Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-07-17
New York
Letter

NEW yORK-Chair NO. 6 a.
the Hotel Aston barber shop Is prac-
tically dedicated to the potentates
OF Broadway and members OF their
court.
An almost perpetual reservation
keeps IL open for It's favored seekers
OF haircuts. shaves. messages and
shampoos.
In charge OF this ~tonsorial dais Is
the good Herr Guttman. but around
his Broadway reservations he X
merely Fritz To others he Is Fritz
or the Aston" And 50 he has been
long enough to beccmeA a tradition.
He has been there since. the open
ing days OF the Aston, which was
something like rs years ago or more.
He has known the shaving disIIkes
and likes OF the old timers and the
new-timers. Three Of the historic
Four Cohans en- e to his chair be-
fore George M. had internationally
identified himself with the big
street" George AIDE would drop In
IN the days when The College
Widow was establishing the humor-
lists Broadway reputation, and mag
ing him a considerable fortune. The
late Louis Mann, M OF the funni-
est gents OF yesteryear. was tang
ling English In an inimitable man
ner.
Fritz had arrived, as a lad. from
Germany. He had taken a chair. IN
due time. at the old Holland House
and, when the Astcr came into be-
ing, he was among the first to move
over. He has never left. And he has
done very well for himself. Not only
have his tips been fat-when they
were-but i,e has q list OF famous
ones who would 20 to no other
barber. He knows all too we'll Jus.
how they want their hair fixed.
A few OF his customers include
the late David Belasco, AL Jolson,
Nick Schenck. the late Nat Good
yin. Sam Bernard and Marcus
y o1y. Wi-.am Morris. Sam Harris.
George M. Conan, and just about
ely the rest OF the Broadway "celebs."
Perhaps you can recall the white
an silken hair OF Belasco-at least
you have seen photographs OF It.
Most particular was the veteran
producer. But Fritz knew exactly
how to produce q billowy suggestion
or a pompad0ur.
Cohan likes a leisurely afternoon
with his barber, and SO rarely visits
the shop. He has a standing ap-
pointment. which takes Fritz to the
Cohan country place. Cohan likes
his ~barbering done at home. He s
more than pasSingl- finicky about
his haircuts. though 1t seems merely
a well-plastered moo 10 n person
looking at 10 from the audience seat.
While his barbering Is being done,
he talks about the old-timefs that
Fritz kne so well.
Charles Dillingham; II another
with barber chair eccentricities. He
finds this a relaxing place for carry
ing on various business engagements.
He has been known to make an APP
pointment with various interested
parties. from authors and actors 20
producing associates. Conferences, II
has been said. have frequently heen
conducted from Chair No. q and the
fates Of plays and players settled by
the end OF a haircut. So 1t comes
about that Fritz has heard much
and see much. He has been given
tips on races and has heard just
about all there Is to be said about
plays-past. present or future.
Fritz finds that most actors and
producers leave the tonsorial pro-
blems to him, and accept his ver-
dict. They are among the most gen.
eral or tippers. 80 Fritz Is more than
comfortably well off. He has never
asked for a theater pass. and most
of the play <olk appreciate that.
His regular customers keep him
SO busy and his appointments are
50 many that he rarely has time
for an outsider. He Is. in a sense,
the first barber Of Broadway"