The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-03-16

HIGHLAND AVENUE
 GIRL JOINS STARS
ScintiIlates at Winter Gar- den Show Career
 Began Here
BY JOE FAMIGLIETTI (Watefbury Democrat Correspond
 ent)


 (Waterbury Democrat Correspond
 ent)
 New York Judith Barron, Ave- feet four inches tall, and II pounds of dazzling blonde beauty, torch singer, also understudy for Jane Froman, was recently voted the most popular girl backstage of the Winter Garden theater, over which the ghost of the Great Glorifier", Florenz Ziegfeld hovers as singers and dancers go through their daily paces in "Ziegfeld Follies of 1884"
 Judith Barron was born on
 Highland avenue, exactly 26
 years ago, and is of Lithuanian
 descent; entered St JOseph'S
 Parochial school at the age of
 five, graduated and then at-
 tended local high school, grad
 uating from business college.
 Start in Waterbury
 Her first experience in show bus mess was when she appeared with the popular Doctor Bernie" O'Hara at Elks' Hall, again, at the Strand theater. Bill Cunningham, who is still directing many shows
 
 chance in the theatrical world. Our Judith was not to be turned aside, she entered the New York School of Art and Music, while there, she also was the proud and happy re- cipient of high honors!! And Why Not!! This lovely little bundle of vivaciousness walked away with the laurels which were sought by every other student in the little red school house.
 This distinction led to immedi- ate recognition among vaudeville managers and in no time she be- came a headliner. Not content with solid booking engagements alone, she, the little song-bird, invaded the bigger shows. ~
 Has Merit
 Naturally enough, the one great element known as merit was pres ent. This combined with an inex- haustible ambition to keep on the upward grade, keeps Judith fresh and up-to-date. Just as any good stage artist must live the part be- ing portrayed, so must she "feep the theme of her songs. Perhaps as the most philanthropic of her pro- fession, Judith has never refused her services for benefits, no mat ter the cause or creed.
 It's natural to wonder how Ju- dith got her start in the present Follies. She was singing at the Iris Club in Miami, when MT Shubert, the producer of the Follies heard her. He immediately engaged her for the forthcoming production. Annnr1inxr fn hn far 1f tract she was to be given only two weks trial, in the show, being placed with Don Ross to sing a duet. Such was the ovation at the premiere that Shubert, who was standing in the wings, extended the engagement of the lyrical lass in- definitely.
 Works Hard
 She works hard, does Judith. AL ways striving to better herself in the realm of music. Even now she attends her former music school daily at a 11:00 a. m., which is very trying on girl in her place, work ing until the wee hours of the mornings. When she decides to try new number, she takes the song with all its orchestrations home with her and pulls it to pieces to see what makes it tick"-and trys to make it "click". A song to Ju- dith means character, a part that she must rehearse for the musical story" If more singers took their work as seriously there would be more Judith Barrons.
 Miss Barron is known as a real trOuper. Last week, for instance, Miss Jane F,rOman was taken i'll and managers were at a loss who should be called to fill the gap? There was no time to be lost. An,
 someone had it! Why not put Judith in?
 Needless to say, Miss Barron more than filled the bill. So tre- mendous was the applause that the management wondered why they hadn't thought of engaging her for Miss Froman's part. Instead they came to 8 sudden decision and made her Jane's understudy. In Other Shows Other shows she has appeared in | were "The Sketch Book" which had successful New York run for two years. She also went on the | road with this show.
 As any other correspondent would reveal the habits of 8 future star, so will this dept She very seldom smokes and prefers her steak rare when this writer visited her dressing room, she was just starting to devour a generous 'helping of pancakes, which is another of her delights.
 That dear reader (you notice I used the singular) winds up an- other story of 8 local gal who has made good in the Big City.