Show This his Business of Being a Prima Donna Is No Joke By y ADELAIDE KERR Gladys runs a a. busi bus seas ness s. s The prima donna busi bus ness J It pays her 15 cents on the dollar iollar When she and her husband Cap Captain ln Frank Chapman discuss the he spangled career that has taken Miss into time big radio concert and grand Tand opera they s say say y Its a business It has expenses expenses expenses ex ex- just as any other business business busi busl ness does Management takes 20 per cent to begin with Add to that the c cost st of advertising public relations costumes trainers trainers trainers train train- ers accompaniment secretaries traveling expenses and hotels In the last seven years we find we get 15 cents on the dollar He Directs Her Career The prima donna business has presented a nu number ber of new problems problems problems lems to Miss this year Since she and Mr Chapman Chapman Chapman Chap Chap- man also a singer were married married married mar mar- ried more than 10 30 years ago he has directed her career and af af- fairs Now he is s a captain Inthe in inthe inthe the United States marine corps And Miss is carrying on alone When he left I just thought I could not go on she said the theother other day in her beige and copper copper copper cop cop- per toned New York drawing room Then I began to read my fan mail in its entirety ety There were so many letters from boys in the s service speaking of some song I had sung that I began to feel this was my way of doing something to he help p in these times So I kept onI onI on I think in the past I depended depend depend- ed too much on Frank I 1 always always al al- al ways waited t to ask him D Darling Darling Dar r. r ling what do you think Since I have had to work alone these last few months I have had to draw more from myself And I feel I am stronger now than I Iwas Iwas was before Frank Listens To All Programs But whenever I sing on the radio I 1 sing directly to Frank He always listens in and then telephones me and tells me what he thinks of of my program To most p people a prima donnas donnas donna's donnas donna's don don- nas na's career means means flowers jewels and applause set against a background background back back- ground of music and pink lights ts Actually it means a lot of hard work Chief thing on Miss x agenda now is her Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day radio program Forty-five Forty minutes a week But behind that 45 minutes lie hours of work in selecting songs for a a. a program pro pro- program gram Monday final program building Wednesday accompanist accompanist rehearsal Friday rehearsal for timing and sound effects and Sunday rehearsal of four hours with the band before the pro pro- gram Miss generally leaves leaves' on Monday or Tuesday for a concert concer in the south west westor or midwest That means mean more program selection costumes interviews Interviews in interviews In- In and a long train trip More than once this fall Miss has boarded her return return return re re- re- re turn train In the middle of the night to find that that her reservations reservations reservations reserva reserva- have be been ri sold twice and nd someone Is asleep in her com com- Since colds are every singers singer's bugaboo she has virtually given up dancing which generally means going Into a warm crowded room She gets most I of f h her r relaxation and fun at the Chapmans' Chapmans Connecticut farm |