A VETERAN COMEDIAN

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 130, 26 February 1937, Page 18

A VETERAN COMEDIAN

Charles Winningers

Career

A CHARMING veteran comedian almost stole the show when "Show Boat” was last screened. His name is Charles 'Winninger—who will forget his “One-man fight” scene?—and he is now appearing in another hilarious film. "Three Smart Girls.”

Winninger’s career is a long and interesting one. Born in Athens. Wisconsin, in ISS4, he belonged to a family that was musically talented. His father, a band leader, took all the Winninger® on tour and later featured them in his own concert nail. Charlie ventured off with Captain Adams’s show boat, the original Cotton Blossom, which, through mere coincidence, is pictured in the earlier sequences of the

“Show Boat” film. Storms on the Mississippi turned the young actor back to the land. After some years in stock companies, Winninger won a Broadway role in "Yankee Girl.” He scored bits in George M. Cohan's revue “The Passing Show of 1919.” “Follies of 1920,” “Broadway Whirl?’ and “No, No, Nanette.” Thereafter he was cast as Captain Andy in the stage production of “Show Boat” and played that part for two years.

Then he spent a little more than a yfiar in Hollywood, when he was featured in 14 films. Back to Broadway again to appear in the New York revival of "Show Boat,” .he was chosen for the, captain's part in the national radio Show Boat hour. Then he plaved in another Broadway hit. “Revenge With Music.” His screen appearance of “Show Boat” was his 1335th performance of the role. Winninger’s hobby is trap-shooting. His record at the’New York Athletic Club is 9880 out of 10.000. He is an artist with water colours. collector of musical instruments, and was a bandmaster during the world war.