The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-04-07

When 1 was . little girl, red
hair had not become so pOpu-
lar As it is today but was re-
garded in much the same light
as crossed eyes and club feet.
/ can remember hearing women
friends of the family trying to
console" my mother because Of
my hair. But my mother was .
wise woman.
She told me had Titan hair,
that il was rare and beautiful
and that would be teased about
It by other girls because they
were jealous Of my possession
Of 1t. How that saved my feel
ingS under the jibes Of my blay-
mates! / could smile in . SUI
periOr manner and say "Wish
you had 1t, don't your"
I was born in Brooklyn, on 9
July 16. Whether or not to match
my treSSes, was named Ruby
The last name was Stevens. M!
people were in the theatrical bus
mess but not on the big time
They just made enough for us tt
live on very simply. Sometimes
between engagements, we had
pretty lean times.
Ny ambition from childhood
was to be the greatest dancer in
the world. Music set my feet to
tapping no matter where I heard
it. A hurdy-gurdy organ on the
street would bring me flying out
Of the house to improviSe dances
with my playmates. We never had
enough money for me to take
dancing lessons and that was a
keen disappointment to me.
AS soon as I was through gram
mar school I had to think about
going to work. was not quite
II when I got my first job. 1t
was with the telephone company
in Brooklyn. The m on o t n y
drove me almost mad and could
see there was no future. <
About this time 1 did the
craziest thing . girl ever did,
proving that fools walk in
where angels fear to tread"
Vogue magazine advertised for
. pattern cutter and / applied
for the job. / got 1t, too. which
ID another miracle. I'll never
forget my sensations when was
turned loose i'm the pattern
room. ] had never cut q pat.
tern in my life. I fused around
with. the various knives, scis.
sOrS, rulers and other equip
ment but within a few minutes
the boss came over and stood
beside me.
It was no use. I couldn't bluff
1t through. so I confessed my
ignorance and he fired me out Of
hand. We're still good friends.
We have luncheon together when
ever I am in New York. He says
his only claim to fame is the
distinction of having fired Bar
bara Stanwyck.
I decided to follow my parents
profession and began the heart
breaking task of looking for a
stage job without any previous
experience. Only youth can stand
up under this battering.
You must look prosperous when
you're hungry. You must look
happy when your courage is al
most gone. You must contrive to
be well dressed on nothing a week.
Face" is the all important thing
and It must be preserved at all
costs.
Then one day an agent sug-
geSted that I go to see the great
Florenz Ziegfeld. I was stunned.
It never had occurred to me that
I had chance in a market where
great beauty was the first require.
ment. This man told me to .ap-
praise myself, sanely. quietly.
He told me I had beautiful hair
I'd known that but believed it to
be my only claim to good looks)
He said had lovely skin, a fine
figure and fine eyes. went home
and looked at myself, trying to see
myself as he had seen me. I de.
termined to take a chance.
The next day went to Ziegfeld's
office. There were q dozen gor
geous girls waiting for appoint.
ments. I took one look at them
and came within an ace Of rushing
out Of the place and never return
ing. How I suffered in the midst
Of all that loneliness! I felt like
q dandelion in q bouquet Of roses
All the conceit I had conjured up
melted like wax in furnace.
And then the "Great Glorifier'
was in the room. I wanted to crawl
under the chair but instead Of that
I put up my chin and smiled. The
rest is vague, but got a job with
the FollieS. Z"
After q season with the Follies
I went to George Whites Scandals
/ was IN the Seventh Heaven here
because I was dancing. That was
my goal. I was delighted when
rehearSals. were called between
performances.
Il was shortly after this ! got
my first big break. / got a role
In 'BurleSque" which combined q
fine dramatic part with a chance
to sing and dance. Willard Mack
directed the show.