The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • 4

W.dnidov, Spttmbr 28, 1977 THE INDIANAPOLIS NEWS 4 Sendak Has Idea We fore Totie Reached Top It Was Tough On Blocking Treaty (aiH vesterdav he may file Kit In Strln Celebrity Spotliqht tr AimcUM Prtu I Atty. Gen. Theodore Sendak has another idea he hopes will put an end to the Panama Canal treaty. Sendak told a news conference in Indianapolis yesterday he may try another legal manuever to block ratification of the treaty. He has lost one U.S.

Supreme Court challenge to the proposed agreement. Sendak said he is conferring with Congressmen and other attorneys general on the strategy he will take. Sendak and Attorneys General William Guste of Louisiana, Richard Turner of Iowa and Wayne Kidwell of Idaho filed suit last month to halt ratification until the proposed treaty and any secret agreements between the United States and Panama are made public. The Sunreme Court, however, de another suit under the Freedom of Information Act to force disclosure of any secret agreements. "The thing that bothers me most, and it bothers me more than anything I've ever seen in public life, is the masterful deceit that's going on on the Panama Canal issue on both sides," Sendak said.

"It's so flagrant, it's so arrogant, it's so deceitful in its presen-tation. "The general dictator down there (Gen. Omar Torrijos) is the 59th head of state since 1903. We're freezing him into power with this treaty." The treaty is "a dictatorial act" and will cost the United States $7 billion in Panamanian property, the civil rights of thousands of Americans living in Panama, $20 million a year to subsidize Panama during the life of the treaty and the revenue from tolls charged on vessels using the canal, Sendak said. A clined to consider the case.

Sendak has since obtained a copy of the proposed Unfortunately, in Totie's case, one major breakthrough didn't necessarily lead to another, and success on "The Douglas Show" did not pave the way with Johnny Carson. Totie's first guest shot on "The Tonight Show" was with Jan Murray, and it was only after Totie broke up the audience with her routine about shopping that she was asked back several weeks later to appear with Jerry Lewis and ultimately with Carson. Although Totie has the highest regard for Carson, working with Johnny has always been a problem. Says Totie, "I think Johnny is an absolute genius, an intellect with brilliant timing, but the minute I sit down on Johnny's couch, I feel a thin veil come between us and I am not a funny lady. Maybe Johnny can't cope with a comedienne who speaks her mind a woman who meets a man on his own level." The breakthrough with Merv Griffin was easier, although the first few times she did "The Merv Griffin Show" Totie recalls how Merv would agonize over whether she'd be funny.

"One day I whispered to him during a commercial break, 'If you don't start enjoying me, I'm going to kill From then on, every time I walked out, Merv would grab me, hug me, kiss me, and say the most wicked things in my ear." The sustained television exposure resulted in the kind of nationwide acclaim and adulation that catapulted Totie into the smartest rooms in the country, headlining at the Americana, the Century Plaza and the Eden Roc. "I took a $7,000 cut to make the transition to class establishments," she admits. Proof that she had arrived came when her name went up on the marquee as "Miss" Totie Fields, satisfying any curiosity as the "what" is a Totie Fields. IF YOU'RE 1 Characters Familiarity with about 10.000 characters is necessary to read classical Chinese literature. About 3,000 are needed for ordinary prose.

When they first met, Lucille Ball told Totie, "You are in my life now. Don't ever go out of it." After the accident, Lucy's was one of the first faces Totie saw in her hospital room. An autographed picture of Lucy rests on the mantle in Totie's apartment. Lucy is in drag as a Blue Ridge Mountains girl. The inscription teases: "This is for you so you will always be looking at beauty.

I know that beauty is so important to you. "Totie's introduction to situation comedy came via Miss Ball, whom she credits with being the single greatest talent in America today, not only as a performer, but as an outstanding director and producer. The first time she came out to do "The Lucy Show," Totie recalls "Lucy put me in a sketch where I caught my husband fooling around with her." Actually he wasn't. He was just the milkman who admired her. Lucy never said, 'Do it this Instead she suggested, 'Totie, see if you get more out of it by shaking your whole body like a shimmy.

I don't have to tell you how funny it was. It stole the show. And no one could have been more delighted than Lucy." Anyone who knows Totie confirms that her sister Rachel was the tie that bound, and that it was Rae's confidence in Totie, and her push, which encouraged her sister in a seemingly endless pursuit of stardom. Unhappily Rachel didn't live to see Totie headlining at the Riviera. By SANDRA SHE VEY What makes Totie run? Last May Totie Fields was back in The hospital, this time at the Stanford Medical Center for the care end treatment of an eye ailment.

