Evening star., 1953-01-21

steps OF the. CaplCOl DullQ1ng was
most modest, but gifted. figures
Nothing is left to gracelesS
chance to mar the tremendous
drama of the transfer of the
worlds most powerful office.
Places of the major, and many
Of the minor performers. are
marked on the platform quite as
those of actors in any other
staged or photographed drama.
There is nothing of the flavor
of show business taking over"
the imponderable drama OF a
great occasion in this. It is
an imperative Of the circum-
stance that, for all its epochal,
historical flavor an Inauguration
is a show, recorded by the same
instruments which are normally
concerned with bringing the
public its entertainment.
Therefore, like the inconse-
quential latter, inaugurations
are staged by the unseen hands
of Washington's expert show
men. Most of whom are old
hands at the complex protocol
which requires that regardless OF
how conspicuously their work
shows, their faces and names
shall not. For all their skill
and prestige in the profession OF
show-making, these directors OF
the greatest show on earth have
the anonymity of stage hands.
Moreover, everything they do
is on a voluntary basis with no
protection against overtime, such
as stage crews enjoy. and over
time that runs at the rate OF 20
hours in every "a.
Il X X 4
Helping to make the 1858 in
Augural the most lavish produc-
ton in Washington's history was
the experience gained in the
four preceding Democratic ad-
ministrations. Including the
swearing-in ceremonies, six sep
arate shows were staged in the
three days from Sunday through
Tuesday midnight. These
started with the symphony con-
cert Sunday, went on to the two
24-act festival performances at
Uline's Arena and the Capitol
theater on Monday night, the
inaugural ceremony, at midday
yesterday and the two inaugural
balls last night.
George Murphy of Hollywood.
director of inaugural entertain
ment, was head man of the
political extravaganza. But
he is the first to acknowledge
that the most usable heads at
his disposal were those of Joel
Margolis, Alan Zee and Jack
Foxe, trio of show-makers who
learned their art under the late
Carter T. Barron and Gene Ford.
Between them, they shaped
the six great acts of democracy's
greatest show.
With the help of dozens of
local showmen. veterans of other
inaugurals and the long-running
series of Roosevelt birthday
balls, it all came off with max
l,aa1,Yon 0f ofFoiooox1 IN fha
professional side of the produc-
ton, they handled a cast in
comparably larger than that of
any previous similar occasion.
:. This comprised 56 enter
tainment units, ranging from l
to SIS members. They came
from every corner of show busi-
ness, stage, screen, radio, tele-
vision. opera, ballet, circus and
night club.
Easiest of the multiple prof.
ects to manage, for all appear
ance to the contrary, was the
24-act festival performances at
the Capitol theater and Uline's.
These were almost entirely
professional in makeup.
Pros" for all their reputation
to the contrary are relatively
docile when they become enter
tainers at a gigantic party.
They get into the mood of such
affairs. Which is a festival
mood. They are far easier
to handle, truth to tell, than
many lesser politician, as any
harrassed committee member or
hard-working policeman can tell
you.
Through the years, like the 10
cal Snowman, many performers
have become veterans of Wash
ington festivals. Old WASH
ington party hands like Walter
Pidgeon. the De Marcos, Alan
Jones. Abbott and Costello. the
Cover Champions Che missed
the Capitol show due to a re-
current illness. :. And Esther
Williams. Through birthday
balls, movie premieres and other
gala ceremonials. they have ac-
quired the easy air of veterans.
-. They provide the core around
which such shows as the EiSen-
hover inaugural could set new
standard in size, color and quail
ity.
y y \
An impressive CLINT of the pro-