The Washington times., 1934-07-07

the racket.
First of all, in case you are not
a thorough Broadwayite, it might
be wise for me to tell you that
Billy Rose practically revolu
tionized our night life last win
ter. Secondly, I must tell you
that-a!thcugh ne is not yet "a
years Of age-he is one Of Amer
ica's keenest showmen. And lastly
I wish to venture the opinion
that, before he hits the last
roundup, he will be the worlds
foremost theatrical magrate.
I have known Billy Rose some
10 or IL years. We were never
particularly friendly because ne
is not The type that forms deep
friendshipS-and neither am I
When I first met Billy he was
caustic, cynical, and q firm be
lever in Billy Rose. He hasn't
changed a bit.
Billy is a retirer. 70 make
that a bit clearer. vii! say that
the young man enters a business
with the greatest enthusiasm and
plans TO retire at q ertain age
to live in ease for the rest of his
life. He always keeps his word
to retire-but he always goes into
another business.
When he was very young he re
tired from Commerce High School
in New York to become a court
reporter. He had an uncanny
aptitude for shorthand and was
soon recognized as one Of the
three great experts in New York
in that line. At the age Of 10.
when he often earned as high as
5000 a week, he retired to become
a songwriter. He thereby became
the first character to hit Tin Pan
Alley via Dead Pan Alley.
He always swore that he'd re-
main single but, in 1929, he re-
tired from bachelorhood to marry
Fannie Brice, a unique and glori'
GUS star in the theater. In the
same year, he retired as one OF
Broadway's best songwriters and
entered the production field. He
retired temporarily from produc-
tions last fall to become the
outstanding success Of the caba-
ret field.
The only thing that worries me
about Rose is that he will some
day run out of things to retire
him FROM.
Billy is always revolutionary in
his business moves. He does
things that make other theatrical
figures look at one another and
tap their foreheads significantly.
In 1881, after his first big musi-
cal production, "Sweet and Low"
had run it's course in New York,
Billy determined to take it on
the road. He had three fine tai
ents in Fannie Brice, Phil Baker
and Ted Healy-and he was GER
tain the hinterlands would pay
to see them in an honest Broad
way production.
The wiseacres howled in glee.
They all agreed that the young
punk was definitely nuts. They
pointed out that the road had
been dead for years and that Of
fering the hicks a big Broadway
musical was sheer financial sui
eide.
"Sweet and Low"-playing all
over America under the title OF
"Crazy Quilt" netted a profit of
more than quarter of million
dollars before it was through
The road tour that everyone
laughed at, proved to be one of
the most profitable ventures in
theatrical history.
The wiseacreS said that Billy
Rose didn't really know anything.
He just happened to be lucky. L.
Another Break
Last December, Billy opened a
cafe called the Casino de Paree.
He took a side-Street theater that
had never housed a hit, ripped
the interior apart, staged a lavish
revue with gorgeous girls, offered
any number of side attractions
and served the entire concoction
to the public at very reasonable
prices.
At the opening, the wiseacres
nudged one another. This time,
they agreed, Rose had really over
Stenned himself The nlace had