davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1954-10-03

are inherent in the design Of
the two local theaters.
Unlike New York, where
midtown space Is valued at a
billion dollars a square yard,
Washington theaters can af-
ford lobbieS-two each. They
also can afford wide aisles.
Can and do. This permits of
rapid ingress and egress be-
fore and after a play and
during the one or two inter-
missions.
Actually, it achieves nothing
of the kind. The only reason
WashingtonianS are not as
sluggish as New Yorkers in
the aisleS of theaters is that
they are likely to be trampled.
1t takes force to trample the
person Immediately ahead Of
one in a theater aisle. In New
York. there is not enough space
in which to generate this force.
Here, there is. 1t turns out to
be rather a saving grace, but
not enough of one.
It is a situation in which
human dignity and courtesy
could make a much better
showing than they do. Not per-
haps to the extent that a critic
the only member of the au-
dience who Is a workman
could hope, but sufficiently to
enhance the audiences own
enjoyment in going to the the
ater.
Beyond PoIiteness
Toward the production it is
seeing, the Washington audi
ence's conduct is rather ex-
emplary. 1t has polite applause
for favorite performers instead
of a disruptive ovation, it sits
attentively, it is generous in
its appreciation after each
curtain when appreciation is
deserved, and if it decides to
walk out, it decently waits for
the proper break.
But-these "buts"-it some
times gets it's values confused,
in common with audiences
everywhere, including New
York. 1t can, to cite a recent
instance, make the mistake of
expecting more of a name star
than a great playwright: to be
specific, of Jean Arthur in
stead of Bernard Shaw. That
Miss Arthur, should be less
than a brilliant Joan-say a
merely competent one-cannot
completely alter the fact that
Saint Joan" is Shaw's most
brilliant play. The latter is
the important thing, not that
Miss Arthur looks older, etc,
etc.
Or perhaps this is merely
the way it all seems after 13
months Of theatergoing with
out break. Who knows that
a couple of weeks hence Wash
ington audiences will not be
paragons Of beauty, intelli-
gence, courtesy-and even be
on time for that $3.50 curtain
that rises at $40 p.m.?
Evening star., 1954-10-03
Little Old New York
Nets Wandering Singers
Doing Opera a Good Turn
By Ed Sullivan

when he used Met personali-
ties as guests. kidding the life
out of them and then doing
duets with these singers from
2 the upper levels.
First time I ever saw this
process happen in New York
was the night Danny Kaye
teamed up with Lily Pons for
some show-stopping hilarity
at Madison Square Garden.
about IL years ago. Mimi
Benzell, a few years ago.
proved that a Met prima
donna could WOW audiences in
smart supper clubs. demon
strating in reverse what the
Ponselles and Grace Moore
had taught a long time back.
The Ponselle sisters vaulted
from vaudeville to the Met
and Grace Moore made the
leap from Broadway musicals
to the Met roster.
Helen Traubel, in her night
club act. scores q sensational
triumph that was clearly fore
cast when Jimmy Durante
used her as his comedy foil
on TV.
Not that Tv does her justice,
mind you. She has the most
wonderful face ever seen, the
face Of q woman who has lived
nobly and who has won great
knowledge and understanding.
Her diction is so exquisitely
correct that it is exciting just
to hear her talk to an audi
ence.
Supporting this is a magni-
ficient voice allied to an in
stinctive sense Of Snowman
ship. She simply overwhelms
nightclub audiences because
they've never seen any one this
great before.
Met stars strike out In the
other fields for two reasons,
Evening star., 1954-10-03
Todoy's Schedules
Stage.
ARENA-"The Crucible";; $3.50 pm.

Stage.
ARENA-"The Crucble"; $3.50 PM
Screen
NBASSADOR-"Private He'll 36"; 140 335, $685. 735 and
9:35 pm.
CAPITAL-"The Egyptian" lis, 355. 64o and 93O pm.
COLONY-Tntimate Relations 335. 51o 6:45 $40 and
9:55 pm
coLUMBIA-Naked Alibi" 1885 1885, 535, 7:45 and $50
pm.
DUPONT-The Vanishing Prairie" 11o, 2:5O 1885, 615.
and 9:40 pm.
KEITHS-The Caine Muny"; 12:45, sos. $780, 740 and
9:55 pm
LTTTLE-Captans Paradise" $780, s:1o 45o $780, $40 and
$3.50 pm.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Story" 2:15 4:4o 7:1o and 945
Hell 36"; lis, g. 4:45 $780, $40
and 10 pm.
ONTARIO-"The Black Shield Of Falworth" 1885, $685. $780,
7:35 and 9:35 pm.
PALACE-"Betrayed"; l. 3, 5:15 7:35 and 9:55 pm.
PLAYHOUSE-"Rear Window; 1:l0, S15, $40. 1925 and
9:35 pm.
PIAzA-"Rome. O'Clock; /. 2:55 435, $780, sos and
$50 pm.
TRANSLATION the Waterfront: 115, 325. $780, TAO
and $50 pm
WARNER-"This Cinerama": 1870, 4:3O and $40 pm.
Evening star., 1954-10-03
NEW YO]

