Rain, Dinner at Pierre's, and Singing In The Rain

Monday, April 28 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

You will no doubt be soon experiencing what we are now going through--rain. It's setting all sorts of records. Started last Wednesday noontime and hasn't let up; going strong right now, Monday afternoon. In these past five days more than 7 inches of rain has fallen which is really something for our location. The radio announced this morning that locally the road is closed through Ellicott City, 301 is impassable on the Old Annapolis Road, the bridge at Landsdowne on the Hammonds Ferry Road is out and one of the bridges is closed on Hanover Street. We have not been inconvenienced by leaks (up to the time I left this morning) but some are having a tough time.

Well, we did it, out to dinner together and alone for the first time since May 1949. But it didn't go off on the day as I planned. When I got home last Tuesday I learned that Arlene's spring bingo was on Wednesday night and she had to be with the eighth grade in some musical number. Friday I had to work at the doctor's from noontime till 5:30. I had the car and got home pretty tired, wet and disgusted. I said to Ann, "How about tonight." You know her. We whisked the kids into their pj's, got Cassie to stay with Arlene and were on our way by 6:45. We found a parking spot right in front of Pierre's. There was no waiting--only two tables taken--and you could see Ann was pleased when Pierre bustled up and asked about the babies and told Ann she didn't look a bit different in the 3 years since she had been in. In fact, he was so attentive, we were getting restless to order. We started off with a Martini and ordered crab imperial with french fries, a big chef's salad which they mix in front of you, my first cup of coffee in about four years and finished with biscuit tortoni ice cream. It was so darn good I couldn't even groan. From there we went down to the Century where Singin' In The Rain is on its 4th week; that seemed perfect, too. We were in the house by eleven and I gave Arlene the remaining 25¢ for baby sitting.

We received several letters from each of you last week and Ann says she sent you the letter from Sam French, John. I am sure they read it, as I looked over the manuscript again and you can tell each page has been fingered. I'm glad we included return postage so we can submit it to someone else now, if you have someone in mind. I wanted to make a copy of the letter for your file but Ann was a little too quick for me. I was also interested in your descriptions of living-working-sleeping accommodations, the illustrations and particularly the long walk to the latrine. Under present conditions this would be entirely out of the question for Mommy. Last week she learned from the doctor and from daily experience and stair climbing that she is the one in over a hundred on whom the taking of iron has a reverse effect. She would be talking to me or sitting at the table and disappear upstairs so fast it was unbelievable. She is down to one tablet a day now, still feels better and is less winded.

Saturday morning at 8 o'clock we left for Towson Catholic High School for Arlene to take the entrance examinations just in case. We found when we got there that it would take till 12:30 so Ann and I took the little ones over to see Mrs. Musselman and Family in Overlea, where Ann lived the few months before coming to Catonsville. The kids were rather boisterous so we didn't stay long but came back to the school and waited over an hour for Arlene, which made it about 12:20. Returning home about 1:15, feeding, cleaning and once again feeding the brood made Saturday a rather dull day. We settled down around eight to watch the All Star Review presenting Bob Hope from San Francisco. It was quite good and a bit unusual as I believe it was from Treasure Island and done out in the open on a makeshift stage. His main guests were Fred MacMurray, the Bell Sisters and a young girl star I can't seem to remember. Hope you run into the Show of Shows where Sid Cesare does a take-off on Marlon Brando. I haven't seen M.B. but Ann says it's identical.

They had a double feature on TV yesterday afternoon on WMAR which is unusual. I didn't see all of it but the first was Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland in "The Crystal Ball" and the second, "Murder on the Campus" with Charles Starrett and Shirley Grey. I thought Starrett was a cowboy but this fellow was tall and black wavy-haired. Last night Martin and Lewis were on for the last time till next fall, going to Europe. Perhaps you've read of it, also, but the FCC has approved the new high frequency TV set-up. It won't take the present stations off the air but will give the country about 2,000 new stations which won't overlap. Altogether there will be 70 channels on the new TV sets instead of the present 14 and to use present sets a converter will be needed together with another special antenna. Baltimore has been given three new stations and a fourth to be used as an educational outlet. They claim some of the new stationers, I mean stations will be in operation by September. I can't see that it means too much at present, though. The Wall Street Journal reports they have a new TV camera which they will use in the conventions this summer which can be carried by one man with a battery pack strapped on his back; also, that a new multi purpose tube series has been perfected which permits the production and sale of a 17" TV set for around $89. Bet they don't let this one get out.

