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Times Square Tintypes: William A. Brady

In this chapter from his 1932 book, Times Square Tintypes, Broadway columnist Sidney Skolsky profiles William A. Brady, prominent actor, theatrical producer, and sports promoter and father to Hollywood actress Alice Brady.

“THE GAMBLER FROM THE WEST”

William A. Brady. Everybody calls him “Pop.”

He owns five watches but never carries one. Always guesses the time, and is fairly accurate.

Was born in San Francisco, June 19, 1863. Until he was five years old he had a Chinese lady for a nursemaid.

Lost a million dollars many times. He owned Within the Law and sold his rights to Arch Selwyn for $10,000. The play netted over a million. Jeanne Eagels brought him the script of Rain to produce. He said: “I no like.” Had Broadway in rehearsal and shelved it on the advice of George M. Cohan. That was another million. He was to be one of the promoters of the Carpentier-Dempsey fight. Had words with Jack Kearns and withdrew. The gate for that battle was a million and a half.

Last year while in a hospital nursing a broken leg, his doctors allowed him to read plays instead of taking sleeping tablets. He the much rejected Street Scene. He is now on his way to another million.

That A in his name is for Augustus.

Always has been interested in sports. He managed James J. Corbett, Jim Jeffries and Youssouf, “the terrible Turk.”

He wears a large brown felt hat. Always has a cigar in his mouth. Even when sleeping. Once was discovered in bed in a mass of flames which a friend put out with a fire extinguisher.

His idea of a good time is to buy champagne for the house. His favorite drink is a tall glass of rye. During the Corbett-Sullivan fight he consumed two quarts of whiskey.

Never carries a cane. Except when looking for a fight.

Alice Brady is his daughter by his first wife, Rose Marie Rene. William Brady, Jr., is his son by his present wife, Grace George.

Hasn’t an automobile, although he did own one for twenty years. His doctor ordered him to give it up because he never took a walk. He seldom crosses the street alone. Always waits for the red light.

He once cut cards with Arnold Rothstein. One cut for $45,000 and won.

Is sad because he isn’t allowed to attend prize fights. He takes and gives every blow himself. The last fight he saw was the Dempsey-Sharkey encounter. After it was over he was so exhausted that he had to be carried three blocks to a taxi.

Loves music. His favorites are “Faust,” “Killarney,” “Massa’s In The Cold, Cold Ground” and “Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms.”

He likes to act and resents being called a ham. His most recent performance was in A Free Soul. Jumped into the leading role on only an hour’s notice. Placed the script on a table in the scene. Whenever he forgot a line he walked to the table.

When a young man he was a natty dresser. Today clothes don’t interest him. Used to wear many diamonds. Recently gave them all to Grace George for a necklace.

Reads all newspapers, trashy magazines and the highbrow ones. His favorite reading matter is the Congressional Record. Reads every line of it during sessions of Congress. Senator Heflin is his favorite comic.

Cleveland, Harrison, McKinley, Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge and Hoover are the Presidents he knew and knows personally.

His choice of food depends upon what he is drinking. Has a cast-iron stomach. Is especially fond of Mexican tamales.

He claims the toughest job he ever had was managing Louis Mann for five years.

With Sir August Hannis he sneaked into Windsor Castle and disguised as a chorus man appeared before the King and Queen of England in a command performance of The Bohemian Girl.

Once desired to be the youngest man to climb Pike’s Peak. Halfway up he changed his mind and took the train back.

Can recite offhand any speech that Shakespeare ever wrote. Loves to see Shakespearean plays, but not to produce them.

Was arrested and put in prison once. That, when he broke up a street meeting of Dowie, the Evangelist, who was lecturing in front of the old Madison Square Garden.

He started wearing glasses at forty. He was told to do so when he was twenty.

Lives in a penthouse atop a fifteen-story building owns in Fifty-Fifth street. Spends his evenings there listening to the radio and looking out over Broadway. Wants the last thing he looks at before he dies to be a flash of the White Lights.

His credo is, “The Lord is always good to honest gamblers.”

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … Happy New Year!

Well, it’s New Year’s Eve Eve. Just two more days, and we’ll all be cursing ourselves for writing 2011 on our checks.

