17 Tough Chicago Critic Story

Speaking of water, there used to be a critic in Chicago when we played there by the name of Pussy Hammer. This is about 30 years ago, I guess. He was on the Chicago Tribune, and he reviewed our act.

We did a big act, and we had about 25 people in the act. And he reviewed the act. And the next morning, this was the review. He said the Marx Brothers and their various relatives ran around the States for almost an hour yesterday afternoon.

Why I never understand. He was a tough guy. During the Second World War, years later, the Chicago Tribune, Carispondon had died. They had to get a new guy to go over and cover the war.

And they had a big meeting when they had to wring a lot and they had the whole staff of the Chicago Tribune. And somebody suggested sending Percy Hammond over this critic who would review it all right.

And Ring Glottis says, no, no, you can't do that. Suppose he doesn't like the war. How many of you have read the George Carpman book? Nobody. He was a close friend of mine.

It was a hell of a playwright. And he was also a show doctor. I don't remember, one of the Bloomingdale's departments to our family was producing a show in opening in Philadelphia. And they invited George Kauffman to come down there and see the show because it needed a little help.

And Kauffman went down and sat in the second or third row. And when the show was over, the fellow from the booming devs, he came down the audience and he said to George, he said, how about the show?