Evening star., 1944-08-08
After Dark
News and Comment OF the Night Clubs
Trade MARI Resstsrsd o. q Patent once

After Dark" on the whole very
sober department of this paper,
turned out last night to view after
Dark" in the somewhat more re-
laxed atmosphere of the Willard
Roof. Only excuse for this obvious
double talk Is the current melo-
drama, which by any other name
would still be an evening well spent,
at least judging from last nights
kissing and booing.
Two misunderstanding charac-
ters you are sure to despise after
the first act are William Marceau
as Chandos Bellingham and Kirk
Brown as Dicey Morris, who con-
trive to, cause the end of Gordon
Chumley and in truly dastardly
manner. A few more scenes, and
these same hissable friends are the
prompters of poor, honest Eliza
Medhurst's plunge into the river.
There are other wicked deeds ac-
complished in the Willard Music
Halls After Dark" before the
guilty culprits come to their just
end and virtue triumphs.
X X
Piqued by the lead story on Edi
Dexter, Restaurant Madrillon song
bird, which appeared In a recent
After Dark column, Nancy Osgood,
whose Listen With Nancy" pro-
gram is bright and lively new
women's chit-chat column of the
air on Station WRC, had the tai
ented young miss on her show. The
interview disclosed that Edi, born
Eddie Jane Poindexter, was suffer-
ing qualmS of conscience at having
been persuaded to adopt the more
theatrical moniker in preparation
for the brilliant career which seems
indicated by her eight-month rise
from steno to cover girl to singing
starlet, when the end of the war
releases her from her civilian NAVY
Job. Incidentally, only after you
talk to Edi can you understand
how she holds down both Jobs.
She's a dynamo, no less. Edi lives
near Dupont Circle, so that after
Uncle Sans daytime job she's home
IN bed by 430. Then a nap until
$50, when she arrives at the Ma
dr1llon in time for her first num-
ber at pm.
Mr.. Borras gave me the Job"
Edi smiled, only on the condition
that at l am, when I'm finished at
the club, I hurry straight home so
I'll be bright and fresh for work
at 8 am. Well, maybe some people
could do it but not the Spectator.
Mr.. Ripley might be interested to
learn that Edi doesn't even have
circles under one eye.
" ~
Only Hildegarde could ge respon-
sible for that long line nightly out
side the Embassy Room. Things
weren't always that way, however,
and the fact that Hildegarde re-
members it, is one of the things
that makes her so popular In her
meteorlc rise to fame the star knew
what 1t meant to wonder where the
next meal was coming from. She
likes to reminisce about the time
Marion Puolsen, director of the
smart London Cafe de Paris,
selected her from among 400 girls
he auditioned for his club. She
still laughs about it.
THE fact was" she said, II was
worse than a failure, I was medi-
ocre!"
This engagement in London ter
minated, Hildegarde went to Paris
and appeared in a Partisan night
club, but it folded up during her
first week.
my manager, Anna Sosenko, and
! were both left stranded" she said,
but Anna got enough money out
of the bankrupt owner to keep us
alive"
At one time Hildegarde tried her
hand as song plugger for Irving
Berlin. Luckily for Hildegarde, Ber-
lin and Soul Bernstein recognized
the latent genius she possessed and
fired her so she would have to
develop her talents in the enter
tainment field
Carl Van Sickler laid down his
baton at the Treasure Island the
other night and handed the Spec
tator written challenge which he
wants delivered to Band Leader
Ralph Hawkins, either backstage
at the Earle or, if we're too busy
with headlines, it's to be served on
our next visit to Gross Roads. 1t
happens to be Carl's friendly reply
to Ralph's recent statement that
he and his boys would be happy to
take on any band around town in a
fast session on any local baseball
plot of their choosing. Well, here
you are, Ralph. But be sure to
inform us just where and when
this massacre will occur.
X X
The Lotus drums haven't sound
ed the same since Bill Strickland
left for his vacation at the Edge
water Beach Hotel in Chicago.
Bills postcard says that it was cool
out there but not as cool as the