I don't have my color prints yet though I took them in a week before Easter. Next time I'll try Pavelle.

Saturday I looked out the window where I had left the lawn mower after cutting the grass the Saturday before. The grass grew approximately four or five inches in one week almost hiding the wheels. About a week and a half ago the Bellis' planted a row of 12 or 14 poplar trees along the driveway; each is about ten foot high. The gas station is still open across the street with little business. The tenants move back and forth in and out and up and down, always with a batch of uncared for kids. Ann and Mrs. B. won't look out front any more for fear of a view of a little one leaning out a window or standing in the middle of the street. About once a month you see a big black Buick over there and a young fellow trying unsuccessfully (by the looks of him) to collect rents. One thing you'll find new on your return and I haven't mentioned is that you now (and for the past month) pay ten cents for a local 'phone call. Next thing they're putting in is a limiting arrangement to cut you off after three minutes, like New York. From the booklet I'm putting in one envelope I see you can save time coming back by catching a Northwest Airlines plane from Seoul or Pusan for some $700 or so.

I have to go over school now; first, want to call Father Hughes. I received a card from him to work on the Catholic Charities drive this year and they're having a meeting tonight but I can't attend.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:

Samuel French is a publishing house. John has been trying to get something published.
The Bellis' were next door neighbors.
Father Hughes is the parish priest at St. Mark's of Catonsville.

Some of the Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

Next posting: May 5, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Bad Things Happen In Three, A New Baby, and The African Queen

Tuesday, April 22

Dear Andrew; and John,

The weather broke here last Wednesday---from frost warnings to the eighties' and stayed there. The peonies jumped up about eight inches by Sunday and the tulips came from nothing to full bloom on stems almost a foot long. You can see it has been a late spring when the lilacs are just showing action and will be ready by this weekend; they are usually finished the first of April or coinciding with Easter, if you remember. Ann is going to take up the tulips and split them because I think this year they must have fully matured or whatever happens and would head downward if they weren't given a treatment, Violets are everywhere and the plum blossoms lasted a full two weeks. I experimented on them - putting some in an envelope for a couple of days but they lost their perfume.

I would rather not talk about the first few daylight hours on last Tuesday. It started with breaking both shoestrings; next, I had shampooed my hair the night before and took off my watch which I left like a dope on top of the toilet. It wasn't there so I came downstairs thinking Ann had picked it up. She questioned Mike and he said yes he was looking at it while he burped and it slipped. I had just flushed the thing but ran up and found the watch lodged around the curve with a bit of strap showing. As soon as I came in the office I took the back and front off. It was quite wet but ran swell for 45 minutes before something snapped. The string of three was rounded out as Ann called me a little while later to say the Baltimore Transit, in a letter, wished to state they assumed no responsibility for the accident. Next morning I took the car up to Jarman Motors and got a new estimate leaving off replacing the bumper and the grille piece and this one came to $41.75. I put it in the mail and got a 'phone call first thing Thursday that they still would not pay, that if I wished to take further action I could do so, that their lawyers thought they had a good chance of winning; however, if I wanted to sign a waiver releasing them from all responsibility they would immediately send me a check for $20. I haven't replied, yet but naturally we can't take it to court. Back to the watch; I had to go to the City Hall on Thursday and took the Watch with me to Hochschild's. No, it was Tuesday afternoon, because I remember telling him it happened just that morning. He showed me how rust had begun to set in but said they could take it all apart and bathe it in oil, repair the spring, and it should be in pretty fair shape. If you remember I paid $18 for it on that sale last October--the 17 jewel chronograph. I asked how much and he said $25. I asked him how much he thought I paid for it and he said he had seen similar ones for $60. I told him I had gotten it there and for how much; he didn't believe it but said in that event it wasn't worth repairing. On the way out I dropped by the counter as I recognized the girl who sold it to me and told her about it. She said what have we got to lose by sending it back to the factory to ask about replacement or possible guarantee, which sounds foolish, and this is what I did.

