Hollywood (1942)

serenade the flesh peddler with a bit of fancy tenor. The agent, who knew when he'd been bested, took a shine to the lad from New Haven and put him down on his client list. "Change your name, pee-wee," the agent suggested. "What's wrong with Cliff Robbins?" "The name Robbins doesn't rattle. That's all." "What's a better name?" "Nazarro." "Why?" "It happens to be my name." So he changed his name and his luck. From one-night stands he graduated to night clubs, from where he dished out so much conversation with his crooning that the inevitable happened — an enterprising manager suggested that he double as m.c. Nazarro did more talking than trilling, but nobody objected. Then he became a vaudeville headliner, hit the top, tobogganed downhill when vaudeville went out, and became a crooning m.c. all over again, this time with big name bands. Memphis, according to legend, sired the blues, but San Francisco, according to fact, sired double talk, as Cliff Nazarro, himself, can tell you. "Do I remember the details? What a question! I was in Frisco singing with Meredith Wilson's orchestra, and I got to ribbing a piano tuner. I'd say to him, dead pan: 'Say, bud, you have an annoying habit of leaving a soffin on the keyboard and every time I start to sing, it dwilfins. Now dash it all, watch yourself.' "That piano tuner told the manager of the radio station which picked up our band every week that I was a swell guy but drank too much. The manager asked me about this crazy talk of mine. I gave him a short demonstration and he decided it might go good on the air. We tried it and it did." "Good" is rank understatement. On the air double talk was a sensation. The big shows perked up, tried him out with solo spots. Double talk, with Nazarro at the controls, laid them in the aisles. In time he landed, feet up, on Jack Benny's program. Where do you go from Jack Benny's program if it isn't the movies? You know what he did in Hollywood. "Double talk is old stuff," he admits. "Actors have used it as a rib for years, but only among themselves. The late John Barrymore told me that his father used to hear it wherever ham actors congregated. They'd go into a restaurant and say: 'Gimme one sorfa with two zeatins and a small zeatus on the side, and a demi-tasse." The waiters used to go nuts. But nobody, so far as I know, used it on the general public until I tried it in Frisco." Thirty-nine and happily married, he lives in Hollywood in a modest little mansion which double talk built. "It's a modern colonial," he says full of pride, "with ten big rosebushes in front, and inside, right in front of the stairway — practically under the chandelier — there's a phenomenal thing, a sorgin dimita flam. It's really a honey, and most people, including some prominent engineers, think it was caused by a dalafoss of our lighting system. Either that or by the drongins." Probably the drongins. H DEDICATED TO THE PHYSICIANS, NURSES AND HOSPITALS OF AMERICA Ounces of Prevention _Lhis baby was born in the hospital a few days ago. Now, as on every day, he is being weighed with infinite care. Each slightest fraction of an ounce is recorded so that any danger signal of weight loss is detected promptly. While this goes on, another danger is guarded against, the danger to baby from harmful germs. Doctor and nurse wear sterile caps, masks and gowns. The doctor also wears rubber gloves. And for extra protection, the baby has been anointed with antiseptic oil. Through these and other measures, medical science this year will save the lives of over 100,000 U. S. babies who would have died at less than one year of age had they been born 20 years ago. Modern hospitals have played an important part in this achievement through precautions like these: Nobody enters the nursery but a few special nurses. Doctors and nurses wear sterile garments. While baby is in mother's room, no visitors may enter; they come only at certain hours, and must stay away from the bed, to prevent transfer of germs from outside. In the nursery, baby's entire body is anointed at least once a day with antiseptic oil. This helps protect his skin against harmful germs . . . helps prevent impetigo, pustular rashes, prickly heat, diaper rash. It is known now that germ infection plays a part in these common skin troubles. Mother, continue these protective measures after you take baby home! Keep visitors at a distance from baby. Anoint his entire body with antiseptic oil every day. Be sure the oil is antiseptic. Look for the word "antiseptic" on the label; don't be satisfied with anything less. Remember . . . the basic rule of modern baby care is antiseptic protection against harmful germs. And take baby to the doctor, regularly. 111 Most hospital nurseries use Mennen Antiseptic Oil because of two outstanding features which no other widely-sold baby oil possesses: (1) It is antiseptic. Remember, germ action plays a part in many common baby skin-conditions, such as diaper rash and prickly heat. There is no substitute for antiseptic protection. (2) Mennen Antisep^ tic Oil contains anodyne ingredients which help relieve smarting and itching of skin, help prevent discomfort and scratching. Do as hospitals and doctors recommend: use Mennen Antiseptic Oil on baby's body daily, and on buttocks at every diaper change, at least through the first year. When baby is older and you use a baby powder, follow this guide: Mennen Baby Powder, too, is antiseptic— a. health aid, not a mere "cosmetic" Made by special "hammerizing" process, it is finer, smoother than other leading baby powders. It has a delicate new scent. Most important, Mennen Baby Powder is antiseptic. Pharmaceutical Division Newark, N. J.-Toronlo.Ora. 43