The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-11-06
Tex
Plays Her Role Right
Up to Very End
of Career.
BY BASIL GALLAGHER
Times staff Writer

IlSu IlGT 1IOIu IIl6 OOScurlJy Oh
Texas potato ranch to stardom in
the movies and on Broadway.
And now Texas has answered
her last curtain call, with death
in the prompter's seat, in a Van
couver hospital.
In the best tradition of the
theater, she played her role up to
the very end.
In press dispatches today from
the west coast, it is related that
she "wisecracked' to the last. A
small group of fearful friends
gathered round her bed at the hos
pital just before she lapsed into a
coma.
well, boys and girls" she is
reported to have said, I'm headin'
for the last roundup. And where
ever I'm going, I'll take all the
wisecracks with me.
And with final weak wave of
her hand she said family!
Come on, give this little girl
great big hand"
II
ITO people who did not know
Il Texas, this might have seemed
f1ippant, but to her intimates, it
is interpreted as typical "Guinan
gesture"
To Florence Weber of Crows
Nest, who starred in many musical
shows with Texas; to the writer
who was her press representative
during the halcyon days of the
Ell Fay Club in West Forty
fourth street, New York, and to
hundreds Of other Indianapolis
friends, La Guinan was much
more than the glamorous, wise
cracking might club queen"
Other traits surprising in woman
who was synonymous with Broad
way night life, were known only
to those who knew her well.
Most surprising, perhaps, was
her deep religious feeling. Be-
meath the hard veneer which
Broadway paints on its habitueS,
Texas Guinan preserved a deep
veneration for all that was sacred
in all religions. Many times the
writer has heard her cut-short
disparaging remarks made against
religion, which some guest at her
club made, perhaps in his cups.
Although she never drank her
self, she was tolerant of others
that is all others except the girls
who worked in her show. She
watched over their morals and
health with maternal care.
Ruby Keller, Alice Boulder,
Peggy Shannon and Claire Luce,
to mention only a few, started
their paths to stardom on the
small dance floor of the Ell Fay
Club with Texas.
TODAY Miss Weber, who has
l. deserted the stage to raise
chickens north of indianapolis, re-
called another outstanding Guinan
characteristic.
II think Texas most outstand-
ing virtue" said Miss Weber,
twas her unfailing generosity. No
one will ever know all of the little
private philanthropies she has
done hundreds of hungry show
girls she has Staked for a fresh
start, the thousands of dollars she
has given to all sorts of causes,
and most of all, the sunshine she
brought into the lives of so many
people She gave of herself gen.
erouSly."
Miss Weber recalled an incident
typical of the generosity of Miss
Guinan. A girl who had left her
show for vaudeville engagement
in Philadelphia, broke her back on
the stage Without sufficient funds
to pay for the operation, the girl
lay in hospital.
When the news reached the FL
Fay Club, Texas called for dona-
tions from the floor. Brokers,
gangsterS, men about town, stage
and screen stars responded with
a fund that not only paid for the
operation, but provided the show
girl with funds to care for her
during her recuperation. On that
occasion, Larry Fay, slain night
club proprietor, contributed $1,000.
Among her intimates, Texas
numbered the Prince of Wales,
whom she called Eddie" and
practically all the big" men of
New York and Chicago, who at
one time or another visited her
night clubs.
VXTHILE in indianapolis, Texas
w revealed another side of her
personality. A few days before
coming here, she had met we'll
known Arctic explorer. They
talked together for a long time.
During her stay in indianapolis
Texas got hold of all the books on
exploration she could find and
read them assiduously.
That's the way she u.s." her
manager Eddie Baker explained,
shes interested in everything.
She loves people. They're like
stimulant to her. Just give her
somebody to talk to-any one
and she's happy"
Its too bad she died so far
from Broadway " said Miss Web