The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-12-19
O 1895 NEA
In New York
By GEORGE ROSS

after he has had his morning bath and you will find the silent clown strumming away at the angel in- strument in his hotel room. By courtesy of a Manhattan music shop which sends a harp up to Harpo's suite whenever he is in New York.
 A new vogue in the West Eff ties: singing walters, juggling a tray and tune at the same time. The warbling walters remind me that Irving Berlin started out that way in a Coney Island saloon.
 As for Coney Island, here is an annual missive from the Tenex- Islanders reminding me of their midnight dip in the ocean prompt ly at midnight on New Years Eve. Br-r-r!
 A Broadway play, "The Night of January 16," was performed the other evening for @ blind au- dience. Programs were in braille and Graham MacNamee describ- ed the action and the scene. Jus tice may have been blind in this courtroom melodrama but the sightless visitors seemed aware of everything. Now, snowman is considering a regular series ot productions for blind folk. |.
 Reunion on Park avenue: Two ladies, who apparently didn't know each other, passed the time in a dentists waiting room, read ing magazines. The nurse came out and said, "All right, Mrs -." Both ladies rose from their chairs. There was an em- barrassed silence while they glar- ed at each other in confusion. Later, it developed that they were both recently divorced wives of the same notorious Park avenue playboy.
 Serious Music
 They speak of the Pagliaccis who laugh while they must and are sad-faced at other times, but Phil Baker suffers most from this type of lugubriousness. Baker never meant to be a comedian, anyway, although he was born to 1t. His first love is the accordion and his leading ambition is to play the in- strument with an important sym- phony orchestra. AS matter of fact, he once had a date to play the accordion solos with the Boston Symphony, an experience he antici- pated for weeks. Then, sudden radio engagement intervened.
 In of -hours, I've often seen the radio comic in a little spot called The Kretchma, yielding the accor- dion for the guests-without pay because it is his greatest plea sure.
 Moved to Popularity
 Success Story in Reverse: Vicki Joyce is the name and she was born in the shadow of the Holly wood picture studios. For years she tried vainly to coax the casting die rectors to give her a break. Ale though she made personal appear ances on the vaudeville stage with Bing Crosby and other headliners, the film scouts remained blind to her talents. So she deserted her birthplace near Sunset boulevard and came to New York and is now popular warbler in the Hotel Edi- sons Green Room. And was imme- diately signed to appear in six Warner shorts with Phil Harris, Ray Perkins and Jerfy Cooper. And is on the verge of @ Hollywood con- tract.
 This Towns Most Unevenly Matched Couple: Tall Fannie Brice and Midget Billy Rose. Mas sah Roses initial ($300,000 invest ment Gin which Jock Whitney and Herbert Bayard Swope have g share) for Jumbo" will be paid of within ten weeks.
 Nothing to Wear
 Lucienne Boyer, Parisienne chan teuse whose salary exceeds any rivals, is coming back to Broad way in a Christmas revue. She has just been out on tour and is travel ing light with only 8 trunks con taining 15O deep-blue gowns and fifty pieces of hand luggage. Also @ small trunk containing 55 minia. ture Chinese Buddhas made oi stone which she sets up on a shell in her dressing rooms, everywhere
 Morton Downey, he of the Irish Eyes Asmiling, and husband oi Joan Bennett, is going into the night club business for himself. He has opened the Trocadero. fash toned after Hollywood's hot-spot and he helps along with some ct the entertainment himself.
 I'm told that when "Ah, Wilder nessl" was bought for the movies one film magnate wanted to ex- ploit Eugene ONeill's drama as "the story of the Great xndoors."