Theatricals Music Feat ur es
9
Harlem Sketches
_______
(By SID THOMPSON for ANP)
New York, Dec. 23—We have re
ceived numerous letters from out
»f town folks who want to know if
New York celebrities are kinkty.
We are glad to say that when one
gets to know celebrities one will
find them just the same kind of
peoplo they will find in their own
neighborhood at home. They have
the same faults and good features.
Intimato contact with them reveals
they are anxious to make friends
as any other person. Usually one
will find them going out of their
way to be gracious, for so fickle
is public fancy they would hardly
take a chance of offending. While
they must “pose” and not be quite
themselves when out in public view
when met at home they are exact
ly like the people you play bridge
with and visit. Approach them
while on tour of your section and
if you are lucky enough to get an
invitation to one of their homes or
quarters in the hotels, please go for
you will not regret it.
THUMBNAIL SKETCHES OF
HARLEMITE: James II. Hubert,
executive director, New York Ur
ban league. Born in Georgia, son
of 12 children. Attended grammar
school in white Plains, high school
in Atlanta, college at Morehouse,
lenguo in 1910. Made a survey of
Read of the founding of Urban
crime among Negroes in Atlanta
and used findings as theme of com
mencement address. Taught school
in 1911. Given la fellowship in
social service by the Urban league
in 1912. Entered same year at Col
umbia in the New \ork school of
Social Work. Did Community work
among Negroes and Indians of
Massachusetts for three years. Or
ganized and enrolled the first mem
ber of Urban league in Brooklyn
where he was head for three years.
Came to New York in 1918, organ
izing Urban league here. It was
incorporated in 1920 while still in
its one room office on Seventh ave
nue. Under protests by board of di
rectors, bought present buildings
on 136th street and began to ex
pand league work. Secured from
Harry Hopkins a budget of $10,
000 for Negro health work and
caused an immediate drop in infant
mortality among Ntgroes. New
York’s colored population now has
the lowest infant mortality rate of
any city in the country.
Ho is the proudest of the fact
ho was instrumental in establish
ing the first rural school for Ne
grots in Georgia. Started in a log
cabin, it now is one of the finest
schools in that section of Georgia.
He is married, has two boys and
one daughter. His hobbits are
bridge playing, fishing and garden
ing. He has quite an extensive flo
wer and vegetable garden in
Queens where he lives. Says he is
making the Urban League his life
work. Is known to every person of
consequence in the country thru the
fine work done by the league.
HARLEMANIA Prominent de
butante who answered ad for Kit
Kat Klub, spot for a society singer
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Duffy Pharmacy
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from Harlem, said she would ap
ply for the job IF her name was
not used in the papers. And pub
licity buildup was what the Kluib
wanted_Harlem is benefited or
over-run with various “benefits’’
during this season. We wonder how
many are legitimate—Harlem La
bor union, which has done much
good in obtaining jobs here, is un
der fire of white labor unions. As
usual Negroes “affiliated” with
these white unions are taking up
tho cudgel in behalf of the white
brother. When will we get together.
So many crazy people are seen
daily on the streets of Harlem, no
one pay8 any attention to them,
not even the police—Landlords are
still charging enormous prices for
rent and fighting all housing pro
positions which would make lower
rents.
YE NITE LIFER IN HARLEM:
—Charming Enid Raphael, star of
many legitimate productions, has
been secured as feminine lead in
“Folicy Kings”, music comedy tra
vestey on numbers racket in Har
lem. It will be presented at the
• Ncra Bayes Theatre Monday even
ing Dec. 26.—Duke Ellington. Ivy
Anderson and an all star stage
shew occupy the boards at Brook
lyn s Strand Theater beginning
D' . 11. Wiliam Simmon’s drama,
“I r e: house Bill,’’ a sociological
st' was orosented at the YWCA
I la Theater Thursday night,—
“ .ndrocles and the Lion” will be
prer -ft! r* fig La Fayette thence
b .! 10 ,as a WPA offer
ing. Many noted names in the cast,
Andy Kirk and his ork played the
Savoy ballroom last Sunday. The
Utopia Club’s benefit for their
children's home at the Renaissance
Casino Sunday was well attended.
Galaxy of stars on hand to aid. Ta
! lented string and wind instrument
players are wanted for the Negro
Symphony orchestra now being
formed in New York. Cab Calloway
and his gang, Whitey’ Lindy Hop
pers and others headline a flashy
stage show at Loews State Theater
in Times Square. Bill Robinson
opened in Philly this week. Duke
Ellington will play for the YMCA
at City College on Jan. 3.
Winkin', Blinkin and Nod will go
tho air sometime this month. They
Auditions were held at Kit Kat
are current in Brooklyn this week.
