp r world orId and probably I 1 1902 92 former chambermaids tr graduated dt chorus girls good looking extra girls and beautiful I Shoe clerks starred in to the movies I A headliner is a as has been I j i pointed out one only whose I j i must by contractual provi- provi I Ii sloe lead all other names on any i I F a bitt A leading woman is one i T who no plays a straight part in I Ka either n 1 drama or musical comand comedy comy com- com edy y and she takes precedence v vet the soubrette the I e or the unless one W l ose is starred I nd std- g so on down the gamut ales ades are set and I A a private in a show can i fire be outshine a g general in ar a a. a r han could one in in the most tic ic army on earth this tale we are to deal with liest of the stage churls churl lal actor since since men have donned ins s of beasts to im person person- n Gt behind em footlights the they h If c i been socially and prof professionally i I though not always fi financially fl- fl n any classed with the brutes whose hides tides they wear Their faces are never seen by the public pub pub- lic They may develop extraordinary extraordinary art in characterizing the quadrupeds and they may be in invaluable invaluable invaluable in- in valuable in dramatic or comedy results But they are are anim animal l actors and they might as well wen b be white wings or chimney sweepers or trunk handlers A monologist who wears evening clothes at matinees matine s and makes noises res resembling the sounds Bounds of birds and beasts ma may mabe mahe be he an aristocrat aristo aristo- crat crat-a crat a headliner or or a star in in fact Out But he who wears we tit the lions lion's s skin is the jackass of of th the e fable Bill Billy Cole was such uch Fp POT I years yean y ar tIe te had played in ya vaudeville i and n in n musical shows How ha h he i had lied become m a portrayer a yr er of do dogs dop I and tigers and monkeys YI no OH oli f else Knew and Hf lid scarcely sc r re re- lint he e had t become identified d with the specialty and ind ln whenever a producer need needed d an animal actor he thought first o of Billy Dilly and offered him a liberal wage waRe to com cams on with horns or fur When he wasn't with a ashow ashow show he cavorted on all fours il in 10 the llie varieties drew children to th the Afternoon c p performances and pocketed goodly shekels Thus was he tl welcome in booking book jn in ing offices 41 and in theatres atres for he was a draw draw and an able crafts cran ts m man n. n lint But among his fellows in inthe inthe th the actors actor societies which grudgingly let Jet him hin pay dues and play at t benefits s for the widows of deceased indigent s who would slot not talk to him hills while they Y lived he was wa a social I leper an ap ox with wild professional hoof 1001 and arid mouth I disease illY did dla not grieve about tilt thus this For one thing thin he lie was wars used to it lit For another h he le hadn't baen reared to preferment nt being t the e son of a camel driver in a one one- night stand sand nd lot circus He tie had haa become a clown In i boyhood aid acid trail had worn worp grotesque animal garb garbs for rough ef effects Then Theft he Zia hims himself lf when he lie put on oil a l gogh goatskin in and fInd th the horns and of th the mare male goat t anti and nd butt butted d his w way y to a raise to recognition out pf th the rin ring and ml onto a gage tage t ge He lie than chang changed ed d hu this spots now and nd th then n for foi i the ate needs ds of ot a production tion but his opus r remained th the goat a and he lie e w was as known as Billy the the Go Goat t to the entire trade trad before he ivas was 25 2 Billy Dilly liven lived jn boarding houses on the road and in in a little tHUe flat all JI alone wh when well n he lie was in New NewYork York Fork which h jie he called home it hi preference to Anamosa Iowa Jowa where he be was born and where his old aid parents had settled down downto jo to to live Jive out ut their Jives lives and to jive live off off their talented son pan He never failed with the weekly money order lider He lie sent them hi his notices and clippings of his ads in in j the e Christmas t numbers of the theatrical pap papers rs in which always app appeared r q his pJ picture