The Washington times., 1936-06-13

The amazing story OF Benny
Fields travels along comeback
trail has been rewritten and re-
written. .Willing-ev even eager
to accept Hollywood Restaurants
offer, $500 weekly, he remained
on for many weeks and, when he
left was drawing close to $1,500..
He left to 60 into Loew's State at
. figure said to be $4,000 weekly
and the organization established
q precedent by holding him over
for another week. In the mean
time, he has been heard on ma
tional hookup each week, he is
scheduled for a long vaudeville
tour-and Hollywood is beckoning.
There have been many others
:. The case of Frances williams
has been mentioned. She was
never better than she is today
at the Hollywood. She never
looked more like the genuine
star that she is. Six months
ago 1 would have joined the rest
in blasting her as q girl who had
thrown away her career by care
less living and indifference to
her talents. When Fred and
Adele AStaire parted after
Adele's marriage, Broadway felt
that Fred was through. Not
particularly handsome, baldiSh,
anemic in appearance, few held
out hope that the dancer could
carry on alone and keep on top
=. Opinions changed after Gay
Divorce. Then they showed
Fred into a minor role with Joan
Crawford in Dancing Lady"
and the head.shaking began
again. The boy who was
through can name his own
salary in Hollywood today.
When they brought Bing Crosby
out of the West some years ago,
Broadway found him the likeable
young man it knew when he was
with Paul Whiteman'S Rhythm
Boys-but Broadway knew that
Crosby, who had such a promising
career in store for him, had
thrown away his chances by drink
ing too much, ETC., etc. There
was talk of an air program-but
also there was young man
n a med Russ Columbo-much
handsomer, much more glamorous
:. Mr.. Colurnbo stole the play
away from Mr.. Crosby ... But
somebody out in Hollywood pre-
ferred the face and the voice Of
Mr.. Crosby to that Of Mr.. Co
Jumbo. Mr.. Crosby had done
quite well for a fellow who should
be licked and taken to the gutter.
'"They never come back" they
said, when Jack Dempsey tried to
win back his title from Gene Tun-
ney in the second bout, and it was
true, for Dempsey still remained
the ex-champion after the battle
=. There were law suits, there
were marital troubles-there were
hints that Dempsey was broke. ..
Dempsey travelled the comeback
trail, nevertheleSs-in a different
field. Today he is reputed to be
q millionaire again. His profits
from the chocolate bar which car
rieS his name, several athletic ca
cessories and the restaurant in
which he is a partner on Eighth
Ave. will keep all the wolves OF
Russia and Canada away from all
the doors in the Dempsey home.
Fred Stone, they said, grand
old fellow of the theater, no
longer felt the pulse Of his public
Stone was through as a
Broadway attraction-and too old
for the films But somebody
took a chance with the veteran
out on the Coast and Mr.. Fred
Stone is now one of the higher
salaried stars with RKO-and
will remain one-for five years
Eleanor Powell's first picture
venture was dud The girl
is too gawky," they said. "She
isn't pretty-she has no sex ap-
peal' The Broadway stage
wanted no part of her although
she was recognized as the out
standing girl dancer in the coun-
try But Eleanor changed
her hair style-Spent hours in the
dentist chair having her teeth
fixed and today the Powell name
is one to conjure with out Holly
wood way . The seXiest gal
on the screen, they pant
"Poor old Adolph zukor-it'l
break his heart" was the whisper
when the bankers thumbed him
out of his control of Paramount
But zukor, most of his for
tune gone, sat silently and
patiently through the years,
watching the series of upsets in
the Paramount regime-and bided
his time. 1t it no secret now
that Adolph Zukor, the man who
was through, is the real power at
Paramount today. :.
"SwelI cOmic-b but times
have changed" was the COM
ment when they could no
longer find vehicles for w, C.
Fields The bOttIe-nOsed CO.