Mary Martin & The Leech Boys

 MARY MARTIN, the legendary Broadway Star was born and raised in Weatherford, Texas, where my Mother FRANCES OLIVER MAYNARD also grew up and where I spent summers as a boy in the 1960's. Everyone in town referred to Ms. Martin as "Mary" for she was a hometown girl and always would be. She is buried in the town cemetery, not far from where my family lie...and where i will rest one day. These people are my people.

Anyway...MARY ran a dance studio in Weatherford in the early 1930's and two of her most talented students were the very young LEECH Boys; F. C. ( Barry) & Fenn ( Larry) were high school classmates of my Mother and she maintained a close relationship with them for all of their lives.

In 1936 while BILLY ROSE was preparing the FRONTIER CENTENNIAL and casting dancers and showgirls from local talent, MARY MARTIN escorted 6 of her best pupils to Fort Worth to audition for spots in the ensemble of the first CASA MANANA show. F. C. & Fenn, 15 and 16 years old at the time were hired on the spot as part of the "Mens" chorus. ( I was also 15 when I first started working at the New Casa in 1972).

Two other pupils, also sisters MARGIE & MARZELLE VAN HOOSIER where hired as showgirls. This was quite an accomplishment for 4 kids from littleWeatherford.

 MARY MARTIN also auditioned, singing a song for MR. ROSE...after which he famously advised her to "Go Home and Sing Your Love Songs to your Husband!" or as  MARY herself related it"  Go Home and Have Babies!" . I imagine that whatever was actually said fell somewhere in between, but the effect was the same.

Of course, MARY MARTIN went on to fame in Hollywood and on Broadway, perhaps in part because of that first early rejection...and the LEECH BOYS tasted their own bit of fame over the next three summers at CASA MANANA in Fort Worth. My mother repeated their legacy to me many times during my childhood...and eventually I ended up working there myself...almost as if it was my time to fulfill....I've held a soft spot for both MARY and the LEECH BOYS ever since, although I never met any of them.

[It should be noted that BILLY ROSE wasn't auditioning actual Performers. All the Acts that played CASA MANANA in the 1930's were already established Vaudeville or Broadway entertainers. ROSE was only looking for Showgirls and Dancers whom he couldn't afford to import.
So his dismissal of MARY MARTIN's talent, while it might seem short-sighted of him is really only a practical consideration. A short setback for her, but within 2 years she was already an established act on her own.]