The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1949-12-06
BY MARK HYMAN

M# MAMA 8AMAE
NEW York. ANP) Bill (Bo
1anelez) Robinson starred In hi
greatest act last Monday wher
100000 New Workers. saw hi
final ride from the 972nd Armor,
1t 142nd st. and Lennon Ave, t.
Abyssinion Baptist church. 1851
St. ana TIN Ave-. and finally dowr
to Duffy's Square and to his fina
resting place at Evergreen. few
miles outside OF Brooklyn.
His last show was a star-studdet
one with such supporting actors a
Milton Berle, Mr.. TeIevision Him
self" Jimmy Durante. comedian Of
: score Of hits; Ethel Norman Of
Broadway's "Annie Get You
Cum" Danny Kaye. internationally
famous comedian OF stage. screen
radio. and camp shows: Ed sulli-
van. syndicate columnist and tele-
vision show producer: William c
Handy. acknowledged Daddy Of
the Blues" ]. Rosamond Johnson
musician and brother of the late
James Weldon johnson.
The news Of Bill's death
spread like = swampflre after
Il was announced 1t 11:l5
Friday night. The entire city
Of New York began buzzing
about what was going 10 hap
pen The Negro Actors Guild,
headed by Noble sissle, the
Jewish Actors Guild, headed
BY Dave Ferguson, and the
Catholic Actors Guild, headed
BY Jack HeaIey, formed an
emergency committee to take
care Of the funeral arrange
nents and the hospital bills
Of the man who had made four
million dollars; the man who
died fairly close to being
broke.
Walter Winchell carried q dram
atic paragraph over his Sunday
night program; Ed Sullivan told
his television audience; the daily
papers rehashed Robinson's life
Prom the time he ran away from
Richmond. Va. and became pro-
fessional hoofer at seven years of
age.
While the relatives Of America s
foremost tap dancer were on their
way to New York. flowers began
to pour In from people like Daryl
T. zanuck. president Of goth Gen.
fury Fox pictures: Shirley Temple.
former child star with whom Bill
starred In several pictures; Bling
Crosby and Mr.. and Mrs. Bob
Hope.
In everything connected with
Robinson's last hours ON earth
were stars, stars and more stars.
Even before he passed at the hos
pital where he had been confined
for q week, wires came in from
President Harry s. Truman. Marty
Forl<in. his life-long manager; the
Mayor Of Richmond, Va, who
called him native SON." Danny
Thomas: Mayor william O.Dwyer
Of New York; and $1,000 more.
A wire came from an unknown
town in North Dakota which was
addressed to "BCjangles. New
York City,
At the armory where Bill
lay In state for "A hours, more
than $1,000 persons viewed
his body. The flowers kept
coming and covered an entire
side Of the buildings wall.
They came from his former
wife, Fannie Robinson Dab
ney; from the Cotton Club
girls, composed of Amy Bates,
Julia Noisete, Vera Harris,
Edna Mae Harris, Billie Beau,
Gladys Bryant, Elida Webb,
Evelyn Sheppard, Vivian Rich.
Added to this more flowers
kept coming. =.
Among those at the armory
Monday were: Clarence. Muse
actor Of stage and screen and al
old friend; Noble Sissle. a member
of the emergency committee. HI
showed more signs of strain thar
anyone encountered other thar
Louis Armstrong. who was In from
his show In Boston and in tears
Leigh Whipper. also of the stag
and scren, remained sad and silen
at the armory along with men lik'
Des Williams. who gave Robinson
the name 'Bojangles.''
As the honorary pallbearers as
sembled out on land ST.. the lin
revealed such men as Hall Johnson
world-famous choirmaster; Bill,
Butler. editor Of Travel Guide
Sugar Ray Robinson, welterweigh
boxing champion: John Cory. Me
Frazier, Frank Gibbs. manager o
smalfs Paradise. Ed Smalls, tn
owner, Dewey Wine; Police Com
missioner Samuel Battles; Judg
sala; Creole Pete. Harlem restau
rant owner: Theodore White