The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-12-17

Twenty some years ago young
Pat OBrien played hockey from
the Marquette Military Academy.
in Milwaukee, long enough to get
q weeks work as q super" in the
stock company Of The College
Widow" In the background the
youngSter had his first intimate
glimpse of the show world and
when he returned to school and
found he was no longer q cadet,
1t didn't matter half as much as
when kindly Tommy Meighan, the
leading man, had spoken to him.
His first professional shot at the
footlights came after his term at
Marquette University, where his
brand Of football won him the
varsity captaining job his senior
year. This chance was in 1921,
when he joined the chorus Of a
Broadway show, "Adrienne," and
hoofed alongside Of IneE Courtney,
now Q stage and screen star. In
the shows featured spots were
Vivienne Segal and George Ban
croft, then q singing comic.
Since that time Pat has played
almost every legitimate playhouse
in the country and was at one
time selected among the stages
10 best legitimate actors. Not until
he stepped from the train at
Union Station Thursday, however,
had he ever set foot here before
After the Earle booking and East
ern business he leaves for the
coast to arrive Xmas eve In time
to kiss the kiddy goodnight and
trim the tree.
And Helen Charleston, rightly
billed at the Earle this week as
The Perfect Mimic" will 20 into
the Rainbow Room, Rockefeller
Center, after Xmas. From there,
plans are for a featured part in q
Vinton Freely show to be produced
in the early months of next year.
Two years ago she played the
Michel night club here for a run
of four months, which looks to be
a record for a single act at q local
club.
The Hazel Mangean Four, open
ing acrobatic troup on this bill,
were the first American act to
play Soviet Russia since the revo-
luton. Their past three years
were spent in Europe and they re-
turn on January Is for an engage
ment at the Palladium in London.
Hazel Mangean Was formerly q
member Of the famous Mangean
troup that toured the best circuits
and played the finest tent shows
decade ago. -Four years ago
she broke her knee cap and today
stands in the wings watching the
troup she organized at that time.
Sylvia Manon, petite dancer In
the adagio team on this bill, was
born IN Hungary and makes more
spins than any dancer in present
day vaudeville. This team also
lays claim to the longest throw
Of any adagio act.
Last week they mixed a con.
tract that opens them in Glasgow,
Scotland, and also sends them for
an extended tour of England and
the Continent.
Adelina Baranay, singer with
the act, studied operate voice for
years in Italy and at one time was
a we'll known European prima
donna.
And about the same time that
Pat O'Brien was doing q chorus
routine on Broadway, young Duke
Ellington decided to take his five
entertainers and leave Mrs. Dyer
Club, Sixteenth and r Streets, fol-
the same Broadway.
Their first job found them In
Barron'S restaurant at One Hun
dred and Thirty fourth and
Seventh Avenue, where they ate
regularly for the three summer
months, and their next chance
opened the door of the Kentucky
restaurant, at Forty-ninth and
Broadway, where they added one
extra boy and played five solid
years. This is the longest engage.
ment ever played by q band at q