DAN LENO'S CAREER.

Evening Star, Issue 11725, 7 April 1902, Page 3

DAN LENO'S CAREER.

Jn the ' Knglhh Illustrated Magazine' Dau Leuo, the comedian, tells the story of his life. From his interesting narrative we extract the following: In the year 1861 (the same year, by the way, in which my friend Albert Chevalier first vaw the light.) I came into the world without a, penny in my pocket. The incident occurred iii the region of King's Cross, London, in that part of it where, St. Paneras station now stands. 1 made my first public appearance at the age of three at the Cosmotheca, a music hall near the Edgware road. I was very small, and was arrayed in a pair of tights, parti-colored, red one side, and bine the other. They looked all right, I've no doubt, but they consisted only of a pair of stockings fastened at the neck with a garter, after having been arranged by my mother, so that they fitted me. My father and mother followed the same profession that I have don© all ray life. They toured as Mr and Mrs Johnny Wdde, and ] toured with them with my stockings. I was an acrobat in those early day?; but when I was live years old I had an accident which made an end of my acrobatic performances, and I took to dancing instead, my brother instructing me in the art. I won fame, in the first instance, with my clog-dancing. The. first time I really turned it to much account was at Wakefield, when I entered a clog-dancing competition for a purse of silver and a leg of mutton, and carried off the prize. Seventeen years ago I came to London as "Champion) Clog-dancer of the World," and appeared at three halls in that capacity— Gatti's, Forester's, and the Middlesex. But the public preferred my songs, so I became a comedian, and have remained one ever since. There are many who know me only as Dan Leno, the comedian. Those that remember me as the champion among all clog-dancers grow fewer every day. and will continue, to do so, for I shall remain a comedian to the end of my career, so far as it lies in me to see. The Christmas pantomimes come to me somewhat in the nature of a holiday. Tt is a different audience altogether, and the work is a complete change. When I first came to the London halls, my initial success was a little ballad entitled' Milk for the twins,' wherein I appeared as a distressed female. Owing to the fact that Mr George Conquest saw me perform this, I was engaged to play old women in pantomimes for some years after. My first pantomime was at the Surrey Theatre in 1886, when I took the part of Jack's mother in 'Jack and the Beanstalk.' The year after I played there again in ' Sindbad the Sailor,' after which I was engaged by Sir Augustus Harris for Dmry Lane, appearing there as the Baroness in 'The Babes in the Wood.' Tn 'Bluebeard' at Drury Lane I play Sister Anne, and Herbert. Campbell the part of Bluebeard. I am glad to say all the horrible elements have been eliminated from the pantomime. T do not mean that the usual features have been discarded hif favor of new ones, but that what was horrible before is to be presented in a comic light now. Some Ihings we have eliminated from this old favorite —the morbid element that, frightens the children, and the blood and thunder that used to haunt their young dreams. The old incidents all remain, but they will make the little ones laugh instead of cry. and will give them pleasant dreams instead of nightmares. People have been asking me a great deal lately about my visit to S.mdrmgham, and mv performance before His Majesty the King there. I tell fhem what my sensations were as well as I can, but neither by speaking nor writing can 1 express the eflVcfc it had upon m>\ T enjoyed it beyond everything. On the Saturday, ns 1 was sifting down with my wife, the news first came to me. "It is the King's wish." T was told, " that yon should go to Sandringham f>n Tuesday and- give a performance." "1 can't," T replied; "I'm performing at Brixton." Yon see, I get so manv applications for extra entertainments that before T quite realised the news I thought it was another benefit or something. "Tt is the King's command," T was told, and then it broke upon me, and I said "Oh!" very suddenly. At Sandringham thev had fitted up a stage in what T think was the ball room, -in:i besides the Royal party tltere must have been some five hundred people present. T was told my performance was to ocmpv ten ■minute., or twelve at the outside. As a matter of fact, it was about thirty-five minutes before they would let. ine go. T feel verv prorul. rot only localise T was the first comedian to perform before the King, but because 1 was the first porformer of anv kind to appear before him, and until the performance was started he was -unaware of what it was to consist. I had a free, hand, ,and—well. T have had some good audiences, but never one that hnghed more than that one did.