Evening star., 1939-09-14
After Dark
Smart People, Smart Things, Smart Places
By the Spectator.
Trade Mark Registered q. s. Patent once.

Now then comes a slight breath
ing space between two of the major
events on the fall calendar. The
Mayf1ower Lounge, after cham
pagne-and-orchids" opening that
looked like the best party it has had
vet, has settled back to some nor
malcy. Meanwhile, at the Carlton
Hotel a certain hush hangs in the
air-not the usual quiet dignity of
that sleek hostelry, but in addition
the hush of expectancy. For tomor-
row night the Shar-Zad opens
again, with another of those gala
soirees which will draw into action
a large portion of the white-tie-
and-tiara segment of the village
night life. Promises to be quite an
affair. The room is still that lush
and inviting rendezvous so many
have called "the Ell Morocco of
Washington" with every intent to
be complimentary. And the music
should make the spot more of a
magnet for the towns dancers than
1t ever has before, being furnished
by Bill McCune, a lad who is be-
ginning to make a bit of a name
for himself. He's making such a
name for himself, in fact, that Carl
ton Manager Frank Swadley is
mighty proud of having corralled
him. Mr.. McCune, you know if you
have been following your lessons is
the chap who took his orchestra
into Essex Houses Casino the
Park for a one-Week f1ll-in engage
ment, then had to stay all summer.
That affair which introduced
refurbished room, a reinforced or
chestra at the MayAower Lounge is
now just a memory-but what
memory. Best of all we liked the
HartmanS, those mad dance satir-
lists whose doings should have every
terpsichorean team blushing from
now on. Their frenZied and frenetic
ISL burlesqueries reach what you think
must be peak with bolero to end
all boleros, then go on to top that
with a mad satire of pair of Arthur
Murray instructors. When Mr..
Hartman, demonstrating" a dance
step, marched straight out of the
room, behind silly dead-pan ex-
preston, the collective guffaW al
most shook the new sound absorbent
ceiling out of that dome over the
dance floor. There was much other
fun, too, provided by Giovanni,
about whom you already have heard
much; by titian-haired young Patsy
Ryan. who has way with comic |
ditties; by the new Dick Koon Or
chestra, which has a lift.
The Harvest Moon Ball Asso- /
citation is sending out as many COM |
muniques as a war department tell |
ing its citizens who is ahead. Thou |
sands of words are being heaped
upon thousands of words to tell |
about Washington's first Harvest
Moon Ball, which shindig, as you |
probably already know, is scheduled |
for the evenings of October and |
q at Griffith Stadium. First of the /
elimination contests is set for to- |,
morrow night, when tango dancers |
will appear at the Rainbow Room |
of the Hamilton Hotel Next Mon !
day night there will be the rumba
eliminations at the Mayflower
Lounge, the jitterbug competition
will be at the Wardman Park Met
ronome Room September 81, the
fox trot at the Lotus September 25
and the waltz at the Shoreham
September 28 Winners at the finals
get all-expense trips to the Worlds
Fair New York version), one team
gets a week at the Earle, another a
week at the Capitol.
From a press agents lyrical
pen Eddie Daniels, gifted en-
tertainer at the Neptune Room,
rides the electric organ the way a
cowboy rides the range. He can
make it do almost anything, even |
talk like Charlie Mccarthy and Mae
West" Jeeves, saddle the roam
either.
Late of an evening at the /.
Lounge Riviera Pete Macias' Or |
chestra bursts forth with "All I Re- |
member Is You" All but Jimmy
Nichols, that is. From his saxo-
phone come the first strains of DAY
In, Day Out" then he looks startled, |
stops. Fine thing" he growls, "they
call for one tune and play another"
Keep playing it," advises a lad at
the ringside, "the rest of the boys
will get around to it after awhile"
"Oh, we'll" shrugs Mr.. Nichols, be-
fore turning his sax toward the
right notes, Il still think it's a good
tune"
One thing about stepping
into the Madrillon is that one never
knows, does one, what will happen
that night. One recent eve, for in
stance, there was much furor, all
because Oracle, the cigarette girl,
suddenly wanted to know the popu-
1ation of Canada. And not one of
us unenlightened dopes in the
room could tell her. The de-
partment has arrived at an impasse
with Jack Manning and his string
quartet at the Hi-Hat. They can't
play september Song" and we can't
stop asking for it. :. . Russ Cullen
leads the orchestra to be on hand
this season at the Raleigh's Pail
Mall Room. Unless something goes
awry with plans between now and
the opening. Don Shook, half
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