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Aurora Greely, Dancer, and Leader of Chorusof 30, Has Never Had a Love Affair. Eats One Meal a Day to Keep Her Weight at 105 Po)unds. Knows Film Stars. Has Money but Prefers TIard Work.By RUBY BERKLEY GOODWINAurora Greely is Hollywood’s mystery lady of color. Filmdom has never understood her. It is doubtful if it ever \fcill. ty right of name she will remain forever a fascinating puzzle in a city where most puzzles are eventually solved.It is safe to say that Mrs. Donis never delved deep into the study of numerology. It is doubtful if she thought much of the significance of a name when her little daughter was bom. Looking down upon the helpless little bundle of flesh she held.to her breast, she suddenly decided to call her baby, Aurora Borealis Greely.Folklore tplln us that Aurora was ♦Fouciore tens us max, nuro a ^ j ^ starTed on Broad-goddess of the morning. She Is represented as standing in a magnificent chariot, which is drawn by winged steeds. A brilliant star sparkles upon her forehead. With one hand she grasps the reins, she holds in the other a-lighted torch.^• The name Aurora alone would have decreed a life of stardom for this little glrL It would have given her ruling power and wisdom far above the average. From her first nameway. I was probably Just another ‘flash in the pan/ There were plenty of those instances written in Broadway history. Leroy had had years of training and.he counted training above everything erse.“There was but little time for rehearsals. and during our first tryout together, I knew that I had won my partner over. The steps that I did not know I learned after one or two tries. Leroy did not know that dancing came to me as natural as the breath of life itself.tt-xbUitv From “‘You’re okeh!’ he smiled, after we she gets permanence, stability. From ^her second name she derives thequalities that make her Hollywood’slittle brown lady of mystery.Aurora Borealis is a phenomenon which generally appears in the northern parts of the sky and presents an appearance somewhat resemble the dawn. It is a luminous meteor and no satisfactory answer has been produced as to the . cause of theselights.Aurora was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in the year 1905. After completing the graded schools, she attended a select school for girls. When the Greely family moved to New '.york, Aurora became a student in Wadleigh High. From a tiny tot she had turned cartwheels and practiced numerous dance steps, but this sort of foolishness was frowned upon by Mrs. Donis. Then one day Aurora timidly approached her mother and pleaded for dance lessons.. “Why, mother, all the girls are taking them. Can't I. can t I have dancing lessons, too? she begged.“If dancing lessens were free. I wouldn't give you one, Mrs. Donis told her emphatically. ;Unlike most girls, Aurora knew what she wanted, so in her,third year at Wadleigh High she left school and joined Irvin C. Miller’? “Liza as a chorine. This was -in 1924. “Liza” enjoyed a year's run on Broadway. Aurora worked hard in the chorus. She wanted to learn alt there was to know.- From that time on it was just one-lead after another. To quote Aurora:' “I was in the chorus six months when the leading lady took sick. I was surprised ahd thrilled, too. when Mr. Miller asked me to take the title role.** ‘I’m afraid I can't do it, I told him. -‘“Of course you cap. Why, you’ll be great in the role,' he replied.“After he had evinced so much confidence in my ability. I determined to dp my best. Mr. Miller was well pleased with my work, Aurora added modestly.How well pleased he was may be ascertained from the fact that Aurora was starred in Miller’s “Broadway Rastus and “Running Wild. ^“Then Hurtiz and Seaman signed me to play the lead in ‘4-11-44/ The show was to open in Philadelphia. It was here that I met Leroy Broomfield, she continued.“Leruy was quite a hoofer in his own right an4 at .first he objected very vigorously to being teamed with a girl who had no more experince than I. It didn’t matter to Leroy.„j .• ? • ■*» -“Our dancing was one of the high spots of the show and immediately an Orpheum booking agent approached us with a two-year contract. We had definitely decided to team together. so we turned down the two-year contract and played for a whilein Chicago before coming to California. where we had decided was the best place for a colored dance team.“We have been together now for three years at Frank Sebastin’s Cotton Club.When Aurora and Leroy came to the Cotton Club they found a bare stage, a mediocre jazz orchestra and the usual tables and dance space for patrons. Little by little they made suggestions, with which Mr. Scbastin was ready to comply always. In a very short time he found out that these two dancers knew what it was all about,- so he placed the production of the entire floor show into the hands of these youngsters.The stage is now an artist's conception of beauty. Miss Greely, besides •leading her chorus of thirty chorines, does a specialty number each night with Leroy Broomfield. The orchestrais conceded to be one of the best on the coast, broadcasting nightly over KFVD, with Leroy announcing.' Considering the fact that Aurora never had a lesson from a dancinginstructor, her knowledge of terpsi-chorean technique is little short of marvelous. She specializes in Tango. Spanish, Russian, Gypsy, Indian and various folk dances. She also teaches a dancing class of more than twenty pupils.Probably the most phenomenal part in Aurora’s life is her ability to take care of herself. She was quite young when she came to the coast and, of course, talk flew thick and fast. She was in love Avlth her partner, was the first report. Auroratook time neither to affirm or deny this. There were other men named, both in the theatrical and social world, but soon the gossips found out that Aurora completely ignored them. If you would ask twenty different persons about 'Aurora’s love life, you would get twenty different answers and each one would be as torrid as a book of the celebrated Elinor Glyn. Knowing that Aurora could not possibly have that many love lives. I asked her about these various rumors.