The Phoenix index., December 30, 1939, Page PAGE SEVEN, Image 7

About The Phoenix index. (Phoenix, Ariz.) 193?-19??

Image provided by: Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ

                
SATURDAY. DECEMBER .10. 1919
JIMMIE FIDLER PRAISES HATTIE McDANIELS
Is Compared To
Marie Dressier
HOLLYWOOD.—(ANP)—Last Tuesday, in his syndi
cated, nationally read movie column, Jimmie Fidler, ace
commentator, paid high compliment to the artistry of Hal
ide McDaniel’s portrayal of Scarlett O’Hara’s mammy in
Hione With the Wind,” mu.ti-million dollar film epic .star
ring' Clark Gable. Vivian Leigh and Olivia de Haviland and
'others.
Declared Puller: “Hattis, with
iVe of the greatest dramatic per
formances of all time, steals that
pjeture. . . Long after I’ve forgot
ten their work (the other stars).
I’ll still sve the emotion-wracked,
ebony face of Hattis, tears coursin';
down her checks as she pleads for
o* da de Haviland’s help out
side the room where Scarlett’s and
Rhett’s baby lies dead.
'‘The most 'prejudiced critic alive
could nor watch her work withou:
admitting that it is acting at its
artistic best . And where does this
Negro ar;L\ L go from here? Why,
Rating The Records
By FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS
For ANPj
1. The Blues, by Meade "Lux”
Lewis- ,Blues Note)
2. Pick-A-Rib, by Benny
Goodman Quintet (Victor)
3. Summertime, by Sidney
Bechet Quintet (Victor)
4. Subtle Lament, by Duke
Ellingt on * Brunswick)
5. Smokey Mary, by Bob
Crosby (.Decca)
6. Miss Thing, by Count Basie
Voealion)
7. Fine and Mellow, by Billie
Holiday (Commodore)
S. Minor’s Swing, by French
Hot Club Quintet (Victor)
9. Woodchoppers Ball, by
f/oody Herman (Decca)
10. Someday Sweethearts, by
Muggsy Spanier (Bluebird).
After listening to several hun
dred hot jazz records- released dur
ing 1939, your dizzy reviewer has
decided that those listed above are
the year’s best platters. Selection of
the 10 best was no easy task, be
cause of the tremendous rise oi
public interest in the phonograph
and attempts of one set of musi
cians to completely out-play the
rest.
THE BLUES. This long 20 min
ute improvised performance by L.ix
Ls- vis is easily the finest record of
its type ever released. Playing slow,
moody blues simply' and straight
from the heart, this great pianist
has a recording in four parts- that
is the year's best. Another fine ex
ample of blues piano is CHICAGO
IN MIND by Albert Ammons, also
on Blue Note.
PICK-A-RIB. The only Good
man performance rating the first
ler; this tune not only provides
great swing fcut is intelligently
built up to a breathtaking climax
on the second side. Teddy 7 Wilson.
Lionel Hamilton, John Kirby, Bud
dy Scliutz and Goodman were in
perfect form when this was waxed.
