Discovering the Hudson by Ward Morehouse III
The Hudson Theatre, which opened in 1903, is much more than a beautiful facade, much more than a landmark Broadway playhouse with Tiffany glass mosaics and Roman friezes -- complete with verde-antique in Greco-Roman marble -- all of which recently and painstakingly restored by Millennium Hotels. With as much drama going on off-stage as beneath its historic proscenium arch, The Hudson has been the theater home for such titanic 20th century actors as George M. Cohan, Ethyl Barrymore, Laurence Olivier, Alfred Lunt, and Jason Robards Jr. As if that weren't enough of a resume, the storied Broadway palace has also played the big time as the studio where Jack Paar and Steve Allen did their nationally broadcasted TV shows. Elvis, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr. and many others not instantly associated with Broadway have been celebrated Hudson guests too. Ward Morehouse III, whose family has been identified with theater for generations, uses the Hudson as a launching pad to write about the golden age of Broadway, live TV and beyond into the new, international age of corporate-theatre synergy.
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Broadway After Dark by Ward Morehouse III, Ward Morehouse
"Broadway After Dark is a compilation of columns, stories and never-before-published profiles by my father, Ward Morehouse, and myself. The profiles were originally intended for a book called Stars I Have Known. The columns of his are representative of those he did for the New York Sun from 1926-1950 and after for other newspapers. I started writing sporadically about show business for The Christian Science Monitor in the 1970's and continued as a reporter and theater columnist for the New York Post, Reuters, New York Sun, amNew York, and the Epoch Times. It's my hope that these columns and stories, taken together, will be a portrait, however sketchy, of some of theater for the last and current century through some of their biggest stars, including Katharine Hepburn."
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Life at the Top: Inside New York's Grand Hotels by Ward Morehouse III
Veteran Broadway columnist WARD MOREHOUSE III (formerly with the New York Post and New York Sun, whose "Broadway After Dark" appears in AM New York) has written a fascinating and entertaining new book "Life At The Top: Inside New York's Grand Hotels" (Bear Manor Media), a book that has no heroes, great history or noble purpose. It's simply a masterpiece of storytelling.
MOREHOUSE chronicles the of some of the 20th Century's literary and artistic giants, many of whom made their permanent domicile at some of New York's grandest hotel, including The Waldorf-Astoria, Chelsea, St. Regis, Algonquin, Pierre, Astor and Carlyle. He paints a unique portrait of their colorful, romantic, and sometimes tragic lives during the golden era of New York hotels and theatre, bringing the two worlds together in a work that reads like great fiction. The fast-paced volume reconfirms MOREHOUSE's status as a superb chronicler of celebrity high life during the last century as well as one of our most engaging storytellers.
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Inside The Plaza: An Intimate Portrait of the Ultimate Hotel by Ward Morehouse III
From Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald cavorting in the Pulitzer Fountain to Ivana Trump patrolling the halls to inspect the rooms, this is the Plaza Hotel as no one has ever seen it, or been permitted to see it. The Plaza is the place where the Beatles headquartered when they invaded America. It's where George M. Cohan held court during the golden era of Broadway. It's where Marilyn busted a strap on cue, where Cary Grant started out from when he traveled North By Northwest, and where Macauley Culkin stayed after staying Home Alone. From the railroad tracks in the basement to the vast luxury suites overlooking Central Park, this is the full story behind the gilded doors, the inside scoop direct from the people who have cavorted there and worked there.
Mention in "The Plaza Lives", New York Magazine (May 2, 2005)
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The Waldorf-Astoria by Ward Morehouse III
"The grand cities of the world have their grand hotels, the bed-and-breakfasts for the mighty and moneyed. Ward Morehouse III explores one of New York City's grandest in 'The Waldorf-Astoria: America's Gilded Dream' ... Morehouse writes of pleasures and scandals, of the hard facts of running a hotel and of its romance. The hotel comes off well in the hands of its appreciative Boswell and one will find 'The Waldorf-Astoria' to be a pleasant buffet"
- The New York Times
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The Caedmon School: An Anecdotal History and Appreciation by Ward Morehouse III, Gregory A. Minahan
Book Description
Set against the colorful tapestry of Manhattan's ever-changing East Side, this entertaining and insightful history traces the journey of dedicated parents and teachers as they
create a school for young children. "The Caedmon School," offers an intimate glimpse into the rebirth of American Montessori education during the second half of the 20th
century. The story's memorable characters are the parents, administrators, teachers and students whose heartwarming stories of hard work and achievement have helped to
make a unique contribution to the educational landscape of New York City.
