The Deadhead's Diary.

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 2

The Deadhead's Diary.

Heard behind the scenes at a vaudeville show one night last week: "Tango dances, bah! What are. they going to do when they get back to the States — Tango's out of date.",.-./., ♦ .•■ * ;■.:«.. Millie Doris, after a record season m New Zealand, opened at .the^National Amphitheatre m Sydney last Saturday week. She introduced several new numbers and figured m new .gowns that wyere designed both for /utility and for creating discussion, -.i . Billy C. Brown, who will be favorably remembered as a. member of the Era. Comedy Four that ', toured New Zealand under the Fuller-Brennan management, has quit the combination and will double up with George Sortie to travel the same- circuit. This doesn't mean a death-blOw to the others, as Marrs, Poole arid Spencer have taken on Charlie Pope to complete, the quartette, and they : will work the :;act as heretofore. , \ >~ . The uses of kinematography are growing day by day. Here is the latest: — • • .-■'., . > . J At a recent meeting held by the Society of Astronomer's of France, m one of the salons of the Eiffel Tower, Professor Charles Richet, - who was unanimously awarded the Nobel prize this year,. paid a tribute to the kinematograph. Speaking of surgical operations and the opportunities they offered for. re-" search, he said there was only one instrument able to repreduce an operation iii its e"nirety, and that was the kinematograph. The kinema., as" a- matter of fact, .had < , even a greater value than ; the original operation, as, m the case of latter, only a few students could be present, but the filmed reproduction could be shown to a large assembly. For a long time m : France the^nema. has been installed for such purposes, at the Faculties m Paris, Lyons, Bor- . deaux, also at the Pasteur institutions of Paris, Lille, and m most of the medical .colleges and schools. Yet 'we have the German, with his noble past,, throwing everything to the winds, and, at the dictation of a Prussian, war-lord," attempting to destroy this noble achievement. .•'■'• = ** • • The '"Dead Head" had occasion to go behind the scenes at a vaudeville show the other night. While waiting for an interview he heard one "knocker" say to another, "What do you think of them changing the bill again and putting us to open the show?" The "Dead Head" hadn't time to wait for the reply. ■* '♦ , ...■«■ ' Genuine regret will be expressed at the news of the recent deaths in ' America of big. Tom Maguire, the Scottish-Irish singer, and Hilary Long, the upside-down wonder. ' Both appeared m New Zealand some little time ago, and had a wide measure of popularity. Long married: an Australian girl and became a proud father ere returning to America four months ago, and it may safely be said that no more devoted husband and parent could be possible. Poor Maguire, also, was a fine fellow, and ' his • premature end is to bo deeply deplored. He died to pneumonia, whilst Long expired, suddenly from no apparent disease. • '" • • • ■'•■■'.•■■' The Australasian Films Co., Limited, has already risen to the occasion engendered by the embroglio now causing anxiety throughout the civilised world. The directore recently announced that, if any of their employees were mobilised; the difference between their present salaries and their" regimental pay would be made up, and, further, that their placed would be kept open for them. The same directors even go beyond this and show their consideration ■ for the public. -They say :~ ' However great the strain upon tho public mind may be m times , such as the present, it Is well that there should remain some means of obtaining reasonable relaxation from the heat and turmoil of our daily occupations, and every day these occupations appear destined to become more and n}ore serious* Whatever the future may hold, In .; store, no effort must be spared by picture theatre proprietors to provide this much-needed relaxation from the cares of life.. This pronouncement speaks for itself, and should bo appreciated by : every man or woman who spends a modest sixpence to find some little relief .from the cares of an over-anxious life. . * ■ • ' • Harry Lauder, rightly or wrongly, has managed to earn a reputation for "Scots-ness" m an interpretation of the word that is the reverse to .complimentary. Ever since a Jew pawnbroker was starved to death In Aberdeen the nation has remained under this stigma, and, at the moment, Harry Lauder is the nation. He has not yet starved to death at Masterton or been famished at Paekakarlki, but that is, apparently, due to his characteristic canniness. Related of him recently that after a great deal of pressure'in a Melbourne hostelry, he consented to have a whisky and Schweppe^s with. a, new acquaintance. Melbourne has a nasty habit of charging an extra sprat for this Schwoppes, which, however, dicU not trouble Harry's friend, who parted his one and a deener with the utmost complacency. Then for a period they conversed anent the weather, and tho crops, and Robert Bruce, and "Scots Wha Hae," and the Tullochgbrum of Wee Macsporram and kindred subjects, while the balance of tho soda-water got flat. Ultimately, with a "suppose-I-must" sort of sigh, Harry suggested "a wee deoch and doris" before retiring, and fishing four coppers, three penny stamps, a battered thrumraer, two halfpennies,' and a*pak-a-poo tickot, called for the "waiter, and said. "We'll hae twa more whuskles, - laddie; but ye needna bring ony mair sody. There's eneucb owro >i' tho auld bottle." His friend took water. The same joke was told of Rabble B\irns. ' ' ' • * ■ ■ • Apropos tho same gentleman: When In Melbourne he was feted up to the neck, and In it too, till further orders. One prominent theatrical entrepreneur placed his motor car and his chauffeur at Harry's disposal, and whenever he wanted to go acrosß the road, or from i here to hereaftor, or from % tho nearest pub to tho nqxt one,, an obliging chauffeur and a comfortably purring car was awaiting him at tho .door. "It's a sin to waste tho . mercies" Is proverbial Scots country-side wisdom, and Harry used tho oar for all it was worth. Came the day for hie dc- J parture, and, after being driven to the station In the car, In a spirit of generosity that ho will probably llvo to learn to regret, ho remarked to his faithful chauffeur: "Ye can shako hauns wl* me, niann, and tell folk you shook hauns- wV Harry Lauder. I'll bo yo gin I come-back."