I can't remember whether it was Tuesday or Wednesday evening they took Abe's father to the hospital in an ambulance. Very high blood pressure and complications again. It gets so he can't stand up or even hold his head straight and couldn't get to the 'phone during the day to call Abe. With no one around they thought it best to have him at the hospital for observation. Abe had called me during the day that he was going home early because his father was ill and after supper I walked up to find out how things were. Brother Smith told me they had just taken him away. Ann thought we ought to run over to St. Agnes and find out if it was serious. Arlene and Cassie were there with all the kids in bed so we did and were able to say hello. Ann Scannell is also in St. Agnes--had one arm taken off last week due to poor circulation of some kind; she was in a bad way for several days but I understand is coming around. Dorothy surprised us by telling us they had a room waiting for Virginia--any moment. I said we'd have to come see her. So, Friday morning before leaving for work, I 'phoned Dolly to suggest that when Virginia was open to visitors we could take her over one night. She was getting ready to take off for South Baltimore to stay with the kids as Virginia had had her third girl a few hours before. Friday evening and Saturday the kids were up late, but Sunday they ran their little legs off and were out on their feet by six. We dropped in on Mr. Scop at 6:30 a few minutes and then went upstairs to Virginia intending to remain only a short while if there was much company. She was in a private room which was dark when I stuck my head in. She told us she had been laying there crying because she was so lonely. We felt so darn sorry for her and got to talking about so many things it was eight o'clock before we left. She looked fine and said the baby's name was Johanna Mary. She had picked the name Jo Anna, thinking it was two, but had to tack on the Mary when told otherwise. She didn't have a visitor the whole time and hoped Charlie was coming later. I don't know if I want to meet the guy but we intend to drop down to see her when she gets straightened out with the new little one. As you used to tell us, she must lead a dog's life down there, but it always seems worse when you hear it from the person's own lips. We talked right through the period for seeing the baby but left her feeling a lot more cheerful and she sends her regards to you.

With the little ones exhausted and out of Arlene's way I suggested we call home and see how things were, which we did, and then took in a movie at the Irvington. It was "African Queen" and so crowded we couldn't find a seat right away. Enjoyed it very much. I think the Irvington's got the right idea. It way still 35¢ and 14¢ on Sunday and I understand is 20¢ weekdays. Since the Alpha put the price up to 50¢ Ann tells me you can rattle around in there.

Ann seems to be feeling much better, by the way, and the headaches are receding, so she says.

I'm putting in, a color shot of Stevie for each of you; not too good but don't send them back I haven't heard from my color prints but should surely have them the end of this, week.

We just heard over the weekend about Virginia Reyman and Will Emerson's engagement. That's swell, but reading between the lines, some of the others don't seem to think so.

I am going to suggest Pierre's to Ann tomorrow but will wait till afternoon and call her, if the kids are suitably tired. Let's see if it works out this time.


END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:

Abe Scop is a lifelong friend of Charles.
Ann Scannell works at a plumbing shop at 11 Bloomsbury.
Charles' cousin Virginia is married to a "Charlie".
Hochschild's is a department store.

Next posting: April 28, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Migraines, The Promise of a House, and Easter Buckets

Monday, April 14, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

We're all back in pretty good shape again until yesterday's reaction sits in on the little ones. Except for Kathy, though, they took it easy; and besides, we didn't give them much to work with. The baskets went to pieces last year and Ann picked up two large sand buckets and one medium sized one which, with little figures perched on the handles, lollipops tied to the shovel and the whole covered in colored cellophane, made its impression. Michael ate a few things here and there, Stevie sampled each of his, chewed it and spit it out but Kathy was thankful for the shovel to help put it away so Ann got out the Castoria before bedtime.

