Canada Take Present He Was For New Wave Os Success As Bigger?
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SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1941 THE PHOENIX INDEX, PHOENIX, ARIZONA Can Canada Lee Take Present Wave Os Success As Bigger? Donates To Tuskegees Airport 111 >w . 8 IIP XI&4 j£m lj|l M|MBB| j^j&§ < V A : 1 It was with absorbing interest that I noticed his reception of the enthusiastic admiration of friends &nd well-wishers after last Wed-! nesday night’s performance. His' dressing room w as s Q crowded it was impossible to move around comfortably. Lee received his adulation modestly; he treated his colored friends as warmly as be did his white. The just white danc- ing star, Paul Draper, came in. He extended hi s hand, and said hum- bly: “I am Paul Draper, Mr. Lee. I couldn’t, leave the theatre without coming back to tell you what a sll- - (performance you and the en- tire cast gave. It was marvelous.” There was true and sincere ad- miration in Drapes-’s voice, a fine tribute from one great artist to another. Canada Lee’s dressing table is stacked with mail from out-of-town, mail that is becoming more voluminous every day. The walls of the dressing room are plastered jvith telegrams that in- clude practically every well-known names in show business. All of this adulation is gratify- ing. but dangerous. So far Canada ha« kept his head; he’s the same friendly, unaffected Canada Lee he’s always been. He works at a terrific emotional pace in the show Wallace Thompson Acclaimed In S. C. As Greater Singer COLUMBIA, S. C.—. (ANP) Wallace Thompson, native South Carolinian who has spent consider- able time in Boston studying voice training, and who appeared many times as soloist in “pop’’ concerts in Symphony Hall has returned here to give a series of concerts in various cities throughout the state. His appearance at Benedict college Monday was highly praised by music critics who have styled him “The Musical Ambassador of Good Will.” The State, leading South Caro- lina daily, said of his concert: “His sensibility and sincerity, liis achievement in the top musical circles of the East, his musician- ship, at times his fire and such feeling as he put into ‘homing’ last night suggest that this is a singer who can be heard with en- joyment and profit. Members of both races should avail themselves of the opportunity to hear him sing during his concerts in South Carolina in the next two months. the campaign; Dr. G. Norman Adamson, a major; Daniel J. Faulkner, executive secretary; Mrs. Janet H. Waterford, a major; Col. John C. Robinson, Com- mander, Air Corps Division of the drive; Mrs. Clar- ence Browning, captain; L. Stainfield, member of the band, and Erskine Hawkins. Ilis entire aggre- gation was furnished with the special ’Skegee airport fund buttons, which indicated their support. (ANP). Erskine Hawkins, who was visited back-stage at the Regal Theatre, Chicago, during liis recent en- gagement by this group of Tuskegee Airport Fund workers, explains that “I am happy to make this donation towards helping to develop the first air- port to be sowned and controlled entirely by Ne- groes” In tli e photo are left to right, Capt. Sims, a member of the band; Mrs. Lucy Dunlap, a captain in 'Native Son Definitely In Race hor Best Play Awards high. That play is still among those being considered but “Son” is known , to carry the greater weight of the two. Last Tuesday night’s opening of “Watch on the Rnine” by Lillian Heilman lias caused no little stir also. Miss Heilman is remembered for her earlier success in "The Little Foxes” and “The Cliildren’s Hour.’ While the play is not eligible for the memorial award, tlie other two are certainly within reach. Not since Marc Connelly’s “Green Pastures” took the Pulitzer prize several years ago has a Negro play won an award. In fact, “Native Son,” if successful in the balloting, will represent' the first time a Ne- gro author as well as play has won the distinction. Says Prejudice Lowers Calibre Os Air Entertainment WASHINGTON—(A N P) Be- cause st>ong prejudices against Negroes exit in all parts of the country ,it is pointed out by a large national weekly magazine that those prejudiced whites are depriv- ing themselves of some of the world when they.allow radio ad- greatest entertainment values in the world when they allow radio advertisers to cater to their whims and foibles. Citing the names of Ethel Wat- ers, Marion Anderson and Duke Ellington as examples of cops among Negro entertainers, the magazine points out that the radio listeners are having their cars pounded by an interior grade of entertainment just because the prejudices of the minority whites, refuse to listen to high class Ne- groes perform. The ridiculousness of the situa- tion is emphasized all the more keenly when the radio complains of not being able to furnish any- thing new in the way of radio entertainment, whereas there is a gold mine of material awaiting the radio advertiser courageous enough to sell his sponsor, and a sponsor corageous enough to ac- cept an all-Negro program. Well enough to allow Negroes to have sustaining time, but to get in the big money is a crime. An outstanding example of this is 1 the Southernaires who have the record for continuous performance on the air, yet no one is brave enough to sponsor the cleanest, highest type of Negro quartet ever assembled. OBSERVES 74TH ANNIVERSARY CHARLOTTE, N. C— (ANP) In commemoration of the 74t.h an- niversary of its finding, Johnson ! C. Smith university will observe Founder’s Day in a special cele- bration to be held April 17. Dr. ; J. Henry Highsmith, director of the division of instructional serv- ice. state department of education, is to make the principal address. Drama Critics Circle and Pulitzer Prizes To Be Given thor produced in New York.” This honoree is expected to be announced Thursday. The committee on award s at Co- lumbia university has extended the deadline for the opening of plays to be considered by them for the Pulitzer prize. Just what they ex- pect is not known although they, too. may have the desire to see Saroyan’s latest. They usually an- nounce award s on May 5. To say that “Native Son,” adapted to stage by Paul Green and Rich- ard Wright from the latter’s best- selling novel, is Definitely in the run is expressing no personal opin- ion but rather the view of almost all professional critics of the theater. Os course, prior to the Wright hit, “Lady in the Dark” the Sam Behr- man fantasy, had been rated pretty NEW YORK CITY (ANP) With the local theatrical season glowing to a close, that is for the presentation of new plays, tlie three hard at work to determine which lending prize committees are already play by an American author shall receive the laurels of the New York Drama Critics circle, the nocl from the Playwrights company and the Pulittzer prize. The Drama Critics circle is wait- ing until after April 21 when Wil- liam Saroyan’ g “ T he Beautiful Peo- ple,” opens. Saroyan won last year’s Pulitzer prize with this “'The Time of Your Life,” but turned down the money. Tlie Sidney Howard Memorial prize of $1,500 is awarded annually by the Playwrights group for “The best first play by an American au- j RATING THE RECORDS ! t \ By FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS (For ANI*) PAPA AGAIN HELPS MERCER Papa Duke again turn s all his brilliancy on two new tune s by Son Mercer on Victor, Blue Serge and Jumpin’ Punkins, and the result is far happier than the recent initial effort. In fact, they sound as if Duke had a hand in the writing. The first side is another smooth mood piece loaded with weird chords while the second is a jit- terbug jamboree in the category of "Jack the Bear” but slower. A knock out disc Sounds as if Jimmy Dor- sey is working on a hit a week policy for Decca. He's got another gem. When The Sun Comes Out, a sax- sational slow number with Helen O’Connell warbling in a torchy vein, and YOURS, done in the “Ama- pola’s manner with Bob Eberiy and Helen singing. Cootie Williams’ growl trumpet adds plenty to the excitingly ar- ranged Benny Goodman Columbia of OH LOOK AT ME NOW, and there are Benny’s clarinet and George Auld’s tenor to lend added lustre. Fiipover is LAZY RIVER, a slow bounce Not even Lena Horne’s throaty vocal can save Charlie Barn.ct’ s Bluebird of Cap- tain And His Men, a kid tune. Nor is tlie turnover. Birmingham Break- down, more than mediocre.. .After their horrible “Take a Letter Miss Brown,” the Ink Spots come back strongly in their best commercial vein on the Decca of You’re Look- ing For Romance and We’ll Meet Again Fats’ Waller Bluebird version of Shortin’ Bread is like no other you’ve, heard. He cooks it to a jump 3sd provides juicy jive lyrics. Com- panion piece is MAMACTTA, Span- ish-flavored bounce in which the Round One massages electric organ ....Les Brown has an Okeh so hot it smokes in Beau Night In Hot- chkiss Corners. Strictly tempo de gutbucket, Les gets in a solid groove at the start and there he stays. He also does an outstanding job on tlie other side, CELERY STALKS AT MIDNIGHT. Fine clarinet on both sides....Me no like particularly the Bluebird of Don’t Leave Me Now and South by Two Guitars and a Bass. A bit hill-billyish. Assisted by the up and coming Delta Rhythm Boys Mildred Bailey sings When That Man Is Dead And Gone for Decca, written about Hit- ler, and JENNY, a tale about that queer gal. Tile boys and Mildred sing together well and other rec- ords are awaited. Too bad the rest of CHANTEZ LAS BAS by Artie Shaw doesn’t mer.sure up to the fine first two choruses which have a good blue? feeing. Fiipover cn this Victor ’is DANZA LUCUMI. a lumba in which his strings are more at home Glenn Miller’s Bluebird of IDA has a slow, solid rock and many strong points in his best hot manner. Companion piece is IT’S ALWAYS YOU, sweet commercial nuhiber. Best Andy Kirk platter in many moons pairs CUBAN BOOGIE WOOGTE with RING DEM BELLS on Dccca. Mary Lou Williams’ piano is thrilling cn both sides and the band gets a Jot of real Kansas City drive into the performances. Ten- or and guitar score on “Bells” The bounce on Will Bradley’s Co- lumbia of IT'S SQUARE BUT IT ROCKS is terrif. Tlii s is jitbug stuff, and Freddie Slack pounds a mean keyboard Coupled is Prairie- land Lullaby, the pop time.. All in ad, Alvi.no Rey's Bluebird of WILLIAM TELL is his best plotter to date. The first part starts off in a mellow groove that' unfortun- ately isn’t maintained. Part il is faster. There’s fancy work on both and enough interesting music to make it worth your while. Snapped hy tlie cameraman just after Dr, Fred- erick A. Koch, director of liramaties at the Univer- sity ol’ North Carolina, Chapel Hill, inspected the new headquarters oi the Little Theatre Guild of Ben- nett College (Greensboro, N, C.), seen in the back- ground. now under construction. The Little Theatre is a wing of the Annie Meaner Pfeiffer Chapel, the Miss Elveta Feemster, Versatile Young Man Unaffected NEW YORK—(ANP) —Can Canada Lee take in stride the pnenominal success that lias come his way ot/ernieht since the opening of “Native Son”? Seldom lias a Broadway actor been catapulted to the top with the ianfare accorded Lee for his sterling performancte as Bigger Thomas in the stage production of the Richard Wright best-seller. Every newspaper and dramatic critic in town has heaped honors on Canada for his portrayal ot the most difficult role assigned to an actor on the Broadway boards this season. He is the talk of New "York, an c j his dressing room backstage at the St. James •heatre is a veritable mecca for some of the. biggest names in show business; thy all come to praise this versatile man who 'iris been prize fighter, singer, musician, song writer, radio and mo- tion picture actor. i because he’s in every scene. There are n 0 intermissions; just 10 epi- j scries carried straight through. He | lives every minute of the role, car- ries his audience completely away. He is Bigger Thomas so complete- ly that the intensity of his (per- formance is a superb and yet a terrible thing to see. The emo- tional strain plus the public clam- or. would be trying even to a vet- eran performer. I believe that Canada Lee will come through like the fine actor and trouper he is. Everybody in show business is pulling for him here in New York. His friends, fellow-performers and pals are trying t Q guard him' with every inch of loyalty in them. He knows il and appreciates it. Right now, his best relaxation from the emotional strain of hisi work, ! S his chicken shack on West j 136th street. ,iust off Lenox avenue. | in Harlem. On the nights when I h "isn’t too tired, Canada come up-1 town with a party of friends and amuses himself by playing the pi- ano for his customers, singing, or clowning like a big kid. Between times, he greets _patrons, makes them welcome to the restaurant. He receives the unknowns as en- thusiastically as he does the celeb- rities who ar e making his place a (rendezvous these days. He’s a grand guy, this Lee. Plan Sectional Bridge Tourney NEW YORK—(ANP)—Prepara- tions for two sectional bridge tournaments are going forward for May under the auspices of the American Bridge association, it was announced Monday by Arthur R. CUriel, executive secretary of the association. The first of these is the eastern, to be held here on May 3—4. The midwestem is sched- uled for Cleveland for May 31 and June 1. Sectional championships are tournaments that rank next in ini- , portance to national championships I and are held under the collaborat- ing sponsorship of all regional j groups within a section with the j sectional vice president for the ABA acting as general chairman. Na- ! tional master points are awarded in these events on a basis of one-half the similar awards in the national championships. Henry Armstrong in this photograph made last summer during a visit to the “Hot Mikado” show at New York’s World Fair might well have been i practicing up for his future career, for announce- / nient came Thursday that IVPr. Armstrong will make Peabody Award Given For R* dal Understanding Service CLEVELAND—(ANP) - “Wings ; Over Jordan” originated by the ( Rev. Glenn T. Settle has been named by the National Association i of Broadcasters as instrumental in attaining for the Columbia Broad- casting system and radio station i WGAR in Cleveland the George ] Foster Peabody Radio awards for “outstanding meritoriu s public ser- vice” in the broadcasting industry 1 during 1940. This announcement was made by S, V. Sanford chancellor of the Uni- i versity of Georgia at a dinner i meeting at the Commodore hotel in New York on March 30. Immediate- 1 ly following the announcement Rev. ! Settle was notified of the recogni- ] tion given/liis organization. < The basis for the award was the 1 public service which “Wings Over i Jordan” is rendering through tire presentation of outstanding speak- ers on topics of inter-racial interest 1 on its regular Sunday morning pro- c gram, and foi the understanding of Negro music arranged by Worth Kramer, white conductor and ar- ranger for the cliou- . The Peabody award for outstand- ing public s ervice in the broadcast- ing industry was designed as a com- parable award to the Pulitzer prize for journalism. According to Dr. Sanford, the CBS was selected among the net- works for offering a schedule of broadcasts which combined com- merical and sustaining programs in such ways as to constitute a struc- ture definitely in the public in- terest. Among the sustaining pro- gram;, “Wings Over Jordan,” is a program series of distinction broad- cast by CBS in the interest of re- ligion, education and interracial understanding. Among other factors station WGAR in Cleveland was named for the Peabody award for its suc- cess in serving the diverse interests FOOTLITE FLICKERS (By ALVIN MOSES for ANP) i j NEIW YORK—-CARLTON MOSS, young playwright associated with Harlem’s Negro players receives tre Home | if Z Z: Jp , s m* ir® II I WMml if A I iiii I yffifflf f 1 m - pi I the swell bunch of flowers this col- umn gives to some artist each week for the grand job he did in writing the pageant in which PAUL ROBESON appeared, Sunday, a fortnight ago, a GOLDEN GATE BALLROOM.... JOHNNY BA- BONES, owner of the outstand- ing night spot in Manhattan’s Harlem (Elks Rendezvous), fea- tures in his brand new floor show such well known performers as.. ..EDNA SOAREA, cubvacious and serpentine dancer after the fashion of the incomDftrable Katherine Dunham, BEVERLY WHITE, igacious chanteuse, PAULINE JOHNS .. comedy song and dance specialist, and the THOMPSON BROTHERS, tap dancers delux... THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS (Otho Gaines, bass; Clinton. Hol- land, first tenor. Traverse Craw- ford, second tenor, Harry Lewis, baritone), took the 90 per c*»"t | white audience at LOEWS STATE THEATRE two weeks ago, by com- plete storm few acts in the history of the famous theatre have been' accorded the reception and arranger who bow.s to few in the theatrical profession.. APOL- LO THEATRE after all other houses have carried GONE WITH THE WIND will bring it to Har- lem again seems to us as if has bad more than its share of Hattie McDaniel stalling vemcie.... lot of fans wrote letters in voicing sentiment similar to that, of youi j favorite commenthtor CANADA LEE, “Bigger Thomas” of NA- TIVE SON is reported to be re- ceiving the following salary scale for tlie DICK WRIGHT-OR SON WELLS opus $250 for first six weeks $350 for tlie iol- , lowing four weeks, and ..SSOO weekly thereafter make a bil- lion, Canagata, you can’t make your well wisher of years angry Hol- lywood comic actor LIONEL STANDER, SAVED Native Son at ! last minute by sticking in oomkv dough-, thass all. Inspect New Little Theal l' mm ' I*l y J» IjlMw - ;¦ W Wzmmm HH 1 m w - l|| w, y w i l|H|' ¦ ' jt&L. u cornerstone in which will be laid on Friday, April 18, when the new Carrie Barge residence hail will be dedicated. Seen in tlie picture are officers and members of the Guild. Reading from left to right, they are: Hattie Taylor, New’ Rochelle, N. Y.; Viola Brown, Batavia, Ohio; Helena Jacobs, Bridgeport, Conn.; Dr. Koch, Miss Erostine Coles, director, and , Winston-Salem. Maybe He Was Practicing For New Career 1 ' ** * , %S ' ' - ~*s' y, V TL' .( . < p :. Il® /hi s debut as an orchestra master of ceremonies on April 20. Henry win tak e over the baton for Don Redmond’s orchestra at New York’s Palm Gardens. Jack Dempsey is scheduled to be on hand to wish Henry well on his new earectr. News Os The Theatres Cite ‘Wings Over Jordan 9 For Radio Public Service and widely different cultural back- grounds of greater Cleveland, for its program, Wings Over Jordan, begun five years ago to bring about a better understanding between tho white and colored peoples of Cle- veland. ‘WINGS’ TO RECORD FOR COLUMBIA CLEVELAND--(ANP) "Wingg Over Jordan,” spiritual choral group which has attracted nationwide at- tention for their broadcasts and for their work on tlie concert stage, Thursday signed a contract for ex- clusive recordings with the Colum- bia corporation. Wings Over Jor- dan will be assigned to the Colum- bia Mastenvorks series accorling to Moses Smith, Columbia director of Master works. The recording date has not been definitely decided, but it will be sometime after the choir completes its next concert tour, April 22. Cab Calloway is Signed For Hotel Sherman’s Spot Royal Highness of Hi De Ho, Cab Calloway, is going to shift his king- dom to the podium of the Panther Room of Chicago’s Hotel Sherman for four week s beginning May 30. Cab has been booked into the fa- mous Windy City Hotel and will fol- low such top nctchers as Bob Cros- by, Jan oavitt and Charlie Barnet. This will mark the first time that Cob has played a hotel engagemeni , in Chicago. However Chicago is not unlcown to Calloway. Cab broke in- to shew business in Chicago a lit- tle over ten years ago, when lie ap- peared at the old Sunset Caie, on the south side, as master of cere- monies and singer. It was at the Sunset, while sitting in on the drums with the regular orchestra during jam sessions that gave Cab the idea of -orming his own or- chestra. Cab’s most recent Chicago ap- oearance s have been at the State- Lake Theatre, m the Loop. Cab has appeared there three times within the past 18 months a record for that theatre, and each appearance’s gross has been higher than pre- vious ones. In addition to bringing his band into the Sherman Hotel, Cab will also present his own revue which wil! be patterned after the shows presented at New York’s Cotton Club. Paul Robeson To Be New ‘Porgy’ WASHINGTON— (ANP) —When “Porgy and Bess,” the Gershwin operetta is revived in May it will have Anne Wiggins Brown in the same role in which she won lame, but new lead will take the rola created by Todd Duncan, Paul Robeson, also a strong indication that the Theatre guild will revive the play for a fall presentation throughout the country. PAGE SEVEN
Transcript of Canada Take Present He Was For New Wave Os Success As Bigger?
SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1941 THE PHOENIX INDEX, PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Can Canada Lee Take PresentWave Os Success As Bigger?Donates To Tuskegees Airport
111 >w . 8IIP XI&4 j£m
lj|l M|MBB| j^j&§
< V A
: 1
It was with absorbing interestthat I noticed his reception of the
enthusiastic admiration of friends&nd well-wishers after last Wed-!nesday night’s performance. His'dressing room was sQ crowded itwas impossible to move aroundcomfortably. Lee received hisadulation modestly; he treated hiscolored friends as warmly as bedid his white. The just white danc-ing star, Paul Draper, came in. Heextended his hand, and said hum-bly:
“I am Paul Draper, Mr. Lee. Icouldn’t, leave the theatre withoutcoming back to tell you what a sll-- (performance you and the en-tire cast gave. It was marvelous.”
There was true and sincere ad-miration in Drapes-’s voice, a fine
tribute from one great artist toanother. Canada Lee’s dressingtable is stacked with mail fromout-of-town, mail that is becomingmore voluminous every day. Thewalls of the dressing room areplastered jvith telegrams that in-clude practically every well-knownnames in show business.
All of this adulation is gratify-ing. but dangerous. So far Canadaha« kept his head; he’s the samefriendly, unaffected Canada Leehe’s always been. He works at aterrific emotional pace in the show
Wallace ThompsonAcclaimed In S. C.As Greater Singer
COLUMBIA, S. C.— . (ANP)
Wallace Thompson, native SouthCarolinian who has spent consider-able time in Boston studying voicetraining, and who appeared manytimes as soloist in “pop’’ concertsin Symphony Hall has returnedhere to give a series of concertsin various cities throughout thestate. His appearance at Benedictcollege Monday was highly praisedby music critics who have styledhim “The Musical Ambassador ofGood Will.”
The State, leading South Caro-lina daily, said of his concert: “Hissensibility and sincerity, liisachievement in the top musicalcircles of the East, his musician-ship, at times his fire and suchfeeling as he put into ‘homing’last night suggest that this is asinger who can be heard with en-joyment and profit. Members ofboth races should avail themselvesof the opportunity to hear himsing during his concerts in SouthCarolina in the next two months.
the campaign; Dr. G. Norman Adamson, a major;Daniel J. Faulkner, executive secretary; Mrs. JanetH. Waterford, a major; Col. John C. Robinson, Com-mander, Air Corps Division of the drive; Mrs. Clar-ence Browning, captain; L. Stainfield, member ofthe band, and Erskine Hawkins. Ilis entire aggre-gation was furnished with the special ’Skegee airportfund buttons, which indicated their support. (ANP).
Erskine Hawkins, who was visited back-stageat the Regal Theatre, Chicago, during liis recent en-gagement by this group of Tuskegee Airport Fundworkers, explains that “I am happy to make thisdonation towards helping to develop the first air-port to be sowned and controlled entirely by Ne-groes” In tli e photo are left to right, Capt. Sims, amember of the band; Mrs. Lucy Dunlap, a captain in
'Native Son Definitely InRace hor Best Play Awards
high. That play is still among thosebeing considered but “Son” is known ,to carry the greater weight of thetwo.
Last Tuesday night’s opening of“Watch on the Rnine” by LillianHeilman lias caused no little stiralso. Miss Heilman is rememberedfor her earlier success in "TheLittle Foxes” and “The Cliildren’sHour.’ While the play is not eligiblefor the memorial award, tlie othertwo are certainly within reach.
Not since Marc Connelly’s “GreenPastures” took the Pulitzer prizeseveral years ago has a Negro playwon an award. In fact, “NativeSon,” if successful in the balloting,will represent' the first time a Ne-gro author as well as play has wonthe distinction.
Says Prejudice
Lowers Calibre OsAir Entertainment
WASHINGTON—(A N P) Be-cause st>ong prejudices againstNegroes exit in all parts of thecountry ,it is pointed out by a largenational weekly magazine thatthose prejudiced whites are depriv-ing themselves of some of theworld when they.allow radio ad-greatest entertainment values inthe world when they allow radioadvertisers to cater to their whimsand foibles.
Citing the names of Ethel Wat-ers, Marion Anderson and DukeEllington as examples of copsamong Negro entertainers, themagazine points out that the radiolisteners are having their carspounded by an interior grade ofentertainment just because theprejudices of the minority whites,refuse to listen to high class Ne-groes perform.
The ridiculousness of the situa-tion is emphasized all the morekeenly when the radio complainsof not being able to furnish any-thing new in the way of radio
entertainment, whereas there is agold mine of material awaitingthe radio advertiser courageousenough to sell his sponsor, and asponsor corageous enough to ac-cept an all-Negro program.
Well enough to allow Negroes tohave sustaining time, but to getin the big money is a crime. Anoutstanding example of this is
1 the Southernaires who have the
record for continuous performanceon the air, yet no one is braveenough to sponsor the cleanest,highest type of Negro quartetever assembled.
OBSERVES 74THANNIVERSARY
CHARLOTTE, N. C—(ANP)
In commemoration of the 74t.h an-niversary of its finding, Johnson
! C. Smith university will observeFounder’s Day in a special cele-bration to be held April 17. Dr.
