Don't Ask Me Why
DRY
An appeal to readers for Tell Me Why's toughest question yet.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR
N
Q: I once read that Al Capone
once shared a prison cell with a
Jewish convict. What's the story,
Tell Me Why?
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11.1114.1
WOK SS II
go, in Detroit with the
Purple Gang, and in
Kansas City, where he
committed a crime that
gained him the respect of
A:Before being sent to Alca- fellow criminals every-
traz, Capone was imprisoned where: he managed to
in Atlanta, where his cell mate steal more than $2 million
was a notorious thief named worth of whiskey from a
Morris Rudensky.
warehouse. And this be-
Born Max Motel Friedman fore he even turned 21.
in 1908 in New York's Lower
Rudensky was finally
East Side, Rudensky became caught following a failed
one of the most famous robbers robbery in St. Louis and
and escape artists of the centu- was sent to Leavenworth.
ry. After committing a series of Three times, he managed
small crimes, he was sent to a to escape: Once, by posing
reformatory. There, he mas- as a visitor and simply
terminded his first escape by walking out the door, an-
eating lye-filled soap, which other time by sneaking in Bob Dylan singing the blues at a 1987 concert
turned his skin a terrible color a bag with a corpse, and fi- in Israel.
and convinced authorities he nally by hiding in a small box
Q: I understand that Bob Dylan
had tuberculosis.
being shipped out of the prison. was once set to appear on "The Ed
Rudensky worked in Chica- He was caught every time.
Sullivan Show," but then failed to
While in prison show up. Is that true? What's the
Editor's Note #1: Each week, I answer ques- .Rudensky befriend,
tions from around the country and yes, I re- ed not only Al story?
A: It wasn't that Dylan failed
ally do receive these strange and wonderful Capone but Machine
queries about everything from William "Capt. Gun Kelly — and to appear, but that he got out of
Kirk" Shatner's shoe size to crops in Israel also a man named his contract after he was told
to why some Jews don't eat turkey. So it Charles Ward who he would not be allowed to per-
seems only fair that I turn to you in my time would forever form the song of his choice.
It was back in 1963, a time
of need, when I am ripe with angst, filled change his life. Ward
with turmoil over a question which only you was a reformed when television was very, very
crook who, when re- different than it is today. When
the reader, can answer.
Exactly why is it, I need to know, that 90 leased, found work the Doors went on "Ed Sulli-
percent of an readers cannot correctly iden with (and eventual- van," for example, they were
tify the name of this column? Tell Me Why ly served as presi- asked to edit, "Girl, we couldn't
has been running for years, yet no one seems dent of) Brown and get much higher" from their
to know wha.t it's called. Why oh why oh why? Bigelow, a leading song "Light My Fire." (Lead
Among the names I have heard for Tell advertising agency singer Jim Morrison, natural-
in St. Louis. He con- ly, did no such thing, and in fact
Me Why
vinced
Rudensky to sang the line with extra fervor
*Ask Me Why
abandon his wanton that evening.)
The Bob Dylan controversy
* That Column, You Know, Where You
ways.
had
to do with his song "Talkin'
Answer Questions And Stuff
Rudensky later
John Birch Society Blues," a
The
became
editor
of
* I Didn't Know Who Else To Ask
Atlantian, the prison parody about a man who be-
* Jewish Tidbits
magazine (where his lieves communists are lurking
writing skills were behind every corner. Story has
Ask Me Anything
praised by a young it that the host, Ed Sullivan,
* I'll Find It Out For You
author named Mar- thought the song was terrific;
* Jewish Trivia
garet Gone With The CBS officials did not. When net-
Wind Mitchell). Dur- work censors learned Dylan
* Elizabeth's Column
ing World War II, he planned to sing "Talkin' John
* Ask Me A Question
organized prisoners Birch Society Blues" on the
.throughout the.coun.7.. show, they told him to come up
* Tell Me What
try to support the with something else. Dylan re-
* my husband also frequently hears:
war effort, and won fused. In the end, he did not ap-
That Thing Your Wife Writes
commendations pear on the program and was
from the White released from his contract
Please send answers to Tell Me Why, c/o House.
based on "mutual consent." ❑
The Jewish News, 27676 Franklin Road,
After his release
Southfield, MI 48034. Because this is a ques- from prison, Ruden-
tion with such profound implications, all de- sky went to work for Send questions to Tell Me Why,
cent answers will be printed in a future Brown and Bigelow, The Jewish News, 27676
edition of This Column, You Know, Where I and later became Franklin Road, Southfield, MI
Answer Questions And Stuff.
chief consultant of 48034, or fax to (810) 354-6069.
All letters must be signed and in-
Editor's Note #2: To the fan of The Mad Ad- security systems for clude the writer's address. Ques-
ventures of Rabbi Jacob: Please call me. A 3M. His advice to tions answered in the column will
reader has managed to secure a copy of the young criminals: feature only the writer's initials
"Don't lock yourself
elusive film.
and city of residence.
up like I did."