Forty - some years ago when I was still working in Philadelphia I heard from an old friend in Chicago who had just met a new acquaintance who was in Show Business. He was shortly to appear in a musical with a week's run in Philadelphia and since he was a stranger to our city could I, as a favor, arrange to meet him and offer some brotherly friendship. It turned out he was the leading man in this road show and it took me a while to reach him thru intermediaries. I invited him to lunch and suggested a private club where he could avoid any fan recognition. As we had nothing in common but a mutual friend, I sensed that conversation might be strained but after the first drink he launched into a recitation of his romantic conquests. His modus operandi was to avoid the leading ladies as they were demanding and temperamental with layers of agents. His practice was to proceed with the chorus ladies who would be more appreciative of his attention. So went this tutorial of Show Biz 101! I passed up his invitation to the "cast party" fearing for my local reputation and confined any further contact to an aisle seat in the orchestra.
tjs
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