The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-17
In New York
By GEORGE ROSS

New York, Dec. 17-No form of entertainment has been publicized in New York 50 much this season as burlesque, and now that the Minskys are opening @ Broadway fleshpot with as much eclat as if they were the Theater Guild, Bur- lecues are gathering more prestige So much prestige, in fact, that the unblushing ladies who are at home in the art, gaze languidly toward the Theater Guild and hope for a part in 8 play by George Bernard Shaw, perhaps.
 Burlesque impresarios good-natur- edly blame this stirring of Thespis upon Gypsy Rose Lee, the ex-bur- lesque queen who is now in the Ziefeld Follies. They blame her for being the Paris who tossed the apple of discard into the ranks of the runway goddesses. Until Gypsy trod the royal road from runway to Broadway, many Q shapely "burly" queen was content to spend her artistic life en desl1a- ! bile before the astigmatic eyes of the balcony, boxes and orchestra. Ambition was less in evidence than 8 raccoon coat in a nudist colony. But now well, there's Rose La- Rose, one of the star "strippers" in burlesque.
 Hark to La Belle Rose. "This act I do," says she, "is just a stepping stone to the legitimate theater. have received one offer from 8 re- putable producer and I may accept. And don't think I'm not getting the right kind of training. One learns about character when strip mean, disrobing, in public" Mmi Lynn, one of the prettiest strip :. so sorry disrobers in burlesque also is looking for ward to dramatic work after a sea- son or more. She was studying her dramatic lesson the other night when the stage manager dashed backstage.
 "Your cue is next" he said; what the devil are you mumbling about?'
 "1'm reading Shakespeares lines, she said.
 "Shakespeare's linesl" the man. ager screamed. My customers are paying to see yours" And there is the rift that has grown up between the old and new school of the "undressed beef trust. T Broadway's Gain.
 If they had chung to their orig inal professions, Faithful Benno submits, hume rous, personalities would have been lost to the lime- light. As these:
 l Eddie Cantor was an errand boy for a delicatessen down in the East Side.
 Ed Wynn started in the hat man. ufacturing business in Philadelphia
 Fred Allen began as librarian irl Boston Gan excellent source oi jokes?)
 Ken Murray was @ house-to-houst canvasser of photograph records.
 Cleveland lost an automobile me. chanic when Bob Hope left.
 Harpo Marx was bellhop in g Manhattan hostelry.
 Groucho Marx drove one of those old fashioned grocery wagons.
 Jack Benny was 6 sailor.
 Jimmy Durante was an appren. tice barber in his fathers tonsoria shop in the Village.
 Al Jolson was a song plugger.
 Bobby Clark was 8 circus man doubling in brass as carpenter and general ali-around handy man
 W. c. Fields began as e carica. turist.
 Billy House was a farmland ir the Kansas wheat fields.
 Profitable Treachery
 It is not without qualins that Paul and Grace Hartman go oii on the stage of "Red. Hot ana Blue" some six times every ever, night and poke hilarious fun at sleel ballroom dancers. Their antic 4 physical comedy: during "Bolero they will toss each other arouns until 1t hurts. Their qualns cofn' from the fact that once they wer' artistic, interpretive dancers them selves and starved for their art INow they feel like betrayers of thei former pals, Denishawn, Marthi Graham, Paul Haakon, among othe famous terpsiehoreans. But 1t pays and 1t has not fallen Into the hand of spoilsmen. The recommendation of Mir. Fechner that it be continued until the laat need for it had disap peared is likely to be heartily en- dorsed by public opinion the natiof