The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-02-29
HOLLYWOOD
NOTES
o. sos rnoMAs

l,tt.L1 WOOD 9f-Onp of the
most envied iobs in an Of show
business n mat q l.. 4. speed
Riggs. the tobacco saeiioneer.
For IS years. his work has cor
sisted largely Of delsverins bis CID.
berish Chant az TIE beginning ead
close 81 his spoasors radio am
le'cvisi0a shows. Ire stint takes
eight seconds. Lately. he has not
even been required 10 come 20 ne
studios. Ills chart is inserted by
tape or film, and his salary cl eel
comes In as usual
Riggs il paid well for has s.sec.
ond performance. he said he cou a
not reveal his salary because ~
the possible jealousy Of the other
performers for the sponsor. Bui q
admitted that he earned more lhan
the $4,000 annual salaries which
top tobacco auctioneers can draw
IA their normal pursuit.
But even such a handsome deal
Fan have iis drawbacks.
For Is years. | vas under ex.
,.usiye ebniract. he explained.
4 couldn't do anything else. The
inactivity - almost enough Ia
drive you Craxy.
For sidelines, he rad q ranch
IN the san Fernando Valley. where
he raised palomino horses and
white faced Hereford cattle. aud
invested "a o print shop and a nr
niture factory. But even these In.
teresis weren't enough lo keep him
busy. So when hrs contract came
zap Tor renewal recently. he IN.
sisted on a non-exelusise pact The
new. 7.year deal permits him 10
make outside appearances. as long
rs they aren't for another eiga.
rette.
Now can DO some IL the
things I've had 10 pass up lefore. =
he remarked. I've had many Of.
fers 10 do film roles IN the past
and now ! can take them. also
have some IDEAS for a Tv show
Tor myself. One of them. called
Beat the Auetioneer. IA being con.
sldered by Chs.
Speed is a likable. leather faced
man Of 20 years and no stranger
@ appearing before he public. he
irsi developed a yen Cor sis pro.
'ession Al tke age Of seven. wien
has father took him 10 a tobacco
auction IN his home town. Colds.
bor0. ". &. Speed was intrigued
by the chant and began pracisc
ing u. AZ ~. he was a full fledved
Niciioneer. the youngest In the
business.
Fate INTERVIEWED in a prom sir
ametioneering career when SDeed
s. Zoe tobacco adverslsina
genius. George Washington Hill.
decided 10 pat aucsioneers on his
radio shows and sent talent scnsis
10 the tobacco coansry.
n was chosen after they had
listened 70 a. other aucsianeers :
speed recalled Il noticed these
men following me srourd an morn.
ing. but I didn't know who The,
were. Afterwards. they made me
an offer. II was much more than
] was making-Sis q week as an
auctioneer and si2 . week a. a
disc Jockey. 50 took Il. I've been
working for the company ever
since. Also chosen was y. r..
Boone, who has since retired.
Speed hasn't done an actual "a.
haeco auction fnr a couple a.
years. AT he hasn't lost has touch
When you learn the lob. YOU
ont forget h. " he remarked. ms
ssrairing work. nss only on the
'oiee. bat an the eyes and mind.
'or instance, I would have 10 know
I least Is men Who represent the
buyers and Keep my eyes on them
Tor heir signs. have 10 know an
the farmers and remember the
tobacco that had already sold
ana Who honrht Il. a
- trained myself so ! kuld look
az you and also see what was going
an many feet away. Ny eye doctor
has told me that's tire reason /
have A. unnr srlmamma -. -