Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-12-05


large and luxurious yacht club, night
club, and roadhOuse combined IL ca
tered to the wealthy summer residents
Of the Hamptons, Montauk, all the
towns surrounding PecOnic and Gar
diners bay, and all youth and age
possessing long cars and long purses
It had ruined two former proprie-
tors. King Williams made more money
out of It In each season Of three short
months than he made during the win
ter out Of any except his most success
ful revues.
Every act, every star turn. every solo
number which appeared in his annual
winter show, King Williams Court, F"
ran for one week the previous summer
at the Beau BoSquet-and at no cost
to the entrepreneur-proprietor. OF
course there were some singers, dane
ers, dramatic stars who refused to try
themselves on the dog in this fashion,
even when full engagements at high
salaries IN an assured success were the
lures dangled. For these there re-
manned the movies, the legitimate, and
other, lesser revues.
King williams was a slave driver.
Still young himself and possessed OF
punching bag residence, he drove him.
self as hard as he drove his girls-or
his Beau BoSquet chefs and manager,
or his nbrettists and gag men, or his
song writers.
They said he had been handsome
eight years before, when he was IN COL
lege writing prom shows and produc-
ing them. Now he was known as the
worst crouch in the metropolitan area;
and Variety invariably cartooned him
with outthrust chin and a downdrawn
mouth which almost made an island OF
it. No one thought him handsome,
not even Sallie Corlaes, who unex-
pectedly married him.
You can see what a bizarre thing
that marriage was when you recaA
Kings usual favorites Ultrasophistl-
Gated Renee Bonn, for instance. Inc
one who made the police come to raid
and stav to gasp with her dance on the
pitch dark stage. Or the frightful Senn9
BisseH, who fascinated through sheer
ugliness and her extraordinary bass
voice.
SaIlie had visions Of grand opera in
her head. or If she had to wait tof
that. she counted on something like
Grace Moore's part In Love Me For
ever" as q fill-in for few months
She had left Smith TO study music,
and then found out that her small IN
come was Just half what was necessary
and wear clothes. Or she could work
to supplement her 5000 q month. She
became q manikin and artists model
King Williams was probably the only
viri1e male in possession OF MS senses
to attend that spring fashion pageant
at Gerard's. King had to know about
clothes This time he yawned through
a slow procession Of beautiful young
women who wore the costumes OF each
decade from the Civil war tin now.
This was sort Of prelude to the show
ing Of spring and summer styles.
All at once he stopped yaWning. he
sat ND straighter. Here was a demurely
pretty Young woman, brunette, sn1ll-
ing mischief at him and them all. She
wore q short sleeved gtngham dress
and had damp powder Ito. represent
flour( on her smoothly nodded arms
and q dab of the same on her signify
lplifted nose.
Sallie was representing a housewifely
bride Of the early century, and this
plain gingham was supposed to be a
Toll for the lovely creations OF the
present day which would follow.
Of his right index finger. Here
vas the contrast he had been trying /
20 imagine. Who was this girl2 She 1
rad good feet, legs and figure. Face not
,ad-tlle wholesomely homely SORT /
maybe (Sallie never did hear thatD |
Could she sing Home, Sweet Home"
" something Fosterish like that? I
Could she sing at all, or would her
roice make you sl1udder and curl up
inside as soon as she opened her
nouth2
Six hours later King Williams knew
hat she was about 20, had spent two
~
worked at Gerard's to pay the bills OF
Ter voice culture.
The voice teacher told King Williams
that Sallie never would
ing in grand opera. Far too slight q
dice. Sweet, and all that. Good range.
splendid ear. Ought to be home in
VT, singing In the church
hoir.
King williams almost smiled. This
7as mama from heaven for his new
how. That new act, Ten Miles Be-
ween," where he'd use the divided
taee. Just a goo act, Of course, as
as "Ten Nights IN a Bar
oom,p showing the bitter irony OF a
lies sacrifice for her husband at the
anne time he suspects her OF Iinfaith-
uineSs and deliberately goes for re-
enge In kind.
There wouldn't be much Of any act
". OF course. just the sort Oh bnlnB
nv nice girl could do by being natural
q the stage. Singing twice. Pretending 1
, roll bread dough, or bake a cake,
r whatever.
So the astonished Sallie, secretly /
wed, had luncheon next day with the .
Ireat Crouch. King Williams told her :
u she had to know. The chance at q
nging part in a Broadway show fairly ]
hook her to her slippers. What did 1t !
latter that she Was only going TO sing !
NO simple melodies, tear erkers?
here would be q chance beyond that.
star part like Fanny Brice's In the :
ollies A movie blaze like One Night
Love" (
StiIl a little dazed, she went into re- \
earsaIs out at the Beau Bosquet. And I
she showed that she was q little I
ightened &c first, this registered as I
Idness, loyalty, heroic sacrifice IN the I
icky part she had In the playiet.
Sallae took to 1t IN deadly earnest. {
he was that lonely bride. Enistrusted 4
= the man she loved. Sine sang heart q
'eak into her two sonRsand the I
lghtne&s of volume only added TO the
sthos What had been conceived So q
al