“I have no love life.” she answered. “Of course, I have had -beaux and many proposals of marriage; what modern girl hasn’t? But I have never had a serious love affair.Just reading tl is. one cannot conceive how one so lovely and so gifted but. when . Aurora, curled snuggly down in a large chair, looks at youuiwoc*r*- AURORA GREELYa dancer who claims her mother is her onlv love.eyes, you can believe anything.“My mother is my only love. she continued as she crossed the room to get a picture of a pleasant faced woman with greying hair. “This is my mother,” she passed me the portrait. “Ail of my life I have wanted to take care of her—to furnish her with everything she needed or wanted. Little dainty things ibat she does not particularly want, yet what every woman admires and secretly desires in her heart of hearts.Aurora is sympathetic and .generous to a fault. She has adopted a girl twelve years of age and she takes as giu'ch pride in her as though she were her own. The little girls room would delight the heart of any child, with desk, typewriter, books, dainty furnishings and hangings.If Aurora has succeeded in the world of night life entertainment, she has been equally successful in picture work. Her first work was at Christie Studios when they were filming the Cohen comedies. In this series, Aurora led her chorus in several short features. Lately Hollywood is giving the star dancer work that requires more dramatic ability. Her finest performances to date are given in “Public Enemy and “Seed.”Hollywood has graciously received Aurora. On all the walls of her home arc numerous autograph d pictures of all the famous stars. Seme of the most conspicuous are Betty Compson, James Cruze, John Boles. Estelle Taylor, and many others.Aurora is an ardent picture lan. She never misses a program or picture that features exotic dance ensembles and solo numbers. Sometimes she will see one production over two or three times to throughly understand one dance sequence.She eats one meal a day to keep her weight at one hundred and live pounds.You will gather from what I have told you that hard work has been responsible 1 or Aurora’s startling success. You will be more surprised when I tell you that Aurora’s inheritance from her grandfatherFans thought Aurora was in love with her partner, Leroy Broomfield.years ago. ’ She is still Miss Greely.That was threin the West. Most girls out hef-e j miration—the mere the better. r stateliness of a ....... ( arc content to get by—and the easier | Aurora is beautiful ot face and is as fascinatingmakes her one of the wealthiest girls, the better. Most of them crave ad-j form. She walks with the grace and I and that is .whywind-blown lily. £as she :s-fny^s Hollywood Iotes b*THESINGINGFULLBACK, Barney exploded. “How can you I What’s up your dirty sleeve, Eb i Don’t you know that 5COO people t j boosting this team and that a leu ! them are bcttin., good hard cash t Howard to win?’*.He’s OH ered a Bribe to Sell Out Howard to Union?“That's just what w* know, t sucker money's all on Hoxl’ .icugh.By EDWARD LAWSONiBarney Retd and Duke Hart are rlvalj In love and on the jrldlron. Both go to Howard University, and both are In love with Sally Martin, a member ot Duko's class.Barney takes a Job In a restaurant to help pay hts expenses through college, and thus cannot And time to play football. This causes Hart to remark that he must be yellow. The ren'--'- causes a fight In which Har: la knocked to the ground.Through Bally, Barney finds work Binging In a choir. .. Thi* pay« him enough toallow him to ;ry out for tho freshman football team He is successful and leadshis team through an undefeated season— almost. But in the very last game he ml'ses a pass which he should have caught easily, and the team loses.*1 told you he was yellow, didn’t I? Hart says to Sally. Well, X guess this proves it.The girl, half ashax. -d. Is Inclined to agree after what she has seen. “Yes. 1 guess maybe you’re right.’