HARRY LAUDER'S AUSTRA LIAN VISIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14853, 2 December 1911, Page 5 (Supplement)

HARRY LAUDER'S AUSTRA LIAN VISIT.

.'. WHY THE, GREAT COMEDIAN IS LOOKING FORWARD TO -IT. (Special interview by our London Represen- ":-'.'" '■■■:' ,••' '' tative.) ;■_. I' was. introducedto be 'strictly truthful I introduced myself—to', the- world's greatest comedian in the somewhat squalid passage-way which, does, duty, as a back entrance to the London Ti voli," the musichall which' will always be associated with Harry Lauder's British, triumphs. He had just stepped out of a magnificent " ; ,. mqtor-car, . after giving \} irec/ separate per- ._■■■}:/ formances in different parts of London. He wore .«i huge peaked bonnet, in' enormous i pipe, and-a grin. lam told that Lauder can always be recognised by his bonnet, his calabash and his smile. To these I think might bo added his nose. It is a facial "adornment" of the most generous - . proportions ' for ,a. man of his size—four foot 1 something. : . ....

When I told him that I wanted to interview him for the——-he looked surprised.

'I fancy it's pretty smart \ work on the part of the ,——-," he.. remarked, "seeing it's . only last nicht"—("nicht" bear in mind, not night)—"that I signed my Australian contract; I suppose that, you want to interview me on the subject." .•

"Exactly," I'" agredd, "we Cornstalks like to know all about the- ; big ■ pots who are due down under. And you are a big pot you know ; at least from a theatrical, standpoint." ,;>*' As I spoke- I looked straight down on the wee man who has all the English speaking .world, at his feet. He saw my little joke. and ; gave me one of "his. own size-height laughs. : r.'' . " Aye," he soliloquised as we threaded our way below the stage- and.iip a winding, stair to his" dressing-room, "there's no very muckleo' him for a' the work folks are , makin' about ; Harry Lauder, is there? - Hooiver, • I aye was fond o' the auld Scotch sayin' that guid gear gangs in little book." It was his turn for the score,,, and I laughed. :

We had ten minutes to spare before the little' comedian was. due for the roofrattling • roar which greets his every appearance in London, and in that time we had quite a comfortable talk. *': "In the first place you can tell the Australians," began Lauder, "that I never booked a colonial .engagement' which has given me greater pleasure to look forward .t0... I am as" keen about it as, a boy _anticipating his school .holidays. And : ; I'll tell you why. I think this notion began when I was a very small \boy .working in the flax mills at Arbroath, on the east coast o' Scotland. A neighbour-woman .in the tenement in which we lived had "a son who was a ship's steward on one of , the Aberdeen liners > and this -fellow : cam© home for a day, or two after every voyage. I regarded him.as a great hero, and nothing pleased :me mbre than to sit on his mother's 'fender' and listen to his stories of the Southern Cross, and the wonderful Australian cities ' that' he visited with his' ship. '" Why," America wasn't in it with' Australia so far as I was concerned in those days, and I really think that, the glamour of the great island continent thus early instilled into my, soul has never left me. Yes, I'm looking forward with .genuine delight to my trip to the "Antipods,'* as the auld" Scotch weaver called 'em."

• "I suppose,' Mr. Lauder," ■!; hazarded, "the ' material' advantages of the tour will rather add to the satisfaction with which you are viewing itin other words, you'll be getting a fairly > large shovelful of "tho. filthy lucre for your trouble." -»' '' V' Harry smiled "again." , A most e-xpresmva smile. ! Not a ; smile which; palpably gave away > a lot, but the sort of a smile which plainly indicated that the; financial aspects'j of his. Australian .contract were calculated to leave him a pound or two over after,; paying all '' expenses. I thought" I would '■? pursue '»' delicate : subject a ;;> little ■ fur- , ther. ■' ; ■ . '■■. - ■ "C ■" ■. < > "' : ''.,' .>'• '.;'

