The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-23
Wife and Daughter Rush to
Bedside, Too Late to
Bid Farewell.
By United Press

By United Press
LOS ANGELES, July 23.-
Florenz Ziegfeld, known the world
over as the man who "glorifed the
American girl" was dead today,
victim of an attack of pleurisy that
followed pneumonia.
The silver-haired New York pro-
Queer, whose annual "Follies" was
an institution of the American
stage, died at 1890 Friday night.
His beautiful wife, Billie Burke,
and his daughter Patricia, were
near the bedside at Cedars of
Lebanon hospital when death came.
Ziegfeld'S death was unexpected,
although his condition had been
critical for several weeks. He had
been under treatment at a New
Mexico sanitorium and was brought
here this week, when he suddenly
became worse. His physicians,
however, had thought him improv-
ing in the last few days.
hiSe is spectacular
Born in Chicago in 1868, zieg-
fields rise to the heights of
theatrical fame combined an odd
mixture of astute business sense.
artistic dreams, and visionary
theories.
Through the passing fancies of the
show world, ziegfeld moved, chang
ing his productions to suit the
popular vagaries, but always leader.
Death came to ziegfeld just few
minutes before the hour when the
curtain ordinarily fell on one of
his lavish eXtravaganzaS.
The great producer was alone in
the hospital chamber, the finest in
the institution. He lay on the white
hospital bed, the fragrance of many
flowers in the air. A few minutes
before he gaily had babe goodnight
to his wife and 15-year-old daughter.
Miss Burke had gone to the R-K-
o film studio, where she was
engaged in making motion picture.
His { lighter Patricia had returned
to their home at Santa Monica.
Suffers Heart Attack
Helen Kennedy, Is, one of .zieg-
fields three nurses, each of them
rivaling in beauty some of the stars
OF the producers "Follies," entered
the room, attracted by the sound
of two sharp gasps.
At glance she saw her patient was
dead or dying. ziegfeld's personal
physician, DR.. E. c. Fishbaugh, was
out. Miss Kennedy reached his
associate, DR.. Maurice Radwin, who
was in the hospital, and he hur-
ried to the bedside.
ziegfeld had suffered heart at
tack and, weakened by the long
siege of pleurisy and pneumonia,
his body had been too feeble to re-
sist longer.
Miss Burke hurried from the film
lot. She collapsed as she entered
the room and found she had been
too late to see her husband alive.
Patricia arrived q few moments
later and mother and daughter wept
unreStrainedly.
A moment later, Will Rogers,
whose comedy act was one of the
most sensational successes to come
out Of the "Follies," came with his
wife. He had been told of the
death of his old friend and patron.
Comforts Stricken Pair
Sadly he comforted the producers
beautiful wife and daughter A few
minutes later Miss Burke and her
daughter left to spend the night
with the Rogers.
After the first outburst, Miss
Burke regained her outward COM
posure and calmly comforted her
weeping daughter.
The shock of the death was
heightened by the apparent strides
toward recovery Ziegfeld had made
in the last few days. His wife and
daughter dined' with him in the
flower-banked hospital room with
/ its view over the profuse flower
! gardens of the institution.