Os all recorded performances by
the small Goodman units, this is
“he greatest. Best performance by
full band was Jumpin’ At the
Wcodside, on Columbia, but this
Footlight Flickers
By ALVIN MOSES
NEW YORK—(ANP)—AII Har
lem is preparing for the “night of
nights” at famous GOLDEN GALE
—“the million dollar ballroom’’
New Year’s night. This giant bai'.-
room which dwarfs any other in
the city has found a place in the
hearts and affections of the
younger set which should spell
success for years and years to
ccme. They’ve given you the fin
est money can afford—all they ask
of you in return is,—your patron
age and respect and we should
fipd it difficult to supply the lat
ter
Hattie McDaniel need not bow
even to Clark Gable or that green
eyed beauty Vivian Leigh, of “Gon ■
With the wind” cast in the matter
of headline publicity these days
Though Hattie is merely cast in
the role of a moon-faced Negro
mammy left with the task of rea--
ing Scarlett O’Hara. . critics ail
over the country are agreed that
she is . . The Star of the Cinema
Extravaganza, and Not Gable 01
O’Hara. Miss McDaniel has had a
sort of pieced together screen
career until her big moment came
Commencing with the Lew Ayres
picture, she has had parts in “Tne
Blonde Venus,” “The Little Colo
nei," “Alice Adams', “Nothing
Sacred,’’ and “Saratoga” to name
the more prominent picture. Au
accomplished singer, three of he f
piionograph records meeting with
sale%» success today are: “I’ve
Changed My Mind,” “800 H;o
Blues” and “Just One Sorrowing
Heart.’*
W. C. Handy, the “Grand Old
Man” of rhythm and the blues,
bfld the socialites speechless Sun
back to pla-ing incidental, comedy
maids, of course. An actress com
parable with the immortal Marie
Dressier, has flashed like a dark
meteor across the screen —and now
must, disappear because Hollywood
can’t give her adequate parts. No
one’s to blame, least of all the pro
ducers who would ask nothing bet
ter than (o capitalize on her abil
ity.
"But II don’t, think it will be easy
for me to laugh at Hattie’s comedy
in the future, for I’ll never be ablc
to overlook the tragic fact that a
very great artist is being wasted.’
was inferior to the Count Base
’Vei icn on Decca.
SUMMERTIME. Taking the
George Gershwin tune as a central
theme, Poes Bechet added his own
ideas and turned it into a grand
and touching masterpiece with his
soprano saxophone, an instrument
oil which he has no equai.
SUBTLE LAMENT. Duke Elling
ton’s records are so consistently |
good it is generally difficult to
select his best. Yet this number,
spiritually akin to "Black and Tan
Phantasy,' 7 unquestionably deserves
top rating. It is the kind of slow
music in which Duke excells. The
best Ellington stomps of the year
are LITTLE POSEY, COLID OLD
MAN and PUSSY WILLOW, with
IOY MEETS HORN one of the
year’s greatest novelties. Os his
smaller units, the odd blues DOOJJ.
WOOJI and the stomp HODGE
PODGE, both by Johnny Hodges
on Voealion, are tops.
4
SMOKEY MARY. Here is 1939\s
best example of fast, killer diner
jazz. Especially exciting are the
drums-string bass pyrotechnics by
Bauduc and Haggart. For the most
nart. however. Bob Crosby’s band
bailed to live up to past perform
ance. 1
MISS THING. Basie’s band,
second only to Ellington’s, turned
in a year of consistently fine play
ing with this double-side number,
understood to have been recorded
without the unit’s knowledge,
its supreme offering. Notable is
the whispering trumpet against
rhythm toward the end. The Count
himself produced memorable swing
for Decca with piano and rhythm,
with HOW LONG HOW LONG
BLUES the best of the superb lot.
LESTER LEAPS IN. on Voealion
by the Kansas City Seven, also was
tremendous.
PINE AND MELLOW. No better
vocal blues wav released this year
chan Billie Holiday- opus. Combin
ing the true blues . feeling with
splendid artistry, Miss Holiday
here compares favorably with tue
best work of the late Bessie Smith
the occasion of the Metropolitan
Music society sponsors of the Grit
Symphony orchestra, the Yount
Peoples band, and the Young Peo
ples’ orchestra.
Charles Barry Stewart, that’s a
name that Footlight Flickers
passes on to you in a Dries succes
>ketch. a native Philadelphia
vho claims Harlem by musica.
doption in the depression days o
934-6. he invested half of h:i
weakly salary '$10) to defray tin
rental of an organ for four hour:
a day in order to work out ai
idea. Something within himscl
told him he could make an orgai
sound like a full sized band anc
paid well for doing so. After a
terrible siege of union trouble and
disappointments of all sorts. Char
lie landed with the Nixon Grant
Opera house (Philly) playing the
luge Kimball organ in be twee i
nours throughout 1936-7
Then the theatre clo sea. Noth
ng daunted, Cha .\ies got a job ch
lext day playing the piano at Beo
ley and Bums . . Philadelphia:
argest night cUr >. for what wa.
termed a four hour engagemen
i-Ie stayed on fpi 10 months aftei
that first night alternating win -
Deloyd McKays, now featured wih.
