Thursday, January 19, 2006

Waterloo and Mulcahey and Dixie

The Evening Courier and Reporter (from Waterloo, Iowa) was the only ILL waiting for me. I found a couple of Denishawn ads, as well as a review in which Louise Brooks is mentioned. The search goes on.

Since I had a little extra time, I thought to tackle a few miscellaneous tasks on my "things-to-do at the library list." And so, I took a look at the San Francisco newspaper index in hopes of finding something on financier James Mulcahey, who according to online records was born around 1905 here in San Francisco, California. My interest stems from the fact that in 1947 columnist Walter Winchell mentioned that Mulcahey and Brooks would be married. The marriage never took place. And Mulcahey seems to have disappeared. Nothing, really, is known about him. (The San Francisco newspaper index didn't list him.) Barry Paris hit a similar wall: "But nothing more was ever heard of it, and James Mulcahey cannot be found" (page 426). I am curious to see if I can find out anything about this elusive figure. Maybe I will try to track down a relation here in the Bay Area. . . . if there are any relations.

Also on my "things-to-do at the library list" was to check the local papers for the Dixie Dugan comic strip. (There has been some discussion lately about this strip on the LBS message board.) I have copies of the daily strip - which initially was called "Show Girl" - dating from November 2, 1929 through April, 4, 1930. I want to gather some additional examples. I found that the San Francisco News carried the strip - and so, I copied a few more days worth from April, 1930. Next time I return to the library and have some extra time and funds on my copy card, I will photocopy additional strips.

Here is a longer Sunday strip from 1932. (The daily strip was usually only three or four panels.) By this time, Dixie's hair had evolved away from the Brooks-influenced shingled bob depicted in the 1929 / 1930 strips. I like this particular strip because it suggests Dixie/Louise was something more than just a "dumb showgirl" = she read books!

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