hm in th the goat makeup 01 on one end nd and straight with his low collar and i w for forehead he d and his hair painfully barbered re in the oth other r and in between n the two cuts Billy Cole Always ys Working in His Famous ip p Animals I J Have Ha Met l l' l wring twing His Exclusive Exclusive siv sive Imp Impersonation on Hogans II Goat Goit The Goat was was spending a season sea season sea sea- son in v U lV and was pJ play play- Y Ying ing the of f New York w yh where hr r tr there are arc rc as many theatres a gs s th there r are arp in ill all the millions pf of o square squar mMes west of t he Missi s sippi ippi He paid his booking a agent ent 5 per cent of his firs salary as is th the custom and the agent looked after his contracts sent lobby photographs ahead of him to the th theatres atres held his mail for him hint a an regarded him as a first rate t t. t Billy BiIly stepped into the office in a big building facing facing fac fae- ing Longacre square to exchange e earfuls with his vaudeville broker brok brok- er an and as he entered he heard that thit gentleman speaking in most ungentle tones to a shivering tittle little little lit tit tle pale pal ale faced girl who had evidently evidently evidently evi evi- dently been annoying the agent by p persistently seeking a chance on the stage How many times dl dI hafto tell you when I 1 want you Ill I'll send after you you he sho shouted led i Now you get out o 0 this office I Jan an stay out I cant can't have every a ai on eart cart in an an anI i I out o n here me Now v J Ul Wait Vail a minute said Billy I What t does the lil til girl want The a agent ent looked uP up and saw it was his his- ir steady patron The girl looked ked up out of scared eyes and saw aw it t was a man with abig a abis big bis diamond iamond in his ready tied j I teck cravat t and two gold teeth i bri brightly shining hining I Aw vv this here kid comes run run- nin niri hi an n out o 0 here till she's I got t me dizzy explained the I booker iker The reformers keep hollerin that girls girts ain aim safe aroun theatrical offices an that we lure II em an everything Well I cant can't keep em out o 0 here Now this one one one- I Did you ou ever work on a sta stage e asked Bill Billy I 1 Th The girl irl nodded that she had d not nl r N. N J j ii i i A FV fir O Oi i iY i k Y 1 S I tS t A i S t 1 Sc i. i F f qi j E 4 r t 1 i L c cis r. r 45 L is j y r j ie 1 W 7 Clara t Yr 1 j. j A. A t 3 lz W r r hJ J f Sit down p here an wait walt a I said Billy Hilly as l. l he to ma- ma 1 h A Honed h her r. r to a place on the i bench ll of little hope where t thew the l e w waiting work out actors sit jt and bite hite I e tn their Jr nails and envy Eva 1 and Iq he too took look the agent by hy the arm and I led d him within When they came forth ten minutes trim trim- min min- rates utes les afterward the agent nt w was ws s protesting I I I tell t H you h Dilly Billy illy youre you're storm stor- stor m in up a lot o 0 grief for The act is h goin swell its it's booked i I tive at f fancy dough the then I n rs is ti tickled stiff wit it I what what more mPr dye want Now y yuo ylie JO JOy y vanna una saddle e y up wit wita 1 a girl ghI Its It's takina tain a t for for for If I I know what Im I'm doin damn answered an- an answered an an- sw r Allay iHy with enthusiasm Don EDon I 1 know how far fara a a animal actor a tor can go Well Ive I've gone the distance I cant can't get no fur- fur I r alone But wit a pretty I gal Mt if she can do anything say say I No Jo sir sir Ill Ill I'll give her a tryo tryout t an if she's there at all she goes goe In th thi act And he turned to the girl and ande andl e gave l ive ve her a card i I Meet me at to W o'clock tomorrow tomorrow to- to to-I to a morrow mornin in that hall I II j i ii I there an an n I 1 Ill I'll 11 have J ve a pi piana na player j ji I i a an au J well we'll s see if you got anything j jI I AM Mt if you can put on a song or orif or orif 1 if you can put over a dance or if I I you got ot an can do doI doj j i I I booked comedy youre you're And he went along I Before noon next day the skinny kinny little amateur immature t i daughter of a sore fin fingered ered seamy seam seam- seamstress y I stress by by the day had a job I She-had She been tried and Billy