With just a few hours remaining till the ball drops in Times Square, toasts are raised, and midnight smooches are shared, we thought we’d make a present to the Cladrite community of All Star New Years Dancing Party, an hour-long radio program that originally aired on the Armed Forces Radio Service on December 31st, 1945.

The program, which is hosted by Harry James, features performances from across the country and around the world by such legendary big bands as the Count Basie Orchestra in New York City, Freddy Martin‘s outfit performing from Los Angeles’ Cocoanut Grove night club, Woody Herman and His Orchestra in New Jersey, Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars from Club Zanzibar in Manhattan, and many more.

It’s a fine way to welcome in a brand new year.

All-Star New Year’s Eve Dancing Party—12/31/1945 (1 hr., 4 sec.)

30 Dec 11 | Tags: Armed Forces Radio Service, Club Zanzibar, Cocoanut Grove, Count Basie, Freddy Martin, Harry James, Hollywood, Jimmy Dorsey, Les Brown, Los Angeles, Louis Armstrong, New Year's Eve, New York City, Woody Herman
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Times Square Tintypes: Tex Guinan

In this chapter from his 1932 book, Times Square Tintypes, Broadway columnist Sidney Skolsky profiles Mary Louise Cecilia “Texas” Guinan, a woman who was one of the most legendary figures in Prohibition-era New York.

Known for her signature phrase “Hello, suckers!”, Guinan was a former showgirl, vaudeville performer and movie actress—she was the first female Western star in motion pictures—who went on to own a string of speakeasies. Perhaps no woman was better known on the Great White Way in the late 1920s and early ’30s than Guinan.

“GIVE THIS LITTLE GIRL A GREAT BIG HANDCUFF”

Give this little girl a big hand. TEXAS GUINAN.

Never eats meats, but must have at least a dozen oranges a day.

She was raised in a convent. Loretta Convent, Waco, Tex. Was the same old kid even in those days. She would climb to the top of the church steeple and take the dinger out of the bell. Her real name is Mary Louise Guinan.

Once was in motion pictures. Made Westerns and was konwn as the “Female William S. Hart.”

Her home is New York is on Eighth Street. Just on the northern edge of Greenwich Village. Claims she wouldn’t live anywhere in this town of ours.

She possesses the quickest feminine wit on Broadway.

Lives alone. Her mother lives several doors away. Spends most of her time at her daughter’s place.

Her house looks like an antique shop. Pictures. Bric-a-brac. Mirrors. Odd furniture. Cushions. Gilded draperies. They all clutter the place. Chinese incense burns continuously.

There are nineteen floor lamps in the living room.

Recently she abandoned the expression, “Hello, sucker!” Customers began to take it seriously.

When she finishes at the club she goes horseback riding in Central Park or visiting. It is nothing for her to drop in on friends at seven in the morning and sit on their beds talking until noon.

She likes noise, rhinestone heels, customers, plenty of attention and red velvet bathing suits.

The hardest thing in the world she finds is sleeping. Always takes an aspirin tablet to quiet her nerves before retiring.

When not certain of a man’s name she calls him Fred.

Has a parrot who can say only two things. One is “telephone.” The other is “go to hell.”

At home she never drinks coffee. At the club black coffee is her favorite drink.

She never touches liquor.

Is very proud of her press clippings and keeps a scrapbook. So religiously does she keep this book that reference to the “Texas Chain Gang,” an article by Ernest Booth which appeared in the American Mercury, is clipped as personal publicity.

She takes three puffs of a cigarette and it is gone.

She once lost thirty-five pounds in two weeks by taking pepper and mustard baths.

In an interview she once stated that she wants her funeral to be the speediest ever given. A cop on a motorcycle is to lead it.

Since, she has more plans. Jazz syncopators are to render torrid tunes. College songs are to be sung boisterously as the coffin is lowered into the grave. The wake is to be held at her night club.

In her bedroom there is only one window. It is covered by four curtains to keep the sunlight out.

She is very fond of jewelry. The bigger it is the better she likes it. She wears jewelry on her bosom, fingers, wrists, arms, ears and occasionally the heels of ehr slippers.

She frequently wears red stockings.

Was shot once. By herself. It was a stage accident while she was on the road in The Gay Musician. She was rushed to a hospital in a locomotive engine. Today all that remains of that incident is a slight blemish, the only mark on her body.

