KING AND BENSON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 911, 22 August 1907, Page 17

KING AND BENSON.

■ It was purely accidental my meeting with Mr. Charles King, the senior partner of the firm of King and Benson, those two delightful vaudevil’e artists who are creating a furore nightly at H’s Majesty’s Theatre. After my introduction to him in the s reet our acquaintance quickly ripened, and I found Charlie King a cheery and most happy fellow, full of se f-conta ned modesty and assurance*, the evidence of a world-iwide

experience and of success. Then I found out some things about him and his clever little wife. . This man of the top' Cs arid Ds was born in Savannah, was educated in California, studied under Winfred Stetson, the famous Italian teacher, and w)as tenor soloist at the Church of the Transfiguration, sth Avenue, New York, when he was 18 years of age. Many noteworthy managers urged him to take up opera, and he joined the Daniels Opera Co. Later on he became a member of the famous “Manhattan Four.” He met his clever wife while still with the Four, about 7I years ago, and they joined forces and took up' double turns. Since then they have practically toured the world together. Miss Jenn’e Benson comes of the celebrated Benson family. Her first professional appearance was at the age of five years.. Her father was a great dancer in his day, and he taught 'his daughter all her . dancing. To-day she steps unrivalled in the dancing arena. She can sing coster, Lancashire, Scotch, French, Italian and Dutch songs, and can do almost any style of dancing in vogue. This pleasure-giving pair have shown in London for 42 weeks, in a year at a stretch, and have played in many pantomimes in England. ■ Their turns are so original and fetching that they cannot but help commanding success, and when, to their extraordinary brilliancy on the stage is added a genial and charming personality, we get a husband arid wife in the profession who would be difficult to outshine. We publ’sh ' a portrait of Mrs. King (Miss Jennie Benson) in our present issue.-