Detroit evening times., 1942-12-29
Horton
Dreams
Of:Henry'
BY CHARLES GENTRY

ALTHOUGH DETROIT is def
nitely dissipsting Edward Everett
Horizons fears that perhaps
"Springtime For Henry" couldn't
come back TO town. the famous
still Is toying with the
idea Of doing something new with
the Benn Levy comedy which has
proven so successful on its return
10 the Wilson Theater.
Horton, who has a marvellous
sly sense of humor, almost upset
his listeners yesterday when he
began expounding on various treat
ments of the farce.
Said Ed, with twinkle in his
eye:
''When they first told me we
were coming back TO Detroit to
do 'Springtime Fer Henry again,
I felt almost like . poor relative
who has to wear the same suit
Of clothes every time ne goes to
dine with his rich uncle.
$50 I said NO and j said II
most emphatically, too. 1t
sounded quite firm. But that's
beside the point. L said No.
wen give them new Spring
time I'll 70 and SEQ what all
the new shows are offering.
Then they won't say, rs ne back
again They'll proclaim a new
In AK
'Springtime.'
First went to see Paul and
Grace Hartman In their latest
revue. They're 20 marvellous that
i decided II would be cIeaver 20
put In some tricks. During those
long speeches I have, / thought
II might be . little more divert
ing 10 do some card tricks or
perhaps produce eranges cut OF
my sleeve.
WHIRLING EDDIE
81 gave that idea up, however.
and tossed my copy of sixty
Quick Tricks 1 Learned In Sing
Sing out Of the window after I
went 10 see Lady In the Dark
Here, I thought, Ii the perfect
solution. I don't look like Ger
trude Lawrence, but we could
put In . dream sequence, per-
haps q good nightmare, Just to
give II Dali touch. And just TO
top Moss Hart, I thought IL
would be marvellous instead Of
having revolving stages. to have
tho audience revolve. Wouldn't
that be . novelty:
A SLIGHT DELAY
"Of course the fact that we
couldn't build . theater to ac-
comodate that kind Of thing un-
til some time In 1858 rather put
an ice pack on my ardor, but I
was still not to be deferred.
"After seeing the minstrel
number I'm This IL the Army I
had . wonderful Inspiration TO
do 'Springtime' all In blackface.
This would not only puzzle tho
audience, bu. also keep the stage
manager guessing who was who.
Then, too all those boys run
ming down the aisles. IL was 80
thrilling I began to tinker with
the idea OF having mechsnized
units como down the aisle and
sweep across the stage.
NOT so HOT j..
But Miss Lawson and Miss
Wilson, tho very attractive young
ladies I'm our company vetoed IL
on tho grounds that they were
having enough difficulties with
the armed forces without bring
ing them on stage during q per-
formxnce I'm tank loads.
Suddenly I saw that I had
been way of the beam. / had
been living In q fools paradise
and while that's not . bad place
TO be II It's comfortably fur
nished. IL gets o little dull after
q while.
EVERYTHING GOES
Everything cleared and 1 saw
my path before me-or rather
my runway. I went 10 see Gypsy
Rose Lee and felt at long last
we had the thing we needed for
'Springtime For Henry Why
not let me take of my clothes.
I have TO shed . few during the
course Of the play anyway, but
why not 70 all the way. A
nude version Of 'Springtime For
HeBFy'f that Was 10.
'Well I had . long talk with
the censor, who II . very nice
chap, but n little inclined TO be
unreasonable. IL seems that
there's . very definite way OF
stripping for action and II takes
years to develop the technique.
Besides I can't wear bows In
the Same places.
A COLD FINALE
But the argument which,. Of
course, put the jinx on the whole
wonderful inspiration, was the
M.@ T0NI6HT At $50
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