Evening star., 1934-09-18
Troupers
Glimpses Of Stage Folk
in Washington.

A CovEY of local drama oracles
went charging up the line yes
terday to meet one Richard Powell,
as pleasant a gentleman as ever
crooned into a megaphone or looked
long and cheerfully into an ingenue's
eyes. Under the convivial guidance Of
Frank LaFalce. Bill Ewing and others
of the Washington Warner Bros
staff, the scribes were sheperded into
Philadelphia Bellevue Stratford for
buffet luncheon, complete with
glasses, and talk with the handsome
young chap from Arkansas who is
currently rated leading musical star
of the movies More important to
you at the moment is the fact this
same Mr.. Powell will come to the
Earle stage on Friday to begin a
weeks personal appearance.
In the cold, grey hours before one
meets a crooner for an interview, vast
misaprehensions assail the mind. One
imagines him in all sorts of ghouliSh
forms and fashions mentioned by the
crooner haters when they speak of
the breed. Images of him dance be-
fore the eyes in every possible shape
from Simon Legree down to Mr..
Lee Garmes' gleetul furies.
Be it known to you that Dick
Powell in Philadelphia, looked and
acted like none of these. Our feminine
readers-meaning two cousins back
in Kansas-may be interested to hear
that Mr.. Powell is better looking off
the screen than on, that he showed
up yesterday in a brown suit, green
tie and handkerchief to match
discretely visible in the coat pocket,
that his eyes are blue-grey (or look
that way when he is wearing grease
paint, which naturally he was be-
tween stage shows at Quaker City
house,, and his smile very pleasing
to behold. He seemed more Of a
hardworking young man than threat
to the national sanity which some
claim any crooner is apt to be, and
talked enthusiastically of pictures,
past and future. For the first time
he learned yesterday that he is about
to become newspaperman was
so informed by one of the press who
presented him with copy of the
latest yarn bought for Powell making.
1t is entitled Women Make Bum
Newspapermen," and where the in
evi:able songs will come from. none
could decide. The star, however, was
where.
Powell has just completed work on
Filtration Walk" a piece dealing
with the dittied side of Army life,
and seems well pleased herewith
We were especially charmed with the
title of one of his songs in it-"No
Horse, No Wife, No Mustache" 1t
seems the West Point cadets cannot
have one or the other. His next is
to be called Happiness Ahead" and
after that the story about the news
lads.
The idea Of Broadway show
seemed to leave Mr.. Powell cold. He
has been in show business, as a
singer, saxophonist, banjo player,
master of ceremonies and whatnot,
for about eight years, but has never
played Broadway, except for one week
at the Capitol. That, of course,
probably accounts for the lack of
enthusiasm about Times Square
advertisements. There is also an
other explanation.
1--WE been living out of a wagon
for years." he said, land now it's
good to have back yard to plant
the feet in. I'm building house in
HOLLYWOOD and am not keen tn leave
it. except for few weeks of theater
every year."
Anent Danes" the current picture
at the Earle, which had aroused no
noticeable delight in our heart, the
star had little to say except that he
believes Warner Bros probably will
go on making similar musicals as
long as they continue to turn in the
gross. No doubt they will
r. B. P, jr.