Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-10
Cafe Society
Today Lacks
Old Gus+o
Bar-fIies Seem Hesitent
and CoIorIess
Def ROT
BY EDWIN C. HILL

WE OFFER no data from the
" Brookings Institution to sup
port this finding. but, by all ac-
counts both the bar-flies and the
wine agents of cafe society to-
day are but pale limitations Of
the real thing, circa. 1900, and
cira the Waldorf-Astoria bar.
We were talking about this
the other night with our friend
Bert Crockett of the Hotel Bilt-
more under whose cool scrutiny
have come enough exploding
corks TO float battleship.
"No, there will never be an
other George Kessler. the wine
agent, or Colonel Gourard. the
bar-fy," said Mr.. Crockett, n
bit wistfully, il seemed. for he
is connoisseur not only of our
traditional cuisine but of our
authentic night-life personnel.
for several decades back, and he
doesn't like 10 see il pass.
George Kessler looked like an
Assyrian, sharp-eyed, watchful,
adroit. and he must have been
one of those split" personalities
we heard about in later years.
with his seeming ability to be in
many places at once. to shove
his Moet and Chandon cham
payne. Mr.. Crockett recalled
kessler's amazing knowledge of
who was who in those days and
his alertness in seeing that any
illustrious parsonage always had
a bottle Of his champagne con-
spicuously served. He was al
ways fastidiously dressed and
with an expense account like
the widows cruise OF oil that
never ran dry.
THEN there was the imposing
Nanny Chapelle. who looked
like an ambassador 10 the Court
Of ST. James. with his classical
features and distinguished bear
ing. alert as Kessler in toolinR
the spotlight toward his bottled
goods.
Cafe society now seems sub
dued, hesitant and faltering
compared 10 the big splash
around Rector's or Delmonico's
at the beginning OF this century.
There was gusto in that other
day. an assured and proud as
t. tenancy of pelf and Snowman
ship and no apologies TO anybody.
Gainsborough hats. ostrich
plumes. big. blazing jewels.
ample curves and coiffures were
the natural Accomplishments OF
an era OF bold enterprise. even
if the more fastidious women
guests did drink their cocktails
out OF teacups.
One cannot imagine the mod
ern equivalent OF the beauteous
Lillian Russell with her plumes
ana tTer hourvgiass figure. sweep
ing into Rector's. Nor the forth
right incandescence OF James
Buchanan Brady. the brass
fitting salesman. also with
magical expense account, who
became Diamond Jim"
A NINA ROBINSON, beautiful
"a American show girl. fes-
TONED with diamonds, fiancee OF
an Australian multi-millionaire.
drifts into this retrospect; and
tiny and pretty little Fanny
Ward, the actress. always fol-
lowed by a parade Of masculine
admirers. until she became the
chatelaine of Joe Lewis. the
South African diamond million
aire: Tod Sloan, the gaudy and
foolish little jockey. blowing in
his then fabulous takings on the
turf, 10 become INDECENT later
on: the knowing little Abe Hum
nell, tricky divorce lawyer. with
ears standing out like a skysI
yard. never missing trick.
The roll call wouldn't be COM
plete without the alluring Adele
Richie, actress: Nat Goodwin.
Edward Lauterback. corporation
lawyer and financier: Lily
Langtry's friend, Freddie Geb-
hardt: Stanford White, tall. dis
tinguished, urbane. and sullen-
eyed youngster named Harry
Thaw.
The debs were pretty carefully
herded off by themselves in
those days. They didn't circu-
late in cafe society then as they
do now.
Comparatively. there seemed
TO be a greater proportion OF
standouts in the old lineup, even
if the high visibility had to be
attained at great labor and ex-
pense. Al any rate. 10 repeat.
there was a roaring. rollicking
gusto in the whole business
which you don't see now. One
might say cafe society believed
in itself more than IL does now.
There seems to be just about the
proportion of raffish. adventure
Gus, ace-in-the-hole citizens
among those who come before
and after.
Copyright, is41. King Features synd.. Inc