The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-04-29
In New York
BY PAUL HARRISON

in quest of timely column items, I've found instead Q sequence Of reminders of the past. Some of them, though, may be news.
 In the window of dusty, clut- tered little shop on Sixth avenue is displayed an original watercolor executed and signed by John Barr rymore. It's a theater scene, mostly in reds, blues and purples, and Is pretty terrible. Three dol- lars!" said the shopkeeper. started out. 1.-TWO dollars!" walled the man. said thanks, but real- ly didn't want the picture. Make me an offer" pleaded the trades men. "The frame, you should know, is worth a dollar!"
 What I didn't know was that Barrymore ever had done water colors in his life when he tried to be a newspaper sports ,cartoonist. ... Probably the only present day celebrity who was a more con- spicuous failure at newspaper work was Eugene 0Neill Robert Sherwood, the playright, was fired from more journalistic jobs, but not for incompetence.
 
 Cantor Gem
 In a Broadway window there's collection of photographs from the peg-top pants and celluloid-col- lar days. Did you know that Eddie Cantor once toured with a burlesque troupe? He did, and the name of the company was "The T..l ll4s AHat M did his first singing with Lew Dockstader's Minstrels in 1908.
 Cantor, by the way, is clever juggler with his left hand, though he's normally right-handed. It all dates back to the time when the pop-eyed young comedian was just beginning to rise in the vaudeville world. His first sav- ings went for a diamond ring, be- cause diamonds were badges of vaudeville success. Eddie had to wear gloves in his blackface act. so he cut a hole in all his left hand gloves to reveal the sparkler. Then, to keep 1t flashing. he be- gan to do most of his Juggling with the left hand.
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 In Dave's Blue Room, and Lin- dy's, and on all corners of the Broadway "beach" there's lively discussion of Mae Vests reported marriage to one of several Frank Wallaces in 1911. Everyone seems to have known different Wall Yooa h,,A rantIU fhau rav,n am Der the same Miss West. Regard- less of her shocked protestations. she wasn't exactly. child in those days. Twenty-four years of age she was appearing in dance act with a fellow named Mclaughlin, for s70 a week, at Keeney's Third avenue theater. Will Rogers and his horse played on the same stage.
 Westward on Forty-ffth street, a thcater marquee glows with the. name of Katharine Cornell. Am erica's first actress and. you'll say. a mighty smart girl. Yet, not so many years ago. she funked her entrance exams at Bryn Mawr. and couldn't get into the school Our top flight poetess, Edna St. Vincent Millay, wasn't much brighter. She managed to get into Vassar, but had @ terrible time getting through 1t.
 
 Still Going Right on Broadway, Sophie Fuckers name is up in lights, as 1t has been periodically since 1909. There's a legend along the street street that Sophie's birthday cake. ablaze with candles, is seven alarm fire. She burns her candles at both ends, too, but they always last the night.
 The last of the Red Hot Man. mas Is completely unconcerned about matters of age. "Born in Boston, January IS, 1884," says she. I'm 51, and what of it?" She seems, at that, lot younger in energy than almost any other en- | tertainer I could name. At least, she follows a more strenuous routine, for besides her own sched- uled performances there are bene. | fits, and innumerable friendly calls at other night clubs.
 | If you5re interested in odd origins: Maurice Chevalier once was c chimney sweep. |. Greta Garbo was a slesgirl in depart ment store: in fact she wept for joy when she landed her job. |. Emil Boreo studied international law. When he gave that up for the theater, 1t was to become the hind legs of vaudeville horse. [. Eddy Mannix once was ., Manhat- tan policeman. William A. Brady's bid for fame was his sug- gestion that movies be made of ' prize fight, back in 1S9s,. .Carl Laemmle's first job in America was feeding hogs on an I0wa farm.
 (Copyright, 1885, NEA Service, ! Incl