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If It Was Easy: A New Comedy by Stewart F. Lane, Ward Morehouse III
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This & That, On & Off-Broadway
--Ward Morehouse III
Philanthropist Adele Smithers, president of the Christopher D. Smithers Foundation, which named "Stella" at the Venice Film Festival "as the one film doing the most to get across alcoholism is a respectable, treatable disease," is a Tampa neighbor of Yankee captain Derek Jeter. He is being touted for MVP honor this year. "Derek is an MVP -- Most Valuable Philanthropist -- all the time. It's for his tremendous efforts of giving time and money to charities," says Mrs. Smithers.
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Philanthropist Adele Smithers, president of the Christopher D. Smithers Foundation, which named "Stella" at the Venice Film Festival "as the one film doing the most to get across that alcoholism is a respectable, treatable disease," just hosted a group of 55 youngsters for the Yankee-Baltimore game at Yankee Stadium. Each youngster was given an autographed copy of the book "One Last Time: Good Bye To Yankee Stadium," by its author, Ray Negron, a good friend of Adele's.
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Broadway producer Irv Welzer, who has won Tonys for "Raisin" and "Annie Get Your Gun," was feted at Rao's for his birthday. Leading the singing of Happy Birthday was owner Frank Pellegrino, who was the FBI chief on "The Sopranos," and Irv's partner, Herb Blodgett. Welzer quipped, "I know Frank so well that I can get a reservation here within a year."
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Ed McMahon, who recently died, was the late Johnny Carson's "Second Banana" on the "Tonight" show, and contractually had to take his vacation the same time as Johnny, according to Ray Siller, a writer for the show 15 years, 12 as head writer. Johnny referred to Ed as his "Rock of Gibralter."
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Alden James, president of the National Arts Club, was at the Spring Luncheon of Adele Smithers' Alcoholism Council of New York at Tavern on the Green. He congratulated his friend Adele for being invited to participate in the annual meeting of the American Society of Addiction Medicine in New Orleans.
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Nancy Weil, who was a producer of "Extra," "The Deborah Norville Show" and the "Alan Colmes Show," is helping her husband, Dr. Dennis Gottfried, promote his new book, "Too Much Medicine: A Doctor's Prescription for Better and More Affordable Health Care." The book takes strong issue with some doctors for prescribing what it says are a number of unnecessary tests.
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Martha Stewart is taking six of her staffers who are fellow Barnard College graduates to the College's annual Scholarship Dinner and Auction at Guastavino's April 29.
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Fans of Britney Spears and Patrick Dempsey, star of "Grey's Anatomy," have been going to the bootmaker, Uriel, 249 W. 26th St. to inquire about the custom-made boots which were made by Uriel for them. They would love to have them, but for most the price seems out of their reach.
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Bruce Littlefield, the lifestyle author, who had three books published by HarperCollins, used to own two restaurants in the New Paltz area. Bruce has sold them. "I don't have to worry where my next meal is coming from anymore," he quips.
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Brooke Shields might be interested in knowing that a cover story in the September 1987 Outlaw Biker magazine featuring her riding on a bike over 100 mph, driven by a 420lb biker, is a collector's item. Publisher Casey Exton says he has refused $5,000 for it.
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For the first time in Broadway history, 400 green cupcakes were featured at an opening night party. It was at "The Toxic Avenger" at New World Stages. "The green represented toxic waste like in the play -- not ecology green," explain Nance Greenspan and Anthony Stellato of Cupcakexpress.
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Elated that North Carolina won the NCAA national title were the owner, David Zimmerman, and staffers at Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse on Chrystie St. The coach, Roy Williams, was once a guest and couldn't have been more cordial in posing for pictures and signing autographs at the restaurant -- a favorite of Clive Davis, Donny Deutsch and Abe Vigoda, among others.
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"I'm currently in the process of commissioning three new works ... and you must come," Paulette Haupt, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the O'Neill Center's National Musical Theatre Conference, told me over coffee at Sardi's. "I don't know if they'll be at the Zipper Theatre or what. This is a total separate entity from my work at the O'Neill. This is my own development company, 'Premieres'.... A good part of my life was working in opera ... I'm hoping what aI do with Premiers is erasing the line between opera and musical theatre so it is blurred ..."
Ms. Haupt said 150 musicals were submitted for the O'Neill's Musical Theatre Conference this coming summer.
"And what's really sad is most of them will never see the light of day ... here's all this talent!" chimed in Broadway producer Pat Addis ("39 Steps" "Spring Awakening")
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"I'm very glad to be here with all of you tonight because at some point in my long life in New York and other places I used to be a member of the National Arts Club ... I lived at 260 Fifth Avenue and I used to come for dinner her for about 10 years."
So said the immensely-gifted and still beautiful Francoise Gilot, who was honored a the National Arts Club's Fifth Gold Metal Award Dinner for Excellence in Presenting French Culture. The evening was sponsored by the Club's Le Cocktail Francais. Constance Brock is the Founding Chair and Linda Zagaria is _co-chair.
