BROADWAYS Newest Cinderellas

4 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, T>. C., MARCH 2, 1930. BROADWAYS Newest Cinderellas . " \ ¦ . \ I , '¦ * &&ji§},.iHHKk; ¦"£ i % / iano percher Helen Morgan, who icon her way to Before the second act teas over Doris fame through a Canadian Carson had stopped the shotc. beatify contest. BY GILBERT SWAN. How Like Fickle Sketches by George Clark. Fame, a Fairy Godmother, ' Broadway * OMTS call them Cinde- rcilas” and some call them “show Has \ stoppers.” Dropped Wealth and Contracts Into \ A few are certain to appear each season, and the 1930 crop is now ready to step up and take its bow, its rewards, the Laps Pretty Miss Nobodies F rom and its moments of fame. of ¦''" V . V ’&'*«. Now a Broadway Cinderella, according to the .Jil3lM.W&mKaS&rM&: f definition of the gay white way, is a youngster who steps suddenly out of nowhere into in- Nowhere Who Have Stolen Shows stant popularity and success. While thousands plug steadily along, seldom passing the great middle-ground, and while others make a stow, steady way to the top—- Away From the Stars. one or two or three, whose names have never dignified a theater program, come fairly leaping out of a dramatic cast. And —presto! They Broadway didn’t. One day Guy Bolton and might think. It does happen. It happened to “stop the show!” Burt Kalmer—who were about to become pro- Doris Carson, for instance. Before the final curtain is rung down on a ducers—went “scouting.” They “caught” her Doris comes from a theatrical family. Her ¦ | premiere the whole house knows that a young act and gave her a chance in a musical father, comedy, James Carson, is a character actor of * Siy ? v |^« stranger has “stolen the evening.” By morning “Top Speed.” considerable standing who encouraged Doris 3<fsl? all Broadway knows it, thanks to critics and Well, Ginger will not have to worry for a to go on the stage. Doris could tap dance—- columnists. Within a half docen hours, Holly- and how! But she wasn’t burning up the wood is on the phone and the “Cinderella" finds world. Holnum contracts blowing in at every open window. When Collegiate Libby established wealth public “Show Girl” was being cast, Doris got Fame and and adulation are Just a to Keeler, as a leader the jtarade in the chance play understudy to Ruby herself of around corner if she can but keep her danc- still another of the Cindarellas in her day. “The Little Shoic." ing slippers on her feet and her mind on her work. “Yob just watch Ruby,” advised a friend. “There’s a tap dancer! You'll probably The talkies and the radio and the phono- never her work in the talking films, her following is got a chance to appear, but a graph record makers; the supper club and the you'll learn lot. taking on a national aspect. She is to be And it’s a good part intimate private entertainments of the wealthy to study anyway.” heard upon the records and in th* theaters and It looked as though disappear social —a dozen opportunities Doris would in the lashnnaMe night resorts. Her work in sets for quick into that vast understudy limbo. Ruby Keeler wealth are suddenly offered. “Sweet Adeline” has been the occasion for had become Mrs. A1 Jolson. And Ruby Keeler many a flattering essay. But let’s go back fell ill. And some one had to go on for her—- to the beginning—back to the littl? city of and ’Doris got the then, the first of the 1930 crop! “break.” Her name was Danville, 111. JV/fEET, unknown and despite the attention she at- Heading the list may be found the tom- Helen’s father had a farm near town, but tracted, the producers were looking around for he died and left herself and her mother to fight boyish Ginger Rogers and the lithe, foottapping a recognized star and brought In little Doris Carson. Dorothy Stone. their way out. The mother of this same La Doris went upon her way. Their stories are echoes of all the other sim- Morgan who perches on pianos and once was Shortly after year, Edgar a prohibition charge itar “show stopping” tales of the Main Stem. the first of the tried on was a Sunday Ginger, for instance, country town Selwyn opened his music hit, “Strike Up the school teacher. They went to Chicago and was a Band.” girl. Her home was near Independence, Mo. A large number of prominent names Helen went to work. She took a job as a ribbon She could dance almost as soon as she could were mentioned In connection with the cast. clerk. stand on her feet, and her parents encouraged Yet when the