Louie Prima’s band. He opene .
Jay Fagan’s Beautiful Million D<o
lar ballroom, and claims that tiv
man who gave nim his real brea.!
n life is. . .Paul O’Brien, ojaeiat”.
of Ashbury Park’s swankiest niglr
dub where he played the peerls-r;
Hammond organ built in the:*
Stewart's hands are said to be the
most perfect (for a man), and wo,,
first prize in the Ha r risburgh, p;„.
photographers exhibit last season,
NEWS OF THE THEATRES
- vvyww ; t mm* Ttv f IWMBI
mmmmmemmmmmmmmmmmmmatmtmt n u iii—ir».weer mm w»n>iww) ai n wny
Theresa Harris, Bosemond Winners
In First Annual Sepia Screen Poll
Her Recording in Best Seller Ranks
DOLORES BROWN
Dolores Brown, beauteous 19
year-old Brooklynite, now featur
ed with Erskine Hawkins and his
orchestra, has .Just completed a
“Colored Americans On Parade”
Makes Kit With Washingtonians
WASHINGTON—(ANP)— “Col
ored Americans on Parade,” a
series of interesting films on tne
Negro in America, produced and
presented by Edward Lewis, young
New Yorker, former photographs
or the Daily News, has n.|de a
lecided hit here in Washington.
Staid Washingtonians applauded
loudly the appearance on the score
of s*uch notables as Judge Myles
Paige, James Watson, Toney, Jane
Bolden, Colonel Davis of the 369th
haking hands with Gov. Lehman
it the annual review of the 369th.
jut weren’t at all receptive to the
Both Races Greet
Bill In Richmond
RICHMOND. Va.—(ANP)— A
mowd of nearly 1,000 persons of
joth races met Bill “Bojangles”
Robinson Sunday morning when he
:ame home with his “Hot Mikado’
(how, and all that day other hun-
Ireds of Negroes and whites visited
his city’s famous dancing son.
Bojangles has been busy during
his entire stay here One hour aft?”
irrlving he was on the radio help
ing a Christmas Mother program
and donating S3OO personally. Later
i 0 young singers from Armstrong
high school saluted him' by radio.
Monday he entertained at the
Crippled Children’s hospital. St.
Phillips- Hospital for Negro chil
dren, the Home for Incurables ana
the state penitentiary.
“Tney can’t get out to see me .
he explained, “so I thought it
would, be nice to go to see them’.
THE PHOENIX INDEX. PHOENIX, ARIZONA
siic'cssiul tour of the midwest and
S( uth and on returning to New
\ o:k discovered that her record
ing. “Rehearsal in Love”, had b~-
| t ome a best seller. It was the first j
showing of the Elks parade, al
though they sat in silence.
Bill Robins-on, J. Finley Wilson
and his cabinet, drew little com
ment, but when a picture was
shown of a colored girl “clowning - ’
with a boy friend in the 369th an
nual encampment, disgujst was
plainly registered.
Tire whole feature, however, was
declared highly satisfactory by the
majority of the patrons attending
the Lincoln theater where it was
shown and expressed a desire for
another at an early date.
THOSE WILD RADIO RAVES
By HAROLD JOVIEN
The following listing is in effect
f o r the week of December 31 only!
nil time shown is Eastern Stand
iua. Subtract 1 hour for Central
time; 2 hours for Mountain time;
c nci 3 hours for West Coast time.
As is the unavoidable case in ra
the scheduling-, all programs are
subject to last mtnute changes
i and cancellations.
