Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 October 1938 — Page 7

Friday, October 7, 19S8

THE JEWISH POST

PAGE SEVEN

OPEN LETTER SEASON

RECOMMENDATION: The people who pass out the Nobel prizes could do worse than give the literature award to I. J. Singer. . . . The man who gave the world of literature something to talk about in ‘‘The Brothers Ashkenazi,” has done it again in “The River Breaks Up,” a collection of short stories whose locale is laid in the author’s native Poland. . . . Earthy, uncompromising, these tales translated from Singer’s Yiddish by the always adept Maurice Samuel and published by Alfred A. Knopf present a set of charaters that rank with the greatest creations of Chekhov, Hamsun, Reymont, Dostoievsky, Roland and other masters of character delineation. ... In a brief 6,000 words, for example, Singer has succeeded in breathing robust life into one Hirsch Leib, central character of the volume’s first story, "Late Spring.” . . . Few characters in literature spring so vividly from the printed page as does the giant ox-driver, a slow-mov-ing, dull-witted, bearded hulk of a man who follows his occupation among the Polish peasantry the while he longs for sight of a Jewish face and smell of kosher food. . . . And whose irresistible desire to spend Passover among his own kind, in the bosom of his family of five, plunges him to his doom in the icy waters of the Vistula, the river that threads its fateful way through the whole of the brook. . . . Another charater tha: carves itself a niche in the hall of literary fame is Moritz Spielrein, who moves haltingly, fearfully through the pages of “Pearls.” ... A landlord and trader in precious stones, Spielrein spends six months of every year between the covers of a lonely bed in a dank, squalid six-room apartment. . . . Nursing consumption that has eaten away most of his lungs, left him a crooked little bag of skin and bones. . . . Attended only by a half-witted epileptic. . . . Emerging only in the time of the soft breezes of the Passover season. . . . Which lure him, with his pouch of brilliants, to the restaurant where he resumes dealings interrupted by the long hibernation. . . . Cackling a boast to cronies that he has pulled "another winter out of the bag.” . . .

AMBASSADOR: Grapevine info indicates that Prof. William Dodd, former U. S. Ambassador to Berlin, is most likely to become president of the Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi League to Champion Human Rights. . . . Post still vacant since the resignation of Samuel Untermyer who, by the bye, is gravely ill at this writing. . . .

RIDDLES: A Jewish merchant and a Polish general, fellow passengers on a train one day, in boredom turned to riddling each other riddles. . . . Said the general: “We'll bet fifty zlotys on each riddle. . . . For every one I cant guess, I’ll pay you fifty and vice versa.” . . . The merchant demurred on the ground that the general was an educated man and he was not. ... So the general offered a new bet: ‘Til pay you fifty zlotys for those I can't guess and you’ll pay me 25 if you fail.” . . . The merchant accepted, posed this riddle to the general: “What is it that has two legs when it’s flying and three legs when it’s on the ground.” . . . After long thought, the general gave up, paid over the fifty zlotys, asked: “What’s the answer?” . . . The Jew replied: “I don’t know either, here’s your 26.” . . . • • * * • MISH-MASH: Sholem Asch plans to stay in the United States (he’s an American citizen) a few years, this time. . . . Eventually, he confided at the Cafe Royal, he’ll settle in Palestine. . . . According to legend, William Randolph Hearst insists that his executives be either Jews or Irishmen, “the only two people with brains, daring and imagination.” . . . Eighty per cent of the importers of religious objects are Jews, according to the head of a large Czech Jewish firm which has been doing a big export trade in rosary beads with Ireland.

Deanna Durbin Not Jewish, Writer Says In Answer To Many Inquiries; Charles Boyer Member Of Fold

HELEN ZIGMOND ■S’dred years . . . then suddeuy the^public school, but not for ong. The

HOLLYWOOD. — Wonder who started the report that Deanna Durbin is a daughter of Judea. We’re getting the usual inquiries— is she Jewish? Hear ye! Hear ye! Gather ’round, boys and girls, Deanna is as Jewish as—Doug Corrigan! • • • But here’s one that will bowl you over. Charles Boyer, whose pictures receive the thumbs down in Hell land, is of Mosaic lineage. He admits up to fifty per cent, but our informant believes both parents were French Jews. So what difference? We're proud of him even at a discount. He’s one of Hollywood’s outstanding character actors . . . many thought him worthy of the Academy ward last year because of his work in “Tovarich” and “ConquesL” * • *

bubble burst. An ancestor in the eighteenth century, not thinking that a descendant might want to sell movies to the Germans, had short-sightedly married one of Jacob's brood. Mr. Doakes’ deal was iced. Moral: Don’t look into your family tree . . . you never can tell who’s sitting there. * * * Mark Hellinger quips: “The typical Hollywoodite is a New Yorker who was born in Kansas.” * * * Thirty-two years ago in on© of New York's most unfashionable tenements was born one Maxwell Everett Rosenbloom. As history proved ... he was no desert flower .. . born to blush unseen. Little Max (later Slapsle) attended

Hawthorne Reformatory became his alma mater. At fifteen he was already on the way to a boxing championship. In 300 bouts, claims to have been kayoed but once. After having his map flattened like a pre-Columbus idea of the world, he found that clowning in front of lights was more profitable than behind ropes. Opening a night club where he is host, chief entertainer, and cash register-watcher. Of course the inevitable happened. . . . Kliegville “discovered” him. Perhaps they’ll retitle him, Maxwell Everett Rosenbloom. . . . * * * Here and There: George Givot is glvoting in London. Ditto Molly Picon. The Edna-Cantor-Frank McHugh, Jr. splicing was performed by Judge Edward Brand. That’s bringing justice right in-

The story of “Haym Solomon” was shelved because the studio felt it was untimely in the face of the world-wave of anti-Semitism. Now . . . and for the identical reason . . . they believe Us production poignantly opportune. John Garfield will star. It’s a "break” for him and vice versa. • * • Peter Lorre’s current script calls for his appearance in neai^ ly every scene. Because the work is so strenuous and he has suffered minor hurts during the shooting, all press Interviews have been cancelled. Lorre suggests title change—from “Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation” to “Mr. Moto Goes to Work”! * * * What producer . . . “Aryan,” oh, yes, ’way back to Adam . . . had the brilliant idea of buying up Hollywood cinematerial . . . even if made by Schmuel Abramovltch . . . erase all the proscribed names . . . and export it to Germany under his own pure title, “Joe Doake’s Productions?" Wunderbar! Even the Reichists approved. But first, surely he wouldn’t mind a little genealogical research? Not at all. All went well for a few hun-

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