Ann will probably tell you some of this herself, but if she doesn't don't say anything about it. I finally got her to go to see Dr. Gallager last Tuesday because since Christmas she has been having terrific headaches and intense periods of depression. Lately, the headaches were so bad she would' be half nauseated--and they'd go as fast as they came. At first we thought the surroundings and problems with the kids and neighbors had something to do with it and I think, too, she was a little fearful of the indications. But the verdict is that she's anemic and has low blood pressure--110. Normal is approximately 100 plus your age. All through the pregnancies and between it was just right. She has had this once before, however, down Edgewood in 1944 when she gave a pint of blood and they had to give her two in return. The doctor is giving her iron and the situation is not too bad if it improves and I'll keep on it to see she follows orders. The headaches are thought to be migraine which may be what you have, Andrew, and do not have to be associated with anything else. The book says about 10,000,000 in the U.S. have migraine and strain and worry is a contributing factor. It's too early to see results but I'll let you know more later. I like to keep this out of my letters but I was sure you would want to know as we do about you two.

I had to work as usual on Good Friday but got off late in the afternoon. We skipped the feast Saturday noontime but did have sandwiches and a can of Old Export. Abe got his 1952 Wedgewood blue Plymouth and took Mike, Kathy and myself for a trip as far as Edmondson Village Saturday. Ann wanted to clean and with us out of the way it was a help. Besides, Virginia dropped in with a bag of her chocolate Easter eggs. Ann tells me she has mentioned the house in the country. I haven't because, knowing them I am dubious until I see something. Mrs. B. assures us she wants us to have it this summer and Ann is all pepped up. I have been going along and for her sake hope it develops but someone is living in the place right how--a couple with four kids and one on the way. I am sure they have been told but not given official or written notice and they can stay right there if they want to. It is also a heck of a daily trip of about 18 miles each way. There are a few assets such as a big fenced in play yard, close to church and, most impressive to you, a brand new $1000 bathroom. But I'll go along if things work out. It would take care of the present mortgage and I could give up school. On your part, it would be nice to come back with the price of a new car in the bank. Abe's is swell. It's a 1952 version of ours including four doors, turn signals, seat covers, radio, heater and foam cushions and cost him about $2,150 less a couple of hundred he got for his old one. I missed by a half day getting him a 1951 demonstrator the same color as ours for about $1,700. I'm glad it turned out this way in the event anything was wrong. I haven't heard from the Baltimore Transit yet and our bump is rusting around the edges.

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, was cloudy and rainy. I went to 9 o'clock mass with Arlene and at 8:40 when we got there, I couldn't get a seat--had to go up the hall. If you haven't seen the chapel there, the entrance is on the left side of the front door at ground level. I should say it holds 200 with a skip and a jump between the seat and padded kneeling bench. It was much quieter and no traffic jam at communion. Ann had another spell Sunday morning but by mid-afternoon wanted to get out so I 'phoned Cousin Ann and we drove them out to the country, and back--a little longer trip than I had anticipated, taking from 4:30 till 7.

I'm glad to get the film, Andrew, and I will send more. I got off a few more flash bulbs, John, and Ann said noontime we have a letter from you about color film. I took several of our transparencies to Eastman and will have prints in 10 days or rather, this week, I hope. I will get your roll of indoor color off by Wednesday as Ann took care of opening the bank accounts last week and your 80 came last Saturday Andrew with John's 40 and regular bond so she is planning to go to the bank again today, the last of Arlene' s holidays.

Saturday evening I saw part of Show of Shows and we voted for the Hit Parade in favor of Michael Wilding. Stevie cryed during No. l - Wheel of Fortune - and I went in with him and laid on Mike's bed till he quieted down. But I didn't plan on falling asleep until 1 a.m. when Ann was putting the finishing touches on the Easter buckets.

Ann looked snazzy (as Kathy says) in her bought-for-the-wedding Easter suit and the kids were equally dressed up in hand me downs and Penny-Wise specials; not a new piece on the 3 little ones but they looked darn good thanks to Ann.

During the ride yesterday, the radio was on a series of popular recordings. Twice Kathy predicted her favorite, Blue Tango, and was wrong. A few minutes later the fellow announced "Blue Tango" and Kathy popped up with "That's for me". She's something. She'd give me her last piece of gum if only she didn't swallow every darn stick she finds. I'm still "Dadney".

Of all things, I forgot to bring the Times and Sun movie sections with me this morning. They usually lay on the porch for several days but with Arlene home, she burned all the papers bright and early before I talked with Ann noontime. I'm sorry and will try to fill in with a few weekly editions and maybe Variety, if I can get it.