HOT INSTRUMENTAL
| AND VOCAL
L GUIS ARMSTRONG—Sunday,
Mcnday, 12 midnite. cotton Club,
New York City.
ERSKINE BUTTERFIELD
MBS—Tues., 11:45 a. m. vVGR
!"■ ( k Fii. 9:15 a. nr; Sat. 9:15
; p. m.—pianist, yocalist.
BON BON, singer with Jan
Savitt’s orchestra—NßC Red, Wed.
j U midiuie; Thursday U:3O p. m.
i t cord she had ever made. Now the
comely brownskinned chirper is
planning to make two more lor
Bluebird.
Lewis is the photographer who
made the only picture of the fu
neral of the notorious gangester,
Dutch Schultz when that hood
lum was secretly buried in a New
York graveyard a few years back.
JUNE EVANS DELIGHTS
AUDIENCE
CHICAGO—(A N P)—Talented
June Evans, daughter of Mr, and
Mis. John W. Evans of this city,
made her debut as a concert pi
anist Su (day in a brilliant recital
at the Auditorium Recital hail.
NEC Blue Tues. 12 midnite Hotel
Lincoln New York City.
CARTER AND BOWIE at twin
manes—M B S—Scattered Sched
ule.
CHARIOTEERS—NBC Blue—
Men. 1:45 p. m.; Tuesday, 8 a. m.;
Sat. 11 a. m.—MBS —Sat, 6:45 p.
m ; Iri., 9:30 p. m. (Vocal quar-
Vct) .
DEEP RIVER BOYS CBS—
Wsaely scattered schedule —Vocal
group.
LIONEL HAMPTON—vibes and
drums; FLETCHER HENDER
SON, piano; CHARLIE CHRIS
TIAN, guitar, with Benny Good
man— NBC Red—Sat., 10 p. m.—
CBS, Wed., THurs., 11:30 p. m.—
MBS—Mon., 12 midnite—Waldorf
Asioria hotel, NYO.
ELLA FITZGERALD—NBC Blue
Mon, 12:30 a. nr— Sat. 5:30 p. m.—
WNEW—I23O k Wed, 1 a. Ui.—Sa
Rochester is
To Get Award
For Comic Role
By LAWRENCE F. LaMAR
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (SNS)
—History has been made. And,
while it was in the making, Hol
lywood, capitol of the world filni
doiii, is definitely revealed as the
foca) point of all major sepia,
show business and aspirations. To
‘he honor of being- the first
“crowned heads” of the film
world, goes awards to Clintor.
Eosemond and Theresa Harris for
the year’s outstanding portraya l
of dramatic acting roles, wh'lv
to Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
and Lillian Yarbo. go similar
honors for outstanding comic act
ing roles.
The Sepia Theatrical Writer ■
Guild, a group originally composed
of coast writers who report on
studio happenings, who conducted
the poll as a fitting guild for tham
to make an unbiased decision in
granting the awards, is reported
happy over the widespread aid re
ceived from newspapers and read
ers during the six months opera
tions. Hollywood producers, are
keenly interested in the effort on
the part of sepia writers to muk<
the 15,000,000 or more sepia Amer
icans more vitally interested in
their own performers, and conse
quently in American made motion
pictures-.
PROUD OF ACTORS
Sepia writers guild, are asking a
continuation of this interest, in
order that the doors of opportun
ity may be widened to admit sepia
artist into a more lucrative angles
of this flourishing industry. The
guild is- proud of the actors they
are privileged to honor. It has
learned that the vast sepia screen
audience here in this country, is
alive and intelligently interested in
scores of Hollywood’s leading sepia
actors. The balloting among Eve
writers themselves was close, in
selecting the winners.
