European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine by Brenda Hoster stall writer  svi1h sip a of entertain Mont in giving tin troops whal they want like  rom  of Fern leaving Smith Lei i Germany  work Hitler 21 years As Diro Clor of  Lor Tho army in Europe to head inc army entertain Manl program in Washington Smith sat Back in his chair at Hir Ollice in sch Elzinger and old of the unscheduled visit by the tamed Stripe lease Perto Imor her son in was stationed in Augsburg in the mid 60s and he mentioned to the Community s entertainment director that his Mother was Corning to visit and had uttered id make some appearances Tor inc  hcs Aid the local entertainment director upon hearing that Eric s Mother was Gypsy Rose Lee ddn t know it they could handle her act the next thing i knew this frantic director was calling me and asking what he should do Smith said i told him to relax. I d handle it so 1 dialled a number and talked with our general. I told him i did t think there was any question to the lasts of her performance so the show wont on Ken Smith Smith and his Cico. Along with Tho local Media Mot Gypsy Rose Lee Al Chr Airport. They car jul her on film doing All inc things a Mold of does when greeting her son hugging and kissing Smith said Tho ice breaker Canie when Gypsy Rose i be was my reduced to Smith s Boss a colonel she said. My Yod. Ive never in my Hie seen anyone Wilh so much jewelry l Well of course the Colunca was dumbfounded As he had never had anyone ruler to his Merj ats and other decorations a jewelry Smith said bul Hal was Gypsy Roso Lee ii was always her great wit that made her he said. She was a lady with brains that was her whole reason or being n entertainment rial her body which is contrary to what other people thought she was a real professional a sincere Mot Valot for the soldiers Smith said Hal Case illustrates an important Point in his line of work some people like one Type of entertainment White others like something else. We can l please everyone but we certainly will  Gypsy s performance was above Board Smith said. She narrated a curious evening with Gypsy Rose Lee based on bus and pieces about her career Roy Acuff i it another of Smith s favourites. Roy is an absolute sweetheart Smith said. He is a kind generous and most understanding person who always puts out his Best Lor the  Smith s philosophy is to keep up with the trends in entertainment and he s worked Al it. Hie has attended Many concerts trom acute s country Brand to the Rock n roil of Pink Floyd and anything in Between. I be taken some criticism or attending those hard rack concerts where commanders thought their troops should t go because they might smoke pot or do some other Type of drugs he said but i had news Tor those commanders hos kids could do All Hal in inc Barracks As  for Smith the whole idea of attending concerts was to see what his troops wanted in the Way of entertainment. Tho most exciting times in the entertainment business Are yet to come Smith said but the 60s were interesting too. What made the 60s so special was the state of our country at the Lime and How it affected entertainment he said. Vietnam was in Lull swing. No one wanted to support the military which was quite a reversal from entertaining the troops Sis Palo by Lynda w spa Smith hat Tell a entity tfter21 Roan to head the Amy  program in with Langton. World War i and world War ii you know Ihn whole acl beads fringe Long har All inc Piol Osling against to War Kennedy assassination thai inc assassination really made my business interesting Here in Europe because they really Houghl it All was a  Smith said the europeans had trouble understanding some of the american philosophy at that Lime it was really hard for hem to grasp our ability to present the types of shows to did and still in he said. They re not Sod to someone bringing Ihor culture with them. However they Are extremely impressed with the Quality of what we provide. And that is what f be tried to do or Tho past 21 years keep that Quality in our entertainment program the trends in music changed. Smith reflected on his first introduction to the beetles. I remember when i Tirol heard them in  to said paler and Gordon opened for them. The crowd went crazy and i just knew those Guys were going to change the music  since the top 40 music Chart changes All the Lime Smith feels it s important Lor the people in his business to keep on top of those changes. I believe that in this business we must know our audience and the performances that Are available to us. The Only Way to do Hal is logo to some of these concerts and shows and see who they Al  to said. And that s what i have  although Smith has spent a lot of Lime with the pros of the entertainment world he said the bread and butter in army entertainment programs is with the soldiers and their families soldiers Are the reason we Are Here Smith said and the great thing about this business is thai you never know what doors you be opened for people soldiers Are Young and impressionable. Gelling them involved in entertainment helps them find things out about themselves which they never knew before thai s wonderful Lor them and Lor local directors " when Smith came on Slago As a Community entertainment director in 1957 at Larochelle France he could count on soldiers to do the entertaining but today he said you have to work at knowing who those Soldier performers Are. Pulling together a show was somewhat easier in those times because we olten had people with some kind of entertainment background serving in the army he said that was largely due to the  however when the Volunteer army came about after Vietnam same people in Smith s business did t think they d recruit people with that kind of background. He recalled a Lime when he had to throw a Quick show together for some 800 troops living in tents near the coast of France. These Guys had nothing to  he said. On of the commanders Sard Smith bring me a show so i put together a show using soldiers. I could t have done that if i had t known who my Soldier entertainers were. The same is True or today s  army entertainment has had its ups and Downs Over the years Smith said but any changes that have come Al out have been for the better. People Are More aware of our program and we certainly have More facilities he said. The army believes in its entertainment program every year since 1942 there has been support not just with Money bul with people and supplies he said certificates letters from commanders and autographed photos of professional entertainers lined Smith s of fico Walls reinforcing his commitment to keep Soldier and Amity morale at a Peak i think it s important to give Trie Soldier a live show whenever possible and it does t Mailer whether it s a Community act a department of defense show irom the slates or a professional entertainer wilting to come Over and boost troop  he said. While the curtain has closed on Smith s part As Usa eur s entertainment director to Hopes to have some positive influence in Washington As chief of the army s entertainment program on any policy changes that May come about " bul. As far As leaving Here i never fell like i was building a timeless Monument. Tho next person should be Able to build upward and Onward. One thing Tor sure though he said wild a Grin if nothing else. I certainly proved i can keep a Job Friday february 20.1987 the stars and stripes Page 13