Show The Fiction ENTERPRISE PA p pg VS g ByC By Richard H. H x Wilkinson C Corner orner AP UL SPARROWS SPARROW'S vaudeville act PAUL wasn't especially good nor was it especially poor He did a couple of trick dance steps told some fairly funny stories and sang a couple of songs There were dozens dozens dozens doz doz- ens better than he be Yet Paul always played the big time always got the best money We who were In show business at the time wondered The answer was simple when you stopped to think about it it Paul was enterprising He gave himself a build up For one thing he selected Minute his music with 3 Fiction car care e. e H He e instructed Instructed instructed in in- the orchestra orchestra orchestra or or- chestra what to play and how to play It before he came on He made a stooge of the drummer He sold the idea generally general general- ly that he was terrific We all expected that Paul would be among the first to go But Dut he I didn't see him for almost a year then one fall rail up in San Francisco I ran across him again It was rather a unique experience because the gag he pulled that night was epic It seems that despite hi hf his ent enterprising enterprising enter enter- r- r faculties Paul was due to get the air He had exhausted his bag of tricks Managers were getting getting getting get get- ting wise to him On this night he was trying out at the Olympia Theater Most of us thought it would be his swan song On the theother theother theother other hand if he went over big with his audience it would mean meana a week 40 contract There wasn't a chance We watched him come out from the opposite side of the wings He was doing a quick little dance step There There- was a smattering of applause that almost instantly died away tc f. f 2 5 S Well Veil grinned Paul If youre you're serious that's fine If U my gag took In an old trouper troup troup- er like you it worked better than I thought it would Paul hesitated then went into a routine It was pitiful because the step was rotten and he had app apparently apparently lr- lr lost his self-confidence self to boot I 1 was standing so I could see Pauls Paul's face For the first time since Id I'd known him I saw anger In his eyes a red flush In his checks cheeks lie Ue stopped dancIng dane dane- ing big All right he said All AU right wise guys Ill I'll show you The hecklers booed at him shouted catcalls Pauls Paul's face went livid He suddenly galvanized into action I HAVE SEEN some good trick dancers in my day but Ive I've never seen anything to equal the antics of Paul Sparrow that night Thoroughly aroused he became a contortionist He performed feats that were unheard of in the art of dancing He threw himself around that stage like a madman It was marvelous to watch Superb Paul came out for three encores He was a man inspired each time and each time the audience gave him an ovation They clapped for five full minutes after his last ap ap- ap- ap After a while I strolled back to Pauls Paul's dressing room The manager was just leaving Inside Paul was happily folding up a sheet of paper I could tell by the expression on his face that it was the contract Hello neHo feller feUer I 1 grinned You killed em 1 I guess the thing to do if you want to stay in vaudeville these days Is get mad Why he said surprised Did you think I was mad I Dont kid me Those hecklers had you down for the count Well grinned Paul if u youre you're serious that's fine I mean if my little gag took in an old trooper like yourself it even worked better than I thought it would Wait a minute I said beginnIng beginning beginning begin begin- ning to feel funny tunny What are you getting at It was a gag old horse I hired three hecklers to do the job you job you know make the audience feel sympathetic sympathetic sympathetic sym sym- pathetic toward me by having scathing scathing scathing ing remarks hurled at me Then I pulled my trick My new step It really wasn't much of a step you know It only seemed that way The was Vas sympathetic They would have liked anything I did He grinned broadly You see I was wason wason wason on the skids I had to think of something I tell you friend if it you want to stay in vaudeville these days youve you've got to be ing |