Evening Star Newspaper, June 28, 1925, Page 45

he Sundwy Star WASHI GTON, D. C SUNDAY Automobiles MORNING, JUN E 28, GRETA Nissoy Columbia Current Attractions At the Theaters This Week NATIONAL “The Cham- pion,” comedy. Opens to- morrow evening. KEITH'S—Miss Julie t-San- trey's Orchestra, vaudeville. Opens this afternoon. ARLE—Ben Franklin's Or- chestra, vaudeville. Opens this afternoon. Outdoor Amusements Glen Echo. Chevy Chase. Chesapeake Beach. Marshall Hall. Colonial Beach—St. Johns. Le Paradis Attractions. Hotel Washington Roof. Mayflower Gardens. News and Comment By W. H. Landvoigt. fight waxes hottest between the “reg 'y 1d the a fight and a fight “in- with UST as th lars” dependents"—for there is to dag, to plunge to the hilt—somebody the subject of theater reirigeration. Well, why not? As onc ns in the movie world has observed, “You heat your the finish, r< drawn and ready starts observer of condit homes and places of amusement in the Winter; why not cool them in‘ Summer.” One oi Washington's most extensive local exhibitors already | has sounded the praises of his cooling plants and how his theaters, on the warmest Summer evenings, register “70 degrees.” There are others. As a rule, however, the character of the complaints that reach The Star, if they may be termed such, do not so much concern the tem- perature of the theaters as the quality of the pictures that are being shown in them—not all pictures, but the general run characteristic of the Summer output. Many, it is true, exhale a musty fragrance that might be expected of stock that has been laid away for a long time. Others. however, keep pace with the average Winter attraction. The “special “super-special” and “pictures dv luxe” are to be found in the promises rather than in the performances. i .k ok * % MALLER exhibitors of the independent class, on the other hand, are complaining not of the charcter of the pictures which they are able _to procure, but of the type of players who appear in them, and who, they contend, are being drawn in superabundant numbers from but one source. One exhibitor recently stated that this was given as a reason at his box office for a big falling off in patronage. When the warm weather comes theatrical patronage slackens in the same degree that the heat in- creases. The automobile, the radio, golf, base ball and many other rival- ries have been blamed for this. The complaint that the casts which ap- pear in pictures is affecting attendance, however, is a new one, at Jeast so iar as announced gricvances are concerned. The producers, some time ago. indicated by word and action that the public was tiring of stars gen- erally, or at least of many stars who had been big drawing cards, but were seen to be losing their hold. pear. | becoming unpopular, it would seem that pressure might be brought upon the producers by the dissatistied through the medium of direct communi- cation, which. it is believed, would bring speedy relief. The represent tive of one of the big producers recently announced, “The pictare game is a business: when personalities are found tg be a misfit, we get rid of the personalities.” * ok kK ROBABLY one of the causes of unrest, or dissatisfaction, is the never- ending scasons of the movie houses. Rarely, indeed, is a big photo- play theater closed during the Summer, and there are many neighborhood houses that likewise follow the endless show. Washington has demon- itrated time and again that good Summer theatrical entertainment, on stage or on screen, is demanded at the National Capital, or at least that it will be generously patronized, provided, of course, it be really good en- tertainment. Was Midsummer. Indeed. one of its proud boasts is the charm and variety of its weather. And, in a theatrical way, it also can boast of theaters packed to capacity even during the warmest of weather, where there has heen a warrant for it. In the Summer, however, the manager, human like the remainder of mankind, finds much cause for worry, like the rest of us. unless he lessens the strain with a'vacation. If he wants to get rich quickly, or if he cannot bear to sec his receipts falling below the Winter eak, he is apt to find lots of things wrong with the world. Tt is so Euma“ to do that. * K ok % ROM the trade papers come reports of the wholesale buying of theaters by first this big producer and then that one. This is due to the un- wholesome desire to monopolize and absolutely control the moving pic- ture business, according to the plaint of one, and to the desire to protect himself against the greed of his fival and find an outlet for his product by the other. Both believe they are right, no