“This Is Terrible!”

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6918, 25 May 1929, Page 8 (Supplement)

“This Is Terrible!”

Winston Churchill Nervous Making His First “Talkie” BALDWIN GRINS BROADLY

■R. CHURCHILL fias made a “talkie” —and history. It whs his first “talkie,” and was made in the garden of No. 10 Downing Street, to be shown all over England'on behalf of the Conservatives during its present election campaign. Mr. Churchill was very embarrassed . . . and standing at a window, Mr. Baldwin, complete with cherrywood pipe, and looking like the real Farmer Baldwin of the cartoonists, grinned broadly at his colleague’s discomfiture. , Intrepid orator and fearless debater though he is, Mr. Churchill was obviously ill at ease standlug before the remarkable snund-sychron-ising apparatus. Efatless, and carrying manuscript he walked up"', to’ a table in the garden puffing furiously at a long cigar. '. The pitch of his voice waß tried once or twice. Then —“Ready!” said the operator. “Punch” Intrudes “Ladies and gentlemen,” began the Chancellor —but before he could continue his pug pup, “Punch" rushed barking into the garden! “Punch” was hurriedly removed . . - and Mr. Churchill continued —or rather he was ready to continue, when tiie operator announced that the apparatus had broken down! With deep agitation Mr. Churchill walked from the garden. “This is terrible —in cold blood, you know,” he said.

Eventually all was again ready. The Chancellor gripped the lapels of iiis coat and recommenced. This time lie warmed up, falling into his charteristic attitudes—the theatrical sweep of his arms and so forth. “Perfect!” said the operator at the conclusion. .

“Terrible!” said My, ChlU'&di, , , ,