The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-18

asco, the 1arrymores, John Drew,
Anna Held, Marilyn Miller and
Jack pickford.
Pant was maitre d'hotel OF the
Knickerbocker Grill In the early
Nineteen Hundreds. Then he be-
gan TO branch out for himself. He
took over the famed Woodman.
stem Inn OF hallowed lore near
the old Morris Park Racetrack
where the men about town and
the glamorous ladies on : their
arms spent most Of their after
Moons.
simultaneously he became bon
iface Of the legendary Castles-by-
the-Sea where Irene and Vernon
Castle were the dancing darlings
Of America. And as O browning
gesture, he consecrated the COL
ony Restaurant which, through
the roaring twenties aud thread
bare thirties, has been the gour-
NETS paradise.
A FAMILIAR
OF CELEBRITIES
So he Is O man Of many mem
ries. In his new premises, the
sexagenarian host waxed remin-
iscent the other night.
Among his gentle recollections:
the night he engaged Constance
Bennett TO dance at the Knicker-
booker Grill for $50 o week. The
wages were considered O ransom
by the lady. And her sisters, Joan
and Barbara, their youth illus
trated by their pigtails and their
childish dresses, used 10 be chap
eroned TO watch her terpsichorean
efforts.
The night Harry Lauder was
banqueted OF one OF his salons up
on his first arrival In America,
and PAM still recalls the horror
with which the Scotsman Witness
cd money flung around,
Pant was the restaurateur Sc
lected by the late Flo ziegfeld to
prepare the feast that celebrated
his engagement to Anna Held. No
stingy repast that. Each plate
cost 800, but ziegfeld dispensed
with milk baths.
When Marilyn Miller and Jack
Plckford eloped from one OF his
restaurants, he was the sole per-
, son In town 10 be entrusted with
the confidence, which he guarded
jealousy.
And once Oh his payroll was O
young, sleek .haired Latin named
Rudolph Valentino, who started
at $36 a week and worked his way
up TO $50--thc pinnacle OF sue.
cess for q cafe dancer IN that
memorable era.
MRS. r. d. II.
EARLY CUSTOMER
PAM had been secluded In bu-
collie retirement the past few
years, preferring poulty raising
on Long Island 10 professional
gourmandry But O nostalgia
came over him last summer and
he plunged again into the res
taurant business.
Fearful that the surviving pa
irons OF his old-fashioned days
had forgotten him, he was pleas
antly amazed when among his
FIRST customers was Mrs. Franklin
D. Roosevelt. Irene Castle arrives
with regularity. and Constance
Talmadge has been In often.
Also he has O standing reserva-.
ton from Hollywood. the Bennett
girls have vowed that their first
dinner In town will be with Con-
MES old boss.
TERPsICHOREAN
II Is the common impression
that male halves OF those ball.
room dancing teams are just o
wee too graceful 10 be he-men.
But that's not exactly true.
Medrano, OF the Medrano and
Donna duo, bellies that canard.
He rs an outdoor guy when no
gets the chance. At the moment,
no Is gyrating In the plush Per-
sian Room 0 fthe Plaza.
When he Ia finished there, no
conndes, no Is going 10 accept an
invitation 10 90 along on 0 deep
sea fishing expedition with Or.
william Beebe.
He Is an expert markham,
hunter and disciple OF Izaak Wal.
ton, He holds the record for 0
one-day haul In southern waters
ten sharks.
He also Is o pretty handy fell
low with his dukes. The rudi-
mentary principles OF the manly
art OF self-defense were Cleaned
first hand-as Luis Firpos par
ring partner In BuencS Ares when
the wild Bull Of the Pampas"