POPULAR COMEDIAN

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11649, 13 October 1923, Page 13

POPULAR COMEDIAN

A FULLER FAVOURITE MR GEORGE WALLACE INTERVIEWED. Mr George Wallace, the youthful producer of the sparkling revue company which bears his name, who hao been pleasing patrons of Fullers for many months, and who is to make his initial presentation at His Majesty’s on Monday, has been giving his impressions to a pressman. They are decidedly interesting, and the "big thing in them is that Mr Wallace is satisfied that the public like a clean show. Knowing i that this was to be Sir Wallace’s last week at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, at the head of the Revue Company which bears his name, a “Daily Times’’ reporter interviewed Mr Wallace with a view to getting some particulars of the popular comedian’s career. “I euppose you aro one of the youngest producers on the Fuller circuit?’’ remarked the reporter. “Yes,” said Mr Wallace, “I can <c»tainly claim to he a youngster in that capacity. I have been in the business for five years, most of which time I epent with Harry Clay in Sydney. I was born in Aberdeen, in Western New South Wales, and am a brother of Bebo Scott, who has been so successful with child impersonations. It is my intention to proceed to England when my contract with the Fuller proprietary comes to an .end.”

FATHER A NOTED COMEDIAN. “It may interest some of your readers,” said Mr Wallace, “to know that my father, Broncho Wallace, was a comedian, and was a partner in Scott and Wallace, which toured the Dominion twenty years ago." Asked as to the success of his song “Roaming,” as sung by Mr Marshall Crosby, Mr Wallace said he understood from the publishers, Messrs Charles Begg and Co v that it was selling like “hot cakes,” which was very gratifying to all concerned.

Speaking of the class of shows which find favour, Mr Wallace said lie always believed in keeping his revues absolutely clean. Ho had carefully eschewed anything; of a, suggestive nature, and lie attributed in large measure any little popularity lie had gained to this fact. Ho saw no reason why any lilies or songs which were suggestive should he delivered from the stage. This class of “stuff,’’ he said, might find favour with n few, hut it had a had moral effect, and tended to degrade the profession. FOR, WELLINGTON. Asked as to which of the Fuller thea. trea hi* company would appear in next

week, Mr Wallace said he was billed [or Wellington, and if he received anything like the encouragement from tho Wellington publio that he had received in Dunedin, he would he quite satisfied. ‘I am looking forward with pleasure to paying a return visit to Dunedin,” said Mr Wallnce, “and hope that the visit will not be long delayed. When I return it is my intention to present all new shows, so the public of Dunedin can look forward to seeing something absolutely new. Every member of the company regrets leaving your town, and all will be pleased to row :v acquaintance with the warm-hearten Dunedin public. I have nothing but praise for the kindhearted way tho people of Dunedin have received my’ company and myself. “My two friends, ‘Stiffy and Mo,’ are succeeding me here,” said Mr Wallace, “and I am 3ure the people of Dunedin will enjoy these two laugh merchants as much as they have enjoyed our efforts to make them forget their troubles.’’

MlB6 BTELLA POWER

“THE LITTLE MELBA.” During the past decade many young students have gone Home to iV,in fame and fortune in England, but the really successful ones can ‘be counted on one hand. New Zealand’s own queen of song, M!iss Riosinai Buckman, is of course amongst this select few, her beautiful voico is still fresh in the memory of music-lovers here; another to be placed amongst the successful ones is Miss Stella Rower, known as “The Littio Melba” on account of the remarkable similarity of her voice to that of her distinguished countrywoman Dame Nellie Melba. Few singers jump into fame so quickly as did this young Australian, five years ago when slie made her debut at the Royal Albert Hall, London, she captured both the critics and public from the outset, and she mounted the ladder of success in an extraordinarily rapid fashion. In the space of five years she has toured Great Britain five times, toured the United States and also Norway and Sweden. She hds sung at the Royal Albert Hall nearly 60 times, a unique record, and there is not a town of any 6ize in Great Britain where she has not been hoard. It is claimed thaa her voice is the highest in the world, she can sing F in alt with consummate ease. A London critic writes ».l her: “Miss Stella Power is a genius ill song, her first effort was almost a revelation of what talent and training can do in the way of making tho vocai cords respond with perfect ease to tlie will of tlie owner. She made plav of the mere frills and furbelows—otherwise tho technicalities of the music—with marvellous ease, so that her glorious voico could he made to express tho underlying sentiment of the piece. Tho call for an encore was irresistible.” The famous young prime, donna has just completed a successful tour of 60 concerts in Australia, under the direction of Mr F,. J. Gravcstock, and will commence her New Zealand tour ir. Wellington Town Hall on October 23rd. Miss Power will bo supported by Mr William James, tlie talented Australian composer-pianist, who is recognised not only as a great pianist, but amongst the foremost composers of the present day.