It arose as a result of a circulatory problem. The technical term is vitrectomy. "Vitrectomy and I'll talk to you," jokes Totie. It is generally caused by hemorrhaging. 'Although her prognosis was good, doctors cautioned against overwork, predictably, Totie was off and running, hobbling anyway, first as a part of a June 23 two-weeker at Vegas's Sahara, followed by a current east coast sum-pier tour of music fairs and supper dubs.

workaholic lifestyle, seeming-hj underterred by physicians' advice, causes one to wonder about the soundness of Totie's motives. Totie herself once reflected, "Why db I feel singularly responsible for the cfrre and support of my entire family? Currently, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews have been snipped out to Vegas, where they live in a sort of family coumpound." I Guilt? Aggression? Insecurity? Competition? Freudians would have a field day. The answer, according to Totie, is really quite simple. After years spent and battles won, victory seduces. A triumphant Totie determines to enjoy tfie spoils of success.

"Gotta work to lij-e," she gags, admitting to a reputation for living up to every penny. Flaunting It Indulgences include a yellow Rolls Royce, Elizabeth Taylor-size diamonds (JIf you've got it, flaunt and an ltroom house in Vegas, with bubble -enclosed heated swimming pool. Commenting on her indefatigable will to win, Totie says, "Call me crazy, but rejection only encourages me." An oddity at first, the little woman with the male point of view, neither fish nor fowl, was a turnoff of both sexes. The classic joke became: What is a Totie Fields? Opines Totie, "I was really the ffrst women's libber. But people couldn't deal with that kind of female honesty in I960." Recalling a very funny shopping skit she used to do, the point of which was an early put-down of the salesgirl as an arbiter of female pulchritude, Totie tells how "she takes a look at me, and asks what I'd like to see.

I tell her an Italian knit. She asks what size? And I tell her size five. And I proceed to stuff 180 pounds of myself hot vmamnG it, SELL IT! You can't enjoy jour jewelry if it's in your lafety deposit box. Sell it for immediate cash. We purchase fine gems, diamonds and 14K gold.

No consignment conditions, or delays. No charge or obligation for appraisal. A GOOD TIME TO SELL IS WHEN PRICES ARE HIGH, AND YOU HAVE A WIUING BUYER! SMITH'S IHTERHATI8HAL DIAMOND BHCtCEES At7 Totie Fields see her perform live, Totie invested in a trip west and took a club date at Slate Bros, in L.A. for $300 a week, at a time when her asking price had skyrocketed to $12,000. Hollywood meant the big time to Totie and Georgie, who got themselves a ritzy suite at the Sunset Towers for $1,000 a month.

Says Totie, "I remember seeing Marlene Dietrich checking out, and thinking that this was really class!" A month later, and substantially poorer, Totie had neglected to attract the attention of the producer for "The Carol Burnett Show" and "Hollywood Palace," but succeeded in striking up a friendship with someone who enabled her to cope with the failure. Van Johnson consoled Totie by advis ENDS SATURDAY 34W.WASH!MSTGN street Tel. 6359799 ing: "Don't let them throw you. Just picture them brushing their teeth. They're as human as you are." Back then, criticism stung, and Totie Fields thought seriously, after softening her act, of assuming a ladylike posture, and leaving the wisecracks to the boys.

After all, as Howie and Georgie had pointed out, whereas Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin had booked her for the "The Andy Williams Show," five weeks later Andy chose to cancel her. And although. Bob Shanks admitted he thought she was the funniest woman alive, he anticipated Jack Paar's reservations, and so passed her up as a potential guest on "The Paar Show." The reason she never doubted herself Totie attributes to the sage advice of Danny Thomas who once told her: "If you get the idea you won't make it, most asuredly, you won't. Think 11 8- Ti i if into the size five Italian knit. The audience howls." i The female comic has always been a fijh out of water, given the monumental job; of making it in a man's field.

Competition among male comics is intense, but between men and women it is lethal. Usually one queen bee prevails, aad when Totie was coming up, the highest paid comedienne in the business was Phyllis Diller, who had succeeded in! removing Martha Raye from the thjene upon which she had -sat for many, many years. i I Male comics treated Totie with a combination of brotherly affection and male suspicion. Although some of the established talents such as Milton Berle arjd Jackie Leonard offered tips on comedy touch yourself," Jackie told Totie) the younger ones never thbught she'd make it. Don Rickles once told Totie to her face that she'd never be heard from, and subsequently has had to eat his words, when, at the Riviera, her starting salary equaled his take after 10 years.

mm Gets Call Then in August 1964, Totie Fields received a call from the booker of a new television talk show to emanate from Cleveland, Ohio, being developed for Mike Douglas. Totie was among Mike's first guests, drawing such high viewer reaction that, over the network's objections, she was made a regular. The rest is history. Within a short time Totie had conquered another medium, earning a reputation for being the queen of the talk shows. Fair game for the wildest gags and stunts, Totie was the klutzy white knight in the Ajax commericial, dressed in armor and mounted on a horse.