Klub this past Wednesday for a
society colored girl singer. Results
have not been announced yet. Pre
sentation of “In Abraham’s Bosom”
depicting the Negro’g post-civil
War struggle for education, was an
outstanding event in Brooklyn last
week. The Harlem Highlanders, a
new orchestra aggregation, are cur
rent at Kellys Stable in the down
town section. Delores Wililams, a
now' singing star, warbling at the
Hotel St. George, Brooklyn, wows
them when she chirps, “Can’t Help
Loving that Man.”
WITH THE CABARETS— THE
Elks Rendezvous is one of the most
modern and modernistic caberets
in Harlem .Always a good floor
show presented. Now counted a
omng the “big four” of Harlem.
SMALL’S PARADISE is outstand
ing with its new revue. That “no
cover charge” sign is responsible
for the increase in Harlemite pa
trons. Baby Goins and Miller
Worthington, ace Harlemcee, are
going to town at the SKY CLUB.
Ovie Alston started at the Appolo
theatre Dec. 16. He has been play
Effective May 1st:
20 Cent Discount
on Laundry & Dry Cleaning
Cash and Carry
Edholm and Sherman
Launderers & Dry Cleaners
WE 6055
ing at the downtown Roseland ball
room, one of the largest and finest
in the city. THE MANDALAY
BAR and GRILL, owned and opera
ted by Lillian B. Manley is a ren
dezvous of many stage and musical
celebrites. Special arrangements
are now being made at the
PLANTATION to care for the in
creased holiday business expected
there. The floor show continues to
be the best in Harlem. The CA
VALCADE celebrated its first an
niversary last week in putting on
one of the finest and largest floor
I shows seen in Harlem for a long
, time. THE NEW ’CAPITOL CA
BARET it not only noted for its
splendid floor show but for the
number of pretty Spanish girls who
go there nightly. HARLEM HOL
LYWOOD and its continous enter
' tainment attracts large crowds
every afternoon and night. New
bartender here who knows his mix
ing*.
Items for this column and ques
tions on Harlem are invited. Ad
dress all communications to Sid
Thompson, 129 W. 122nd Street N.
Y. City. Always enclosing stamps
for a reply.
-0O0-—.
RATING THE
RECORDS
By FRANK MARSHALL for ANP
Give Records for Christmas
If you haven’t yet decided what
to gi'e those friends you ax-e posi
tive will remember your Christinas
day, why not take a tip fi’om this
column and rush to the nearest re
cord store? (Naturally this doesn’t
' count if your friends have no re
coi-d players.) Nobody has too many
discs ,nor can anybody of aveiage
means be expected to keep up with
each new release. Records make
good .inexpensive and greatly ap
preciated gifts, and while you’re
at it, buy a few for yourself.
There ai-e many special Christ
mas numbers avaible. Decca, for
instance, has Bing Crosby singing
SILENT NIGHT coupled with O
COME ALL YE FAITHFUL; Ken
ny Baker’s voice on O HOLY
NIGHT coupled with O LITTLE
TOWN OF BETHELEHEM ; Fran
, ces Langford has waxed SILENT
NIGHT and ADESTE FIDLES,
while on the lighter side of the
Riley-Farley orchestra has JINGLE
BELLS plus SANTA CLAUS IS
COMING’ TO TOWN and the Men
About Town has a novelty offer
ings °f Christmas PARTY on both
sides and Christmas Day, another
two sider, to mention only a few of
the holiday discs. The good thing
about them is that they never go
out of fashion and will be just as
up to date n 1958 as they are in
193d.
Do They Prefer LATEST HITS
If your friends take pride in
; keeping abreast of the lastest pop
i ul.ir tunes, in smooth and sweet
I vein instead of hot, take your
! choice of these discs that are just
' finding they way into the stores:
LOVELAND IN THE WINTER
| TIME plus, I HAD TO DO IT. by
i Horace Heidt on Brunswick 8273.
] The first is a waltz and the second
i side is a new number written by
Andy Razaf and Fats Waller. Very
j smooth. KINDA LONESOME and
I I GO FOiR THAT, by al Donahue
and his orchestra on Vocalion 4524.
Both are from “St. Louis Louis
Blues.’’ The new film featuring
Maxine Sullivan, I CAN’T SA^ IT
TOO MANY TIMES plus the JIT
TEROO by Phil Lang’s band on
Brunswick 8276. The first is smooth
and the second is somewhat torrid
THEY SAY and YOUR EYES
ARE BIGGER THAN YOUR
HEART, by George Hall’s band
with vocals by Dolly Dawn, on Vo
calion 4523. Very smooth.
Lawrenco Welk with his Cham
pagne Music has also cut LOVE
LAND IN THE SUMMERTIME &
PIED PIPER OF HAMLIN TOWN
on Vocalion 4525. The latter side is
coupled with PLEASE COME OUT
OF YOUR DREA Mon Brunswick
8275 by Seger Ellis and his choir
of Brass. I prefer the Ellis treat
ment of Pied Piper. JUST LIKE
THAT and JUST AN ORDINARY
MOON are two more smoothies by
Johnny Long’s band on Vocalion
| 4526.
