Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-17
Famous Old
Quar+ets
Recalled
Members Later Become
Leaders Elsewhere
BY DAMON RUNYON

A GREAT quartet of the old
"A days was the Bootblacks,
made up of Max Hayes, George
Elliott, Phila Adams and Charley
Weber. They were supposed TO
be shoeshine boys right off the
street and were a good. novelty
attraction i'm the era when
vaudeville patrons felt they
could get along without quar-
tets. Hayes is now we'll known
booking agent in Hollywood.
A combination of boys in
Elton jackets and Elton collars
made a strong bid for public
attention and approval as the
four Nightingales. and it may
surprise you TO learn that three
of the members were Groucho
Marx. Gummo Marx and Harpo
Marx, later TO become famous
in a somewhat different theatre
cal field.
Gfoueho -was-the baritone;
Gummo the tenor and Harpo,
whose complete silence on the
stage in after years was his
most distinguished character
iStic. was the bass. A slim
little kid from Boston named
Lou Levy was the lead. He
grew up TO man of around 80
pounds, according 10 Harpo.
Speaking of heft. the Prim-
rose four, billed as "A Thousand
Pounds of Harmony" had no
member weighing less than
$50 pounds. They were Bob
Webb. Murphy, Stanley and Glib
ner. l do not recall the first
names of the last three. They
teetered the stage when they
walked on. but they could sing.
THE Elm City Four sang in
L one of Charley Dillinghams
shows at the ffppodrome
around 1916. The Clipper Four
was named for the old theatrical
publication, the New York Clip
per. The Bison City Four, the
Exposition Four and the Four
Miners from Scranton all had
greater or less fame in their
day. The Diamond Comedy Four
was a combination Of perhaps
40 years back.
"Tubby" Garon. who did some
singing in quartets, and who is
now one of the best known song
pushers in the business. remem-
bers a quartet never happened
TO catch which billed its pro-
gram as Christmas Eve on
Blackwell's Island" it always
opened with prison scene in
one and "Tubby" asserts that it
enjoyed considerable popularity.
The still famous Howard
Brothers used 10 do a singing
act, but as il was only a three
some, l am taking something of
a liberty in including it in a
discourse on quartets. They
called themselves Messenger
Boys and were so attired. Be-
sides Willie and Gene Howard.
Thomas p. Dunn took part in
the act.
The Manhattan Comedy Four
was composed OF Sam Curtis,
tenor: Arthur Williams, lead
chap named Mack and AL Shean.
afterwards of Gallagher and
Shean and still later a fine dra-
matte actor in his own right,
who was the baritone. They
billed themselves as The Four
Fashion Plates"
THE Arlington Four included
L Lou Lever. Harry Nanny,
man named Roberts and that
same "Tubby" Garon, Who was
the baritone. The Broadway
Quartet was famous in bur
lesque. 1t was with "Blooch"
Cooper's show The American
Comedy Four and the Empire
Comedy Four, headed by Joe
Genny, were we'll known COM
binations over a period OF years.
Then there were the Temple
Four and the Baseball Four.
made up of ball players. and
the Worth While Waiting Four
and the Runaway Four, which
some old timers think was more
Of an acrobatic act than a bona
fide quartet. j have no doubt /
have missed number OF har-
mony groups in this dissertation,
but / hope / have given my
readers some idea Of the wide
spread popularity OF a form Of
public entertainment that, alas,
has gone by the boards.