Clinton Rosemond, a truly re
markable man, and actor, won his
place in the award race for his
remarkable dramatic acting in ttm
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film “Stand
Up And Fight” which starred Rob
ert Taylor. The poll disclosed that
this choice was greatly influence
by his work in an earlier Warner
Bros, picture ‘‘They Won’t Forget
a Marvin Leßoy production. There
sa Harris, a charming and talented
brownskin actress, swept rapidly
to the fore once the balloting got
under way in the guild. Her wo r k
in the Metro- Goldwyn - Mayer
studio opus entitled “Toy Wife'
starring Luise Rainer, coupled with
her splendid dramatic portrayal of
the role in Warner Bros, first na
tional picture “Jezzebel”, starring
Bottie Davis, clinched first place
for her.
It was nip and tuck, between tr.e
pace set by Eddie “Rochester” An
derson, in his comic acting rule in
the Paramount studio picture “Man
About Town” in which the sepia
comedian shared starring honors
with Jack Benny, and Manten
Moore land, tabbed for his ex
cellent comic acting in the Mono
gram studio picture “Irish Luck”
starring Frankie Darro. The race
ended, however, with “Rochester’
emerging the winner, Feminine
comic acting honors will go to
Lillyan Yarbo, as a result of vot
ing, for her work in “You Can't
Take It With You”, a Columbia
studio film.
A long list of outstanding sep.t
actors and actress played a promi
nent part in the poll. Voting was
vvy Ballroom, New York City.
ANDY KIRK and TEDDY WIL
SON—MBS—WOR ‘7lO k—Sat.,
11:30 p. m. —Sunday 4:30 p. m.—
Golden Gate Ballroom, NYC.
VAGABONDS—NBC Blue—Wed.
9 a. m.—Also scattered schedule—
Vocal quartet.
I ATS WALLER—N B C—Sun.
Tues., 12 midnite; WMAQ —620 k
nitely except Monday.
YOUNG MAN WITH A BAND—
CBS —Friday, 10:30 p. m.—Guest
baiid.
VARIETY INSPIRATIONAL
MAJOR BOWES AMATEUR
HOUR—CBS—Thursday 9 p. m.
FISK JUBILEE CHOIR NBC
Blue—Tues., 7:30 p. m.
GD3iRGiI;FTE HARVEY, maid
cr the “Betty and Bob” serial—
NBC Red—Mon. thru Fri. 2 p. m.
GOING SOUTH WITH CLYDE
BARRIiS —baritone and lire Peep
Bo jangles Turns Santa Again
: ,
Continuing his role of Santa to <
the less fortunate youngsters of any
city in which he might be appear j
ng during Christmas time, Bu* i
‘Bojangles” Robinson Friday gave [
two dozen dolls to Washington’-. I
Harlem Sketches
EDDIE ANDERSON
decidedly heavy in favor of Louis?
Beavers by many fans who insis.-
ed on voting in her favor for cue
dramatic role she played in Uni
versal studio epic film “Imitation
of Life” starring Claudette Colbert
several years ago.
Likewise, Stepin Fetchit, noted
droll sepia comic, came in for a
superb abundance of votes for his
most outstanding role in the Fox
studio all-sepia cast film of sev
eral years ago, entitled “Hearts- In
Dixie”. The guild outlawed these
uvo from this competition because
of too long elaspe of time since
the films were made. However
both were voted the best All-Time
Acting by sepia performers. And
accordingly, will come in for sue!)
award.
Other performers- like Hattie Mc-
Daniels, Hattie Noels, Bernice
Pilot, Daisy Euford, Mine. Sul-Te-
Wan, Anita Brown, and Ernes:
Whitman, Clarence Muse, Georg
Reed, Rex Ingram, Paul Robeson.
Will Best, Snowflakes, Charlev
Moore, Raymond Turner, anu
scores of others, all received heavy
votes, but because of their being
scattered favoring score of picture,
and other reasons, failed to rom
home winners. The Sepia Theatri
cal Writers Guild, is making plan
for a grand presentation of Award
affairs to be given on January 19
River LVys—^CßS—South only,
Sunday 5 p. m.
