Customers

A Manhattan cab driver and a Chicago barber each heard the knock of opportunity; but only one responded.

When a fare in Leon Werline's hack left his wallet behind, Werline drove back and found him. From Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey, Army veteran Werline got a $20 reward, a couple of drinks, and a citation: "Not for his honesty but for the fact that he is a veteran of the horrible war we have had, God bless him and I thank him."

When John L Lewis entered a barbershop and settled himself in Sidney C. Martin's chair, Martin concentrated on getting a grip on himself. "A shave and a facial massage," said Lewis. Barber Martin, who liked to tell people during the coal strike that if he ever got hold of Lewis he would take the famed eyebrows right off, got out his razor. Then a photographer entered, set off a flashbulb. Lewis bounded out of the chair with a growl, grabbed the photographer's film-holder, smashed it, drove him away, sat down again. Barber Martin gave him a shave and a facial massage.

Movers & Shakers

Kathleen Winsor became a banned author in Sheffield, England, but no prestige attached to it: the city fathers deplored Amber as utter rubbish.

Plain-spoken Liam O'Flaherty (The Informer, The Puritan) arrived in Paris to do some writing and maybe make a movie. Asked a curious interviewer: Is there an Irish cinema? Answered O'Flaherty: "How can there be? All of my works are banned in Ireland."

Somerset Maugham -- accompanied by his secretary, cook, housekeeper, butler and chauffeur--returned after long absence to his villa at Cap Ferrat on the French Riviera, found the second story pretty much a war ruin. He set himself a double deadline for April, hoped by then to have the place repaired and a book finished. A caller found him huddled by the fireplace, repairing a cold with hot grog. The book, said Maugham, would be "the last book of my life ... a romance . . ." and he meant not to dally. "I feel that when a man reaches my age [73 next month] and he wants to write a romance, he ought to be quick."

Royalty

Prince Chichibu, younger brother of Hirohito, let go some princely reflections on current U.S. letters: "I try to read all the comics in Stars & Stripes. ... I like Blondie because through her I get an idea of the American way without straining my brains. But Dick Tracy and Moon Mullins are not very funny to me. . . . Terry and the Pirates are a mere children's story. . . . Li'l Abner is a cartoon I can't understand at all. . . "

Princess Elizabeth, who recently went shooting in Invernesshire, drew a reproachful look from The League Against Cruel Sports. Wrote the League's secretary : "My committee greatly regrets your action in shooting a stag for sport, particularly in view of your connection with the Girl Guide movement, whose sixth law states that a Guide is a friend to animals."

The Duchess of Kent, one of England's handsomest women, opened a maternity ward in St. George's Hospital by snipping a tape, concentrated so furiously on doing justice to the job in hand that the witnessing cameras did less than justice to herself (see cut).

Just Folks

Everything seemed to be coming to a head at once:

Hollywood newspaperwomen did their annual voting, picked Ingrid Bergman and Frank Sinatra as the year's "least cooperative stars." (Frankie got more votes than anybody ever had before.) A group of Hollywood actor-artists nominated a sexy starlet named Marian Carr as The Insomnia Girl (her looks keep a fellow awake at night). The Dream Analysts Society of Manhattan, on the other hand, reported after a survey that Betty Grable was one of the four actresses who "occupy the minds of more men during their sleeping hours than any other person." (The others: Lana Turner, June Allyson, Mary Anderson.) Miss Grable's cup was running over: she had tied with Ginger Rogers for second place in the "least cooperative" election; and next summer (she was still at work last week on a picture called Mother Wore Tights) she would have her second baby.

Politicos

Postmaster General Robert E. Hannegan got what was coming to him, thanks to Miami Beach reporters. By telephoning the City News Bureau, the local post office finally found out where Visitor Hannegan was staying, delivered the mail that had been piling up for him.

President Manuel A. Roxas got a present from the Philippine Government: Admiral Viscount Mountbatten's old (but good) C-53--eight seats, four bunks, office and galley.

From a Kansas City meat packer who had paid $43,026 for a prize steer at a livestock show, Louisiana's troubadour Governor James H. Davis (You Are My Sunshine) got a four-pound ($3,000) steak off the beast.

Also most happy was U.N.'s General Assembly President Paul-Henri Spaak of Belgium, off to London from New York. "I am in a most happy mood," said he. "I am most happy to have been here, and most happy about the work we accomplished. I am most happy the U.N. will be in Manhattan, and I will be most happy to return. I wish everyone in America a merry Christmas and a most happy New Year."

Muscles

Awarded: to Army Halfback Glenn Davis, by Associated Press sportswriters, the annual "Athlete of the Year" title.

Restored: to Tennist Alice Marble, by Manhattan police, her lost cigaret case. Valuation: $500.

Prefixed: to Joe Louis, by seasonal costumers, an unthinkable potbelly for the amazement of guests at a party for homeless children.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.