Evening star., 1941-01-26
Birthday Ball
Program Here
Opens Tonight
lnfontine Paralysis
Campaign CIimox
Set for Thursday

The command performance" at
the National Theater tonight of the
play "Old Acquaintance" marks the
opening of weeks program planned
by the Presidents Birthday Ball
Committee here to raise funds to
help victims of infantile paralysis.
The birthday celebration will be
climaxed Thursday night with par
ties at seven hotels and two down.
town theaters, at which some of the
best-known Hollywood stars will
make a personal appearance. Lana
Turner, young M. G. M. player, is
the latest addition to the list OF Wis
iting stars.
President Roosevelt is scheduled
to go to the National tonight for the
"Old Acquaintance performance.
The play, a hit in New York, stars
Jane Cowl and Peggy Wood.
Clergy to Cooperate.
From the pulpits of many WASH
ington churches today, pastors will
make an appeal for support OF the
Birthday Ball activities. This has
been designated as "Infantile Pa
ralysis Sunday" and the appeals
bear the approval of national church
leaders of many faiths.
A small advance contingent of
stars already is here and every day
will see the list increased. They
will attend a banquet Thursday
night preceding the dances; then
appear at the balls at five hotels;
visit midnight shows at two down.
town theaters and finish the eve
ming at the s25-a-cover "gold-plate
breakfast
Andrew r. Kelley, chairman of
the Entertainment Committee for
the local celebration, announced
that Lana Turner, movie beauty,
had agreed to fly here for the
dances.
Tom Harmon Is Coming.
Three of the movie players who
will make the rounds with her
Thursday night were already here.
Yesterday, Carolyn Lee, 6-year-old
starlet, and Stirling Hayden, young
leading man, arrived to join Preston
Foster, who came to Washington
last week to attend the Birthday
Ball horse show at Fort Myer, Va.
Others who are due to arrive dur
ing the next few days are George
Raft, Wayne Morris. Anne Shirley,
Deanna Durbin, Wallace Beery,
Robert Young, Red Shelton,
Charlotte Greenwood, Jean Her.
sholt, Benny Goodman, Lynn Bari,
Kay Aldridge and Constance Moore.
In addition, Tommy Harmon, the
All-American football player; Alice
Marble, the tennis player, and
Clifton Fadiman, the quick -tongued
maestro of Information, Please"
will come to Washington for the
event.
All Of the money raised, above
expenses, will 90 to the aid of par
alysis sufferers or to research to
prevent the disease. Half of the
funds raised in Washington will be
used here for the aid of local suf-
ferers. Children's Hospital has been
the principal beneficiary here in
years past
The remainder of the money is
turned over to the National Founda-
ton, which is financing research
and clinical study of infantile par
alysis and other diseases in all parts
of the country.
The "Old Acquaintance" company
will arrive at Union Station at 2:25
pm. today. A reception for the
company and drama critics and
theatrical figures accompanying
them will be held at the Hay-Adams
house at 5 pm.
Supper at White House.
The play is scheduled to begin at
$50 pm. and the cast will be enter
tained at supper at the White
House after the performance. The
National management said last
night that tickets were still avail
able for SO and IS seats.
During the next few days, the
movie stars will arrive by train and
plane, some of them making the
trip all the way from Hollywood.
They will assemble at IL am
Thursday in the Office of Commits
sioner Melvin C. Hazen for an off,
cial reception. This event will be
broadcast, with Red Shelton acting
as master of ceremonies.
At 6 pm. Thursday the stars will
90 on the air again from the Willard
Hotel. At the conclusion Of this
15-minute broadcast, the doors of
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