“A NOSE FOR LAUGHS.”

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1292, 28 January 1915, Page 37

“A NOSE FOR LAUGHS.”

“I ve been associated With a few stars in my time,” said Mr Maurice Dudley to a Sydney reporter, ‘‘and I can honestly say that Mr Fred Niblo is the most unselfish comedian I have ever known. It is not unusual in our profession to find a star making laughs impost.'hie for anyone but himself to get. Mr Niblo doesn’t care who gets them as long as they’re got- He goes for the good of the piece. The more laughs, the better the play. That, in my judgment, is the secret of hi-s remarkable success in Australia. He has got them all working to the one end- He will work as hard and as skilfully for someone else to land a laugh as he will to spring one himself. After an act I have seen him go to one of the company and say ‘You got a new laugh to-night. Just what did you do to bring it? We’ll come down to-morrow morning and run through that scene just to make certain of making that laugh a permanent one!’ Then, again, he’ll say, if the occasion demands it, ‘Mr So-and-so, you lost your laugh in such and such a scene to-night. Do you know how it happened?’ If he doesn’t, Mr Niblo will explain it. He ha s the technical side of the laughter business down to a fine point. It’s an instinct, you know. Some reporters have a natural nose for news, as you are aware. Fred Niblo has a nose for laughs. If there’s one on the ’script he’ll find it. It doesn’t matter whose part it’s in. If the actor can t find it himself Mr Niblo will put him on to it and show him just how it can be won.”

Mr. E. Pirie Bush, the Wellingtonian, is scoring well with his part of Sammy in ‘‘Broadway Jones” at the Criterion, Sydney.