"Is it true,. Mr. Lauder, what the papers , here say, i that your .. salary,' for ', the height •■« weeks will total the same figure in; round thousands?" . * " Stop !" exclaimed the comedian, getting rather peppery ; all at once. "I • don't; see v why everybody should be •so much interested in. the amount of bawbees > I am earning; You've ino idea the trouble .you " newspaper fellows get me into with, the Income Tax leeches- } It's perfectly scandalous. Just tell your readers that the Australian manager has been very nice to me in " the way- of salary. That'll be quite */ sufficient. I'm content .with wages, and that's more 1 than - can be \ said of ' the , majority of people." ' ; ;.:■>■• -t ;. ,:V '.' ''Will you play ■• all,'the big cities, and dons your trip include New Zealand?" • I ' next asked. ■■'/".'': :":■'■• J,- .■"{.'•' -, '';';■'?'.'' r .'"''-''-.

' "The . details of the tour have not yet been definitely fixed, bub I 'certainly shall appear in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and several other cities. As for New Zea« lapel. it would be a pity to be rdown tinder .'i and not go there as "well as Australia, &>■'_-. you can take'it that New Zealand will be',' included in the initerary. I have hosts ; of; personal •' friends both .in Australia ; ' and y-. New ' Zealand. ■ My brother, Matthew, is somewhere in Auckland— forget .'the exact t'pQti.at'. the moment —and won't he and I have aJ; rare,. old time .when: we meet?" ~... .. . . ■•,- ■~r ,',. -. •. ~ ~'. I aiiked Mr. Lauder if he knew MwVhifl gramophone and phonogranh records had already made his name famous all over the southern' hemisphere.""'".''" "Yes," he replied, "I believe that mora . .of my records have been sent to Australia, ! taking: population «• into deration; *■' than fto any other part* of the world. That's . another ) reason why I : like Australians.,", and Harry smiled and winked once more. l ; "Turn before you justjjn7 r sir, M callV boy popped his head in at the door—"one soner only r ' . "Richt!" said Lauder ? 'stretching" buti.;.'.', his hand and "•.siezihg, the ; ; twisted;;young i; oak tree " which 'he uses as a \ stage I walk- ,'\ ; ing-stick, "I'm > ready. ' Look here,*' he con- i tinued, turning once more 'to me, '• "I've ; only one 'Australian' 'story, but it's rather : a good one':' and you may think -fit • worth ■ printing. *-1: once knew ■ a Glasgow man calledi'Bab^"Mcßeth, and he" had the big- ; gest foe-horn of a voice ever you listened to. ,'When he whispered, it was like a train passing—when he spoke loud it was like th& noise of a landslide. Oricoßab went vip to ■' Glasgow to ! see .' a brother away to ; Australia. The big ship had eased away from the Broomielaw, and Rab, standing on the quay, continued to shout parting words of cheer and, vice to his brother. ':'■"■• ' • " 'Good-bye, Will 'Buck up, ' Wull!' See an' bflhave, Wull!' 'Mind an' < write W"ll!' These were a few of the farewells yelled by Rab, and he kept increasing the volume of his voice as the steamer crept farther and farther out into the river. The spectators were paralvsed'by the tremendous power' of Moßeth's * lungs, and when ; the shin was fully'three hundred yards jif away Bab again let himself to 1 - with % final 'Mind an' write hame, Willi!'*' 0 ' A humorist; in the crowd then went up to Rab and remarked: " 'If Wull doesn't Write to you you can; ! hist roar ? down to ■ him in Australia ; : '■- he'll hear you quite easy!'" , ''''.• Just as Lauder - concluded this story— which vou may may not hiugh at, but which thought funny as Laudler told it— muffled kind of roar reached the dressing- ,J room. The; comedian opened "the door to make his way to ! the stage and the roar increased »; in voliirne.' .' Five ''seconds'' later it had swelled sncldenlv into a wild tornado of cheering. Ladder was on the stage. And London was at'.'his feet. ;< -'-'l ' '■■...,■' :