Word: wits
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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Friends of Andersen have alleged that on at least one occasion his wit came to the rescue of his timidity where royalty was concerned. Frederik VII, grandson of Andersen's original benefactor, Frederik VI, challenged the aged fabulist to a drinking bout. He accepted, but bribed a royal servitor to fill the silver cup passed to him with water. Some hours later, Frederik, by then in no mood to be trifled with, detected the fraud. '"Cheat! Will you pledge your King in water...
...chief requisites for an entertaining talker are an exuberant vanity, a wit modified by the ability to criticize a remark before it is made, and above all something to talk about. Joseph Pennell, famed etcher, has entertained a great many people-great authors whose books he has illustrated, pressmen who have interviewed him, artists who have asked him to dinner, ladies' clubs before which he has lectured on his own life and works. Thousands of sincere admirers have said to him: "Oh, Mr. Pennell, you do talk so splendidly you really ought to put it all down...
...Englishman of considerable standing in his own community. On this side his reputation as director is rather ragged. In fact many of the critics consider his work inferior. He seems to put a pompous and theatrical feeling into the proceedings; at any rate, he did in this production. The wit of the infallible comedy shone through but dimly...
...probably best known for her intermittent activities with various opera companies, including the Metropolitan. She turns to straight acting every now and then. She happens to have turned to it now in a conventional farce from France, in which there are husbands and lovers, politeness and indiscretion, wit and a song or two for Mme. Sylva. She plays a bustling relative who hurtles in and carries off the lover for herself. All mildly amusing...
...wonder whether the proposal to erect a statue in Central Park to Buddha comes from Will Rogers. It is quite worthy of his fertile wit. Buddha! What's the matter with Mahomet? What's the matter with Confucius, to say nothing of Bab? And there is a sect called the Mormons, and there was Mrs. Eddy. What's the matter with any or all of these...