Evening star., 1961-12-24
BY JAY CARMODY
Drama Critic OF The Star

umn.
1t has quite changed over
26 years. Lost so much of
the petulance and impudence
with which 1t began. Ones
dudgeons are as many as
ever, but maybe they should
be private. Perhaps they
never did belong in a Christ
mas column. At any rate, no
great loss.
A greater one surely is
the disappearance Of names
among the regulars. With the
passage of time. Ethel Barry
more. And Eddie Plohn who
managed the National for so
long, so well. Also Clark
Gable who, as a corporal,
outranked this correspondent
down there in Miami in 1912.
So many others, too. Gertrude
Lawrence. Wolcott Gibbs,
James Thurber and now Moss
Hart. How much better not
to have missed knowing them
than to miss them too much
now.
Miss Barrymore, who In a
first name business we never
dared call Ethel, left a prob
lem. That of with what name
to start the column. 1t really
was not much of a dilemma,
to be honest about 1t. Ever
since, there has been Helen
Hayes, whom we always have
called Helen, perhaps because
of her tiny size as compared
with Miss Barrymore.
To Everybody, With Love
And, beyond Helen, the
happiest of Christmases to:
Brooks and Orlana Atkin-
son, he's the man who prac-
ticed drama criticism and
Journalism for "a years with
such fairness, intelligence,
decency and when possible,
drollery.
George and Phyllis Seaton.
theirs such a fine specimen
of the happy Hollywood mar
riage up to and including a
preening grandparenthood.
Kay Gable to whom, for
some reason, we never could
write a letter of coincidence.
Julie Harris and Gerry
Page who have never let the
drama reviewers down on
those first ecstatic notices.
Walter Kerr, the drama
critic, Jean, the playwright,
and the multitude of new
generation Kerrs who provide
mother with such rich writ
ing material.
And The Hutchinses
Book critic John Hutchins,
and Catherine, who with
dramaman, Dick Watts, have
been in all 26 Of these
Christmas columns.
Also, in critic territory, the
local colleagues, Richard Liv-
ingston Coe (Cris, too). Tom
Donnelly, and Jim and Jeanne
O'Neill.
Kathleen Carmody who,
upon becoming critic Of The
Catholic Standard, changed
her by-line from Kay. So
people would not be waiting
for the coming Of critics
named Ell (for ELEM and
En- (for Emma.
Harry Macarthur who be-
gan teaching us journalism
% years ago as a copy boy
and has lost almost none OF
his boyiSh fervor.
Others Of the departments
dauntless staff, Bernie Har-
rison, Bonnie Aikman, and
Lorraine Fricka.
The AmiabIe Agents
Theater press agents galore,
Bill Keefe whom we hope to
see well soon, Ben Washer.
the Richard Nancy, Walter
Afford, Bev Kelley. Harvey
Sabinson, and staff. Gertrude
Bromberg and Mary Ward
Qes girls), Howard Newman
and Arthur Cantor. Always
make life smoother. they do.
And so understanding. they
are.
Orville Crouch, who after
years of fixity at his Capt.
tol Theater office. has be-
come a travelling man. Over
a big territory.
OF the movies press people.
Frank LaFalce, Jack Foxe OF
New York now, Ray Gingell.
the invincible Rufus Blair
(also Helen), Dan Terrell,
and Ernie Emerling.
The Fichandlers, Zelda and
Tom, and all the others in
cluding actors and staff at
Arena Stage.
Aline Mcmahon and her
husband, Clarence Stein, a
two-star family which proves
that acting and architecture
are among the most compat-
able arts.
Father Gilbert v. Hartke,
the staff and the kids" who
have made Catholic Univer-