She is only comfortable when sitting on two chairs.

She has six uncles. They are all Catholic priests.

Recently it was state that she sleeps on her left side and likes carrots. To which Mme. Guinan retorted:

“I wonder how that guy knew I liked carrots.”

She sleeps on her right side in a long silk gay colored nightgown and like strawberries.

She makes funny noises with her teeth when she laughs.

Her luck charm is a padlock.

12 Dec 11 | Tags: Broadway, New York City, Prohibition, Sidney Skolsky, Texas Guinan
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Let us show you the Wonder City

Do you have holiday travel plans that are bringing you to New York City? If so, this 1930s pamphlet from a bus tour company, which comes courtesy of our pal Tim, will have you smiling and sobbing simultaneously (smiling at the charms of a cool bit of ephemera like this; crying at the prices cited compared to what you’ll be paying when you arrive).


Hi-res	Hi-res

Speaking of traveling to NYC, we have an exciting new venture to share with you. As a duly licensed NYC tour guide, we’ve launched a walking tour operation called Avenues and Alleys. These privately booked tours are designed to broaden your horizons as a visitor to the Big Apples, showing you sites and sights you might not otherwise find on your own.

We’re especially excited about our Christmas Tour, which is now available for booking from Friday, Nov. 25 through Thursday, December 22. New York really is the Christmas Capitol of America (if not the world), and on this 90-minute stroll, we’ll show you the sights and share the stories that illustrate the major influence NYC has had on the way Christmas is celebrated here in the United States. You’ll see the classic NYC department stores where so many Christmas traditions were born (and whose windows continue to amaze and delight), including Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, and Saks Fifth Avenue; you’ll see Rockefeller Center with its iconic ice skating rink and breathtaking Christmas tree, not to mention Radio City Music Hall, home since 1933 to the Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes.

You’ll learn why it could be argued that ol’ Santa Claus was born in New York (and if not born, then raised to maturity), about the man who wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas (or did he?), and so much more. And along the way, you’ll enjoy the holiday atmosphere in the town that invented both hustle and bustle.

You can learn much more about us our website (which is also a NYC-centric blog), and we hope you’ll take a moment to “like” our page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. And given that we can use all the help we can get in spreading the word about our fledgling operation, please mention us to any friends and family who are NYC-bound for the holidays and beyond.

We’d love the chance to show you—and them—the town!

23 Nov 11 | Tags: A Visit from St. Nicholas, Avenues and Alleys, Christmas Spectacular, Claus, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, New York City, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, Rockettes, Saks Fifth Avenue, Santa, walking tours, Wonder City Tours of N.Y.
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A day of gratitude

On a stroll up Fifth Avenue this morning, as the preparations were underway for today’s Veterans Day parade, we came across this beaut of a 1938 Packard. The kind gentleman who owns this beautiful car, a proud veteran of the Vietnam War, admired our vintage garb and insisted on taking a picture of us standing by his car.

After chatting a bit about the car (he’s had it 32 years and has done all the restoring of the car himself), we thanked him for his service and for sharing that lovely auto with us and continued on our way.

Here’s to all those who have served in our nation’s armed forces over the years; we truly appreciate your sacrifice and your service.

11 Nov 11 | Tags: Fifth Avenue, New York City, Packard, Veterans Day
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Are You Having Any Fun?
Hey fellow with a million smackers
And nervous indigestion
Rich fellow, eats milk and crackers,
I'll ask you one question,
You silly so and so,
With all your dough...

Are you having any fun?
What you getting out of livin'?
What good is what you've got
If you're not having any fun?

Are you having any laughs?
Are you getting any lovin'?
If other people do,
So can you, have a little fun.

After the honey's in the cone,
Little bees go out and play.
Even the old grey mare down home
Has got to have hay. Hey!

You better have some fun.
You ain't gonna live forever.
Before you're old and gray, feel okay.
Have your little fun, son!
Have your little fun!

Why do you work and slave and save?
Life is full of ifs and buts.
You know the squirrels save and save,
And what have they got? Nuts!

Better have a little fun.
You ain't gonna live forever.
Before you're old and grey, still okay,
Have your little fun, son!
Have your little fun!
Are you havin' any fun?

---Sammy Fain (music) and Jack Yellen (lyrics), 1939