hadI had been found wanting her She I could sing fairly well welt in a thin ingenuous way that had the I charm to the Goat of a divas diva's genius enius She co could ld dance angularly j angui i and a against all the rules of I I but it looked to the 1 I Goat like the mellifluous sailing I I 1 through air of Genee She spoke j I a piece and he said it it was funny i it tt was was was-it it was vas ridiculous j 1 So he to set her head s spinning p minim g i I I when he engaged her at 25 the thel i iI j I week and advanced her 50 for fori forlI i wardrobe He ordered a series ii i I I i of rehearsals daily thereafter j and within three weeks they had I I j 1 worked up a routine in which I II j I I Clara Henneberry was to cavort cavortI i iI I on with him playing a little girl I in i n a garden and he was to butt her for humorous effect until she I I reached down stage center where i she would sing a song bong and he I j I would execute pantomime in his i iI I goatish way she would then exit i iI i and ard he would do his eight minutes minutes min min- i I utes of acrobatic tumbling and I I standing on his its horns imitating I It t the throat noises of the goat t make a tin can disappear ar a aj as I j though he were eating it always always' a scream in in any an spot on ain any program program pro pro- gram gram am and exit she would then I come on ha having ving made a 1 t change sw switched heg ed edco co p jumes es and ami sIn a tJ solo sojo Scotch number gong going h info n a highland high high- land fling the tile repeat p chorus when h he lie would enter ma made le up al' asa as asa asa a burro and she would ride him off oft The boo booking agent S sent lt word several times times that the managers rs were vere protesting almost unanimously unni- unni h he h had d a standard act a as it W was s and they did ru not t want him to chance any innovations But Billy Dilly Cole had a grain of stamina and he said he would play his new idea or go over to England where when h he lie hind had b beep been n before be before before be- be fore and had haij made and wh where here r they'd tJ tape take e him hint in an any act he Tie want wanted p to show So the agen agent sighed an and J swore and puffed and argued cd and jn induced d the he theatres to try fry Billy with the girl Tile offering was accordi accordingly accordingly accord accord- i scheduled f nr r the Fourth Avenue theatre a p. downtown house of minor consequence wh where re the managers could gather gath gath- er r and see th product Mara Clara was wa sp so nervous that she almost fainted g before their music music music mu mu- sic began to vamp But Billy the old stager shot her full of assurances and last second advice ad- ad vice and capered on as the fhe trembling trem- trem tiling bling g child follow followed Q and stood stoop staggered ta ered by her first footlights ts Billy the Goat worked as as n never nev nev- ver v- v er before in all his career had he tried The girl sang in her juvenile juve juvenile juve- juve nile voice and danced her awkward awkward awk awk- ward ard steps The act rang down downto to 10 huge applause vociferous applause vociferous payment to Billy for having outdone out out- lone done himself The Goat from one oie entrance and the stupefied child from the other bowed and bowed and bowed The booking ag agent nt thumped the managers on the backs Was Vas it it rotten Was it He guessed not It was a hit It was a ari ri riot not 0 t. t Say they Say they too took eight bends cried the agent Bends are bows in vaudeville the value of an act jor or at least degree which it goes is often judged by the number of bows which the actors take Therefore they frequently frequently fre- fre force the bows One jugg juggling ing comedian when when asked asked to cut his act to fifteen nun min utes answered I cant I can cant can't t 1 I bow six ix minutes 4 The managers were not de- de They saw that th the girl iwas was but they saw too that Billy was far and away beyond beyond be- be yond lyond anything he had ever been before and the difference was in favor vor of the act So they gave IS Billy Cole and Girl the route that had been assigned Billy Cole originally and every everyone one was satisfied Every Everyone one was sat satisfied except Billy |