END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:

Mrs B. is Charles employer - Dr. and Mrs. Burton. They own farms and houses in Long Green Valley. They have promised the use of one house to Charles.
Abe is Charles' lifelong friend.
Virginia is a relative.

Some of the Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

Next posting: April 22, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Plague, A Tornado and Photographs

April 8, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

It's Easter Week and the traditional touch of illness is plaguing 25 Bloomsbury. Ann started in the wee hours last Friday morning--violent nausea with no temperature. I came in to the office for the mail and went right home at nine a.m. Kathy and Ann pitched their all Friday and eased up Saturday and Ann was still woosy till this morning. Michael and Stephen lay around but held their own until yesterday - Monday. When I called at 5 p.m, last evening everything seemed OK but when I arrived home from school at ten Ann was stretched out exhausted. Starting at 5:30 Michael and Stephen had alternated and she had changed Mike's bed three times in three hours and half the kitchen was filled with soiled laundry. At noontime Ann informed me Arlene is now in bed with this bug and on her way to the store, Ann dropped in at the Bellis' to suggest that Mrs. B. keep the kids away and was advised six of them were taken ill last night while watching TV. I passed up lunch today and Miss Hodges made me a cup of her tea which I hope will keep things under control while I starve it out.

We received your pictures several weeks ago, Andrew, and John's arrived last Wednesday or Thursday. As I've said before, your letters really travel this way. When you consider 10,000 miles and the fact they lay around the post office for some time and we still get them on the seventh day, that's averaging 60 miles an hour for each and every hour of the entire week in transit.

Sunday afternoon Ann thought a little ride would do everyone good if we took it easy so we loaded down with plenty of diapers and catchalls and went as far as the Burns'. We passed through Rosedale on the way down and had read in the morning's paper that a tornado had swept a patch about a mile wide on Saturday afternoon. We had plenty of wind in Catonsville but little rain. Down there we saw one three story house completely collapsed and a number with roofs missing and lesser damage. Sam and Pud were up in Cecil county for the day where they're having a lot of trouble with rabied foxes or however you say it--biting dogs, cats and humans.

Saturday night I didn't see much TV, but part of Show of Shows and Ann was pretty rested and wanted to see the Gunther English movie. It was another very good show called "Hideout" with Valerie Hobson (third time we've seen her) and Howard Keel--no, it's Kreel, isn't it? She was in a newspaper item the other day when she, at 31 I believe, married some old English boy of 72. For the first time we left it on at The End and, after a commercial, they put on a complete four or five minute Preview of this Saturday's offering. I was almost asleep but remember Michael Wilding. Last night (Monday) with only two interruptions while Mike threw up, I got home in time to view Pontius Pilate on Studio One. I told Ann I wasn't going to watch it but I'm certainly glad I did. Worthington Miner is back, by the way, and the sets were Madison Square Gardenish. I'm sure the story wasn't all truth but well padded; what I enjoyed so much was the backscene stuff. Geraldine Fitzgerald was Pilate's wife and the story goes on how she bucked his condemning Jesus and how she leaves him after the crucifixion and becomes a Christian, to appear before him fifteen years later to be condemned to death herself and he pardons her at the last minute and kills himself. Most of the action depicted his struggle with himself and the power he might have and would lose by releasing Our Lord. Francis L. Sullivan, the fat slob, was Herod and a good one. I'm sure it doesn't sound appealing from these few lines but I don't usually go for anything in which I think I know the plot. After the opening commercial an announcement was made that the program would not be interrupted for the remainder of the hour. Just one boy was, I am sure, sent to the salt mines this morning if not sooner. Right in the middle of a dramatic scene with Pilate, his second wife and a friend, a technician in jacket and slacks executed a ballet tip toe directly through the set like you see the big bad wolf do with the trees.

The weather surprised us Sunday night with snow and below freezing temperatures for the past two mornings but warming to the fifties by afternoon.

For two days I have been meaning to bring in the Kodachromes. The pictures are clear and some of the poses not at all bad but my criticism is that most of them have a yellowish tinge which I ascribe, to the flash bulbs not being dipped long enough. I got the same effect once when I took a picture of Arlene without using a blue bulb.

Happy Easter!

