Elmer for a World's Fair

Everybody knows Elmer, the typical U. S. citizen: he likes an argument, the funny papers, chewing gum, baseball, fairs. But nobody knows Elmer better than Michael Todd. Mike is a barker, who smokes outsize cigars, wears checks, will run four concessions this season at the New York World's Fair: the Streets of Paris, Gay New Orleans, the Dancing Campus, the Old Time Opry House. Mike is a student of Elmer as some people are students of Sanskrit, art, horses. He knows how to tickle Elmer so Elmer will shower down.

Last week Mike explained to New York World-Telegram Reporter Douglas Gilbert: "Any way you look at it a fair is a honkytonk. I don't mean a carny show where the play is for the sucker. You can't put a show on like that any more. You got to give. So I'm gonna give." Mike is even going to give Elmer "for free" a peep at the Girl in the Goldfish Globe. After that, Mike thinks, Elmer will not mind giving a little something himself.

Tickled at the mere prospect, Elmer posed last week for his portrait. From barn sides, billboards all over the U. S. his grin will hint that nobody ought to miss the new (and cheaper) wonders of the New York World's Fair. In real life the man on the poster, painted by New York Artist Howard Scott, is 50-year-old Leslie Ostrander, actor and professional model. But to everyone he will be just Elmer.

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