The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-05

tract the "up- per strata" set, possibly because he never appears sans white tie and tails.
 Sometimes his candor in his ancestotal strip-tease has ended in disaster. Not so long ago he began a number of his own crea- ton labelled "The Romance of Columbus and Queen Isabella" |" Next thing he knew, a soda bottle crashed against his temples and he collapsted cold on the piano keyboard. Ills assaiiant turned out to be a member of the Spanish Legation who was sorely offended. When he snapped back to con- sciousness, Fiske whipped into action. He mustered his influen- tial friends to avenge the assault. And the last he heard, the bottle- thrower had been transferred to Gaum.
 It's a hazardous profession. Be- cause double e-meaning" lines, un- derscored by the proper gacial expression, are the backbone of Fiske's repertoire, cafe folk have dubbed him King Leer."
 GALLANT
 ROYALTY
 Having warmed up on its re- cent welcome to the British rulers, Manhattan took in It's stride an- other reception to royalty. After looking the country over. Grown Princess Martha and Crown Prince Olav stopped in for a brief visit before sailing back to Norway. And the red carpet was dusted off for their noble. tread at the Wal dorf Astoria, where the ystayed, while ladies and gentlemen bowed and curtsied with flnesse.
 That they 'are democratic folk. these regal guests, was the un- animous verdict on King George and Queen Elizabeth. And I can say the same for the Norwegian couple, from an eyewitness ac- count.
 This was on the night they ate tended gala performance ct the Metropolitan Opera House. AS they were going out to their lim- cuisine, a retinue of attendants and men and ladies' in waiting surveyed their every footstep. But out on the pavement, an awed young lady at the edge of the crowd dropped her loves. Gallant ly, the Grown Prince stopped tc pick them up. thus capturing the damsels heart, and the public's favor.
 BROAD COMEDY
 ON BROADWAY
 Keystone Comedy and knock. about antics made our elder. hysterlcal in their heyday and 1T vaudeville argot, VOWS them ir the aisles" even in this pseudo. sophisticated era. The enormou, success of "Hellzapoppin" or Broadway proves that rough-and. tumble far surpasses the blase wit as far as the funnybone is con. cerned.
 And now elsewhere on Broad way, @ pair of low comics named Abbott and Costello are knocking them dead! Next to Olsen &. Johnson, they are regarded a sthe hilarity boys of the Rialto. It is Q grimly ironical story, too. be- cause for a dozen years Abbott and Costello have kicked around on the "small time."
 Sometimes they worked and most times they didn't. and when they were off the payroll, they usually rehearsal on e prominent corner near Times Square, offer- ing their act to the passerby gratis.
 Their performance Is violent, for Costello, the bigger of the two constantly taps Abbott on the konk for laugh or takes him verbally over the hurdles. Well, @ few months ago they went tc work in cabaret. at modest salary and they were the hits oi the show on the first night out Along came musical comedy im- presario who hired them at theii own terms and they now are the stars of his revue.
 The joker is that they are gar. nering their laughs with the samt antics they have employed thu past twelve years! They are indi' cative of a trend back to thu board comedy of the past. Copyright, 1889, NEA Service)