NEW YORK.
When we stopped off at the
Sands, Las Vegas. on our re-
cent vacation, Louis Arm
strong was singing "Pagliacci"
and Met star Robert Merrill,
on the same stage, was war
bling "Honeysuckle Rose" A
few blocks away, at the Sa-
hara, Met star Helen Traubel
was singing "St. Louis Blues"
Now there are two schools
Of thought on this. Opera
classicists, of course, consider
such goings on to be nothing
short of sacrilege. However,
noting the vast enjoyment of
the people in Las Vegas audi
ences, you wonder if the ~Mer-
rills and the Traubels aren't
performing an important bit
of propaganda in winning new
friends for grand opera.
To the man in the street,
opera always has been beyond
his ken. The majority of the
public never quite felt at
home with it. In cities like
New York. Chicago, San
Francisco, Dallas and st.
Louis. there were audiences
for it and wherever you had
large Italian populations, OPP
era was right at home. But
percentagewise, opera didn't
have solid footing.
With TV and the movies
going in heavily for opera, and
opera stars exhibiting them
selves to the Nation in supper
clubs and night clubs, an
awful lot of people are discov-
ering that opera can be an ex-
citing experience.
Who started grand opera in
this new hair : letting down
process? Well, Bing Crosby
did q lot Of pioneer work on
his radio show. years back,
Evening star., 1954-10-03
Lillian Catching
Old Pal Lionel
HOLLYWOOD.

HOLLYWOOD.
Lillian Gish admits shes
growing up.
In the first picture she made
(1913), Lionel Barrymore
played the role Of her grand
father. Two years later she
appeared in . two-reeler In
which Lionel played her fa-'
ther. Eight years ago she was
his wife in "Duel in the SUM-"
: They met last week on the
set Of Lillian's Might Of the
Hunter" in which she is qos
starred with Shelley Winters
and Robert Mitchurn.
After some chit-chat about
"the old days" Barrymore gall
lantly suggested: Perhaps We
can work together in q story
I have in mind. You play my
mother"
tRelesssA hy NANAj &
Evening star., 1954-10-03
On the Air
On the Air
Approved in Advance
Lady in the DIRK, A Proved Success,
Cove Color TeIevision Its First Hit
By Harry Macarthur

The success Of the National
Broadcasting Co.'S second
color spectacular" last weeks
Lady in the Dark" did even
more than demonstrate amply
that Producer Max Lehman
has not lost his touch. 1t
also proved vindication
for NBC President Pat Weaver,
father of the spectacular"
concept, and for all others
putting all their broadcasting
eggs in this mammoth multi
hued basket.
Before Lady in the Dark"
sudden apprehension had
sprung up in the color TV
ranks. These shows had been
conceived as something to
make television a conversation
piece all over again as we'll as
to introduce color. But their
impact was less a bang than
whimper.
MICS "Satins and Spurs"
with Betty Hutton in the lead
ing role, was widely advertised
in advance as a rousing begin
ming of television's color year.
Unfortunately (for NBC), Ed
Sullivan also managed to ad-
: vertise the fact that he would
have a lot of movie people on
"Toast of the Town" at the
same time doing the "Zanuck
Story"
When the ''house" was
counted, the audience rating
services had some news which
many regarded as surprising.
Miss Hutton and company in
color ran a poor second to all
those merely figtratively COL
orful Hollywood stars on Sulli-
vans CHS show.
Kinescope Competition
The next big color show was
the premiere of CBS-TV's
monthly BEST of Broadway"
series. It was to be launched
with fitting excitement by
Helen Hayes, Claudette Col
bert, Fredric March, Charles
Coburn and Nancy Olsen in
the George s. Kaufman Edna
Ferber comedy hit, "The Royal
Family"
The major opposition in the
battle for audience was Ralph
Edwards This Is Your Life"
represented for the summer
trade by rerun kinescopes.
The show advertised opposite
"The Royal Family" was the
one on which Lillian Roth ap-
peared, being seen for the
third time. The big color show
barely edged ahead Of the
warmed-over competition in
the audience ratings, a less
than spectacular showing for
a self-styled extravaganza.
LADY in the Dark" how
ever, restored Joy to 80 Rookie
feller Plaza, the New York ad-
dress NBC calls home. The
TV version of the Broadway
musical hit with Ann Sothern
as its star, proved to have
definite allure. Trendex ratings
showed it to have q 46.1, 48.1
and 50.7 per cent share Of the
sets-in-use during the three
succeeding half-hours Of its
Commute length. The highest
figure attained by any oppose
tion show was 1873 per cent Of
the available audience.
Just a Dull Show
Extenuating factors had a
bearing in each Of these rating
battles. In the case Of "Satins
and Spurs" there was the un-
fortunate coincidence that it
was Just q dull show and 1t
had been under way o half
hour when Toast" started.
Viewers had plenty Of time to
Evening star., 1954-10-03
The Passing Show
The Passing Show
Such q Nice Audience
Wushington's Is Smart Too, but 1t Does
Have Its Petty Faults and Irritutions
By Jay Cormody