doubt. But in it all the gen- eral public has an interest. It is not going to be a good thing for general entertainment to' have it monopolized, and it will be monopolized if ce! tain picture producers own or control all the desirable theaters. Wash- ington has had a mild taste of this evil, along with other cities, in the dominance of certain play producers in what are called the lcgitimate theaters. So much so, indeed, that there was a time when the erection of a commodious and well equipped theater was seriously contemplated by Washingtonians themselves. And the project was abandoned only when more light was thrown upon booking conditions in the theater, which made it possible to actually ostracize any house that the play pro- ducing magnates might desire. It is one thing to own a handsome temple of the drama and quite another to make it a paying proposition, indeed, to save it from being a wholly unproductive “white elephant,” to quote the vernacular of the homely sage. The public is certain to suffer if its play producers become expert real estate operators and ply both lines of ‘business at the same time and along the same line. eox VER in New York a controversy has arisen as to the reviews<of photoplays, in which one c¢nd of the argument contends that severe | criticism is warranted when pictures fail to reach certain standards of screen and dramatic art, and the other ¢nd contends ‘that if the public generously patronizes a picture “the Constitution shouldn’t matter among friends.” The point involved, apparently Immediately new lights began to ap- | there be reason now why the players who fill lower parts are | ington has its warm days and its cool days, even in | sage | NAZIMOVA- Tivoli | Arthur Hopkins' New plays; WO new plays by Anderson and | Stallings are scheduled for produc- | tion by Arthur Hopkins next season. The first, “The Buccaneer,” cele- | brates a tropical chapter in the life of that flaming figure of the Spanish { Main, Sir Henry Morgan. This play was on the eve of presentation in Philadelphia last year when the st William Farnum, fell ill. He has now |recovered and it is planned to hold | the premiere in Boston in September. telle Winwood will be one of the | high lights in the picture. The other | play, which will present Andrew | Jackson when a fire-eating lad, still in the preparatory process. is “Earl Carroll Vanities.” HE new “Earl edition of 192 Carroll Vanities,” t is announced, will open the Earl Carroll Theater, New York, Monday, July 6. Representing the utmost effort and most lavish expenditure thus far put forth by Mr. Carroll, the announce- | ment states, it will be a distinct de- parture from the present form of mu- sical show or revue. The reconstruction of the audi- torium of the Earl Carroll Theater will establish intlmacy between the orchestra and the stage, with certain seats actually being on the sta that patrons attending the new “‘Van- ities” will become a part and parcel of the stage proceedings. Tables and chairs have replaced several rows of orchestra seats, and these, designated “ringside seats,” will be sold at 50 each—by far the highest price ever charged for a theater seat in New York. In addition to' M. de Jari, tenor; Josephine Sabel, -comedienne, and Julia Steger, dancer, and the engage- ment of Ross Gormann and his Earl Carroll Band, the cast of the new “Vanities,” now complete, includes Julius Tannen, master of ceremonies Ted and Betty Healy, Kathryn Ra; Oscar Lorraine, Bobby Folsom, Ma: jorle Peterson, Jack Norton, Adele Neff, Dave Chasen, Felicla Sorel, Harold Yates, Vivian Hart, M. Senia Gluck, Van Lowe, Jeanette Gilmore, the three Whirlwinds, Wallace Me- Cutcheon, Jessica Dragonette, Pearl Eaton, Celia Branz and an_ensemble of 52 specialty ‘dancers and singers, Certain specific_audiences made up | apparently set their approval upon st suppressed. | doesn’t glow. | ministry | here the hero = u On the other hand, facctious and flippant criti it % e pictures and plays, written for the personal gratification or exploitation is that the motion’ picture art }of the writer, rather than with the aim to fairly inform the public of the LENETA LANT_ - National BLANCHE SWRET Awna Q Ningeon - Metropolitar. Current Attractions NATIONAL—"The Champion.” A. E. Thomas, author of “The hampion,” which the National The- er Plavers will offer this week be. | ginning tomorrow night, in his farc comedy has pitted the black sheep of an English family against the re spectable members and traditions of that family. Such a theme might well be treated seriously, but Thomas has written it from a broadly humorous angle with the aim of engulfing the audience in