END OF LETTER


Editor's notes:

The Bellis' are next door neighbors at 23 Bloomsbury.
The Burns' are Ann's Uncle Lawrence and Aunt Alice.
Sam and Pud "Puddy" were recently married. Pud is Ann's cousin.

Some of the Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

Next posting: April 14, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

An Accident, Sinatra's Last Show, An Auto Show, The Kraft and Pulitzer Playhouse

April 3, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

Virginia gave me the pictures she took of the kids at church yesterday morning and then picked them up in the afternoon to send you, I believe. There's one pretty good of Stevie crying but the one with Ann on it we've begged her not to send. I finished my roll of Kodachrome on Sunday, put it in the mail to Washington on Monday afternoon about 5:15 and Ann tells me noontime that today (Thursday) they are back -- finished, I hope. She put them right away because Mike was present but I told her to open them if she got a free moment this afternoon and I will learn the results when I call her at five for tonight is school.

Had my first accident with our car going in yesterday morning with Abe and Ruth Schlosser, who Abe had as a rider and whose $1 per week we split toward gas. Anyway, at Frederick Avenue and Fonthill Avenue, just before Gwynns Falls, below Carroll Station; that road at the end of Mt. Olivet Cemetery where there is a sign pointing to the Oriole Gun Club or some name like that, there is some repair work going on by the Baltimore Transit, working in the tracks and blocking the road to the right with piles of dirt and equipment. A streetcar had stopped there, waiting for the men to clear out of the way and we came to a stop behind it. Some fellow, who later told me he was track foreman, was standing in the westbound tracks and flagged us to come around that side of the car. We started slowly around the left side of the car and he continued to wave us on. Abe and I were watching a car coming toward us and the motorman in the trolley didn't see the fellow flagging us on and started, brushing our right front fender and right front door. I took down the necessary information and brought the car right in to the Auto Clinic where my friend, Don Rous, told me who to call at the Baltimore Transit. There is a grapefruit sized dent in the fender, a scrape on the chrome side molding and a slight dent and paint marks on the door. I mentally estimated the damage about $25 and nearly passed out when the Auto Clinic presented me, while I waited, with an official estimate of $139.98. When I got back to the office I saw they had put on for an entire front grill where there is a marble sized dent where some jerk bumped me last October in the parking lot and a new front bumper, which is perfectly OK. These two items alone come to $100. Nevertheless, I wrote the Transit Co. and sent them the estimate. Don called me yesterday afternoon, which was before I mailed the letter, and told me a representative of the company had already looked the car over. Of course, I drove it home and nothing will he done to it till I find out if they come through but I am definitely going to be satisfied to get the bump out of the fender and door and not try to gyp them as someone we know who is in the meat business did, if I told you. This party I will not name got an estimate from Auto Clinic for $700, collected that amount from his insurance company and got the job done for $395.

I was reading this stuff in the paper last night about the new set up on rotation and no doubt you are in semi-preference rating as occasionally fired on. I don't get it how they can keep you any longer and still let them out after 21 months over here.

Did I ever tell you the new TV tube is working great. It even has something new added. The old one used to just go black but this one has that big flare up as you turn the switch to off and the gradual fade away to a pin point of light. It also has that no glare slightly bluish feature and with new springs for the knobs and the general overhaul we're keeping the kids away and not even letting Mike give it the works. I haven't been watching too much during the week but saw a couple of shows Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday was Frank Sinatra's last show, I told you they only present the first half hour from Baltimore so I switched to Washington for the last half. He had seven or eight celebrities dash on stage the final fifteen minutes besides his regular guests and among them were John's good friend, Jackie Gleason, Jack Leonard, Tony Curtis, Henny Youngman, Jack Durante, June Hutton and several I can't remember. Instead of Auto-Lite Tuesday, that is Suspense, I mean, the Auto-Lite company presented Ken Murray as MC at the auto show, in New York I think, and it was so pitiful we roared. The president of each car company would be introduced to Ken Murray and he would ask them features of their particular car. He called the new Studebaker a Willys, kept calling Mr. Kaiser Mr. Rambler and when he got to the Nash referred to it as a Dodge Vagabond. He has a girl whistler who sat in an old jalopy and while he held a mike in front of her, by mistake they turned on one by him instead and while the picture showed the gal, all you could hear was Ken's voice rapping out what they would do when she finished trilling. They had a show girl for each of the 16 cars presented and each was dressed to try and fit the part, like a Bee for the Hudson Hornet, while they advertised the car in rhyme. The one girl began, "I am Miss Packard Ultra-matic" and the following line which rhymed; then you could see they turned the wrong page on her. She did a double take and all she could do was repeat the above line twice more and finally made a face and bowed off with a sickly grin. Then we went to bed.