; J. Henry Highsmith, director ofthe division of instructional serv-ice. state department of education,
is to make the principal address.
Drama Critics Circle and
Pulitzer Prizes To Be Given
thor produced in New York.” Thishonoree is expected to be announcedThursday.
The committee on award s at Co-
lumbia university has extended thedeadline for the opening of playsto be considered by them for thePulitzer prize. Just what they ex-pect is not known although they,too. may have the desire to seeSaroyan’s latest. They usually an-nounce award s on May 5.
To say that “Native Son,” adaptedto stage by Paul Green and Rich-ard Wright from the latter’s best-selling novel, is Definitely in therun is expressing no personal opin-ion but rather the view of almost allprofessional critics of the theater.Os course, prior to the Wright hit,“Lady in the Dark” the Sam Behr-man fantasy, had been rated pretty
NEW YORK CITY (ANP)
With the local theatrical seasonglowing to a close, that is for thepresentation of new plays, tlie threehard at work to determine whichlending prize committees are alreadyplay by an American author shallreceive the laurels of the New YorkDrama Critics circle, the nocl fromthe Playwrights company and thePulittzer prize.
The Drama Critics circle is wait-ing until after April 21 when Wil-liam Saroyan’ g
“The Beautiful Peo-ple,” opens. Saroyan won last year’sPulitzer prize with this “'The Timeof Your Life,” but turned down themoney.
Tlie Sidney Howard Memorialprize of $1,500 is awarded annuallyby the Playwrights group for “Thebest first play by an American au-
j RATING THE RECORDS !t \
By FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS(For ANI*)
PAPA AGAIN HELPS MERCERPapa Duke again turn s all his
brilliancy on two new tune s by SonMercer on Victor, Blue Serge andJumpin’ Punkins, and the result isfar happier than the recent initialeffort. In fact, they sound as ifDuke had a hand in the writing.The first side is another smoothmood piece loaded with weirdchords while the second is a jit-terbug jamboree in the category of"Jack the Bear” but slower. A knockout disc Sounds as if Jimmy Dor-sey is working on a hit a week policyfor Decca. He's got another gem.When The Sun Comes Out, a sax-sational slow number with HelenO’Connell warbling in a torchy vein,and YOURS, done in the “Ama-
pola’s manner with Bob Eberiy andHelen singing.
Cootie Williams’ growl trumpetadds plenty to the excitingly ar-ranged Benny Goodman Columbiaof OH LOOK AT ME NOW, andthere are Benny’s clarinet andGeorge Auld’s tenor to lend addedlustre. Fiipover is LAZY RIVER, aslow bounce Not even LenaHorne’s throaty vocal can saveCharlie Barn.ct’ s Bluebird of Cap-tain And His Men, a kid tune. Noris tlie turnover. Birmingham Break-down, more than mediocre.. .Aftertheir horrible “Take a Letter MissBrown,” the Ink Spots come backstrongly in their best commercialvein on the Decca of You’re Look-ing For Romance and We’ll MeetAgain
Fats’ Waller Bluebird version ofShortin’ Bread is like no otheryou’ve, heard. He cooks it to a jump3sd provides juicy jive lyrics. Com-panion piece is MAMACTTA, Span-ish-flavored bounce in which theRound One massages electric organ....Les Brown has an Okeh so hotit smokes in Beau Night In Hot-chkiss Corners. Strictly tempo de
gutbucket, Les gets in a solid grooveat the start and there he stays.He also does an outstanding jobon tlie other side, CELERYSTALKS AT MIDNIGHT. Fineclarinet on both sides....Me nolike particularly the Bluebird ofDon’t Leave Me Now and Southby Two Guitars and a Bass. A bithill-billyish.
Assisted by the up and comingDelta Rhythm Boys Mildred Baileysings When That Man Is Dead AndGone for Decca, written about Hit-ler, and JENNY, a tale about thatqueer gal. Tile boys and Mildredsing together well and other rec-ords are awaited. Too bad the restof CHANTEZ LAS BAS by ArtieShaw doesn’t mer.sure up to thefine first two choruses which havea good blue? feeing. Fiipover cnthis Victor ’is DANZA LUCUMI. alumba in which his strings aremore at home Glenn Miller’sBluebird of IDA has a slow, solidrock and many strong points inhis best hot manner. Companionpiece is IT’S ALWAYS YOU, sweetcommercial nuhiber.
Best Andy Kirk platter in manymoons pairs CUBAN BOOGIEWOOGTE with RING DEM BELLSon Dccca. Mary Lou Williams’ pianois thrilling cn both sides and theband gets a Jot of real Kansas Citydrive into the performances. Ten-or and guitar score on “Bells”The bounce on Will Bradley’s Co-lumbia of IT'S SQUARE BUT ITROCKS is terrif. Tliis is jitbugstuff, and Freddie Slack pounds amean keyboard Coupled is Prairie-land Lullaby, the pop time.. Allin ad, Alvi.no Rey's Bluebird ofWILLIAM TELL is his best plotterto date. The first part starts off
in a mellow groove that' unfortun-ately isn’t maintained. Part il isfaster. There’s fancy work on bothand enough interesting music tomake it worth your while.
