OSCAR ASCHE DEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 71, 24 March 1936, Page 7

OSCAR ASCHE DEAD.

Famous Author and Star of "Chu Chin Chow." RECENT FILM APPEARANCES. (Received 0.30 a.m.) " LONDON, March 23. The death is announced of Oscar Asclie, the famous actor-manager and producer.

Oscar Asclie succumbed from «a collapsed heart supervening oil a fortnight's attack of pneumonia. Oscar Asche was born at Geelong, Victoria, in 1872, and educated at MelDoiJtne Grammar School. A Norwegian by descent, he studied for the stage at Oslo. His lirst appearance was made at the Opera Oomique, London, in March, 1893, in "Man and Woman." He then joined the Bensons, and was with them for eight years, playing in Shakespeare and costume comedies. He played Maldonado in Pinero'e "Iris" at the Garrick, and was seen in New York in that part in 1902. In that year lie joined Beerbohm Tree at His Majesty's, appealing in Shakespeare. With Otto Stuart he took over management o£ the Adelplii In 1901, and at the close of the year he and hie wife, Miss Lily Brayton, whom he met and married while with the Bensons, gave a Shakespearean season. In 1907 he moved to His Majesty's, where he produced Binyon's "Attila" and Shakespeare. In 1909 he toured in Australia. Returning to London in 1911 he appeared as Haaj in "Kismet,the first of the Eastern plays which he put on, and it brought a profit of £20,000. In 1912-13 he again visited Australia and New Zealand, and then South Africa. On liis return in 1914 lie revived "Kismet," and in September put on "Mameeita.'i which he had adapted.

In August, 1916, the run began of the spectacular Eastern musical play "Chu Chin Chow," written by himself, in which he appeared as Abu Hassan. This piece, which cost £5300 to produce, enjoyed the world's record run of five years (2238 performances), and was seen by nearly 3.000,000 people. The takings were over £750,000, and the net profit is said to have been about £260,000, while film and musical rights were sold for £25,000.

Nevertheless, a receiving order was made against him on May 28, 1926, for the success which he scored with ''Chu Chin Chow" did not attend liie later ventures. In 1920 he put on "Mecca," and in 1921 "Cairo," but these had not the drawing power of their predecessor. Other plays, including "The Royal Visitor" and "The Good Old 80y6," were failures. At a creditors' meeting on June 25, 1926, his liabilities were estimated at £8600, and he placed his assets at £20,000, mainly due from Australia and America in respect of various productions. The actor, who was running a farm at Nailsworth, admitted that lie usually carried £2000 about with him.

Auckland will remember most vividly his post-war visit with "Chu Chin Chow," "Mecca," and "Cairo." Since the talkie era Oscar Asche devoted mucli time to the screen, his initial appearance in films being with Chaliapin and George Robe.y in "Don Quixote." Other films in which he appeared included "My Lucky Star," "Two Hearts In Waltz Time," and the recent Dickens fantasy "Scrooge," _ in which he played the role of the Spirits of Christmas. However, he did not appear in the film version of "Chu Chin Chow," the German actor Fritz Kortner mating his bow to English audiences as Abu Hassan—and disappointing ttiem because lie was not as immensely rotund as was Asche.