Donning leotards, she was an overweight participant in body painting exercises. She jumped out of a birthday cake as a funky rabbit. According to Mike, the most memorable incident evolved out of something serious. One year for Christmas Totie's daughters Jody and Debbie gave her a foster child from South Korea. Totie recalls that without her knowledge they had sent off $25, which is all it takes to care for a child over there.

As a surprise, Mike's producers flew the 7-year-old Narang into Cleveland and put her up in a hotel until air time. Tears Streamed When Mike brought her out, tears streamed down Totie's face as she hugged and kissed the child. 'Big Threat' Since then Rickles has apologized, justifying his male chauvinism with the lame excuse "Don't forget, Totie, yoti were a big threat to us!" tFor a long time television had been a stumbling block, a crucial impediment imTotie's pursuit of stardom. It was ego shattering to see the guys with whom she had begun in the Catskills Corbet Menica, Shecky Greene, Buddy Hackett aril Don Rickles, making regular appearances on "The Andy Williams Show" or with Jack Paar. On the advice of ihe Morris Agency, who believed that the tide would change if bookers could The unusual comfort you get on our big widebody 1011 starts with one of the most important parts of any flight.

The seat. Every Coach seat on our widebody 1011 is extra wide. In fact, you can't get a wider seat on any plane. Amd most have narrower seats. Our seats even nave special thicjc cushioning and bigger armrests.

7 Is 1 but that just the beginning of the 1011 comfort story. Next, so you can really relax and enjoy your flight, we serve you a big hearty steak in Coach on our 1011 Sherwin-Williams "i TVVA's wirinhnriv lfl11. with its liivurinna Rolls-Royce engines, delivers all the comfort you fly a widebody for. And then to Los Angeles. Not just any steak, mind you filet mignon.

Then, take the technology of the widebody ROLLS some. iaxe one on your next i business trip and we think you'll Xmlusiversrfecthuch I Collection by Del Mar off regular after -sale pnce Perfect Touch Woven mods 30 versatile color and pattern combination hT tvery decorating style Insulates too' agree. for reservations ra vrair 1 1 rv For reservations call your Travel Agent, Corporate Travel ROTCE Department or TWA at 635-4381. ion. in a number of ways the 1011 has more The American Pynrfxtc rarrl Dnn't leave home without it to pay for yourTWA airline ticket, hotels, meals, car aavancea k- tX! I.

C. 'j rentals, or ust about anything else you need on your trip. If than the 747 or even the Concorde, f1 The widebody 1011 has one of the s-X i I i you don have an American Express Card, Dick ud an i i I application wherever systems in aviation today. Its computers make minute adjustments in the flight controls so that takeoffs, flights and especially landings are incredibly smooth. i 1 Custom Draperies Save on a wide selection of colors, patterns and textures the card is welcomed.

Or call (800) 528-8000. Cevoor Blinds and other Woven Wood Collections Leoolor Blinds in over 100 eoJor Woven Woods in many patterns and cotors "Perfect Touch" at alt stores Other window treatment Hems available at most stores. Installation not included Sale ends October 31 I To San Francisco Uppanure Arrival Sinpj Inw ijpm 7 lm l-4Mm iiitf-slnp ddil 17111 LI 85.14m I i( riailv I.IOpm h-hpm ily daily fTrrj 515pm fl.iipm nfiiM(i rit! Is aU 8 mpm tfhdm Ijjius dailv TO los Angers Departure Arrival Stops frwiunntv 71 Sam St Louis ddilv 8 5iam 12 04pm one-stop dail 0H3 E233 2 34pm St Louis dail rrn 5 7 W)pm non-stop dailv EIi3E233 8.00pm tOUpm Kansast'itv xSat Hill i. i ifiiiai tiii Conwnitnt Hours Dtcoritinf Worlds Mon-fri, 10 p.m. Sit ID tmA p.

Sun. Noon 5 p.m. firwnwood MonJri. 10 ij. p.m, Sit 10 iJfc-i jv Broad Xipplt MonrSat I ijiU I.