The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-20

--~es
 York's hit show, "Hellzapoppln") BY OLE OLSEN AND CHIC JOHN-
 SON OF "HELLZAPOPPIN"
 GENESIS: It all started with two bales of hay and a goat. We were playing the Paramount theater, Los Angeles, the week of January 2, 1888 Len Levison, Hollywood writer, sends us two bales of hay as a gag on Wednesday he sends goat to eat the hay next day Sam Moore, of Wm. Esty agency, comes to theater with Len to enjoy a laugh. Moore sees Olsen and Johnson for first time so impressed he books us for a guest spot on Jack Oakies radio program the program is accidently heard by Ken Brittenstien of Hixon O'Donnell Agency he likes us so well he signs us for an oil program on coast one week we broadcast from Phoenix, Arizona We are invited to crown the cotton queen at the annual "Hellza poppin'" week in Buckeye, Arizona. :. Ralph Nuthall, and Ralph Watkins Buckeye businessmen and coiners of the word, "Helzapoppin' |" suggest we use "Helzapoppin'" as title for our vaudeville unit.
 We add another "L" to the word and open at the Palace theater, Ft. Wayne, Indiana on June 29 1888. manager refuses to use title afraid of offending church. goers for the Ft. Wayne engagement, "Hellzapoppin'" is called "What Next" we go on tour for ten weeks in the east with the unit. While playing Phila- delphia, MTG urges Lee Shubert and Harry Kaufman to drive from New York in the rain to see our show they see us the night the American Legion parades down the aisle and onto the stage to present us with resolutions of appreciation for our cooperation in Legion af- fairs Shubert thinks 1t part of the show.
 Three weeks later contracts are drawn up for "Hellzapoppin'" to appear on Broadway as regular mu- sical revue show opens in Bos- ton after several weeks of rehears- ing, assembling additional acts, etc .,. show gets good notices in Bos- ton but loses S8,000 the first week we open in New York at 48th theater to bad notices !. Win chell,' Geo. Jean Nathan, Bide Dud- ley and Arthur Pollack only critics who liked show things looked black several chorus kids quit show to go with You Never Know" and you never do, because busi- ness started to pick up and by end of first week, we had grossed $19,- 900, the lowest figure since that first week had passed the first million dollar mark at thee nd of April now well onto It's second million the highest weeks gross was Xmas week: $45,- 900 see what you went and done, Walter2!
 Mary Richardson, a Winter Gar den usher. relates that she over- heard the hostess of swanky the- ateY party confide: "This is the fourth time we've seen 'Hellzapop- pir'". Ordinarily we confine our- selves to just the legitimate theatah and very seldom attend revues or vaudeville but these hams certainly know how to convulse one, don't they?"
 elem Stover, a Long Island com- muter, writes to tell us that he overheard two girls talking over tho roar of the eight forty. Have you seen 'Hellzapoppin' ?" asked one. "No," replied the other, "but know it's very funny. I read the book"
 OBITUARY: Butch was the most famous feline that ever juggled nine lives on Broadway. An ever-present phantom of the Winter Garden, he was loved and cared for by the com- pany of each succeeding show. "Hellzapoppin'" brought him a new kind Of joy, what with its rabbits and chickens and pigeons and un- precedented exciting atmosphere. Butch seemed to revel in the fre- zied, hectic, balmy backstage that accompanies an Olsen and Johnson show. Butch and his son, Sookey, always had open house for the neighborhood cats, but this new midget ZOO brought a shifty-eyed black stranger to their midst, who came but to prowl and meow. The stranger seemed to cause Butch no little discomfort, for, hitherto, he and Sookey had been the sole own- CTS of their realm.
 Sensing Butch's discomfort, the