Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-29
New York
Letter

NEW "A44@t
celebrities become identified with
some eccentricity, hobby, manner
Of dress or social habit.
Many, seeking the public lime
light, deliberately affect q pose
that later brands and labels them.
The merest street urchin knows
about it sooner or later. Others,
who fear they are slipping from
the spot light, quickly adopt an
eccentricity TO start the tongues
wagging. Still others, while being
themselves, find that thav have
some habit or interest that soon
becomes common knowledge.
The late David Belasco. for In
stance, didn't have country
place; didn't even Like to live In q
home or an apartment. To his
dying day he kept q suite In q
downtown hotel where ne could be
in the midst OF . city's lights and
noises. When others would run to
Long Island estates. Belasco would
walk around the corner to his
hotel. The famous clerical collar
he wore was a fake" and merely
looked ministerial II actually
wasn't.
Bully Guard. belonging to the
"old school" Of metropolitan gentle
men, wears old-fashioncd opera
capes when dressing up for the
evening-and without the slight
est intent at affectation. Yet 1t
marks him Immediately from the
crowd. The elder Morgan was
usually pictured as having q half
chewed black cigar In n corner
OF his mouth.
Pepy d'Albrew, the night : club
bing favorite Of many young society
ladies, had not been heard from In
the prints for many q week when,
one evening. he appeared at the
Surf club with q white mouse in
his coat lapel. 1t attracted SO
much attention, he wears one
quite regularly now, instead Of
boutonniere. Jimmy Durante cashed
Iii on q huge nose that might have
given other gents an inferiority
complex. Fanny Ward sits in an
upper box at the theater and,
facing the audience between acts.
flaunts her youth.
When Richard Dix comes to
town he registers under an assumed
name to avoid attention until he's
ready for it. Morris Gest Is said
to have worn the same slouch hat
for Is years. Earl Carroll appears
at first nights wearing q dirty
looking old smock. Some years ago,
Heywood Broun would attract at
tention by appearing at dressy
premieres In q SLOUGH suit TINT
needed pressing. He's got Q dress
suit now. Percy Hammond. another
famed critic, would appear In golf
knickers. Mick the Greek" most
picturesque of Rialto gambling
figures, seldom takes the trouble
10 mention his first name, and
thus a romantic gla--iour has been
built about him by the tale-spin-
nerS.
George White takes tickets at
the box-office, although producer
Of his shows. For years after
George Kaufman graduated into
one OF Americas best kndVvn play
wrights, ne insisted On doing his
tipping at an old desk in the New
York Times office where he goi
his newspaper start. Roland Young
who wound up In Hollywood. al
ways kept q dozen O more statu-
cites Of penguins in his dressing
room. William Morris, famed
vaudeville agent. plays pinochle al
night long unless some member
Of the family comes along to res
cue him. George M. Cohan viii
not enter q deal that requires q
contract and walks out when legal
tieups are demanded. Don Dicker-
man. though one Of the most sue
! cessful Of night-cluh preprietors
has an exploration bug, and run:
off with almost every VIII Beebt
expedition.
Harold Ross, editor OF New
Yorker. gets funny looking hair
cuts. So do the brothers Van Dorer
Carl and Mark. And Leo REFS
man. the society jazz leader, lets
his hair grow any old way.
CTo be continued some other
time.)