Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 213

DISCOVER HOW GOOD See Page 36 for Hedda Hopper's interview with Doris Day. fresh SWEETHEART! By William Leonard THE RUTH ETTING story, which has lywood reached after the all sound these sets of in Hol- a years movie called "Love Me or Leave Me," is one of brilliance and brutality, love and hate, that had its roots in Chicago's show rialto of a generation ago. From modest beginnings in the chorus line at a north side cabaret, Miss Etting grew into the highest paid star in radio. She was known as Chicago's sweetheart on the airlanes. The romance and 17-year marriage that were part of her climb blew apart in gunplay, recriminations, and sordid court suits.

Now, 17 years after the story made front page headlines. Hollywood screens its own version, with Doris Day as the sultry songstress. Ruth Etting came to Chicago in 1917 from her home in David City, to study at the Academy of Fine Arts. As part time work to supplement her funds, she hired out as a chorus girl in a revue at the old Marigold Gardens. A' fter the costumes successfully for the designing chorus, she some was of engaged by the owner of a Loop shop to do more designing, and later became part owner of a shop at 72 W.

Randolph st. There she would put in a five-hour day before heading for her work behind the bright lights of one of the many Chicago cabarets that flourished in the early prohibition days. It was in 1922, when she was back at the Marigold Gardens in "The Passing Parade." that she made the acquaintance of Martin Snyder, known in Chicago theatrical circles as Col. Moe Snyder, or Moe the Gimp, because of his pronounced limp. Snyder, a product of the rugged southwest side neighborhood called "The Valley," was a pretty tough customer.

He was a follower of Dennis Egan, Democratic political leader, and a pal of Egan's secretary, Albert Prignano, who became a state representative before being murdered. Moe was known as a bodyguard in the early bootlegging days for several widely known persons in the theatrical world, including Al Jolson. Becoming an intimate of stage and night club entertainers in the early '20s, he was a familiar figure around the city's night spots. divorced his first wife to marry Miss He Etting at Crown Point, and forthwith became her business manager. A hard, crafty, uncompromising man who stated frankly that be didn't need or want any friends, Gimp acquired a reputation for shrewd dealing for Miss Etting's services.

"To him," Ed Sullivan wrote in The Tribune in the late '30s, the world was a battleground rather than an oyster. To him the world was full of real and fancied enemies, and he left his hotel each night ready to do battle with them. He eyed everybody with distrust and limped thru the world with a cigar in his mouth, a sour look on his face, and the little lady' in his heart." Miss Etting became one of the biggest stars in radio and scored in movie and stage appearances in America and LonMoe under the guidance of the Gimp. But, despite his good intentions, he became a trial and burden to her, and in 1937 in Chicago she divorced him. Moe carried the torch right into the Hollywood NBC studio one October eveAlderman, in 1938, forced Myrl a music arranger, (Continued on Page 36) acquired a for Miss CAN BE! kept fresh by Aluminum Foil Tender and.

Pekoe Cut Black BAGS Tea fresh as a mountain really fresh tea in The or world was oyster. real and his hotel them. and cigar in face, and biggest movie and and LonMoe the intentions, to her, him. into the eveAlderman, a Page 36) PERFORM FOREMOST GIRLS CHICAGO'S A GIRL DANCING 003 James Cagney (right) appears in the movie with Miss Day. Yes, Tender Leaf is kept so amazingly fresh it fills your iced tea glass with brighter color, finer fragrance, richer flavor than any other tea you ever tried! TENDER LEAF BRAND TEA- -FRESHEST MOST FLAVORFUL TEA YOU CAN BUY! June 12, 1955 29.