Evening star., 1932-07-24
z|EGFELD FUNERAL
TO Be HELD TODAY
Private Services Arranged.
Body Will Be Put in Vault
Pending Burial.
By the Associated Press.
-NY xyHUNOD

By the Associated Press.
HOLLYWOOD, Calf, July 23.-Wil
Rogers, cowboy humorist, who learned
the read to fame under Florenz Zieg-
field, announced today funeral services
for the producer would be held pri-
vately tomorrow at a time and place
not to be announced.
Rogers. who escorted the producers
wife home last night following Zieg-
fields death took charge of plans for
funeral arrangements. The comedian
explained Miss Billie Burke. the wife,
was in a Frustrated condition and she
desired to keep the funeral plans secret
to avoid crowds.
Following the funeral the body will
be placed in a vault. either here or In
New York a point which has not been
decided There will be no burial until
Miss Burke has completed picture on
which she is working, The burial will
be somewhere in the East. Rogers said
she will return to her work at the
studio next Wednesday.
Besides his widow, the producer is
survived by his daughter, Patricia, Is;
a brother, William. and sister. Mrs
William Buehl. both of Detroit.
Autopsy Ordered
Dr.. E. c. Fishbaugh, one OF the a.
tending physicians, ordered an autopsy
performed by DR.. HERNIA Teller. pathol-
ogist at the hospital. to establish def
death.
Miss Burke visited her husband yes
terday Afternoon and they talked for a
long time. Although weakened, he was
cheerful At $50 pm. the actress and
Patricia dined with him in his hos
pital room. They spent few minutes
together after dinner and then Miss
Burke left for studio, where she Is
making a picture her spirits elated by
the improvement he had shown.
Hardly four hours later she sped
madly in an automobile to the hos
pital and arrived two minutes after he
died.
1t was few minutes after 10 o'clock
when sudden pains attacked his abb
domen A nurse summoned one Of his
attending physicians DR.. Marcus Rab-
win. The doctor knew and Ziegfeld
knew.
He knew that death Was coming"
Dr. Rabwin said.
There were two sudden gasps from
the figure on the bed and life was
gone. Down the hospital corridor
came the sound of running feet
Through the door plunged Miss Burke,
aShen-faced.
Ziegfeld came to Hollywood about
week ago after resting in a New Mex
leo Sanitarium. He was suffering from
pleurisy and a general nervous condi-
ton. He improved daily and. although
his physicians, DR. Rabwin and DR.. E.
c. FEhbaugh, reported he was still in
danger, they held hope for recovery.
Might Have Been Farmer.
The real purpose of his trip TO Holly
wood, other than recovery Of his
health, was not disclosed, although 1t
had been rumored that he might enter
talking motion picture production and
it was known that he had considered
staging a reproduction of the famous
"Follies' here during the forthcoming
Olympic games. His wife had hoped
that he might settle down Ion farm"
She and her daughter had been living
in Santa Monica.
Along New Yorks Broadway the
Idea of Ziegfeld settling down to the
uneventful life Of a farmer did not
ories Of the glorious productions which
had been synonymous with his name
for SO many years. One even was run
ming when death came. Show Boat"
one of his most successful although 1t
was revived from previous show.
His newest production had been
"Hot Cha" which had not approached
previous successes. There were even
rumors that he died broke" for he
was prodigal spender in giving the
public shows thousands Of dollars deep
in lavishness.
From childhood his life had been
succession of vivid events. Born in
Chicago "a years ago, March 81. 1868,
he left home at the age Of 13 to romp
in the Western shows Of Buffalo Bill,
but parental objections prevailed and
he became a director of the Chicago
Musical College, where his father was
conductor.
The Worlds Fair in Chicago 40 years
ago first projected him into the role
of an impresario and starmaker He
gave America Anna Held, married her
and they were divorced. In New York
he began his "Follies" and the names
are familiar on many tongues, "Rio
Rita" ''Whoopee,' Louie the Four
teenth,'' Kid Boots Smiles sally"
and scores of others He searched the
country for beautiful girls and dressed
them daringly.
When nudity of the stage began to
become more commcnplace he suffered
touch Of dignity and announced that
thenceforWard his chorus girls would
be fully gowned He clung to this idea
for some years, but in his newest pro-
ductions he was coming once more
back to the Ziegfeld Of old.