“FORTY YEARS A PRO.”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11293, 19 August 1922, Page 9

“FORTY YEARS A PRO.”

N.Z. VAUDEVILLE HISTORY A GHAT WITH GEORGE DEAN AT HIS MAJESTY’S, A ‘'New Zealand Times” representative had an interesting interview with Mr George Dean, the popular vaudeville artist now appearing in a fiveweeks’ engagement on the Fullers’ circuit in this city. Incidentally, Mr Dean states that the completion of the five weeks will make his stage record at His Majesty’s Theatre one of nine weeks during the past four months; an indication, surely, of his great popularity with the Wellington publio. “THE OLD CHORAL HALL.” As a matter of fact—going back into rather more ancient history—Mr Dean recalls that he was engaged in musichall work in this city long before the present theatre was opened. He ran a variety show at what was then known as the Choral Hall, and he relinquished the lease when Fullers took it ovei. It is more than twenty years since Mr Dean came fo New Zealand, as a vau devillian from Rickard’s Tivoli Theatre, in Sydney, after that well-known place of entertainment was destroyed by fire; and he had the distinction of being the very first imported artist that Fullers brought over. Connected with the Fuller management from their inception, with their kind permia sion he was allowed to go over to the P. .R. Dix aggregation as stage mana ger for the production of their first pantomime, “Babes in the Wood,” in which play. Mr Dean took the part of the Banin. That pantomime was ono of the greatest staged specesses known in the Dominion up to that time.' Subsequently, Mr Dean took leading parts in, “Jack and Jill,” .“The House That Jack Built,” and other' foremost pantomimes, . THE DIX INTERESTS. It was shortly after that time when Percy Dix purchased the Fullers’ rights for New Zealand, and Fullers opened the Standard Theatre, Sydney, in opposition to Harry Rickard, taking over as four trump 1 cards Fred Bluett, Will Watkins, Denis Carney, and Will Stevens. For years after Fullers left the Dominion, George Dean remained as stage manager with P. R. , Dix, who, by that time, had secured the City Hall, Auckland, the Choral and Exchange Halls, Wellington, Oddfellows’ Hall, Christchurch, and the Alhambra Theatre, Dunedin. For some years P. R. Dix was the .provider of all the entertainment in the way of vaudeville that New Zealand enjoyed; and the high class of the programmes of that period may be noted by the fact that they included such names as Paul Cinquevalli, the Gragg Troupe of Acrobats, Austin Rudd, Tom Wootwill, The Klos Sisters, The Hay tors, Frank Leon, Jesse Kirk, and thousands of others of . the very front rank in their profession. The very finest performers that Rickard could get over to Australia were induced to visit New Zealand. After Dix retired from this particular field of enterprise, Rickard sent his own companies over here, under the management of no less a man than Allan Hamilton, who has since amassed a Ipige fortune as a theatrical proprietor in London. THE REVUE BORN. During the period when George Dean was with the Dix .Company lie Dinto operation a project which he long had in his mind; that of introducing new ideas in first parts. He had been associated in England with a gentleman of the name of Austin Hurgon, and Mr Dean thinks that it was because of that gentleman’s influence thatliis now projects took shape. In “Tho Brook”'New Zealand had the honour of witnessing the first real revue, and this was followed 1 at short intervals by “At Monte Carlo,” “On Shannon’s Shores,” and “Up tho River.” Thus, the so-called “modem” revues are not so very modern after all, and instead of England claiming to have been their birthplace, due credit should he given to New Zealand, in which county they first saw the light. In connection with this subject, it may lie noted that Austin Hurgon is to-clay one of the most successful revue writers in England, hi? latest production—“ The Girl” —being now played at the Gaiety Theatre, London, tho scene of so many of the groat George Bdwardes successes. HID THE MONEY. Speaking of some- of the more hu-

morous of his experiences, Mr Dean recalls those early days when his enterprise led him to run a waxworks show. The opening night had been rather a successful one, but the management wa3 in a quandary as to what to do to hide their takings, as they possessed no safe, and were afraid to take the pile of silver and copper coins to their lodgings. That night the show was broken into, hut, with the exception of minor damages done to the wax figures, no. money was lost. The takings had been dumped into the garbage tm, wrapped up in rage and paper—and the management knew the garbage-man was not due for a day or two. THE HANDSOME MAN. In those days, says Mr Dean, the keenest delight and interest were manifested by the public in the so-called trial nights and competitions. On one such occasion, advertising had filled the hall because of the ‘ ugliest man” and “handsomest man" competition, the prizes being gold watches. It did not matter what the adjudicator might have to say on tho subject, says Mr Dean; the Wellington public of those days had something'to say on their own account. Great was their delight and uproarious their fun when they insisted on reversing the adjudicator’s decisions; the “handsome man” prize being unanimously given to a very hideous and dilapidated Assyrian, while the "ugly man” trophy was just as-unanimously given to a spruce and daintily attired young man, whose sleek and good-looking presentment entitled him to bo th© sport of tho audience’s grim 'humour. In awarding the prizes, Mr Dean stepped forward and notified the prizewinners of their respective awards, tell, tug them plainly that he had nothing to say *n contradiction of the audS ences unanimous verdicts. “And may God have mercy upon your souls,” ho U rushed. ' Great Scott!” yelled someone in the audience. “He has sentenced them to death. THE BABY SHOW. On yet another occasion, when a very fine perambulator was being prerented by a leading Wellington firm to the handsomest -baby at the baby show inaugurated by the company, Mr Dean recalls that some of the sweetest and best-dressed children he has ever looked at were presented as the competitors. The audience would not have it that. way. They selected a halfstarved and not over-clean child in the anus of a bedraggled and rather old woman; and he had to give her tlie prize or run the risk of being lynched. Suoh were the audiences of those yesterdays. Tlie Wellington public, says Mr George Dean, i 3 one of the best and most discriminating in the world. No matter how shy and reluctant the better-dressed portion of the audience may be to render its verdict, one oan always, declares Mr Dean, rely upon the gallery givdna its opinion,' and when it does there is no mistake about its being in earnest. Mr Dean was eduoated in elocution by Professor Pllirntre, of King’s College, London; -by George Fairchild, of the Birkbeck Institute ;and by Mr E. H. Brook, of the Lyceum Theatre. London. He came to Australasia, originally. -Hath George Musgrove’s Opera Bouffo Company, and he has been through the whole gamut of the profession, from Shakespearean parts to nigger minstrels. He declares that New Zealand is good enough for him. It is the land of his adoption. His daugjhter was born here, and here (at some far-distant date it is hoped) he will lay his bones. Before that comes, however, he intends to publish his book —"Forty Years on the Stage,” or “Pro 3 and People I have met.”