Newspapers / Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, … / Dec. 25, 1947, edition 1 / Page 13
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WITR BEST WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS THE BOOK SHOP 17 Princess Street WILMINGTON, N. C. WHITE'S AHOCO SERVICE CECIL WHITE - LLOYD WHITE 10th and Market Streets From R. C. LUCAS & SON Plumbing Contractor 2219 S. Front St. Dial 6043 Shaw Pain! & Wall Paper Co.f Inc. S14 North Front Street ■ Henry Ghnstmas •JUNIOR HOOTERY “From The Cradle Thru College*9 >1 Princess St. Phone 2-8357 SANTA LEGEND REACHES PEAK Professional Actor Finds Kids Are Not His Gig Problem By SAUL PETT AP Newsfeatures Writer NEW YORK, Dec. 25 m — The Santa Claus legend was be ing carried to new heights this year by Dave Ballard, a king sized Kris Kringle, who stands 7 feet 7 inches, weighs 350 pounds i and has dark thoughts about the state of American wit. Ballard, a professional Broad way giant, played Claus at a Merry Christmas land exposition in New York and, since the show attracted mostly kids, it offered no special problems. But adults were something else again. At 42, Dave has accumulated considerable patience, but his re sistance was a little thin after a lifetime of hearing such original WE EXTEND INCERE GOOD WISHES For a most en joyable holiday occasion and a New Year of happiness. HUGH HacRAE & CO. REAL ESTATE 212 Princess St, MERRY CHRISTMAS REETINCS Here’* our Christmas sentiments with an added word of appreciation for ^ atl past favors GEORGES/ 911 North 4th St. 2-2686 r Wishes A Merry Ghristmas A Happy and Prosperous New ^£ear. Albert's Credit Jewelers 605 Castle Street AIRLINER TRAGEDY — Among several tragic accidents to airliners daring 1947 was this crash of a UAL plane taking off from LaGnardia Field, N. Y.. May 29, in which 43 died. gems as “Raining up there, Bud?” or: “H’ya, Shorty.” or: “Where’d ‘ya get the stilts, Mac?” “Nobody is ever original,” says Dave. On the street or in an elevator, a complete stranger will edge up to the blond, ruddy giant, breathe in deeply and ask a series of questions with the hushed excite ment of a man about to discover the secret of life. Such inquiries elicit this data on Ballard. Neck size, 18 1-2; shoe, 15; chest 52; waist, 48; no, he doesn’t eat an extraordinary amount — breakfast is usually two glasses of milk and a sweet - , lunch is light or skipped and dinner is frequently a good-sized steak; yes, his bed is custom-built, 10 feet long; yes, his health is good; no, he’s not especially athletic; yes, in the movies, he always tries to get the last row back and a seat on the aisle so nobody’s view will be blocked and he’ll have room for his legs. And then tnere s the parlor pyschologist who, at every party or gathering, approaches Dave with a solemn expression of the deepest kind of understanding, maneuvers him into a corner and then sends forth prying fingers into the Ballard subconscious. This usually brings the following: Yes, he enjoys life, maybe more than most, judging by all the unhappy faces around; no, he’s not married; yes, he’d like to be; of course, he hopes she’s tall; i no, he doesn’t feel especially cheated by fate; sure, he’s un happy at times, mostly wher he’s not working; yes, he’s been ab normally large most of his life— he was almost six feet at 10; no, really, honest he says, there are no deep psychic scaxs, absolutely. Dave Ballard was born in Com merce, Texas, weighing 10 pounds. None of his family is ab normally large. He went through high school, had a couple of years at Austin college until P.ck of money forced his departure and then went to work. All of his employers have hired him for his size. Pave doesn't mind as long as the pay is good. He’s been a haberdashery clerk, film extra, movie doorman, part of a vaudeville act, a gaint in Billy Rose’s “Jumbo,” a blue ge nie in an ill-fated musical, and for various promotional and pub licity stunts he’s circulated in public places and at cocktail parties, Keystone cop, as Gulli van and an American indian. Dave shares a Manhattan apartment with a married coupie. Whenever possible, he cooks his meals, not because his needs are pecular but because he likes to cook. He likes the movies, some radio programs, all sports (to watch) and an occasional book. He says he has about three dates a month. He takes a drink now and then and once he had seven cocktails and they didn’t even create a buzz, so he figured it would be too expensive to carry the research futher. Drunks make Dave Nervous. They’re always trying to pick fights or get a rise out of him some way to prop up their own complexes. Recently a bar fly started swinging at him. j “I held him off at arm’s length,” Dave recalls. “He just swung himself out.” Bai'ard would like to earn a living as an actor but he’s realis tic. “There aren’t many parts for a fellow my size,” he says, “al though guys are always threat ening to write plays just for me— you know, deep psychological studies of the tragedy of being a giant.” As far as he knows, there are only two men in the United States bigger than he is: Jack Earle, 8 feet, 6 inches, a liquor salesman, and Harry Hite, 7 feet, 11 inches, a vaudeville perform er. Dave Ballard’s chief concern in life is prosaic—he worries about money. ONE STORY FIREHOUSE NEW ORLEANS (U.R—First the smoke-eating fire horses vanish ed, then firemen’s red sus penders. The latest sentimental casualty around two local fire houses is the traditional brass pole. The buildings, both outmoded, will be replaced by one-story. up-to-date structure which even will contain blowers to dry the wet garb of fire-fighters. The absence of a second floor will eliminate the need for poles to slide down. 1 i i i 1 i i i families’ at this happy holi- { day end wishing i many good things j fer each of yon. i WILMINGTON; FEED j STORE j L. W. HUMPHREY 4 —Owner— ^ 112 No. 10th St. j TO YOU Our FRIENDS And CUSTOMERS YARBOROUGH OIL COMPANY S. M. Yarborough Dial 5H2 Carolina Beach Road At Sunset Park To dl our Wends we wish the mer riest of Merry Christmases and the happiest of Happy New Years. SNOW'S ESSO SERVICENTER 3rd & Market t - WISHING YOU A... Christmas [Prosperous Ylew year And Looking Forward To Rendering You A Far Greater And Better Service in ’48 Than Ever In The Past. ■ Modern Laundry and Dry Cleaners OHM freedom,*,friendship*.*, loved one*,,.happy ehildren, * * the thoughtfulness of those about • *. let's preserve oil that I* Chrlstma* and Christmas really means for all the day* to tome, may oil these blessings be yours to enjoyt / CITY-DIXIE LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANERS W. T, Benton, Mgr. 412 S. 17th SI. Phone 6698
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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Dec. 25, 1947, edition 1
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