American Beach* Controlled by Negroes
More than 20 acres situated on
the Atlantic ocean, 45 minutes from
Jacksonville, Fla., comprise Ameri
can beach, the largest strip of
ocean front owned and controlled
by Negroes anywhere along the
Atlantic Seaboard.
Executive and employes of Tho
Afro-American Life Insurance Co.e
provide this ideal watering place!
through cooperation and vision.
With an adequate water system,
electrically lighted streets, modern
homes and summer cottages, A
meriean Beach is expected to fill
a long felt want and mark another
epoch in the history of racial de
velopment. (ANP PHOTO)
For Jitterbugs and 'Gators
Most of the aforementioned discs
will bore your friends if they’re
honest-to-goodness jitterbugs or
alligators. I nthut case, give 'em
DEEP IN A DREAM and HURRY
HOME, two popular tunes with
that terrific Bob Crosby treatment
on Decca 2151, or grab up WAIT
UNTIL MY HEART FINDS OUT
plus LIGHTLY AND POLITELY
by Gene Krupa on Brunswick 8274.
Krupa doesn’t get off on the skins
but the record has a strong Good
man flavor. Probably the Jimmy
Mundy influence, LIGHTLY and
I POLITELY a n.d JEEI'ER'S
CREEPERS are on Vocalion 4527
by Fred Feibel quartet. The re
cord has its good snots. An electric
organ is the backbone of the quar
tet.
If you want one of the oldest
I waxings heard is some time when
you get THE THING and GETTIN’1
IN THE GROOVE by A1 Cooper’s
j Savoy Sultans on Decca 7525. This
Harlem band has style and rhythm
akin to Lunceford's. There’s a bass
solo taken violin style on the first
side which increases the querness. j
Remember AUNT HAG AR’S
BLUES by W. C. Handy? It’s com
bined with I’M COMIN’ VIRGIN
IA on Decca 2145 by Paul White
man’s Swing Wing featuring the
great Jack Teagarden with the
Modernaires. Interesting arrange
ments plus grand trombone, with
. the latter side intended more for
| listening than dancing.
OH. LADY BE GOOD, and OH
YOU BEAUTIFUL DOLL, by Bob
Wills and his Texas Playboys, on
Vocalion 4525. Swell in spots but
they ought to shoot the vocalist
on the second side. AVALON and
AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ by Joe Dan
iels Hot Shots on Decca 2184. Good
rhythm and treatment, with ca
pable drum solos by the leader.
How'd you like some sizzling stlye
by Harry Roy’s orchestra. Ovie
Alston and his Whispering Trumpet
from Harlem town have a couple
of good Vocalion swingeroos re
leased lately. They’re WALKING
THE DOG and HOME COOKING
MAMA.
For Interested Intimates
All the record compapnies have
what they call “race lists” featur
ing blues and numbers with risque
lyrics. They used to be frowned
upon, but it’s a mark of “sophisti
cation” nowadays to listen to them.
Topping them all is that opus
DON’T YOU MAKE ME HIGH by
Blue Lu Barker on Decca 7506. Be
lieve it or not, this is one of the
biggest sellers ever produced by
Decca company. The other side is
HE CAUGHT THAT BANJO, an
old fashioned blues. Or did you
know it had another aide? A gen
tleman known only as Bill Bill
has waxed GOOD TIME TONIGHT
and HELL AIN’T BUT A MILE
AND A QUARTER on Voealion
‘15.'S2. It gooes good with high-'
lulls and beer.
-oOo
“MIKADO” SETS RECORD
Chicago, Dec, 2” (ANP)—Pro
ducer Harry M'inturn and his all
Negro “Mikado” cast are the pos
sessors this week of a unique re
cord.
Federal Theatre’s amusing, high
ly seasoned production has enjoyed
tho longest run of any single Gil
ber and Sullivan operetta since
1.908 when a revival of the same
pieco chalked up a lengthy run in
London.
“Tho Mikado” is now playing to
its 11th week of packed house at
tho Great Northern, and there is
every indication that it will con
tinue after the fashion of the Ten
nyson’s brock.
Federal Theatre’s version of the
Gilbert and Sullivan masterpiece J
is highly spiced. As first produced
in 1885, the Mikado was laid in
Japan and sounded like London.
The current attraction at the Great
Northern is laid in a Pacific island
and sounds like Harlem. A jitterbug
encore to the popular “Flowers that
Bloom in tho Spring” number has
stopped the show every night since
is first opened Sept. 25 ,
A recent survey of a Wednesday
night Mikado revealed that fully
five per cent of those in atten
dance had seen the production be
fore. “The Nogro ‘Mikhdo’ one
member of the audience said: “is
new every time you see it.”
