PROFESSIONAL SANTAS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1930, Page 7 (Supplement)

PROFESSIONAL SANTAS

DIFFICULT PART TO PLAY To most Christmas shoppers it seems that the man who plays the part of Father Christmas in the toy basement earns his money very easily. All that seems to be necessary, apart from the clothes and make-up, is a pleasant smile.- But the professional Santas know- otherwise. Many of them are old actors who have played in -stock companies for.years, and their conclusion is that Santa Claus is one of the most difficult parts they have ever had to play. Their audience is a perpetual crowd of keen-eyed children who are on the watch for the slightest false move. Many of the kiddies are just at that age when scepticism of the Santa Claus pyth is beginning to assert itself and they test their doubts on the shop Santa. Nor is the actor protected by friendly footlights. He walks among the 1 children and his demeanour and make-up must be perfect if they are to pass muster. As becomes the high traditions of the stage atmosphere in which they have spent their lives, shoddy make-up is not to be foierated. No flapper completing her dance toilet could take more care over the application of rouge and lipstick than these aged veterans. No fiction detective ever assumed a beard with greater skill. At least, one'Santa builds up his beard hair by hair on a surface of gum. The result is perfection; the almost capricious observer would fail to detect any sign of falsity. In the very large stores the problem of keeping a Santa Claus continuously on duty necessitates the employment of two or more men of similar build. These duplicate Santas work in shifts of two hours. Apparently the task of impersonating good St. Nicholas is every whit as exhausting as a soldier’s sentry duty, judging from the similarity of the length of the spells.