After operating movie theaters in Portland, Oregon, Leo Seltzer organized a Walkathon in the depression era and took it on the road; a walkathon was similar to a dance marathon, except it involved walking (are you clear). He took it first to Denver, was very successful, and then to Kansas City.
Now Kansas City was the home of the Pendergast political machine, which was closer to Al Capone’s operation than a political party. Police were bribed, so despite prohibition, alcohol, and all the other evils were pretty wide open, and they had control of whatever went on in the city. My father was approached about working with them, and turned them down cold…..he started receiving threats, and one night with a packed house, stink bombs were set off throughout the building, forcing evacuation. Mr. McElroy, who managed the building, came in the next night and told Leo he had to close as the building was a fire hazard. When a nearby reporter (my father contacted the press….where do you think I learned that stuff) heard it he asked on what grounds….”Coffee Grounds” yelled McElroy…..the papers printed that, Leo got a restraining order and then completed the run.
Three of the MCs for his Walkathons were Red Skelton, Frankie Lane, and Lord Buckley. Red honed all his later material here, met a “walker” girl he liked, and married her….they never separated. Frankie went on to become a famous singer in the fifties; his most famous song was “Mule Train”. Lord Buckley was before his time. In the realm of Lenny Bruce and later George Carlin, he was the ultimate hipster…..His routines were “the Naz” about Jesus, and this one (from youtube) about the Gettysburg address given in hipster…..too few remain today.
Leo toured with his walkathons for three more years, until one day at the Chicago Coliseum, and you know the rest…..here is his Lord, Buckley.
RollerDerbyJesus.com 