
Thompson 340125
January 25, 1934
Cliffside, Jan. 21 — Three years ago I saw Wiley Post in Charlotte, who was there for the Aircraft Pageant as was Harold Gatty, his navigator on their record flight of eight days Saturday. Post was back in Charlotte on the benefit of the Warm Springs foundation for infantile paralysis. He was escorted to the airport by four motorcycle police and three official cars, in addition to the […] Limousine in which his party was riding. Wiley Post, voted by the […] as the most popular hero of today, is just a regular fellow. He says simply in regard to his solo flight around the world in 7 days, “I wish I could forget the whole thing.” Grady Cole asked of Post if he intended to make any more long flights, and Wiley replied, “Well I’m going to Greensboro this afternoon.” The whole crowed roared. Post is not the young man who came to Charlotte in 1931; he is grey-templed and many threads of silver streak his hair. Mrs. Post, quiet and attractive and […] woman, wore a brown outfit. Peter Cusak and Keith Morgan were in the official flight party in the tour around the nation. Clarence Kuester, the inevitable […] energetic, ran all around the place laughing and joking and slapping Post on the back, wishing him all the luck in the world.
Maurice Splawn , 16, was a fine young fellow. I have seen him play baseball many times with “the boys” on the vacant lots around town. He was one of few young fellows who knew the particulars of the game. He had an unusual knowledge of the very latest rulings of baseball. He made it a practice to avoid one thing when playing—he did not argue.
“Flying Down to Rio,” is a fast musical with plenty of dash—don’t take grandma to see it. Good music by Vincent Youmans. “Orchids in the Moonlight,” a featured number, will grow in popularity within the next few days. Fred Astaire is better than he has been in any picture yet. His smile, expression and manner of speech bring me to the statement: […] Linden and Fred Astaire favor….Bing Crosby starts a new argument in selecting ten best songs for the year. Jerome Kern’s “Smoke in Your eyes” from “Roberta” is one of them. Others remember are: Night and Day, Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?, The Last Round Up, Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?, The Day You Came Along, Thanks and Stormy Weather. Thanks and The Day You Came Along are from Bing’s picture, “Too Much Harmony.” Too Much Hominy it is called by our Spud Crawford.
Last [week] brought a letter from T. D. Kemp, Jr., which I very much appreciate. Many of you read Mr. Kemp’s column and will agree that he is very popular in our Carolinas.
From “Blackbirds of ’34” comes the new tune, “I Just Couldn’t Take It, Baby.” Since Eddie Cantor says it will be popular; it will. One of those new dance sensations is well over the horizon. “Carioca” is one of those Latin-American soandsos. It is from “Flying Down To Rio.”
Was it Handel, the famed composer, who eloped with his wife’s younger sister? I must look that up.
The Carolinas can pride themselves by “saying” that they are dry. In several soda-lunches recently, the boys have brought their liquor in the well-known quart size and have set it right on the table….At a “Drive-In” barbecue there were rush calls for two glasses and one soft drink.
On a Sunday morning in Cliffside; something I had never seen: P. C. Hawkins smoking a cigarette in a holder.
Z. Butler, well known in Forest City for his dancing ability, and I exchanged “hellos” at Jiggs’ a few days ago.
Cliffside citizens in high hats; Misses Eudora Dover and Ruby Wilson, and Messrs. Mac Duncan and Spud Crawford were seen having dinner Sunday evening at Spartanburg Elite….Jesse McCurry is known around here, since he won his spurs in tennis, as “Tilden”….Andrew Love, big bad boy around town, is called “Andre.” Shirley White has put the French accent to it.
David Rubinoff and his musicians are intricately modern. They have an inimitable style. They imitate perfectly, Paul Whiteman, Rudy Valle, Wayne King, Cab Calloway, (hi-de-ho) and Guy Lombardo.
Ray Jackson, of the Ballenger Company, and Dr. H. L. Robertson of the yank ’em fraternity, caught a good-size ‘possum at the entrance of Cool Spring high school, Forest City, the other evening. With the aid of their lights (on the car??) they put him on the spot. The boys have encountered some difficulty substantiating their story. Well, guess so.