The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-03-03
In New York
RY GEORGE ROSS


as the French War Debt, are gradu-
laly being freed Of vagabondage.
Comics, singers, tragedians, who
all their lives never boosted a
regular mailing address, now
have one. Moreover, they have
become respectable members Of a
community, with neighbors and
f!owerbeds and storekeepers who
trust them. Steady work on the
ether waves seems to have done
1t.
Few York friends Of George
Burns and Oracle Allen point to
them as shining examples Of this
Home, Sweet Home" trend. Five
years ago, this pair Of zanies were
vaudeville "deadheads." They were
used as the Emergency Act. When
ever a variety act failed to show
up, for one reason or another in.
Guiding inebriation, Burns and AL
len were notified.
So tossing their belongings In
to one suitcase, they hoped
trains on fifteen minutes notice to
fiji the gap In the program. They
spent half Of their young lives
on Pullmans when they could af-
ford a berth. They never dared
to buy anything as difficult to lug
around as furniture. Raising chill
dren, Of course, was out Of the
question. t
Then that wonderful contrap-
ton, the wireless, made them
famous and fortunate. So they
bought their own home In Cali
fornia and furnished It them
selves. They sought out every,
little, foolish trinket themselves,
But from force Of habit, the day
their house was finished and ready
for occupancy, Burns and Allen
packed thier trunks and came to
New York on visit.
They paused at Chicago's FAM
Gus Cradle long enough, however,
to adopt two moppets, o boy and
girl.
In Modern Manor
Other ex-itinerants In the show
business have been lulled by the
ether waves into docile domestlca-
ton. But once q rowing minstrel, II
Is hard to get over 1t. Jack Benny
and FAIRY Livingstone lived In ho-
tells so long that, even today, they
cannot sleep In room unless 1t
has a number on 1t. Guests may see
the numeral on their boudoir door
In the Benny manor near Holly
wood. The Bennys, too. by the way,
have adpted child.
Eddie Cantor also has become
a west coast neighbor. His pala-
tial home, one Of Long Islands
showplaces, Is up for sale and he
rs closed his New York apart
ment permanently. He. Ida and
the Five Girls live In q low. RAM
bling house in Beverly Hills. Joe
c'nner, for many years one of
slowdoms most travelled prac-
titioners,, is today one Of Cali
fornia's settled citizens. He once
kept his personal calendar by his
nightly sleeper jumps.
Lease ON Contentment
In Manhattan, the cliff jewellers
who have signed long leases
instead Of checking In for an ov-
ernight shelter are Lanny Ross
an his wife, Guy LOmbardo, Fred
Allen. Rudy Vallee, Paul WniGe-
man, Phil Baker, Jack Pearl and
numerous others. L0mbardo hasn't
left New York In three years
though he and his band once
earned their livelihood by tour
ir the one-night stands. The
Royal Canadian has bought q
farmhouse In Connecticut and
moved his folks down from Lon
don. Ontario, so they could be
near him.
Al Jolson's metamorphosis "a
the hofne-loving type Is more
St. ting than the rest. A veteT.
an Of the road who has beer
through every capital and hamlet
OF America during his Fninstrelsy
Jols0n today IL the master Of
sprawling Beverly Hills estate
He and Ruby Keeler ere also
among the adopteFs Of children.
The desire 10 travel across
country, nevertheless. u still 10
t.se blood Of Invaluable sf0npers
K Uterine Cornell refuses 10 lel
year 80 ~ without lnaEneyiial
10 the onliauds. And WHEN eivef
the opportunity % resurn 70 bel
0t' fn GeGnieilf q EDYe PROV
laees, Taiiulsh nonkisesa prefer
red 10 VaRaisDnA about Isl heT lAa'
J aBt vehicle eEsAileelD4 0g@FBs~