Bulls to Ballyhoo

Home to Brooklyn from the bull rings of Spain last week went Sidney Franklin (ne Frumkin), matador extraordinary. All the world knows that he, a policeman's son, left Flatbush to study painting in Mexico and there learned the bullfighter's art from Master Matador Rodolfo Gaona; that in Spain he has slain 50 bulls for the bravos and pesetas of the populace (TIME, Sept. 30, 1929; March 24). But at his homecoming his friends and managers did not leave his fame to chance. To build him into a sure-fire vaudeville attraction, they arranged an impression ballyhoo. In a noisy motorcade, gawked at by many a bystander, surrounded by sombreroed U. S. cowmen, preceded by a brass band, he rode to City Hall where Acting Mayor Joseph V. McKee of New York declared : "The city is very proud of you!" Into talking-cinema microphones Hero Franklin spoke English: "Give me the good old American girl," and Spanish: "Commend me to the charming senoritas of Spain." Of the Spanish King he said: "He strikes me as just a big kid." Then he retired into the bosom of his family, which consists of father, mother, four sisters, three brothers, inhabitants of a modest Brooklyn house.

The contrast between the Frumkin homelife and the Franklin bullfights and ballyhoo inspired two Manhattan colyum-ists to comment. Heywood Broun of the Telegram wrote: "Suppose you were one of Sidney's relatives. What would you suggest [for his entertainment]? I will endeavor to enter into the fantasy myself.

'Well, Sid . . . after breakfast we'll run down the street and shoot a couple of rounds of Tom Thumb golf. . . . For lunch we're going to the Horwitzes. You remember them. Sadie Horwitz was in your class at school. .

Milt Gross of the American portrayed the imaginary effect on Brooklyn Jewish life of the hero's return: "Hm, you didn't hoid Meester Feitelbaum from Seedney Frenklin wot he fight witt bools. ... So it geeves chirrs de pipple wot it guzz in wodeweel de bool-fighter wot he bicomes yat from tsigarattes in de papers a in-duster. So Isidor (SMACK) ... you be batter a Seedney Frenklin und dunt gatting on de reputt codd a D yat in bool-fighting maybe. ..."

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