National Clown

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23121, 20 August 1938, Page 18 (Supplement)

National Clown

Joe E. Brown Celebrates 10th Anniversary \ Of His First Film TOURED AS BOY ACROBAT IN A CIRCUS

By GLYN ROBERTS

A New York wisecracker once said to Joe E. Brown: "Joe, you were born with a silver platter in your mouth. Joe replied: "You're wrong, it was all wood. Certainly Joe's childhood was not particularly easy. He was born in a small town in Ohio 45 years ago. His mother, Anna Evans, came from Wales; his father, Mathias Brown, from Germany.

T HEY had seven children, three older than Joe, three younger. They moved over to Toledo, a biggish town, and settled in a rather noisy Irish quarter known as The Hill." t In the same house lived a family named Jones, and the Joneses had nine childpen. George Jones became Joe Brown's •—Joseph Evans Brown, he was christened —particular buddy, and .when George got a job in a circus lat the age of ten Joe thought he [would like to do the same. Young Jones had become part of a hew trapeze act which was to be known as The Five Marvellous Ashtons.' Joe started practising every day, to become the Fifth Marvel. Mr. Ash, the big shot, decided he !was good enough, got the Brown parents' consent, and signed Joe up at to dollar and a-lialf a week. Mishap in First Act They set off for Kansas, where —at £i small place known as Chanute —they had been billed as a "guaranteed attraction." Joe's very first act nearly cost him his life. He had failed to learn a dangerous leap correctly, and Joe shot scores of feet into the air from a springboard with nobody prepared to catch him and break his fall. An artist managed to grab him, fepanked hini cheerfully, and the audience cheered, thinking it was all to plan. A few days later Joe fell and fractured his jaw- But the show had to go on. Joe loved the life, in spite of the tumbles and tragedies. He wrote nothing but good news to his mother. The conscientious Mr. Ash sent the dollar and a-half regularly to her for Joe, enclosing with it the weekly pay _of young Jones next door, thus saving postage. AJter this Joe spent eight years as Sa Dflfember of the Bell-Prevost acrobatic trio. Prevost first convinced Joe that he was something more than an acrobat e—a great clown. "Honeymoon in Subway"

came from Toledo that Joe's father had died. Prevost lent him the money to go home for the funeral. When he returned to New York, the strike was over. After a long wait, he got a part in Cort's "Jim, Jam, Jems." Ho went over big, and during the next five seasons he was in one smash hit after another. On tour with "Twinkle, Twinkle," he arrived in California, where he was offered a movie contract, and made "Crooks Can't Win." This was just ten years ago, and Joe considers it definitely his worst film. He always regards the film he has just finished as his best. Since that first visit to Hollywood, film-making has been the big thing in his life. He is one of the biggest and most reliable money-makers in the industry. He is a happy man, with two boys of his own and a constantly varying number of adopted children. He owns an elaborate soda fountain disguised as a cocktail bar, and romps with it like any American 12-year-old. He cannot imagine life without himself a trouper, but he loves baseball

Round about this time Joe became ifor a, time a professional baseball playerj playing for the New York lYankees, Boston Red Sox and one or ifcwo other .famous American clubs. Playing at Duluth, Minnesota, Joe saw a young lady walk out during the show. Later on he recognised her in his audience at Vancouver, British Columbia, and this time ho got to know her. She k W£is disparaging about the show. Her name was Kathryn McGraw, and she was around for some time. In [the end, they decided to get married.. "We spent our honeymoon in the Subway," says Mrs. Joe Brown. After this he left circus life for a lit, and managed a bowling alley in [Toledo. It was not a success, and Joe assures us that in six months he was [the only thing bowled over. He went back and joined Prevost. 'After three years of this Prevost took ftim aside and lectured him for hours. Comedy Roles Begin "You go your way, Joe, and I'll go taine," said the veteran. "You're a great comedian, I am just an acro,bat. . ' "Never Jet people tell you you are toot funny, Joe —and if they do, don't believe them. Just go and make faces in the mirror. I've been with you for 11 • years, and I still laugh at that mug of yours." , John Oort, the producer, was a big man on Broadway. Mrs. Brown told _him about Joe, who was given the lead in the road show. Very soon* after, Cort came into his dressing rpom. "We are closing the road show," said he, and Joe's heart and face fell.. "But," he went on, "I want you to Open in the New York show next .week." At last he was going to arrive. It a big moment for Joe. He was in his dressing room three liours too soon for the curtain. A messenger knocked at the door. There would be no performance—Actors' Equity had called a strike over the extras' terms. Joe was heartbroken, and what upset him most was telling his wife. He . had keyed himself up to do his utmost, ito click on Broadway and become one of the national buffoons. He knew the chances of getting another opening on Broadway were one in a thousand. Success on Stage As he slowly wiped the make-up from his face, he saw a yellow, frayed piece of paper tacked to the wall. It ,was Kipling's "If," and underneath it - ,was written in pencil: "Put here by !A1 Jolson." His wife came in, cheered him up and told him he must join Equity—•"We can't be happy if we do' succeed Iwhen other people are getting a bad deal." That strike covered all America, and 5t was a long time before Joe got work again. His wife , pawned all her jewellery. In the middle of the gloom, news

and most out-door sports. His prize Sealyham dog is called Heza Corker —that is Joe's idea of fun. Cliaplin and John Barrymore are his favourite actors, and ho thinks nobody among the newer actresses is the equal of Gloria Swan son. He attends prizefights regularly and often does a little clowning- for the crowd from the ring. He likes negro shows for their gaiety and speed. Joe wears gay clothes, often with checks, and has very gaudy motor cars. He likes good billjng and plenty of publicity, because he takes his career seriously and reckons he has been through enough mills for one man. He saves plenty of money and is well insured. Once Played Hamlet Ho chews gum and enjoys simple practical jokes. He likes snapping his fingers and this stops him putting his hands in his pockets. He does not smoke and is an absolute teetotaller. He loves travelling but gets seasick easily. If you want to please Joe you can describe his face as "homely." You should not go further than that, although he does when he "sees it in a mirror. He learnt how to use his mouth to get laughs when stooging to a comedian who had all the funny lines. Joe just said yes and no, but used his mouth tellingly. He can tear a telephone book in half, and this is one of the first things he likes you to know about himself. And —ho once played Hamlet for a fortnight. And made money.

In Hollywood, they do not ask celebrities merely to write signatures on tablets, instead, the stars demand unique autographs on widely varied mediums. Van Dyke cherishes signatures on the buffalo hide of. his African drum. He brought the drum back from the expedition which he conducted for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "Trader Horn." The first signature on the drawn skin is unintelligible to all but Van Dyke, himself. It is the mark of a Uganda chieftain, who wrote it with the point of an arrow dipped in berry juice. Less unique, but more valuable from the standpoint of a collector, other signatures on the drum include those of .Theodore lioosevelt, Charles Lindberg and virtually all of Hollywood's notable stars, including Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Joan Crawford.