second act was about half ended. Helen, it seems, was something quite eye her. It was the unknown Doris Carson who had filling even then—and It wasn't long before she halted the as a While she was still a youngster they moved phow. She had done it with one was out of the store and doing quite well dance lady. People to Fort Worth. She began making appear- In stepped Ginger Rogers ... to sub- number, and the audience would not manicure told her that she could let go. well, ances at the usual local entertainments and stitute a sick her sing and so she began to appear in some for Foy. of the small neighborhood theaters of Chicago. concerts. OUT Then came the “break”—Eddie Foy of all the tales of Cinderellas and show Then came the amusing incident which and his time! Every theater reporter an the “big “Little Foys” were coming through on a vaude- stoppers and fame grabbers, of all the “changed everything.” A producer, organiz- street” picked her out for particular applause. strange ing company tour, ville tour. One of the “Little Foys” happened twists and turns of Broadway success, a for a road hired Helen. And, believe it or not, story Canada, to be HI. and it was thought get a the oM of the none can quite match that of Helen Morgan! The company, sent into found itself best to sub- unknown understudy who got stitute. 'The theater manager asked if some her big chance La Morgan is, at the moment, one of the big in Montreal just before the Prince of Wales when the star fell ill isn’t as unusual as you town’s one of his his good local talent oould be secured, and the very particular favorites. Thanks to arrived on visits to Canadian elfish Ginger found herself in “the big time.” ranch. an That started a yearning for a stage career. In preparation for the welcome, entertain- Ginger found herself in New York a couple' ment committee had decided to select a group of years ago looking for a Job. But when she of beautiful girls, and a prize board would danced upon the stage, the location wasn’t bestow the title of "Miss Canada” upon the Broadway. It was across the river In Brook- . loveliest. Not only would she wear the beauty lyn. And the theater was a movie house. She honors, but she would personally greet the was part of one of those picture-theater pro- Prinoe and dance with him. presumption logues to be found in almost any town. The was that the contest was But it so happened that Paul Ash and his open only to Canadian girls, but an astute press well known band came out from Chicago for agent sent in the picture of Helen Morgan, late an engagement at this same theater. of Illinois. And she won the beauty contest. She met the Prince and her pictures were scattered far and wide across the land. The 'ASH, it may be recalled, was the band maes- quick fame brought new opportunities. She tro who picked up Helen Kane out of just went back to Chicago and began singing in a night club. such a group. Helen, who had been one of the Broadway Cinderell&s in her own time, had long since made her big hit and was in the came to the Chicago case night “big leagues,” traveling between Broadway and 'J'HERK one Hollywood. a group of newspaper folk, including Amy looking Ash was around for a new discovery. Leslie, a drama writer for a Chicago newspaper. And be picked an Ginger. She had a sort of Miss decided that Helen had what Helen Kaney way of singing a song, but her dancing reminded one of the loose, romping Broadway needed. She insisted upon Helen Zelma O'Neal. Now Zelma was a Cinderella leaving at once and provided her with a per- of a couple of seasons back. She had come sonal letter to Ho Ziegfeld. But the girl giori- East Hollywood, via from a Chicago stockyard fier didn’t get particularly excited. telephone operator’s Job, something of a re- Instead he versal of the usual order—and when she begun sent Helen to the last row of the chorus in her collegiate cavorting in “Good News,” the “Sally.” He even put her to a road troup. show was halted tar 30 minutes while the audi- The day was to come when Ziegfeld would ence howled for “the varsity drag.” dicker with her over a gI,SW)-a-week salary. Zdma's out In the Bollywoods now, and doing Very Well, thank you. As fer Ginger, the at- Suddenly out. of the blur of the chorus • firry figure uppemred, it was Zelmm When they first met, however, she took SB9 a tendance of the movie Muse knew her, but •«* ••• ! .** week—and liked It.

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