All that stands between this
correspondent and his vaca-
ton is this column.
It is, therefore, a tempting
moment to write about the
theater audience which, the
audience might as we'll face
it, is giving evidence of being
a. popular subject this season.
AS subjects go, this is a deli
cate one. Generally speaking,
the relationship between audi
ence and critics is one that
rests on the democratic prin-
ciple of live-and-let-live. Not
without some needing back
and forth, to be sure, but far
removed from the era in which
Shaw referred to theatergoers
as these ounces" whom he in
tended to educate"
I
AmiobIe Critics
Today's drama reviewers are
much less arrogant in their
intentions. And, quite posi-
bly,, much more skeptical of
reform in human behaviour.
What religious leaders. philoS-
ophers, statesmen and the cop
on the corner cannot accom-
plish is enough to make them
despair of their own paltry ef-
forts. The consequence is they
take audiences as they come,
and hope they keep coming.
This is rather easier in
Washington than elsewhere.
Or, at least, so it seems if only
as a result of feeling more at
home with first-nighters at
the National and the Shubert.
There are churls, pests, and
nuisances in this group, but
the percentage is small. The
majority Of first-nighters are
polite, intelligent and unob-
trusive.
Their politeness, indeed. is
responsible for giving the
Washington audience the repu-
tation of being cold" This
member of that audience is
always defending 1t against
that accusation with the coun-
tercharge that good manners
in reserving applause for cur-
tains-are being confused with
indifference.
Come q Few Butts
But - sooner or later one
always comes to the but" in
these things - Washington's
substantially polite, intelligent
audience is to some extent
merely responding to advan-
tages it enjoys over theater-
goers in other cities, especially
New York.
For one thing. it is physi-
cally easy to go to the theater
here. Both the National and
the Shubert are located in
downtown areas which are
relatively deserted at night.
This open access to both is
incredible to New Workers,
themselves grim survivors of
streets aswarm with snarling
taxis and immobilized masses
Of pedestrians. The surprise
to these is that any one goes
to the theater in New York;
that every one doesn't go here
for the sheer simplicity Of 1t.
It is a situation that makes
lateness here more heinous,
but which has by no means
eliminated it. Late-comers
cannot escape it; they are
heinous.
And q Few More
There are other respects.
let's face it; in which local
theatergoers fail to take adj
vantage of their opportunity
to behave brilliantly above
average. A couple Of these
T.
Evening star., 1954-10-03

it was cold and / put on one
of the boys polo coats and
three of them and I did dance
capers backstage." The pro-
ducer happened to see them
and decided their impromptu
pantomime bit would be good
between-acts diversion for the
audience.
Evening star., 1954-10-03

at the age of II with a singing
engagement in vaudeville and
resumed after finishing grade
school, it wasn't until after she
had arrived on Broadway in
New Faces" that she got into
comedy.
She had a part in the play
"and during rehearsal one day
Evening star., 1954-10-03
No Rest for Pete
HOLLYWOOD.

Pete Smith, who MASTER
minded all those unique short
novelties produced by MGM
the past 80 years. retired six
months ago-only to be called
back by the studio last week.
Exhibitors demanded a con-
tribution of the Smith-type
shorties, and for once the
studio has found D man ire
placeable.
tReieased By NANA.J
Evening star., 1954-10-03

AND q rev More
There are other respects,
let's face it; in which local
theatergoers fail to take adj
vantage of their opportunity
to behave brilliantly above
average. A couple Of these
Evening star., 1954-10-03

See MACARTHUR, Page E-2.)
Evening star., 1954-05-25
Nurse Says Of 40 Day Horror
At Fort: TONY Did Ny Duty

wounded being Shuttled out from
Diem Bieh phu. she was flown
first to Luang Prabang, then fer
ried here by Dakota transport.
She said she planned to return
to her home in Paris within q
few days to see my family and
for a rest"
But she added she intends to
go on with her work as a nurse
Her service in the French air
force does not expire until Jan
uary.
Here is the story of her heroic
work in the rain-soaked and
mud-filled trenches and bunkers
Of the battlefield:
II was ordered to fly into
Diem Bien Phu on the evening
of March 26 and to fly out the
next day with a report on the
wounded there and their evacua-
ton.
Evening star., 1954-05-25

II had completed my report
and was ready to go the next
morning.
But on that morning of
March % the Wet Mimi. In pre-
paration for their second big
attack that was coming in q
few days. opened intense NOR
tar and artillery fire upon the
main airstrip for the fortress.
1T was impossible for any
plane to leave and take me back
to Hanoi"
The sheiling kept up until the
rebels seized the fortress. No
planes took of or landed. All
supplies thereafter were dropped
by parachute.
1t. de Galard lived in a tiny,
ain-filled dugout. She said she
had little sleep during the en-
suing fighting-sometimes only
an hour night.
"All Of the sanitary equipment
and places for the wounded were
in underground bunkers," she
said. All radios had been de-
Stroyed in the fierce Wet Mini
ShellinQS."
Evening star., 1954-05-25
BY the Associated Press

HANOI, Indo- China, May U.s.
Genevieve de Galard Terraube
declared today that tending
French wounded in 40 terror
filled nights and days in the
fortress of Dien Bien Phu was
the 'most formidable experience
of my life"
1T opened new horizons to me
Of courage and devotion to duty
while French soldiers and officers
were so brilliantly fighting and
dying"
Facing a battery of so news
men from nine countries. pho
tographers and American tele-
vision representatives, the heroic
nurse in her first mass interview
calmly and simply said:
II only did my duty"
She asserted the most "dan-
gerous and dramatic moment" Of
the long, savage battle for the
French Union fortress in North
western Indo-C -China's jungles
came on the night Of March
30-31.
"It was then that the Wet
Mimi hurled over thousands of
mortars and heavy artillery
projectileS and there were hum
dredS of French wounded and so
many dying.
Dramatic and Tragic.
ITO me it was so dramatic and
tragic, for so many of the
wounded had to wait for so many
hours in line in the underground
bunkers in terrible pain before I
could help them.
1T was just awful for us be-
cause there were so few doctors
to help the wounded and was
the only woman nurse there"
To-day feel a mixture of JOY
and a little sadness. Why? Be-
cause I am in Hanoi. Sadness,
because I was ordered to leave
and I had to leave behind so
many wounded and people who
worked with me and who needed
my help"
The blue-eyed, 29-year-old
nurse arrived in Hanoi yesterday
after being released from the
captured bastion by her Com
munist-led captors. Like the
Evening star., 1954-05-25

Come in and look at the official AAA score sheet
of all the cars in the Mobilgas Run. Check the
figures and you'll see that the Studebaker
Champion got 81 to 13O more miles per tankful
than its four competitors in the low-priced field.
The far advanced 1o54 4Studebakers made clean
sweep-frstinth in the Grand dSweepstakes-frstin in
Evening star., 1954-09-05
FANCY
PANTS

NOBODY questions who wears
i the pants in Juliana Larson's
home. A successful night-club
singer, Miss Larson has a startling
array of jeweled and fashionable
pants to At her every mood or oc-
casion. When entertaining in her
duplex New York apartment or her
lavish home in Houston, Texas, she
dazzles her guests by wearing the
latest fashion in feminized male
attire designed for her by leading
fashion lights Of two continents.
Among her wardrobe of some SO
fancy pants are super-slacks of
black faille, velvet and linen, pants
of golden hue, and glorified trous-
ers with a wide range of patterns
from checkerboard to ndy-stripes
These are worn with a variety of
luxurious jackets, tunics, and
blouses. But with all this array of
f1nery, Miss Larson's favorite pants
are a well-worn pair of workman
like blue denims.
Evening star., 1954-09-05
Specially de-

Speciollyd de-
signed n Spoin.
this out-doorsy
outfit i suitoble
for either Miss
i rson 5 New
ork apartment
terrace or her
Houston tTex.l
home. She i HE
wife of q weoltlsy
Texas oillI.an.
Evening star., 1954-01-17

He seemed to have left behind in it all the
chaff of his complicated days. There were
twin beds In one he slept. Piled high on the
other were dozens of detective novels scram-
bled in with back copies of Senate proceed
ings. Pinned to curtain was leftover cam
paign button that he particularly liked: Don't
be daft - vote for Taft"
The room was reached by steep fight of
% steps. The increasingly miserable Senator
hobbled up and down them unaided. Watch
ing him. but waved firmly away when they
tried to help. the household staff decided that
he had bursitis. The pain didn't seem to slow
him down. He continued to spend full time
at his strenuous job as Senate majority leader
and to show up regularly for conferences at
the White House.
In the middle of May, Taft went to the
Photographic studios of Harris and Ewing IN
Washington to pose for what proved to be his
last formal portrait.
Don't pretty me up!' he joked to them.
Remember I'm Senator. not TV star"
Evening star., 1954-01-17

pounds and was physically powerful. He ha
tremendous stamina. Reporters half his ag
used to beg him to take break because the
needed one But the Senator's idea of a re-
was to go out and play Is holes of golf.
The story Of his fatal illness begins with
gok game. In the third week of April. Pres
dent Eisenhower was resting at Augusta, Gs
Taft few down to consult him on some mirc
political issue and on April l9, their confa
over, the two golfng enthusiasts hurried ou
to the links. 1t was balmy spring day.
Taft played spiritedly through the first
six holes. Then, as he teed off on the
seventh, he clapped hand to his hip and
complained Of being stiff. They finished
the round. President Eisenhower won by
several strokes. Taft went home COM
planning about his hip and that he was
short of breath and felt weak in the knees.
Doctox Dafflsd
ON APRIL 90 Taft kept an appointment
with his personal Washington. D. c.
QtlySiCldll.a tlC uO@SOA was ulAoOlG W
account for the symptoms Immediately
but he saw enough to make him suggest
series Of hospital tests.
For the next few weeks Taft shuttled
back and forth between his home, the
Capitol and the Army's Walter Reed
Hospital. Tests revealed constant, low
fever and moderate anemia, but x rays
failed to show what was wrong with the
troublesome hip socket. He was warned.
however, that the disturbance was seri-
ous. It might be due to arthritis or even
tumor. Further diagnostic treatment
was urgent.
BY the end of the first week in May the
Senator was limping and in considerable
pain. His doctor urged him to move
down from his third-door bedroom to a
room on the second floor that was serv-
iced by an elevator, but the advice WASH
taken "All my detective books are up there
Taft protested.
Taft's bedroom was as magnificently di
ordered as its occupants mind was orderl
Evening star., 1954-01-17

Martha Taft had achieved one of those
entirely devoted marriages that seem to have
gone out of style with the Victorian era. A
stroke which had made Martha Taft Wheel
chair invalid three years before had only
brought them closer.
Taft wheeled her everywhere himself and
always lifted her in and out of their car. Now.
at the Hot Springs railroad station on the
homeward trip. he made one last attempt to
carry on as usual. He picked her up and
carried her up the steps of the train and down
the aisle. Then, white and perspiring. he half
fell into seat and confessed that he was
having "a little trouble" with his hip
His Last Speech
ON May 20 Taft went to Walter Reed Hos
pital, this time for three-day series of tests
and blood transfusions designed to help his
anemia.
well, but what's really the matter with
me?" Taft demanded He was told that fur
ther tests were needed for an exact diagnosis.
You're making me into human pin
cushion!" he grumbled amiably. Then
he added that he had to go to Cincinnati
at the end of the week. A date was made
for him to see his Cincinnati physician.
The following day he departed by
plane carrying under his arm five
pound bundle of medical records. X-ray
plates and political papers. He was going
to deliver a speech at the annual dinner
of the National Conference of Christians
and Jews on the 26th of May. But the
moment he presented himself to his doc
tor at Holmes Hospital he was put to bed
.and told to stay there.
Meekly. for him, he asked if he could
deliver his speech by telephone. and they
agreed At the last moment the electrical
connections failed. His SON, Bob Jr..
who was present at the dinner,
jumped to his feet with a type
written copy Of his fathers speech
and read IL of.
It was the last major political address
of Taft's career. In it, he urged that the
U.s. forget about United Nations niceties
and go it alone" in Korea. The speech
had tremendous impact. Diplomats at
home and abroad were rudely jolted. The
White House was embarrassed. Taft's
own grass-roots constituents applauded.
Taft himself grinned when he saw the
headlines. boy, are they jumping on
me!' he said ruefully. well, somebody had
to say it!''
When doctors at Holmes Hospital looked
Taft over, there was new development in the