Last night, Wednesday, was the best ever for two shows following one another. The Kraft Playhouse from 9 till 10 presented Audrey Christie, Don Briggs and more that we knew in The Ryan Girl but the title can't begin to express how good it was. A synopsis: She is a famous singer and her husband sneaks into New York as a seaman from Venezuela where he has been hiding for seven years from killing a cop in N.Y. She can't help loving him. He returns because he read that their son, whom she had given to a wealth family when only a week or so old was an air hero and in N.Y. so he will expose the boy as his son and lean on public opinion to beat the killing rap. They don't let this happen, of course and it ends with A. Christie killing him in front of their TV set where he is watching the boy who doesn't know he is the father. Maybe it was the acting but we didn't move. The Pulitzer Playhouse which is now Wednesday from 10 to 11, presented Street Scene with Paul Kelly, Ann Dvorak, Coleen Gray and at least six others we recognized. I don't know when we enjoyed a quiet evening more. Perhaps because of the tension, but when it was over we were groaning with hunger.

Before I seal these I'll see what Ann, has to say about the transparencies.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:

Virginia is a friend of John's.
Abe is a lifelong friend of Charles.
The term "transparencies" probably means color slides.

Charles must have confused Don Briggs for Edmon Ryan in "That Ryan Girl".
Instead of the Pulitzer Playhouse Charles meant to say the Celanese Theatre. The show alternated the Wednesday night time slot with "Pulitzer Prize Playhouse"

Some of the Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

Next posting: April 8, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Banks, Substitute Teaching, Ethel Merman, Sexy Rexy, And An Earthquake

April 1, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

I'm sorry this one will have to be short but I just got a call to spend the afternoon at the Doctor's and it is a few minutes of twelve and almost lunchtime.

Sam French has your address, at least, John; the enclosure, as you can see, is part of his request. I returned the other half last Saturday. And the government came through with your $30 insurance premium, Andrew. I don't know if this was voluntary or the result of an inquiry by you. The bank accounts are still pending for the reason that Arlene leaves for church a little past eight, where Ann used to dash up to the bank at 8:30; with naps and feedings she can't seem to get outside in the afternoon till the bank has closed and it isn't open Saturdays. But Lent will be over in another week and a half, or, better yet, I believe Arlene gets off for the Easter holidays next Wednesday.

I filled in an extra night for Mrs. Brown last week at school so that she and her daughter, Joyce, could accompany B. Herbert to New York. I gave her a call to tell her how I made out with the class and at the same time asked if she got to see a show. She said they were lucky to get in at "Call Me Madam" and then had to sit apart. Also said it is her opinion that Ethel Merman has better legs than Betty Grable but from the neck up is a mess. Their second show was Sexy Rexy and wife in something with the word Venus in the title (I should have looked in the Times) but this they didn't like - too wordy.

The weather has been good, wet and lousy in that order and every day this past week. Saturday broke clear, turned very warm, then rain by the buckets and cold with frost. Sunday morning I couldn't scrape the ice off the windshield. More hyacinths have come and gone the way of all fresh kids and Earl Ives spoke to me as he went by the other day - a sure sign that something is in the air.

Each time we tell someone that you are in Seoul lately they immediately say Oh, that's where they had an earthquake, so it was well advertised over here, and we say yes and tell your experience.

I have to go now but will try to have more later in the week.


END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:

The "Doctor" is Charles' employer: Dr. C. Hammond Burton.
Samuel French is a publishing house for plays. John was an amateur playwright.
Earl Ives is a neighbor.
B. Herbert Brown ran the Baltimore institute where Charles taught in the evenings. Charles filled in for a class that Mr. Brown's wife taught.

Next posting: April 3, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner