AN ACTOR WHO LOVES HIS WORK

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 183, 1 May 1936, Page 16

AN ACTOR WHO LOVES HIS WORK

Most of the people who rise to eminence in various professions attain distinction because they delight in their work. But not many achieve success in their chosen career while being assured of a good income from quite another source. Here is a story of one of them. Frank Morgan, who has carved for himself a special niche in stage and screen roles, is a man of independent means, who has really no need to engage in screen work. The wealth which comes to Frank Morgan is inherited, and for a while in his youth lie was concerned in tlie marketing side of the business from which he now draws hii income as vice-president of the corporation. After completing his education at Cornell University, he also tried other avenues of commercial life, becoming in turn a brush salesman, a real estate man, and even for a while a reporter and a cowboy. But eventually he followed his brother, Ralph, to the stage. _ i In some ways the story of the family business in which the two Morgans are more or less sleeping partners is as romantic as any role they have enacted. It is the manufacture by a traditional and secret formula of Angostura bitters, a popular ingredient of cocktails, and a flavouring of various drinks, alcoholic and otherwise. The essence is procured from a herb only found in the tropical island of Trinidad, a British colony, and the formula of its preparation is known only to three white men in the world, and not to either of the Morgans. There is an element of mystery in any closely guarded secret of this kind. But more interesting, perhaps, is the history of how the Morgans came to be associated with it. ‘ The tale goes back to the time of the Napoleonic wars, when a family named Siegert left Germany and settled in Trinidad, where they made their discovery, and have ever since carried on the manufacture of the bitters. In the late 1860’s an American ship’s captain by the name of Hancox anchored Ins vessel off Trinidad. He had with him on board his daughter, Josephine, and ashore they were met and entertained by the Siegerts. While they were there a young employee of the firm named Wupperman was introduced. Soon he and Josephine Hancox fell in love, and were married, and his employers gave the young bridegroom the sales rights of Angostura bitters throughout the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, and Cuba for a wedding present. It only needs to be added that Wupperman is the actual surname of the two brothers, whose stage name is Morgan.