Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
BY GILBERT. SW An.
Sketches by George Clark.

OfiStNstSS Oy OSpI sc 1ttb
~ ONE call them broadway Cinde-
reilas'' and some call them show
u shoppers"
few are certain to appear each
season. and the 1890 crop is now
ready to step up and take its bow, its rewards,
and its moments of fame.
Now Broadway Cinderella, according to the
definition of the gay white way, is youngster
who steps suddenly out of nowhere into in
slant popularity and success.
While thousands plug steadily along, seldom
passing the great playground, and while
others make slow, steady way to the top
or two three, whose names have never
dignified theater program, come fairly leaping
out of a dramatic cast. And-presto! They
stop the Showl"
Before the final curtain is rung down on a
premiere the whole house knows that a young
stranger has stolen the evening" BY morning
all Broadway knows it, thanks to critics and
coumnists Within a half dozen hours, Holly
wood is on the phone and the cinderella" finds
contracts blowing in at every open window.
Fame and wealth and public aduation are just
around the corner if she can but keep her dane
ing slippers on her feet and her mind on her
work.
The talkies and the radio and the phono-
graph record makers; the supper club and the
intimate private entertainments of the wealthy
social sets-a dozen opportunities for quick
wealth are suddenly offered.
MEET, them the first of the 1880 crop!
Heading the list may be found the tom
boyish Ginger Rogers and the 1.-the, foottappng
little Doris Carson.
Their stories are echoes Of all the other sim
thar show stopping" tales Of the Main Stem
Ginger, for instance, was a country town
girl. Her home was near Independence Mo-
She could dance almost as soon as she could
stand on her feet, and her parents encouraged
her
While she was still youngster they moved
to Fort Worth. She began making appear
ances at the usual local entertainments and
concerts.
Then came the "'break'-Eddie Foy and his
little Toys" were coming through vaude-
vile tour. One of the Little Foys" happened
TO be ILL., and 1t was thought best to get a SUBJ
stitute. The theater manager asked If some
good local talent could be secured, and the
elfsh Ginger found herself in "the big time"
That started a yearning for a stage career.
Ginger found herself in New York couple
Of years ago looking for job. But when she
danced upon the stage, the location wasn't
Broadway It was across the river in Brook
lyn. And the theater was movie house. She
was part of one of those picture theater pro-
logueS to be found in almost any town.
But it so happened that Paul Ash and his
well known band came out from Chicago for
an engagement at this same theater.
"A SH, it may be recalled, was the band macs
tro who picked up Helen Kane out of just
such a group Helen, who had been one of
the Broadway Cinderellas in her own time had
long since made her big hit and was In the
big leagues" travelling between Broadway and
Hollywood.
Ash was looking around for a new discovery.
And he picked On Ginger. She had a sort of
Helen Kaney way of singing q song, but her
dancing reminded one of the loose, rOmpang
Zelma ONeal Now Zelma q Cinderella
Of couple Of seasons hack She had come
East via Hollywood, from Chicago stockyard
telephone operators job, something of a re-
versal of the usual order-and when she begun
her collegiate cavortfng in Good News" the
show was halted for 20 minutes while the audi
ence hUwled for 'the varsity drag"
80 zelhas out In the HoIlyWoods now, and doing
very weH, thank you. AS fer Ginger, the at
tendance Of the movie Rouse knew her. but