New Britain herald., 1930-04-07
FRED STONE KEEPS
 HIS SHOWS CLEAN
And Finds Public Doesn't Want
 That Type of Entertainment

New York, April z - Fred Stone, dean among clowns, will quit the stage rather than consent to the change that would give his show the flavor of the risquc.
 Such Is the ultimatum to the theater following the recent calami- tous "crack-up" of his most recent vehicle, Nipples" on Broadway crack-up which has hurt the fa- nous comic far more thah the physical injuries received when an airplane crash took him from the footlights.
 That a Fred Stone show could ever flop" on the Gay White Way has always been unthinkable. His status was that of a national in. situation. His past was made up oi two-year runs and crowds stand ing in line at the box office.
 The, after a mere eight weeks which had shown constantly dwindling attendance, came word that "Ripples' would be taken off and sent on the road.
 To all of which, the comedian who rose to fame in "The Wizard Of Oz' arches puzzled eyebrow and shakes his head.
 "1 don't know what it's all about. Broadway has changed-that seems to be the answer" Stone said. Times have changed too. used to think I knew Broadway-heave knows, Broadway seemed to know me.
 I Won't Change"
 "Yes - and today I have hun dreds of good people behind me, people who write me encouraging letters every day; people who tell me to keep up the good work and fight things as they have become. l get dozens of them every day. You should see the letters that come from the children. And where are these children going to go; what are they going to see? Parents certainly cant take them to these dirt shows around town; shows that bring blushes to their elders.
 "One thing is certain. I won. change. If they don't like the clean product I give them well, we all know where the exit door is. I'll never have my name over any production that brings a blush.
 Perhaps I don't know what the people want. It seems perplexins that they should have changed so much in few years. And I hear so many stories. I hear about dirty shows that are doing tre- mendous business. Well, if that's what the people want, I suppose there will be people to give it to them. I won't. I swear I won't. Other days, other ways. No use quibbling about it''
 However, Stone is going to give the rest of the country a chance. He's far from sure that every things like Broadway and every one reacts as Broadway reacts.
 Along the big stem you'll hear lots of whispers and some that are far louder than whispers. These voices will tell you that Fred Stones notions are Mar out of date; that he hasn't kept up to the times. They point out that William Hodge, who never played to the Broadway crowd, gave his latest show couple of naughty twists - yes, even introduced a bedroom scene and a badger game and presented a situation wherein, while drugged, he's photographed in this bedroom with a pretty blackmailer.
 The younger generation has grown "wise." They don't blush at the naughty lines and situations any more, say the wise ones. That was all right for their grandmoth- CTS But they know what it's all about.
 Street Has Changed
 Yet, after 40 years of trouping, Stone sticks to his particular guns.