* she says.Barney overhears the remarks, and they cut him deeply.CHAPTEI^.VIThe year passed quickly after the football. season was over. Barney buckled down to fits lessons and passed his courses easily. Spring practice was held, and he went out along with the rest of the team. Next year he would be eligible for the varsity.Then came summer, and more hard,gruelling work at the mill. It was tough, getting back into the routine after months away at school, but Barney pulled through. He didn’t mind even the hardest jobs because he knew that from them he would gain that extra strength and stamina he needed for the football field. He worked and sang, and was happy.Bamcv tock a hard blow that summer. It was his father’s death. The Rev. Mr. Reid's health had never been good, and overwork caused it to fall entirely. His heart had gone bad, and there was nothing the doctors could do. The hot sumim made it worse, and then he was gone.So Barney was left alone. It start-“What does It iw-an to you. irto hav so-little faith in one another, r throw Bert out of the room, but be-;wayo~ Barnev asked Bert Eilis had never been a fellow ^e he could utter a discharge, Bert! *’ ‘ . * *“• ' . .who played on the logins side ot hny- »» ““monitory finger. ,, nad £thing. That’s why he was one ol the “Now wait old man. I'm r‘-----thingbiggest hadgracefulvcsity had t:leratcd him as long as it could with good grace.And now Bert was one o» the bignot herc!coin ^jns Howard conics cr,;■st racketeers in Washington. He 10 Get you in dutch nor to try any t0p wc*n a: jcaj. '-ra...j had a couple of thoroughly dts-1 funny tricks. Nobody knows I'm the hole. That's a io: o’ nonet *ful years at Howard. The uni- ] within a mile of this building. j lose.Barney did not ask him to sit doun.i Bert didn't mind that; he had got-(used to such a mode of welcome; htsj 1 can ; hc.p yc::. \business wasn't the kind that made G^mblm*,, its your cnaiwe.“Yes, but what's ait this cot toiYc’jgest fellows in the racket. 'people welcome him when he showed! “You’re playing at fu’.lback/areHis line was the formation of bet- . i you?”up.sucker except Beri. That was the. you and how much you mean to How-wav he played the game. He played ; ardj” he began. “I know- that you havtine pools In which everybody was a' ‘••Barney. I've been tbinkinc sLuthavemany a fraternity fellow for a sucker. - had a tough break ever since ypuNow he was sitting pretty high. • came t0 school. Now I want to put“Yep. At least. I hope “All right. Jus: one little slip»: crucial moment—one little e.T that’ll give the gam. away to Li coin. Wouldn't that be worthThe officials at the school had*something in your way that will keep! thousand bucks to von?’’ I heard about mm and his operations: ycu from worrying from now till you1 Barney arose front hi-they were aware that he had fleeced finish school. I want you to earn ajwha’r* vou trvir.g to tie. asm*Tho nr Ho !S°nC7 c°o1 Ulousand dollars without moving; he demanded. ' ‘Try.:u- jo-gWcuThe order hu cone out from tl . oi-, criniinnl fincorfice of the president that *seen in Berts company would bo j,e cot Up He stood at the .window your idea, you're all wet.; Impiiy:fellows on anri i0okrri out over tho cnninus. How' r\r fill uf*')’' , _____.. . #u . . _ criminal ringer. - •; J throw that came. ni: jo you afice Oi. the president that any student Barnev listened to the’plan. Then dean up on vour b- t ^ W-ll. if Vj:would be'hlt; “ ' ...llsummarily dismissed. The fellows on and looked out over the campus. How; fair or not at all. see?He stood at the window and looked over the campus. How easy to earn a thousand dollars and how he n ceded the money to stay in school.~th: tears especially, dreaded the sight casv to carn a thousand dollars and of Bert. And Bert, witn his curled how he needed the money to stay in lip, knew this, too. schoolBut here he was rapping on Bar-; “You see. the coach knows you have• “O.K.” The man arme.“Here's your cent ami there's 'J dcor. Now scram’The man turned .r- hr reacted £ door. “Think it over, anyway.*!ney Reid's door. Come in.” it was been kinda queer. Bert continued, a thoroughly dispirited and dejected “Now Howard can't afford to win this j said.to go, their end broke loose and snar-, for the good of the tean, rather than! p^.te an^olhv011'' ta “uie^n^anortVwin*® QC“' d°n'‘ ‘ed a beautiful pass across the line for their own personal glory. And Barnev felt weak * He want*for a touchdown. The kick was good. Three minutes o1 play, and alreadythat meant n lot.Coach Verdell was highly pleasedanted toi “What the devil do you mean?! Continued on page 4. lt;»lumn!the score stood 7-0 against Howard!; with his charges. So was the whole Things look mighty bad. j school. The classic game was awaitedThe Verdeilmen rallied to hold the! ,ith Ercatcr than in any pre-Unionites during the next two quarters, but holding them didn't meanvious year.Still, Barney was a little worriedmuch. Something was wrong with j j\hout the game or the team orthe team —that was plain. The quar-1 arS ^ like that, but about hunter was calling the plays all right. scI ’ , r,cccl^rt money—how badlyand Barney was carrying the ball asi no onc. «new himself. There is hard as he could, but you can't win nj ,n0 table at Howard, andfootball game with a two-man team.[illf, oppchte had overrun his bank-The interference was rotten: the line} r°ll* especially during the early fall . , wasn’t being opened up properly. L ten dollars a weekled him a little when he first realized Qnl thrcc first d J t ln d j : which he earned by singing in theti'hflf tVinf mpant T-Tp hart nn a________^ ... . : C IO r hardiV nmri fnr tho fnaH ho cifo«4AMAZE A MINUTESCIENTI FACTSBY ARNOLDA NEW ICE AGE7* A • /* /•* • K s-% A #Another great glacier period would be broughtON BY LOWERING THE EARTH’S AVERAGE TEMPERATURE ONLY TEN DEGREES.
Newspaper Details
Baltimore Afro American
Baltimore, Maryland, US
Sat, Nov 07, 1931
Page 16
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 19 Apr 2022
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