Floodlights and Footlights
August 9, 1947
p. 22
An all Negro Cammile is scheduled to get started on the West Coast for summer consumption (no pun intended) and then for Broadway playgoers. An outfit by name of Thomas Hammond and Associates is handling it… Juano Hernandez, fresh from his Mexican vacation, portrayed the life of Father Jean-Pierre DeSmet, Jesuit missionary who worked among the North American Indians, over WMCA’s “Ave Maria Hour” Sunday… Kirby Walker in winding up his Atlantic City stint and soon heads back for radio appearances in Gotham… it says here that Dennis O’Donohue will audition white and colored players for his new play, The Hymns of Freedom, a musical drama set to have a limited run at the Central Opera House during the months of September and October. Go to 1472 Broadway…
Steve Gibson’s Red Caps are set to record for Mercury Records Wednesday upon their return from the Martinique Club in Wildwood, NJ… Mary Lou Williams, before her closing at Downtown Cafe Society, was visited by Princess Bianca Loewenstein, well known European sculptress residing in London. She’s to do a bust of the famous pianist in late September… don’t miss the Golden Gate’s recording scheduled for September release, “No Restricted Signs Up in Heaven”… The Camp Meetin’ Choir under the direction of J. Garfield Wilson can be heard over the NBC system Saturday afternoons from 2:45 to 3:00 pm eastern daylight time…
Eight scholarships have been awarded to worthy young students since January by the “Wings Over Jordan” organization. This is a feature of the plan to preserve and perpetuate the Negro spiritual. Recipients may attend any school of their choice… the grapevine says that Hollywood actress Marsha Hunt is doing a fine job on the Screen Actor’s Guild Committee to needle Hollywood producers to show Negroes as they exist in real life in all phases of it.
The hub city is slowly coming to be considered as Arnett Cobb’s second home for good reason. The saxophone star is playing his third repeat engagement there in three months. It’s the Savoy cafe… Claudia McNeil, of the gorgeous voice is making her first night club [sic] appearance in Canada at the St. Michele Cafe. She’s been called the Marian Anderson of the night clubs [sic]… 52 st, Gotham’s swing headquarters, gets another top artist when Ace Harris bows into the Downbeat Club late this month. His recording of “After Hours” is one of the choice items on the coin machines. He has a four piece outfit including spectacular Pete Diggs on the vibes…
Dick Boone, popular manager of the Cootie Williams band has filed papers seeking an absolute divorce from the former Eva Newbolt… Ella Fitzgerald plans more of that “scat” singing which she did on “Lady Be Good”… Erskine Hawkins has bowed in for a three week engagement at the Savoy Ballroom, much to the delight of his many New York fans… Cootie Williams plans the addition of four “hey” men to add that rebop kick to his outfit… Verna Leeds and Zelda Parsons are two new additions to Freddie Fulton’s mixed troupe who will appear at the Commodore Hotel, Aug. 30, in a huge benefit… the coffee hour concerts at the Harlem Servicemen’s Center are still attracting top artists every Sunday in spite of hot weather… last week William Veasey, star of “Our Lan’”, Inez Matthews, former star of “Carmen Jones” and Happy Daniels, popular comedian and tap dancer entertained.