Headlines and Footlights
May 15, 1943
p. 24
Credit Twentieth Century-Fox for the latest film to sing the praises of the just and to show the unjust in the hard cruel light they deserve. The picture, The Ox-Bow Incident, is now playing the Rivoli Theatre on B’way. Leigh Whipper again comes through with a superb performance too as a champion of human rights. I can’t remind you too often to make your approving voices heard in Hollywood.
For This We Fight, a new play written by Langston Hughes, will be seen for the first time at Madison Square Garden at the Negro Freedom Rally on June 7. Paul Robeson and Canada Lee, two of our distinguished artists, will be starred. The cast will also include Pearl Primus, latest dance sensation now appearing at at [sic] Safe Society downtown, and many others. Dick Campbell will direct.
Aux. Myrtle Anderson, member of the WAACs now stationed at Fort Devens, Mass., gave director Tourneur the correct drum beat of the native dances done in I Walked With A Zombie now playing the Rialto Theatre. Aux. Anderson, before joining the armed services, was seen in the screen version of Grass Pastures, Lost Horizon and Double Duty. Who said the ladies of the theatre are not doing their bit in the war effort?
Hollywood is commencing to worry about the length of the war, what with the heavy schedule of war pictures. But I don’t think they need worry. If the world fights as long as it takes to cure all of its ills, it’ll be a hell of a long war.
Belle Rosette, fast becoming the most important lady of the concert dance, will again present her group in a West Indian panorama, titled Tropics, at the YMHA Sunday, May 16, at 9 pm. Appearing with Miss Rosette will be Princess Shaloo, Pearl Primus, Massie Patterson, Randolph Scott and a group of Haitian drummers. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you there.
If you want to get in on a real jam session, stop in at the Heat Wave any Tuesday after midnight and there you will find some of your favorite musicians getting in the groove. The food is good and the prices are right. Oh, yes, they have your favorite juice too!
Alberta Hunter, just returned from Nashville, Tenn., where she finished a successful engagement, reports that Helen Humes and Connie Berry, pianist appearing at the Plantation Club, have taken Nashville by storm. Good going, girls! Alberta is here visiting her mother before entraining for Chicago, where she will assist Red Allen in entertaining the customers at the Garrick Lounge.
Nyas Berry[,] the big strutting brother of the Berry Bros., sprained his wrist while performing at the Strand Theatre. Looks as though he won’t be able to finish his engagement. And Warren, the little brother, married recently, is an expectant [f]ather. My, my, and to think I used to hold his hand while he tried imitating his brothers’ dances.
The clients at Cafe Society got a thrill last Saturday night when Phil Moore, pianist-composer, pinch hitted [sic] for Teddy Wilson (he took ill) and played the music for all of the acts without a hitch despite the fact that he had never seen the music before. He then played one or two of his own compositions which brought the house down.
Wonders never cease. This corner has just learned that Earl Dancer (you remember the guy who produced Ethel Waters’ shows a few years back) has married the mother of Fayard and Harold Nicholas. Did I hear someone say Fayard is now toting a gun for Uncle Sam?
Manhattan Paul, singer and dancer par excellence, is now appearing at the Onyx Club which made Maxine Sullivan famous. Duke Ellington and his orchestra traveled out to Manhattan Beach Sunday afternoon to entertain the Coast Guard. WOR broadcast the program which came over swell and lasted for a half hour. The boys thoroughly appreciated the Duke and the band and showed it by their guffaws of applause.
Did you hear Lands of The Free over station WJZ at 4:30 Sunday afternoon? Well, if you didn’t you missed a rare treat. The life of Touissaint [sic] L’Ouverture, the great Negro patriot of Haiti, was portrayed—and beautifully so. Juano Hernandez played the title role and left nothing to be desired. Canada Lee, as Henri Christophe, Edna Thomas as Madam L'Ouverture, with other parts played by Frank Wilson, Kenneth Spencer, and others. For once a Negro cast was allowed to speak without dialect. We’re moving ahead and make no mistake. This program is a regular weekly feature at the same time every Sunday.