laughter. Gunboat Williams is the errant member of an English family which loves England, its own snobbery, and is patronizingly indulgent of all other lands upon which England’s sun In the*midst of situa- tions which are further to distinguish this family in Parliament and in the the pugilistic Gunboat de- cides to visit the family, and turns into a laughable crisis what his sniff- ing relatives had hoped would be a | golden opportunity for further chances to_exercise their aloofness. In a broad sense the plece is not un- like “Mr. Battling Butler,” save that ctually can fight but doesn't want to, whereas in “‘Butler’ the hero is a bog fighter and is com- pelled to show his lack of prowess. Minor W battering ram, and other mémbers of the cast have been happily placed by Director Clifford Brooke. KEITH'S—Miss - Juliet, Mimic. B. F. Keith's Theater s announcing a_double-topped bill of tip-top artists this week, with Miss Juliet, dainty mimic. and impersonator of stage- dom's greatest stars, in her “One Girl Revue,” assisted at the piano by Duane Bassett, and Henry Santrey, famous American baritone, and his orchestra, the first orchestra to bring jazz to vaudeville, and a band of jovial, Jjocular music jugglers. Harry and Anna Seymour will of- fer an act of breezy bits of mirth and melody; Henry Santrey, with Anna Seymour, will appear also in “A Lit{le Comedy Surprise,” that is said to be something new and quite werth while; “Blackface” Eddie Ross, with his African harp, will offer weird and catchy melodies along with laugh-pro- ducing verses. Grette Ardine, with John Tyrell and Dave Kaye, will present “The French Model,” a dancing story, written by Neville Fleeson and Albert Von Til- zer; Le Grohs, late of the Ed Wynn show, will offer thrillers old and new, and Joe and Willie Hale, “Bits of Vau deville.” The screen features, Aeso - in part of the general public have age exhibitions that the courts have sms of both should be judged alone by the general public rather than by those whose | character and quality of the productions reviewed, are far too common. education, training and experience have fitted them for the task. It would |One cursory view of a picture is scarcely sufficient for high and thor- be a daring man, indeed. who would undertake to underestimate the ouzh criticism of its merits. Much might be said on both sides of the value of a verdict by the general public. The great difficulty. however, | controversy, which probably might have been avoided by the exercise is to determine when “the general public” really renders the yerdict, of reasonable fairness on both _sides, tson will be cast as the | | Fables, Topics of the Day and the | Pathe News Pictorial, will complete | the bin. | EARLE—Ben Franklin Orchestra. | The Karle Theater this week will present (he Ben Franklin Orchestra {from Philadelphia’s pewest hotel | The Laurette Taylor photoplay, “One Night in Rome, by J. Hartley | Manners, will be shown for the first | time. | The vaudeville will include Pinto and Boyle in what is describe as “an overnight comedy sensation’ Hare and Hare in-songs, steps and smiles; Chinko and Kaufman in amusing bits; Jim McCool and Tommy Reilly, assisted by Kathleen Murray, in “Those Wére the Days,” and Belle Montrose, a gay comedian. Furt Hetzel, a musician of inter- national repute, will contribute a solo number. Mayflower Gardens. A charmingly exclusive atmosphere and delightful dance music by the | Spencer Tupman Orchestra, with the coolness of a woodland grotto, are the factors that lure the smart ele- | ment in Washington to the Mayflower Gardens. Connoisseurs of modern dance nm- sic are enthusiastic in praise of the unique orchestrations presented nightly. In planning the Mayflower gardens a new architectural idea has been fol- lowed in placing the warm weather resort deep under the hotel instead of on the roof. By means of a patent air-cooling system the temperature of the gardens is said to be maintained at an even 70 degrees. An elaborate lighting system worthy. of a large theater transforms the gardens into a fairyland of shifting color during dance numbers. “Lady Windermere's Fan." CAR WILDE'S masterplece, Lady ‘Windermere's Fan,” one of the greatest light comedies ever written, is to be the next Ernst Lubitsch pro- duction for Warner Bros. Lady Windermere's Fan” had its w York stage premiere at the old Palmer’s Theater, February 5, 1894. The American ‘production was in the hands’ of a remarkable cast that in- cluded MauTice Barrymore, father of John, Lionel and Ethel, as Lord Dar- lington; E. M. Holland, as Lord Au- gustus Lorton, -and Julia Arthur as Lady Windermere. Others in the orig- inal