The internationally renowned painter was 21 when she met sixty-one year-old Picasso. She went on to paint with both Picasso and Matisse and has had one-woman exhibitions all over the world.
"Now when I am old all the people around me are much younger than myself," she continued. "But it proves that either time doesn't exist or as Picasso used to say, 'It takes a long time for a painter to be young!' "
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Melissa Ten Eyck ... Betty Healy ... Adelaide or Adelaide and Hughes ... Jean Dalrymple .. Who were they?
Well, all vaudeville stars of the long ago. The only one I knew was Jean Dalrymple, my father's second wife, who starred in vaudeville skits she wrote and gave Cary Grant his first speaking role in vaudeville ... The skit was called "The Woman Pays," that Dalrymple wrote in 1926. She had to cast someone who women in the audience would go crazy for.
Dalrymple's vaudeville writing partner agreed Grant -- his name was Archibald Leach at the time -- was indeed good looking but said he couldn't act. But "he (Grant) enchanted me," Dalrymple told Nancy Nelson for her book "Evenings with Carey Grant." In time, ditto the rest of the universe.
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LEN BERMAN TAKES 'THE FIFTH': Despite the fact that Len Berman's contract wasn't renewed after 23 years as WNBC--TV sports anchor, he still will be master of ceremonies May 12 for his friend Page Morton Black's Parkinson's Disease Foundation gala at the Pierre Hotel. After confirming with Berman, Page quipped, "Len will be taking the Fifth. It will be his fifth year MCing the event."
* * *
What do Jackie Robinson, the baseball superstar, and Gen. Douglas (I shall return.) MacArthur have in common? Both were named to unique positions in 1957 by the late founder of Chock Full O'Nuts Corporation, according to Black's widow, Page Morton Black, who popularized the famous coffee jingle on radio and TV. MacArthur was named the first chairman of the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, which also was founded by Mr. Black. Jackie was named vice president of personnel of Chock Full O'Nuts. It marked the first time an African American ever gained such a position in a national company. Page, the current PDF chairman, is being honored Monday (March 23) by the prestigious Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. at the Hudson Theater for her longtime untiring efforts on behalf of Parkinsonians.
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Scott Clark, WABC-TV's sports director/anchor, a recovering alcoholic for the past 16 years, was given a standing ovation at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater when he was being honored by the Christopher D. Smithers Foundation, devoted exclusively to alcoholism. Scott, on stage, said that he can't say enough good things about his benefactor, Adele Smithers, the Foundation's president. "I couldn't do it without her," Clark said. It was at the first U.S. showing of the movie, "Stella," which the Foundation cited at the Venice Film Festival for bringing public awareness and the message of hope and that alcoholism is a respectable, treatable disease.
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An investor in the new off-Broadway play, "Rooms," is Houston celebrity lawyer Charles Vernon. His son, Nathan, is a producer of the new play which is at New World Stages.
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Deborah Roberts, ABC News correspondent and wife of TV's Al Roker, will MC the Barnard College Scholarship Dinner and Auction April 29 at Guastavino's restaurant.
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Upset that Johnny Carson's secret life is being shopped for a book deal by his once longtime lawyer and friend, Henry (Bombastic) Bushkin, is Ray Siller. He was Johnny's writer for 15 years -- 12 of which as his head writer. Siller believes it's a shame that Bushkin seems to not to be honoring the trust he had as Johnny's attorney.
* * *
Bill Liederman, the founder of Mickey Mantle's restaurant, is now doing public relations and marketing for Mo's New York Grill in New Rochelle. It is owned by Yankees' superstar relief pitcher, Mariano Rivera.
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Katey Sagal, the star tattooed biker in FX-TV series "Sons of Anarchy," is being sought to be on the covers of Outlaw Biker and Tattoos for Women magazines said publisher Casey Exton. "No one has ever been on those covers at the same time," Exton adds. Casey just celebrated his 75th birthday, but has no plans to retire until he gets to be 65.
* * *
Sylvie Verheyde, writer/director of the movie "Stella" which won the Christopher D. Smithers Foundation Special Award at the last Venice Film Festival, will be presented with the Award by Adele C. Smithers, Foundation president, before the first U.S. showing of the film March 12. It will be at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater as part of the Theater's annual Rendezvous with French Cinema. The Award is for the film that best brings public awareness to the fact that alcoholism is a respectable, treatable disease. The Foundation is devoted exclusively to alcoholism.
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Page Morton Black, who popularized one of the most famous jingles, for Chock Full O'Nuts coffee, is getting the National Health Leadership Award from the pretigious Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. at the Hudson Theater March 23. Not for the jingle. But for her longtime untiring efforts to find the cause and cure of Parkinson's disease as chairman of the Parkinson's Disease Foundation.
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