The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-02
Loew's Film
Traces Life
Of Producer
His Successes and Failures
Loves and Losses Vivid
in Screen Spectacle.
BY JOHN w. THOMPSON

If "Ziggy" himself could have
been present at the movie premiere
of THE Great Ziegfeld" at Loew's
last night, we feel he would have
been completely satisfied with the
production. Even then he might
have remarked:
Il think we need few more
steps at the top of that staircase
in the finale.
Tenderly, colorfully, Economically,
Producer Hunt Stromberg, Author
William Anthony MCGUIRE and Di-
rector Robert a. Leonard have
woven the life of the great super
Snowman into one of the greatest
musical pictures ever made.
At the 1893 Worlds Fair side
show, where Ziggy managed San
dow, the strong man, and where
across the street Billings, his
friendly rival, barked for the
Little Egypt" girl show, Mr.. zieg-
field found that patrons would
rather watch the girls dance than
see strong man lift thousand
pounds.
Lets Women Feel Muscles
BY accident Ziegfeld discovered
that women would pay just to feel
Shadows muscles. On this more
intimate type of show he cleaned
up. With money to invest, ziegfeld
went to Europe on the same boat
with Billings.
At Monte Carlo, Ziegfeld lost his
money, borrowed $500 from Billings
in London. There he discovered
that Billings was to sign Anna
Held, French actress, and he fol-
lowed Billings to Miss Held's
theater, sending ahead a basket of
orchids, bought with Billings
money.
Miss Held strangely was attracted
to ziegfeld, signed with him. Back
IN New York things did not go so
easily at first Anna didn't like the
idea of taking her daily milk baths
which ziegfeld had her do for pub
licity. But when she discovered
that he loved her as much as she
had grown to love him, success
comes quickly.
Rift Flares Between Couple
With Anna set in her show, .Zieg-
field decided to do another, then the
first rift between the two f1ared up.
She Gained, and ziegfeld began his
new plans. He visited burlesque
house seeking new talent. There
he discovered Fannie Brice, signed
her, starred her in his new show
with great success. Other stars fol-
lowed Eddie Cantor, Will Rogers,
Bert Williams.
Among his chorus girls, Ziegfeld
selected Audrey Dane to become his
next star. She drank, to make her
behave Ziegfeld bestowed all sorts
of gifts on her. Annals jealousy
came between them again and it led
to divorce.
Heartbroken, ziggy went on pro-
ducing shows. For several years he
struggled alone. Then one evening
at the Sixty Clubs masked ball he
met the charming Billie Burke, es-
corted by Billings. Planning his
romance as neatly as he did every
thing else, ziggy won Billie for him
self.
Make Love in Park
To escape from the eyes of her
manager, Mr.. Frohman, Ziggy
woed Billie on park bench.
They held hands and watched the
ferry boats come and go. Here it
was he proposed and she accepted.
1t was one of the pictures most
artistic scenes.
Five years later there were three
Of them, Billie, ziggy and Patricia.
Happy at home, ziggy encountered
trouble at the box Office. His shows
we're failing. In barber shop he
heard three men deride him, say
Ziegfeld was flop. He jumped
from his chair, told them he would
put four hit shows on Broadway
all at the same time.
Back home he confessed his fail
ure to Billie. Understanding, she
made him promise to pawn her jew
elry and bonds and produce the
Jour shows. A year later he round
ed up the three men who called