Snapped hy tlie cameraman just after Dr, Fred-erick A. Koch, director of liramaties at the Univer-sity ol’ North Carolina, Chapel Hill, inspected thenew headquarters oi the Little Theatre Guild of Ben-nett College (Greensboro, N, C.), seen in the back-ground. now under construction. The Little Theatreis a wing of the Annie Meaner Pfeiffer Chapel, the
Miss Elveta Feemster,
Versatile YoungMan Unaffected
NEW YORK—(ANP) —Can Canada Lee take in stride thepnenominal success that lias come his way ot/ernieht since theopening of “Native Son”?
Seldom lias a Broadway actor been catapulted to the top withthe ianfare accorded Lee for his sterling performancte as BiggerThomas in the stage production of the Richard Wright best-seller.Every newspaper and dramatic critic in town has heaped honorson Canada for his portrayal ot the most difficult role assigned toan actor on the Broadway boards this season. He is the talk ofNew "York, an c j his dressing room backstage at the St. James•heatre is a veritable mecca for some of the. biggest names in showbusiness; thy all come to praise this versatile man who'iris been prize fighter, singer, musician, song writer, radio and mo-tion picture actor.
i because he’s in every scene. Thereare n 0 intermissions; just 10 epi-
j scries carried straight through. He| lives every minute of the role, car-
ries his audience completely away.He is Bigger Thomas so complete-ly that the intensity of his (per-
formance is a superb and yet aterrible thing to see. The emo-tional strain plus the public clam-
or. would be trying even to a vet-eran performer.
I believe that Canada Lee willcome through like the fine actorand trouper he is. Everybody inshow business is pulling for himhere in New York. His friends,fellow-performers and pals aretrying t Q guard him' with everyinch of loyalty in them. He knowsil and appreciates it.
Right now, his best relaxationfrom the emotional strain of hisiwork, !S his chicken shack on West j136th street. ,iust off Lenox avenue. |in Harlem. On the nights when Ih "isn’t too tired, Canada come up-1town with a party of friends andamuses himself by playing the pi-ano for his customers, singing, orclowning like a big kid. Betweentimes, he greets _patrons, makesthem welcome to the restaurant.He receives the unknowns as en-thusiastically as he does the celeb-rities who ar e making his place a(rendezvous these days. He’s agrand guy, this Lee.
Plan SectionalBridge Tourney
NEW YORK—(ANP)—Prepara-tions for two sectional bridgetournaments are going forward forMay under the auspices of theAmerican Bridge association, itwas announced Monday by ArthurR. CUriel, executive secretary ofthe association. The first of theseis the eastern, to be held here onMay 3—4. The midwestem is sched-uled for Cleveland for May 31 andJune 1.
Sectional championships aretournaments that rank next in ini- ,portance to national championships Iand are held under the collaborat-ing sponsorship of all regional jgroups within a section with the jsectional vice president for the ABAacting as general chairman. Na- !tional master points are awarded inthese events on a basis of one-halfthe similar awards in the nationalchampionships.
Henry Armstrong in this photograph made lastsummer during a visit to the “Hot Mikado” showat New York’s World Fair might well have been ipracticing up for his future career, for announce- /
nient came Thursday that IVPr. Armstrong will make
Peabody Award Given ForR* dal Understanding Service
CLEVELAND—(ANP) - “Wings ;Over Jordan” originated by the (Rev. Glenn T. Settle has beennamed by the National Association iof Broadcasters as instrumental inattaining for the Columbia Broad-casting system and radio station iWGAR in Cleveland the George ]Foster Peabody Radio awards for“outstanding meritoriu s public ser-vice” in the broadcasting industry 1during 1940.
This announcement was made byS, V. Sanford chancellor of the Uni- iversity of Georgia at a dinner imeeting at the Commodore hotel in
New York on March 30. Immediate- 1ly following the announcement Rev. !Settle was notified of the recogni- ]tion given/liis organization. <
The basis for the award was the 1public service which “Wings Over iJordan” is rendering through tirepresentation of outstanding speak-ers on topics of inter-racial interest 1on its regular Sunday morning pro- c
gram, and foi the understandingof Negro music arranged by WorthKramer, white conductor and ar-ranger for the cliou- .
The Peabody award for outstand-ing public service in the broadcast-ing industry was designed as a com-parable award to the Pulitzer prizefor journalism.
According to Dr. Sanford, theCBS was selected among the net-
works for offering a schedule ofbroadcasts which combined com-merical and sustaining programs insuch ways as to constitute a struc-ture definitely in the public in-terest. Among the sustaining pro-gram;, “Wings Over Jordan,” is aprogram series of distinction broad-
cast by CBS in the interest of re-ligion, education and interracialunderstanding.