FOUR MUSICAL ORGANIZA
TIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN
12TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS
CONCERT
Atlanta, Ga., December 16 On
Friday evening, December 16, four
musical organizations of Atlanta
university, Moreholuse College,
and Spelman College, assisted by
three soloists, will take part in
the 12th annual Christmas Carol
Concert sponsored by these insti
tutions. Under the direction of
Kemper Harreld and his assistants
Willis I-aurence James and Mrs.
Noamah Williams Maise, the caro
lers are getting ready for a pro
gram that promises to be one of
the best that has been odlfered
since these concerts were inaugu
rated eleven years ago.
The Concert will be held in Sis
ters chapel on the campus of Spel
man College, and will include in
addition to the many traditional
carols and old favorites, carols with
unusual arrangements from foreign
lands and Negro Christmas spiri
tuals.
Hill Robinson Stages
Season’s Biggest Bene- j
fit for Actors’ Guild
__
New York, Dec. 17—The first
pnnual benefit for the Negro Act
tors Guild, staged under the per
sonal direction of Bill Robinson
at the Forty-sixth Street Theatre
last Sunday night proved not only
one of the greatest shows of the
season hut also to be another testi
monial to the popularity of Har
lem’s most outstanding personali
ty, Bill himself. Out of Robinson’s
best boasts is that he has played
moro benefits than any other liv
ing star, and last week some of the
organizations whom he had aided
had an opportunity to show their
appreciation, and did.
The theatre was crowded, with
the orchestra seats selling at $5
and $10 each. In addition, Mr. Ro
binson announced that he had re
ceived something like $8060 in cash
and checks from interested mem
bers of the profession.
That Robinson’s friends are le
gion was attested by the fact that
a Catholic priest came all the way
from Buffalo to show his interest
in the cause. He was Father Cle
men Buckley, who in a few well
chosen remarks asked his audience
lurgely white not to forget to peak
out in behalf of the most persecuted
minority group in the world, the
Negro, in their demands for jus
tice.
The show itself opened with The
Roxyettes, and was climaxed with
a solo by Miss Marian Anderson,
now the world’s leading concert
artist. Between these acts for three
and a half hours, some of the big
gest names on Broadway became
animate across the footlights and
kept the crowd enthralled with
their entertainment, despite the
length of the program.
Actually appearing on the bill
were: Eddie Cantor, Cappy Bai
riet and His Harmonica Rascals,
Milton Berle, Fat^ Waller, Billy
Gaxton and Victor Moore, Sophie
Tucker, Harry Herschfield, Fath
er John MeCnormiek, and Rabbi
Bernard Bernstein, Ben Bernie,
Louis Armstronf, Ted Friend,
Hall Johnson's Choir, Henny
Youngman, Dave Appollo, the
Radio City Ballet, Maik Plant,
Nancy Heaiy, (niece of Dan Heaiy,
the master of ceremonies,) Benny
Fields, Duke Ellington, Fjjhel
Waters, Cab Calloway and the Cot
ton Club revue, wh!eh included the? -
Barry Brothers, \Y. C. Handy, the
Nicholas Brothers and the Cotton
Club Chorus.
Elmer A. Carter, editor of Op
portunity and a member of the Un
employment Insurance Appeals
Board, thanked the performers and
audience for their support of the
Negro Actors Guild in their initial
benefit, and told of some of the
objectives of that organization.
Remarks of thanks were also made
by Miss Fredi Washington, exec
utive secretary of the Guild, and
by Bill Robinson, who also enter
tained and introduced a group of
children—the Philly Hillbilies and
a six year old girl whom he had
trained to dance. Another amazing
child star, a three year old white
girl, did some amazing feats of
memory.
Among the distinguished audi
ence were many notables in the
theatrical and civic life of New
York, including Gene Buck, presi
dent of the Association of Com
posers and Authors; Commission
er Edward P. Mulrooney of the
State department of Corrections,
and many others.
-0O0
Opportunity Managing
Editor Is Proud Papa
New York, Dec. 16 (C)—1To Mr.
and Mrs. Edward H. Lawson, jr.
last Sunday was born a baby dau
ghter, it was announced Monday.
Mr. Lawson is the youthful manag
ing editor of Opportunity Maga
zine, 1133 Broadway.
.V.VWAVLW.Y.V/.mW
CHOP SITEY
Open from 2 p. m. until 3 a. nr.
King Yuen Cafe ..
2010'/, N. 24th St. JAckson 8576
American and Chinese Dishes
WrtVAWV.1. AW.W.'.n
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(formerly the Apex Bar)
A COMPLETE ASSORTMENT OF LIQUORS—BEERS AND'
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SPACIOUS DANCE FLOOR — NEWLY DECORATED
1818N.24THST. JA. 9331