Evening star., 1938-07-03
and Alice Brady is probably the
only comedian on record who
can say she was glad of il
bv LUPTON \. WILKINSON

alice BRADY is in a state of rebellion.
~ After her heart-warming portrayal OF
4 u the legendary Mrs. O'Leary in In
Old Chicago" an epic of the great fire, and
even before her Academy award for that
performance, rumor blew about the town.
The screen had new First Lady," This
title, long held by Mary Pickford, was borne
gallantly also by the beloved Marie Dressler.
Miss Brady, never one to take herself too
seriously, was struck right on the funnybone
by news of her elevation.
First Lady!' She INDUCED in a refined
version of snort IF I'm still lady at all,
after what I've been through this spring. it'll
be victory for the Bradys."
She gestured delicately with broken
ankle Everything about her is miniature) and
ture, Goodbye Broadway" 1t very nearly
had to be renamed Goodbye Alice"
Two-thirds of the shooting went fine. Then
the star contracted thorough going case of
the flu. She was in almost every scene, so
production stopped. As soon as the doctor
permitted her out of bed she volunteered for
extra night shooting, to help catch up.
Fate laughed And Alice began to weep,
but for no spiritual reason. She had developed
an old-fashioned case of pink-eye.
The CHASTITY yellow makeup demanded by
the movies didn't help her weeping eyes.
Don't close the set," Alice ruled. Il can
stand visitors, if they can stand me-" She
became "only an eye-dropper's darling
Work progressed. Even Alices eyes could
SEE schedules end. Then she scrambled off
curb to keep Scotty and Llewellin setter
from getting hurt - and broke two bones in
her ankle.
Broken bones ordinarily don't worry Miss
Brady much. Every finger has been broken
at least once. For some years she has quit
calling doctors when one of the brittle digits
snaps Il just set it myself, and tape it up
The ankle was little more difficult. Final
scenes in Goodbye Broadway" were re-
written so she could play them seated. She
was lifted into an ambulance daily and rolled
down for last, busy sessions.
The actress to whom so much seems to
happen was born in New York City. Her
father is William A. Brady, famous theat-
rical producer, and her mother, then of equal
fame was Marie Renee, dansease.
The widespread legend that Alice ran away
from convent to go on the stage is untrue.
Simple blackmail," she oonfesses. "The
folks had sent me to Boston to study singing.
l grew interested in stock company there,
and talked myself into eight dollars week as
bit player. Then telephoned my father
"'All my dealings, told him. have been
under an assumed name. If you'll okay what
I've done and promise to give me chance in
New York after l make good here, I'll stay
anonymous Otherwise, I'll tell them who
am, and they'll billboard all Boston with me-.
Poor Father! He decided he'd better keep
the family shame secret"
Alice made good in Boston MIR. Brady kept
his word and the new star, now at the ripe age
OF seventeen launched, with The Balkan
Princess" series of sensational successes.
Papa Brady put Alice through fourteen
shows in three years - everything from
coloratura-sopranos singing to deepest tragedy.
He kept her learning, switching her as soon