The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-06-12

Nav York--If there Is any such
thing as q genuinely typical man
abouf-fown, he must be Elmer @:
T,eterman. He knows everybody OF
consequences from Wall street to
Tin Pan Alley to Hollywood and
Is the pet of every head waiter
In the knobbiest nighteries. His
Denfhouse on Central Perk West
4 perhaps the showiest in the up
per reaches of the Manhattan sky
line. and there gather the curious
assorfments of. guest-celebr1ties
who may include anybody from
the financially mighty Baruchs to
che proboscidate Jimmy Durante.
Ten years ago Leterman was o
woolens saleman, and before that
a $12-a-week dry goods clerk.
Now he is an insurance salesman.
A super-insurance broker. really,
for he writes any sort OF policy
from life or FIRE to protection
aeainst being kidnapped or having /.
twins. Harpo Marx has half-mil-
Iion-dollar policy on his hands,
with a specific value stated for
each Of his ten fingers. Eddie Can
tor has had his proturbant eyes
insured. Jimmy Durante's schnoz-
zIe has been underwater for
si00.00O Ben Turpin took out
S1O0. 900 worth of protection
against the remote chances of his
cross eyes going back to normal
a publicity stunt that was consid--
cred well worth the sos annual
premium he paid for it.
Dollars ana Sense
Mrs. Blanche Cavitt, who's In
the perfume business in Okiaho-
ma City, has her sense OF smell
insured for $4,000. And II any
thing happens to the dancing legs
of Maurice Mouvert, she'll get
quarter of a million dollars. Most
musicians have their hands in
sured: Paderewski, George Gersh-
win. Rudolph Frimi are among
Leterman's clients. Harry Rosen-
thai. the actor-pianist, has $240.-
900 protection for his right hand,
100000 for his left.
Leterman has written $1,000
900 ordinary life policies for Jesse
Iasky. Sam Katz, AL Joison, Doug
Las Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and
even little Mitzi Green. Mitzi, by
the way, pays a $4,000 annual
premium. John Barrymore and
Roxy come higher - .$2,000.000
each. Fannie Brice and Paul
Whiteman are among the haif-
million dollar customers. Joseph
Eohenck, president Of United Art
lists, has the most insurance. his
policies totaling $s.R5,ooo.
Hospitality Pays
loan Lowell before she started her
Hxro
Of the deep. This and most of the
aforementioned ususlau policies.
he explains, are handled by Lloyds
Of London, who will bet on prac-
tically anything.
A. e. Lefcourt, wealthy builder
ana realtor, is one of Letermans
best friends. One night he gave
q big dinner party for the. insur-
ance man, and arranged as q sur
prise to have everyone buy a poll
CIV. These totaled $1,200,000. and
made IL g pleasant evening indeed.
In celebration Leterman did some
thing he'd planned for a long time
went ND to Central Park next
incoming and gave q $1,000 paid-up
policy to every mounted Policeman.
| Favors to Fortune
How does he do all this? Well,
he'll tell you it's by making
friends and doing fayors Tor peo-
An example: Gregory Taylor.
New york hotel owner, bought .
Yacht the other day and voiced the
wish. at q party, that he could fly
an admiral's nag. Leterman brood
ed over that, finally decided to
have q hing ct making Taylor a
Kentucky admiral. So he tele-
phoned some influential friends
down Louisville way. who went to
see Governor Laffoon,, who issued
the commission. And now the in
surance man u planning a cere-
mony for the presentation OF an
ensign with four stars.