LOBBY LOBBY—CES—Sunday,
5 p. m.—Weeky guests lobbying
their hobbies.
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS—
CBS —Sun. 4:30 p. m., Guests.
SOUTHERNAIRES—VocaI quar
tet —NBC Blue —Sun. 11:30 a. m.;
Friday 12:15 p. m.
ROCHESTER. Jack Benny’s Ra
dio Valet —NBC Red—Sun. 7 p. m
West Coast rebroadcast 11:30 p. nr.
W'INGS OVER JORDAN—CBS
9:30 a. ru.—Chorus and talks.
WE, THE PEOPLE, CBS—Tues.,
£ p. m. West Coast rebroadcast,
12:30 p. m.
VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSI
TY CHORAL CLUB—WRTQ—
Richmond, Va., Sunday 4:45 p. m.
Under direction of Mrs. Aldena
Windham Davis. Emanates from
Gob tun Uu4-
PAGE SEVEN
“Doll House”. The dolls will be
distributed to needy children at
Christmas. Robinson is appearing
this week in the nation’s capital in
“Hot Mikado”, the World’s Fair
hit, which is now m tour.
By SID THOMPSON
NEW TORK —(ANP)—As the old
year fades, we all begm to make
our New Year’s resolutions. Since
Harlem itself is unable to make
resolutions (and it is sadly in reod
of somei this corner will indulge in
the pleasant but fanciful task of
resolving for Hanem and its citi
zens. \
Resolved: That there will be
more work and Jess relief for Har
lemite: during 1940.
That job getting and placement
agencies will stop praticing nepot
ism and give more jobs to people
who need them.
That persons with money to
spend will spend it in stores whero
Negro white collar workers are
hired and KEPT on the pay
oils.
That less time will be spent in
organizing and more in doing
.hings.
That our ministers and heads of
business' will refrain from carry
ing work out of the district to
white persons in otner districts.
That an efficient Negro chamber
of commerce will be formed and
itept at work.
That in the next election the
people will support unanimously,
some Negro candidate for council
Tnat more Negro papers will oe
read and less Daily News.
That there will be less killings in
Harlem during J 940.
That all the people will revolt
against the high rents which are
prevalent here.
That at: GOOD movements will
iiave tile support of all the people.
That less money shall be spent
on dances and cabarets and more
.'•pent in doing some good for somi
one who is in need.
That the whites will not have to
place their stamp on one of our
outstanding persons for them to
meet with approval.
That the Negro of the city and
country will nave some representa
tion in the coming second edition
of tlie World's Fair.
That W’e all should stop “stop
thinking white, just think right.”
The benefits being given in Har
lem during the holiday season will
provide many meals for its needy
citizens. The Apollo theatre was
jammed until eariy in the morn
ing with persons who came to view
the all-star show put on by the
Amsterdam News in order to ra'.se
funds for Christmas baskets for
poor. Tlie New York Age’s Christ
mas dance held at the Golden Gate
ballroom, was the biggest dance of
the season. Nearly 5.000 person'.
. rowded in the beautiful ballroom
1.0 hear the greatest array of bands
ever got together. If they would
have charged admission prices in
proportion to the name bands
present, the charge could not have
been less than $5. Andy Kirk, Te.i
dy Wilson, Louis Armstrong, Tiny
Bradshaw, Benny Carter, Roy Eld
ridge, Lionel Hampton, Coleman
l-lawkins, Claude Hopkins, Jimmie
Lunceford, Eddie Mallory, Hot Lip.
Paige, Fats Waller and many
olTiers appeared in a symphonic
blues -tribute to W. C- Handy, la
ther of the blues. And did the
crowd enjoy themselves. From
early evening until early dawning
NAME PROJECT MANAGER
WILMINGTON, N. C. —tC) —E
William Burnett ha s been named
manager of the low-rent housing
mcject here by 11. R. Emory, exe
cutive director of the Housing
Authority in this city.