Among other factors stationWGAR in Cleveland was namedfor the Peabody award for its suc-cess in serving the diverse interests
FOOTLITE FLICKERS(By ALVIN MOSES for ANP)
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NEIW YORK—-CARLTON MOSS,young playwright associated with
Harlem’s Negro players receives
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I the swell bunch of flowers this col-umn gives to some artist each weekfor the grand job he did in writingthe pageant in which PAULROBESON appeared, Sunday, afortnight ago, a GOLDEN GATEBALLROOM.... JOHNNY BA-BONES, owner of the outstand-ing night spot in Manhattan’sHarlem (Elks Rendezvous), fea-tures in his brand new floor showsuch well known performers as....EDNA SOAREA, cubvacious andserpentine dancer after the fashionof the incomDftrable Katherine
Dunham, BEVERLY WHITE,igacious chanteuse, PAULINEJOHNS .. comedy song and dancespecialist, and the THOMPSONBROTHERS, tap dancers delux...THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS(Otho Gaines, bass; Clinton. Hol-land, first tenor. Traverse Craw-ford, second tenor, Harry Lewis,baritone), took the 90 per c*»"t |white audience at LOEWS STATETHEATRE two weeks ago, by com-plete storm few acts in thehistory of the famous theatrehave been' accorded the receptionand arranger who bow.s to few inthe theatrical profession.. APOL-
LO THEATRE after all otherhouses have carried GONE WITHTHE WIND will bring it to Har-lem again seems to us as if hasbad more than its share of HattieMcDaniel stalling vemcie....
lot of fans wrote letters in voicing
sentiment similar to that, of youi jfavorite commenthtor CANADALEE, “Bigger Thomas” of NA-TIVE SON is reported to be re-ceiving the following salary scalefor tlie DICK WRIGHT-OR SONWELLS opus $250 for firstsix weeks $350 for tlie iol- ,
lowing four weeks, and ..SSOOweekly thereafter make a bil-lion, Canagata, you can’t make yourwell wisher of years angry Hol-lywood comic actor LIONELSTANDER, SAVED Native Son at !
last minute by sticking in oomkvdough-, thass all.
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cornerstone in which will be laid on Friday, April18, when the new Carrie Barge residence hail willbe dedicated. Seen in tlie picture are officers andmembers of the Guild. Reading from left to right,they are: Hattie Taylor, New’ Rochelle, N. Y.; ViolaBrown, Batavia, Ohio; Helena Jacobs, Bridgeport,Conn.; Dr. Koch, Miss Erostine Coles, director, and
, Winston-Salem.
Maybe He Was Practicing For New Career
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/his debut as an orchestra master of ceremonies on
April 20. Henry win tak e over the baton for DonRedmond’s orchestra at New York’s Palm Gardens.Jack Dempsey is scheduled to be on hand to wishHenry well on his new earectr.
News Os The TheatresCite ‘Wings Over Jordan 9
For Radio Public Serviceand widely different cultural back-grounds of greater Cleveland, forits program, Wings Over Jordan,begun five years ago to bring abouta better understanding between thowhite and colored peoples of Cle-veland.
‘WINGS’ TO RECORD FORCOLUMBIA
CLEVELAND--(ANP) "WinggOver Jordan,” spiritual choral groupwhich has attracted nationwide at-tention for their broadcasts and fortheir work on tlie concert stage,Thursday signed a contract for ex-clusive recordings with the Colum-bia corporation. Wings Over Jor-dan will be assigned to the Colum-bia Mastenvorks series accorling toMoses Smith, Columbia director ofMaster works.
The recording date has not beendefinitely decided, but it will besometime after the choir completesits next concert tour, April 22.
Cab Calloway isSigned For HotelSherman’s SpotRoyal Highness of Hi De Ho, CabCalloway, is going to shift his king-dom to the podium of the PantherRoom of Chicago’s Hotel Shermanfor four week s beginning May 30.Cab has been booked into the fa-mous Windy City Hotel and will fol-low such top nctchers as Bob Cros-by, Jan oavitt and Charlie Barnet.
This will mark the first time thatCob has played a hotel engagemeni
, in Chicago. However Chicago is notunlcown to Calloway. Cab broke in-to shew business in Chicago a lit-tle over ten years ago, when lie ap-peared at the old Sunset Caie, onthe south side, as master of cere-monies and singer. It was at theSunset, while sitting in on thedrums with the regular orchestraduring jam sessions that gave Cabthe idea of -orming his own or-chestra.
Cab’s most recent Chicago ap-oearance s have been at the State-Lake Theatre, m the Loop. Cab hasappeared there three times withinthe past 18 months a record forthat theatre, and each appearance’sgross has been higher than pre-vious ones.
In addition to bringing his bandinto the Sherman Hotel, Cab willalso present his own revue whichwil! be patterned after the showspresented at New York’s CottonClub.
Paul Robeson ToBe New ‘Porgy’
WASHINGTON— (ANP) —When“Porgy and Bess,” the Gershwinoperetta is revived in May it willhave Anne Wiggins Brown in thesame role in which she won lame,but new lead will take the rolacreated by Todd Duncan, PaulRobeson, also a strong indicationthat the Theatre guild will revivethe play for a fall presentationthroughout the country.
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