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Late in the season, Ziegfeld arrived to “Baby, won’t you listen?” he begged. “You're not visit the Follies on tour and to sign up some reading the script right! In the movies, one partner people for the following year. When he had usually says, 'Okay, kid, I won't stand in your way. signed the principals he wanted, including You go up that ladder to Broadway, and I'llfollow you this lucky one, I had a midnight supper on every rung of the way. When you get to the top, with him and told him about the team of we’U be there together!” Sampson & Moran. I asked him to come Myra laughed. She did more than that: she gave the with me to see their routine at the matinee management her two weeks* notice. Sidney couldn’t the next day. believe it. Myra walking out on him! “I can't see myself sitting through a At one o’clock that morning, Sidney phoned my burlesque show,” Ziggy told me. 1 re- hotel. “I’mnot going through with it,” I heard him say minded him that burlesque had given him quietly, as ifhe were very tired. many of his stars. I pleaded like a ten- I told him he was making a great mistake, that the percenter, and he finally consented to go. Ziegfeld Follies was an actor's heaven. Ifhe made good jwmiy “You won’tregret it.” I said. “This little in the Follies, it wouldn't be long before he’d have hb guy Sidney Sampson will be a big star one own show. 1 asked him to come up and talk it out with day. And you’re the man who can bring me. It took half the night to convince him that when that day a lot closer.” Myra actually saw him in the Follies she’d come run- He came, he saw, he concurred. In fact, ning back to him. he stayed over an extra day and asked me For the next few nights Sidney and I took our meals to bring Sidney Sampson to his suite for together. I kept pitching, bolstering hb morale, play- breakfast. ing nursemaid. Myra hadn't spoken to him since she The Great Ziegfeld told Sidney that he’d turned in her notice. like him for the new Follies but that he couldn't use his partner. Miss Moran. Saturday night when the Follies was moving on “But we’re a team!” Sidney protested. “I I said good-by to him reluctantly, because I had the wouldn't split up the team for anything in feeling that when he was alone he and Myra might get to- the world.” gether, and this could push Ziegfeld right out the window. It became obvious to Ziegfeld that this But I didn't realize tilllater how strong that obsession guy was stuck on that beautiful piece of of Myra’s was. The night she left the show Myra sculpture, 36-23-36. "Okay,” said my boss, denounced Sidney in front of the entire company "I’lltell you what. I’llgive her a job as a performers, stagehands, musicians. Then she ran off show girl for one hundred dollars a week. the stage, and when Sidney caught up with her at the By CANTOR No show girl gets that kind of money, you dressing-room door, she was ice. “I only stayed with EDDIE know. But I’lldo it for you.” you this long because 1 thought I'd get to be a star faster bitterly. “Well, I don’t need Illustrated by Al Moore Sidney was ecstatic. “I’llnever forget that way,” she snapped this. I’ll work my head off for you!” he you any more. I’llhave my name in lights without you. promised. They shook hands on it, and on Can’t you get that through your head? I'm going to * Sidney’s jump in salary from 5175 to SSOO. have my name up there in lights!” 1 v which is really not a jump but a pole vault! She slammed the door in hb face then. Sidney told Sliding Sidney could hardly wait to get me, but he hung around outside till her burst of sob- (Marlene Dietrich, I mean), a doll face and, as if those to the theater to tell the good news to Myra. bing ended. for its tryout in Atlantic weren't enough, a dazzling combination of figures Myra threw a jar of cold cream, missing him by When the new Follies opened City summer, no one was happier than I was (36-23-36) that added up to one great figure. inches. “Show girl? Me?" she shouted. "You must late that see hit Sidney made. The writers had taken some There was only one thing wrong with Myra she be out of your mind. We’re partners. You’re supposed to the my of his best burlesque bits and put them in typical Zieg- simply had no talent. Her voice sounded like Andy to be in love with me. How am I ever going to see feldian settings. That first-night audience did every- Devine with laryngitis. She danced as if her legs had name in lights if I’m a show fcirl?" implored, my thing but jump up and kiss him. Ziggy himself came never been introduced to each other. She read her lines “But, darling," Sidney "with SSOO and backstage to congratulate was first time in like a frightened kindergartener reciting “Mary Had a your SIOO, that's S600! Well split it straight down the him. It the years seen him do that. Little Lamb" on the first day of school. middle, baby. Doesn’t money mean anything to you?” 1 had “Idon’t want money!" she cried. “Iwant to see my was she Sliding Sidney’s partner? Because name in lights. Do you understand? I've got talent!” A week later the show opened in New York and

• Myra glared great But the raved the most he loved her and hoped to marry her. But she turned Between scenes that matinee. at him. got reviews. critics about pet, room him down so often he began to feel like the hole card After the performance, for the first time since they had their new Sidney Sampson. In his dressing separate ways. some from burlesque pals, but in a stud poker game. become partners, they went their Myra he showed me telegrams too upset to eat. see felt a heartsick. Not a single word “I have my career to think of," she would say. “I’ve had her dinner alone. Sidney was His 1 could he little got to see my name iri lights. More than anything else spirits had dropped lower than the Nautilus. from Myra. opening, Ziggy sent in the world, I want to see Myra Moran in lights." He Before the evening show, Myra knocked on his dress- The day after the New York for very thing gave didn’t have the heart to tell her she had as much chance ing room door. Even the knock seemed sarcastic. “How hb new comic and did a unusual of this as Sophie Tucker had of playing Peter Pan. But he is the big Ziegfeld star?” she jeered. Sidney tried to get him a straight five-year contract without options. In Sidney’s salary ten per was satisfied to buy her meals, hold her hand, kiss her hold of her hand. She snatched it away. hb fifth year, would be cent of good night and stint on himself so he the gross. Sidney should have been the happiest per- I would money on gifts for her. former on Broadway, but had the feeling he could blow all his exchanged five-year At this time I was playing in the 50 YEARS OF LAUGHTER: A half century have that contract for one little Ziegfeld Follies. Whenever we played ago. on Labor Day. 1908. a pop-eyed kid note from Myra. stage run show, Sidney and I became in the same city as “The Joy Girls.” named Eddie Cantor first walked onto a HggK Wjy During the of the was even friends. We decided to room together when the burlesque show in which Sampson and walked off with first prize. It closer Bowery Theater, •* went on tour. I bought a second-hand Pierce Arrow, & Moran appeared. I’d catch their amateur night at the old- and jQjjP we matinee now then. While I con- he won $5. His long career has spanned all and whenever the jumps were not too long, say from and Boston, by Sunday fess I enjoyed looking at Myra, I laughed phases of show business, and he draws on this ISp New York to we went car. One story. we were driving from Pittsburgh to Cleveland. at and applauded Sidney. And when background for today's Sidney and Myra way; About forty miles outside of the Ohio city, Sidney one comic reacts that way to another, are strictly fictitious, by the they didn't grabbed my on page the guy must be good. exist. even in the wonderful world of the theater. Jhfl arm Continued 25

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