The Washington times., 1936-03-11

A wire from wayne nlIlSI
Americas waltz king, reads:
'Tt's q 7-pOund boy and am
I happy!"
So now a son and heir has
arrived at the King home, and
perhaps q future maestro to take
up the baton and carry on un-
der his daddy's regal banner.
Over a quarter Of a century
ago Tulio Serafin, now director
Of the Metropolitan opera, led
the orchestra for the Havana
Opera Company. His first violin
ist and youngest member was r.
year-old Xavier Cugat, who sew
eral years before had crossed
with his family from Barcelona
to Cuba.
After this, Xavier'S first pro-
fessional engagement. He went to
Germany to further his musical
technique, and in 1915 he came to
this country for the first time
as assisting artist with Enrico
Caruso-this was the great tenor's
final season.
At this time Major Andrew
White, later NBC president, was
experimenting on radio and had
as his headquarters a small tent
on the outskirts Of Camden, N.
j. Xavier Cugat was selected to
play for the test tryouts Of the
sending appartus, and this in
reality proved to be the first solo
to go on the ether.
In 1928 he arrived on the cost
and organized the first tango
band. They became a feature OF
the Monte Marie club on Holly
wood Boulevard and some OF the
members of the band, unknown
at that time, we're: Fiddler Car
los Molino now leading his own
orchestra at the Congress reStau-
rant, Chicago: Ramon Ramos,
guitar player, and now the fea-
tured band in the Rainbow Room,
Rockefeller Center; Trumpet
playing Louis Perez, who has the
orchestra currently at the Troca-
dero Club. Hollywood; Alfredo
Palacios, who played the Cuban
marimbola and today heads his
own orchestra on a European tour,
and Eddie Durand, guitar player
and soloist, present day leader OF
the most famous rhumba band on
the coast and a feature Of numer-
Gus films, his latest being Robin
Hood Of FL Dorado" starring
Warner Baxter and the Mexican
actress Margo.
Margo, incidentally. began her
career with Cugat at the Cocoanut
Grove, Los Angeles, and is the
sister Of his wife, Carmen Castillo,
songstress with his band headlin'
ing this weeks Earle bill.
Roger Pryor, film star and son
Of Arthur Pryor, famous band
leader, has never had music les
son in his life, but nevertheless,
plays trombone, sax, clarinet
piano, guitar and practically
every instrument with the excep'
tions of the harp and the xylo
phone.
His father would not allow him
to follow the profession that
brought himself fame and Roger
gathered his knowledge by watch
ing the boys in the band when ne
was little tot.
His first stage appearance
came Is years ago. The director
of stock company in New
B unswick, N. j., a friend Of his
fathers, in desperation asked him
to fill a missing Juveniles shows
until they could find someone
Roger did and stayed the entire
season.
In 1925 he played the Belascc
for his trip here, and starred
with Ruth Gordon in Saturdays
Children" Seven years later
he opened here in Blessed
Event" In the cast were Aller
Jenkins and Isabel Jewell, al
that time unknown in Hollywood
"Fats" Waller. a Harlem min
ister's son, took his first job ir
1928, as accompanist for th'
famous blue singing Bessie
Smith, and left after one week.
work.
The next week he gathered
six musical boys and went witt
the late Kate Crippen into Harr!
Strauss Talk of the Town,
burlesque revue on the Columbis
wheel. This featured them a.
Liza and her shuffling sextet,
and they played their first dat'
at the Gayety here.
In the past two years he ha'
played this town Is times, in
Guiding a two-week engagement
lAmA-m~ARAR