American cast were Edward Bell, Mrs. D. P. Bowers, Fanny Jackson, Marie Henderson, Rose Barrington, J. G. Saville, Walden Ramsay, Ed d S. Abeles. Guido Marburg, Emily Seward and Ann Urhart. There have been many revivals of “Lady Windermere's Fan" both in the United States and England. In every instance the original triumph was re- peated, also | Marveolus Mimicry. “Mlss JULIET,” who imperso-| nates the World and His Wife | on the Keith-Albee circuit, declares that her first efforts along this line were rewarded by a sound spanking at the hands of her angry mother. | Unknown to the fami she had been | practicing imitations of the “fish lady’ who came around the Kkitchen door twice a week with delicacies of the sea. So perfect did she hecome in her of i"resh fish! kerel! halibut! | bluefish® that she got her mother downstairs three times on a husy Wed | nesday morning before she discovered | the origin of the cries Then Juliet received a cordial hand. But art persisted. By the time she was 7, it is said, Jullet could imitate every one who came to the house; the grocer and butcher, and everybody she had ever seen in the theater or the movies. She was in great demand at all the neighboring social functions, and a stronger ambition began to burn. She would gd’ on the stage. Her father, a prosperous New York mrerchant. would not hear of it. But Juliet, at 16, sneaked aver to the American Music Hall one day when they were putting on a special bill. She didn’t know how to make up, but a kind-h ed her. She didn't know how to make a bow, but the audience recalled her half a dozen times after her act was finished. She hardly knew how to sign the contract for $250 a week, which William Morris presented to her before she left the theater that night. And she tipped every stage hand and prop in the place $5 before she went home. | B Screen Cleaner Than Stage. 'HE motion pictures department of the Clevelagd Federation of Women's Clubs has written to the Famous _Players-Las Corporation through Mabel G. Frary, secretary of the motion picture department, as follows, in part: “As a result of our season's study we conclude that the pictures have been growing &leaner morally. They are better than the present spoken drama_and the current fiction, par- ticularly some of the serial stories in the newspapers. “We hope that the stories selected for next year's films will maintain the same standard and that you will avoid filming the sexy serial-story type.” Nobleman Is Designer. THE striking and unusual uniforms worn by the, officers of the guards in" Elinor Glyn's production, “The | Only Thing,” were designed by David Mir, a Russian nobleman, who, it is said, was known to all Russia before the bolshevistle trouble as the Prince Vladimir Lazarus. He also plays the part of the crown prince in the film. | These uniforms for which he is re- sponsible are of a bright green, tight- | (h) cted chorus girl show- | ly fitted. with large capes and tall military hats of leopard skin. Black | | patent “leather hoots complete these | i unique costumes, ! Lincolw P}xotoplays \1C i pACIRO(E 5 C1ARA BOw Pialto This Week At the pl’xotoplay Houses This Week She alker RIALTO—"Kiss Me Again.” METROPOLITAN-—"The evenin PALACE evening COLUMBIA—"Lost—A Wiie.” S TIVOLI {y Son.” Shown this AMBASSADOR—"The Talker.” EARLE ROO CENTRAL—"Silent Sanderson.” LINCOLN (colored)—"Zander the evening. ght of Western S RIALTO—"Kiss Me . The Rialto announces as attraction Ernsc Lubitsch duction, “Kiss Me Again.” star Marie Prevost and Monte Blue. s said to be a delightful, viva- medy that deals with the experiences of a young couple, Loulou and Gaston zain.” this week latest pro- ng French Fleury finds that the noted musician, riere, is a marvelous tonic for boredom of marriage, and when her husband discovers her preference for the pianist he coolly offers her her freedom. PBut naughtiness isn't so thrilling when it's accepted so com placently, and Loulou is soon con sumed with jealousy and suspicion as to Gaston’s tivities. “The picture rises to.a climax of absurd situations that_mask genuine drama of w tre mendous emotional nature. The special musical offering will be Stella Marchetti and Armando bini, ingin; selections from - viata” and “Aida.” Stella Marchetti was formerly of ‘the Royal Opera House, Naples and Armando Marbini of the Grand Opera House, Milan, Italy. The Rialto Orchestra, under Mischa Guterson, will play as the overture numb @ “C Sharp Minor _Prelude,’ Rachmaninoff “Kiss Me Again” by Victor Herbert, and included will be violin solo by the conductor. A color reel, the International News, and a comedy will complete the program. by “The Talke: son and Lewis § are featured in Marion Fairfax's own picturization of her successful play “The Talker,” to be shown this week at Crandall's Metropolitan Theater, beginning this afternoon. The cast also includes Shirley Mason. Tully Marshall, Ian Keith, Barbara Bedford, Gertrude Short and Lydia Yeaman Titus. A new Christie two-reel com- edy, ‘Call a Cop,” featuring Neal Burns, the Metropolitan World Sur- vey and a musical setting by the Metropolitan Symphony under Daniel Breeskin will be added attractions, “The Talker illustrates the un- fortunate results of idle chatter on the part of a young wife who thought it quite the thing to pratile ga rulously upon the topics of “ind vidualism” and ‘personal freedom. No one took her serioush not even herself—except her husband’s little sister, who acted upon the oft-repeat ed theory of the elder sister-in-law and eloped with a renegade. The re- sultant complications lend the drama suspense and a thrilling climax and denouement. A humorous charm is contributed by Gertrude Short, who will be remembered as ‘“‘the fat girl” with Alberta Vaughn in “The Tele- METROPOLITAN— Anna Q. N phone Girl” playlets by H. C. Witwer. | In lieu of the customary overture the orchestra will be heard in a brief prelude with “The Dream Girl" num- ber from ““Naughty Marietta,” by Vic tor Herbert, as the motif, and the or- chestral accompaniment of the pic ture_will have as its theme number “If Love Were All" The exit will be the new popular hit, “Something's Wrong.” PALACE—"“The Light of Western Stars.” Jack Holt, Billle Dove, Noah Beery and Alma Bennett are featured in I Want My Man.” Loulou, incurably flirtatious, | 5l Shown tars.” Showr hown this afternoon and evening. afternoon and evening Shown this afternoon and eveni Shown this evening Shown this aiternoon and evening Great.” Shown this afternoon and th nce of the The Light Paramount thrilling ron na border hy Zane of Western Stars,” a new production produced by William K which opens a week's en at Loew's Palace beginning »on latest by the author rev. frontier of picture v he Thundering Herd,” is a roaring romance of the picturesque Arizona country, filled with tense drama, heroic deeds and dark villainies—a page torn from the n which is pic- e stand of or on the plains. in the streich of mountain and desert through which winds the historic Apache trail, with !the Superstition Mountains forming a im buckground, cowby renowned along the during the spree, to tured the last ganized outlawry, 1t was filmed licking first girl who alights from the transcontinental | train at Kl Cajon, without dreaming | of the exciting adventures that are to follow, for across the mountain range terror has descended on the peaceful | town of Miramonte, which is at the mercy of a bandit band, and the hero is to come to death-grips with the bandit chieftain over the very girl who has arrived at the time of the hero’s vow. A Sennett | Heterodyne : course ry the at comedy “The Super: the ace Magazl |and musical embellishment the Palace Orchestra, under Mr. will be added attractions. COLUMBIA—"Lost—\ Wife." | Adolphe Menjou and the Norse screen heauty, Gretna Nissen are |teatured in' William de Mille's | picturization of Alfred Savoir's plar. | “Baneo,” which, under the title | “Lost—A Wife.”s will be shown at | Loew's Columbia this_afternoon as | this week's feature. Washingtonians | thus will have their first glimpse of Greta Nissen, the screer late: fonal beauty The story concerns American with a weakn bling who falls madly an American society g 110 a wager on her Jetting that he can | hours, he does 20, only 1 his honeymoon in | France, once again scized with the | gambling spivit, which causes him to |h-m.- his young bride in an anteroom Gannon, rich «s for in love with vl after he has of charm ry her in 24 o find himself, the south of young | | am- F) of the casino while he gambles con. tinuously for 75 hours. In the mean- time, a sympathetic haron has ap- pointed himsel and she marr the bride's protecto him during the young American’s absence in New York, aft- er divorcing her husband. The young American then wagers he can win her back and he makes good. “Isn't Life Terrible?” a travesty on {a recent D. W. Grifith picture: the | International Newsreel. Topics of the Day and an accompaniment and over- | ture by the Columbia Orchestra will { be added attractions. | My Son.” mova, supported . will be pictured at ‘!‘1 ndall’'s T 11 Theater today and tomorrow in First ational’s film ver- |sion of Martha Stanley’s play. “My | Son,” a picturesque drama of a quaint w England fishing mmie (Continued on Third Page.) TIVOLI— Mme. Alla | by Jack Pickfor