1932
The handsome mug of Robert Ryan, Thirty-Two's movie star, currently appearing in Bombardier and The Sky's theLimit, came out in the New York Post in a spread called Sport Slants: Secret Ambitions, the work of the syndicated cartoon- ist, Pap. It appears that Benny Leonard, fisticuifer, always cherished the notion he was a good tennist, while Vincent Richards always figured he'd like to don the gloves. Bob Ryan, Dartmouth's ring ace, and now an actor, always wanted a bout with Gene Tunney, says Pap. For further news on Ryan, here is a column called Film-land Rambles, by one Anne Mcllhenny, clipped from the Buffalo Courier-Express. Says Anne:
"Robert Ryan has been told by RKO Radio that when he comes back from the Army he has a contract to make pictures—and at an enhanced salary. .... Ryan has worked in 2V2 pictures in the year since RKO Radio drafted him from the stage, and officials viewing all that footage in projection rooms have found it good. The half picture was one in which he was to star. It was shelved for reasons having nothing to do with the quality of his performance Before playing opposite Tallulah Bankhead in Odets' stage hit, Clash by Night, he had been variously boxer, sandhog, sewer builder, seaman, phony cowboy on a dude ranch, salesman of deluxe cemetery lots, artist's model, and accidental Chicago mobster he's 33, with dark brown eyes and thick dark hair [still quoting, boys]. He might have been in the Army earlier but for his wife's prolonged illness. By now he's in a third uniform {the other two were movie-uniforms], this time one he expects to wear for the duration. The American Ulysses is off on the greatest adventure of all."
Johnny Nutter left some fine poems which his mother has been kind enough to forward to me, and I am glad to present a brief selection from them in the limited available space. Here's Johnny, the satirist, on the respective subjects of Radio City, The Boss, The Cab-driver, and The Young Poet:
Amazing structure. Monument of man's ingenuity— Beehive of modern industry— Consummation of life's futility. Delightful structure.
Behind the desk he sits and exudes Swank, and numerous orders. I wonder if he remembers the time When his wife had to take in boarders.
A curious flower is the taxi-cab man: The problem gives me much pain.
In the sun he blossoms right under your nose, But where does he go in the rain!
On a summery hill I sit And view my past as in a dream. I wonder why I go on like this With paper fifty cents a ream.
And on the serious side, here's one I like, chosen from a number of other possibilities: The beam from the lamp sheds a mellow glow. The air is still, for the wind is low. A crescent moon gives a feeble light, And we are alone, just me and the night. The night and I are such very good friends We talk to each other and time never ends. Night hears my complaint to all that I say, Then gathers them all and takes them away And when she returns at the end of the day To listen once more to what I will say, I speak again freely, for this I know well My good friend the night never will tell.
Lead article in the Survey Graphic for June, 1943, is a splendid piece of writing by our old friend John Clark, a member of the Office of the Coordinator of Inter- American Affairs since September, 1940.
Steel-eyed Clark calls his article "Curtain-Raiser in Rehabilitation," and it's about the job his office has been doing in the little South American province of El Oro, which by its geographical position on the boundary between Ecuador and Peru was subjected to the devastation of modern warfare when the two nations indulged in the boundary scrap back in the summer of 1941. John calls this a "Curtain-Raiser" because the United Nations, and especially the United States, will be called on to do many similar jobs in the rehabilitation of reconquered areas, as more and more territory is wrested away from the Axis powers and put back under the wings of the peace-bird. One significant and potential parallel is North Africa, and for a preview of what may well be undertaken there in the way of reclaiming what war has smashed Brother Clark's classmates can happily refer to John's article. A guess: if the June Survey Graphic is unobtainable, it may be that the article will make the Reader'sDigest, if that organ is on its toes, and knows a good piece of writing when it sees it.
Dr. Don Allen, fledgling Ph.D. in chemistry from the Yale Graduate School, has recently been called to an assistant professorship in the Department of Chemistry at Bates College, Lewiston, Maine, where he will presumably teach the art of chemical procedures to Navy V-12 deck and premedical candidates. Congratulations, Doctor Allen.
Andy Stollmeyer's inimitable Boswell, Don Simpson, who gets his dope in turn through Kirk Ellsworth, sends a clipped advertisement from the Trinidad Publishing Co. The Occasion: "The Greatest Athletic Event Staged in Trinidad for Years." The Place: "Queen's Park Oval." Promoters: Trinidad Amateur Athletic Club. Management Committee: Andre Stollmeyer, Esq., and other notables. Description: Trinidad's best athletes will compete for honours in a well-balanced programme of cycle and flat events. Valuable prizes. Children half-price. The catering is in capable hands and everything will be there to make the Oval a happy place for two (2) days. Bet A. Stollmeyer drop-kicked an American football barefooted.
Don Simpson, turned down by Navy medicos, awaits the draft, says the family is well, the weather torrid, and taxes are likewise. Fritz Browning has changed his name to Francis L. Browning—old pals please note. Principal Buster Sails has taken up residence at 48 Main St., Shel- burne Falls, Mass., the site of his new job. Carl Ward is an Army looie. The same goes for Mike (Red-head) Allison. Bob Hanner is operating sales service manager of the Hoover Company in Cleveland. Lt. Bob Fisher is with the Shore Establishments Division, Room 2414, Navy Dept., Washington. Nate Flawkes's Scranton, Pa., address is 334 Wheeler Ave. Paul Cook lives at 712 Yale (hey!) Ave., Claremont, Cal. Hank Kingdon is merchandise manager for Sears Roebuck, currently in Memphis, Tenn.
Card from übiquitous Whip Walser, dated from American Embassy, Managua, Nicaragua, states that he and Adeline vacationed a few days in cool San Jose, Costa Rica, after five months of work among the malaria mosquitoes and heat of Nicaragua. Health still all right, says the Wlripper. Lt. John Sheldon is (or was) stationed in Milwaukee, office of the Inspector of Naval Material, and takes to the work like bees to nasturtiums. Letter from War Relocation's Ed Marks says that Johnny Keller is stationed at Annapolis as airographer's mate, third class. Charley Mayo has left the Rockefeller set-up, but Ed is still unaquainted with the nature of Charley's new job, though the Coast Guard is a possibility.
Have a good summer. Time now to apply for Christmas turkeys, so you'll be sure of getting at least a guinea hen. Time to harvest green tomatoes for piccalilli purposes.
CLASSMATES IN NORTH AFRICA The following letter has just been received, via V-mail, from Capt. N. H. "Bo" Wentworth:
"Here I am in North Africa after an uneventful trip on a fast luxury liner of the type which needs only air escort. The weather here at present is ideal with a hot sun and cool breeze in the daytime and cool nights. "Water in this part of the world is limited and constant drill and manoeuvres chew the ground up pretty much, so there is some discomfort on that score. I am at a replacement depot or camp where officers and men are conditioned and held ready for calls from units in the field for replacements. I do not expect to be here long as I have a definite assignment elsewhere and am merely awaiting transportation.
"The natives are of course an interesting group with their camels, burros, long robes or filthy rags and grass and mud hovels in which they live, but they are undoubtedly the most unhygienic people in the world with the possible exception of—was it the Theta Delts?
"Yesterday I went to headquarters to call on another friend I knew when suddenly a voice hailed me and there stood none other than F. Aloysius Foley in the flesh looking very military in his infantry captain's insignia and not like a 7-day wonder as I undoubtedly do. The drills and forced marches are changing all that."
Secretary, 178 Prospect Ave., Princeton, N. J
