Evening star., 1954-05-23
Exclusively Yours ,..4
4 Played President
For the President
Or, the Inside Story Of the Women's
National Press Club Stunt Show
Exclusively Yours
By Betty Beole

played before the President Of the United States
everybody say that-ucky for hm-bu members
of the Womens National Press Club put show
night may stopped traffic. least
given Rodgers and Hammerstein food for thought think
what you get away with the stage throw in
free dinner to boot
members like approach this annual perform
ance before casually.
certain tone and suby
sorting with the President and his official family But when
talent sounded not only respond with
alacrty-talent will work through the night
stories for three weeks running in order not to miss
a rehearsal.
Hams at heart-rugged ndvidualists alive get more
kick of the than the audience We're bound It's
big opportunity to sound off before
whose pearls of wisdom have been taking down all
The Play Is Cost
On May l would-be performers gathered to look at
the results of the Script Committees work. Then Dorothy
Williams chairman of the Stunt Party asked individually
for preferences. My turn finally "Im willing to
anything I'm asked do said with impressive humility
"but these the roles PREFER and named the three
fattest parts in the whole script
did anybody want those parts?" asked with what
thought dnterestedness did they?" answered
the usually calm Miss Williams with spirit always,
everybody to in the show. There's not spear
carrier in the whole club"
The following week cast and the role of Dwight
D. Eisenhower fell to truly can't say complained
you're going aspire to roe how aspire higher
the United States? Besides any club
member 5foo-6 has to play man, come what may
called the White right away whats the Presi-
dent when he pains?" The came back few
hours later He light blue smock" held onto the
receiver hoping sentence would be- wouldn't you
like to borrow it? But didn't Last unbeknownst
to her husband his Augusta Golf
Club jacket to garb this properly Maybe he's been
locking since No husband would blame him.
Presidential Smocco Problem
But try and find a light blue smock Not the Cor
Art School could produce We compromised
pink job regardless any snd remarks that might
from the extreme right wing.
MamieS hat that adorned the head of Ruth Montgomery
last evening found little store Eleventh street
the top shelf reached by ladder 1t only buckram
shape gathering dust for the past 40
years. The White House said the original model by the
first lady herself the famous photograph made the
cloth that color by Costume Director Marge Cunningham
Mamies dress out of two attic trunksthe skirt of
gown plus the blouse of another.
Before costumes could be sought measurements had be
taken And true to her nearly measured
insisted that the figures called were inches too large
right down the neespecaly the nip measurement Some
followed Jerry Askwh around the that she
wrote down the dainter figure.
After the first rehearsal all made solemn not
to any members if they couldn't sing. What
followed in the doremi department shouldn't have hap
pened to dog
We " re so loud one night during rehearsal at the
Statler tAt meeting going in the next
said they couldn't hear their speaker
How much longer will speak?" asked. "About
hour" his reply Good heavens" gasped do you
really want to hear hm?"
Chmponzee Offered Grots
NBC headquarters in New York heard about Nancy
Osgoods takeof Dave Garroway and offered to send
Fred MuggS the famous chmpanzee down with three men
in attendance We thanked the network profusey but turned
down the Offer Why? "The monkey isn't member of the
club. Besides have enough trouble with just
without adding chimpanzee There undercover
about the meals oo it
lost in our hilarious comments.
There's old saying" said Bess schrener member
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