Evening Star Newspaper, August 9, 1925, Page 49

/ he Sunday Star Automobiles Part 3—10 Pages WASHINGTO Tivoh Metropolitan : News ancl Comment By W. H. Landvosgt. ITH the successiul season of the popular stock company at the National Theater, the contributions of vaudeville at Keith's and the Earle, and a fairly well pleasing program of shadow drama, comedy and comics at the motion picture houses, Washington, in the main, has scarcely had a chance to realize the passing of a Summer unusually pleasant in the matter of weather conditions and indoor enter- tainment. theater will be upon us to meet the increased demand created by the re- turn of the fortunate sojournérs in the mountains and by the seashore and to tempt with additional daiaties the palates of those who have re- | mained at home to keep up the appearance of a city of a half million in | population. It is a bit early to anticipate, but the eyes of the inquiring who look to New York for an idea of what is ahead for Washington already are perceiving a marked departure in the form, if not in the | quality, of the coming Winter's entertainment. There may be nothing new under the sun, but soon it will be perceived that the enterprising press agent, despite his announced intention of reforms in his methods, will be shaping the imagination and outlining the means whereby the new sea- son is to surpass its predecessors in the novelty and the excellence of the | forthcoming menu of the theater, legitimate and otherwise, and the dear | old general public will begin to doubt the reputed wisdom of the omniscient Solomon. * % k% THE war between the catering factions of the moving picture industry, in all probability, will result in the appearance of some new pictures of exceptional quality. Surely the regulars must have been on their good behavior during the recent season of production, and the independents likewise must have assiduously devoted themselves to the creation of com- peting material of a higher grade and quality than asual. In the theater, however, last scason’s bill of fare in New York is more than likely to be the menu for Washington this season, with here and there,an inter- sprinkling of tryouts or of repetitions of the tryout type. Unless we hap- pen to catch them in the making, the really great productions that reach their full glory in New York do not get down this way the same season Some very good ones do, but, as a rule, the meat of the feast in New York today is the cold leftover in Washington tomorrow, a sort of washday repast, as it were, and the pity of it is, in view of the present control of the local theaters, this situation is not likely to change soon. The big musical revues are the one exception to the rule, if there be any such, and even they, unless tried out here in advance of their New York appear- ance, usually appear with “important cast modifications” and more or less dilapidated scenery and costumes. * ok K * I almost every country of the globe, the capital city is the boast of its people, and as such is adorned with the best in literature and art that its people can afford. Washington alone of the capitals of the earth is a struggling sort of a Cinderella, in spite of its beauty and its other ac- complishments. The nirrow provincial spirit in one breath secks to ex- ploit a National Theater, in the next proposes almost any other place in the country than the National Capital for its seat. The men who might be expected to produce dramatic entertainment of the highest quality seldom, if ever, seem to regard Washington as a fitting place for its first appearance. In consequence, little better than what the profession calls the tank town, the Capital of these United States, so far as its entertain- ment goes, trails after New York and Boston and Philadelphia, and even Baltimore. The men responsible for this may stand up when “The Star Spangled Banner” is played, but they nervously finger their pocketbooks whenever pride of country touches them theatrically, or politically. Are we Americans so thick that we cannot perceive what it means to the remainder of the world? * X k% EGINNING September 7, the National Theater will be the first of the‘ big houses to open its regular season. Its attraction will be “The Vortex,” an Erlanger and Dillingham exotic, which, we are told, set them wild abroad—and hopes to do so here. It must needs be good if it is to continue the reign of prosperity now in vogue at Washington's depend- able amusement resort due to the cleverness of the National Theater Players, whose splendid work seems to grow better as the weeks roll on. “Cheating Cheaters” was one of the real joys of the stock season, and we are promised another in the domestic comedy, “Chicken Feed,” that fol- lows this week, and in “Kiki,” which was sent to the Hall of Fame by Lenore Ulric under Belasco’s direction. Unusual interest is being mani- fested in the last-named play, and this interest is being matched by as- surances that follow with growing emphasis from Steve Cochran, the big boss of the National Players, and from Clifford Brooke, who is getting the production in shape for next week—and Mr. Brooke henceforth will be considered somewhat of an authority in this neck of the woods. * ok K K AI'HE Summer, besides its plays, also has produced its pleasantries, some of them humorous and some less sp, that struck very close to lome. 1t should always be remembered that th Y t is forced in spite of their modesty; those upon whom wealth is lavished without the earning; those upon whom is conferred the dignity of sup- porting and sustaining “the great 'moral uplift” in the face of many, many personal shortcomings—and there have been and still are those who de- light in heaving bricks at their neighbors’ glassworks, even though it be but a_humble pane that scrves simply to help illumine a drab mind and a soul in the dark. This, all this, while the world remains in doubt as to the origin of man and of one real good reason for his existence at all. Meanwhile, there are those who prefer to cling to the gentle grace of humility, “that low, sweet root from which all heavenly virtues shoot,” 10peful that time. that glorious bane of mortality, may waft them gently on_to the bourn of obscurity to which eventually all dramatic writers drift and where names are never signed to sly knocks at the virtuous. » e are those upon whom greatness | i | £ RN | et GRACE BLAC But in just a few brief weeks the “regular season” of the| | ADOLPH MENJOU [ Awbassador One Minor Who Did Not Strike. ROM the banks of the Wa far away,” or at any v somewhere near Indianapolis, Steve Cochran, impressario of the National Theater Players, has received a cor dial letter of gratitude, compliment and good will from his late leading man, Minor Watson, who recently severed his connection with the tional stock company. Mr. Watson writes expressing grati. tude for many courtesies shown him by Mr. Cochran and the Washington public and stating ““Without my Summer would have been far harder than I imagined it could be,” and adding “To sum up my feelings towards you, I will say that if I ever return to Washington to play stock, it would be through my adm ration and sincere affection for mind, I don't say I ever will play ash stock of you.” It is the purpose of the popular comedian to proceed on to Alton, IIL, for a visit to relatives, then on to {Maine for a brief vac Winter's work “Greater Season" Here August 16. NOW from Crandall the announcement that the “greater movie season,” about which s0 much has been said in recent | weeks, will be launched in Washing- | ton one week from today, August 16. 1 Practically all the exhibitors of mo- tion pictures in the National Capital, |1t is declared, wiJl bend their energies toward impressing upon the residents of the city the fact that they are offer- ing in August the product usually re- sources comes | September or October. This is not a press agent stunt, but | a conscientious effort on the part of producers, distributors and exhibitors to give the picture patron the best t | be had at a season when customarily | In the past he has been served with | the worst. The Crandall theaters | are said to be making elaborate plans | for the successful development of the | “greater season” idea. Mutual Opens August 22. A “bigger and better’ season of bur- l1esque is promised by Manager Garri- | |son at the Mutual Theater on Penn ‘sylvanm avenue this season, opening Saturday, August 22, with “Naughty | Nifties. | Mr. G rrison promises that his at- | tractions. though remaining ll.ime}' burlesque,” will have all vbjec- tionable features dliminated. ou— | old | s MAXINE. ROBINSON Keithse JACR. HOIT - Current Attractlons At the T]’leaters T]'us Week te from | | month NATIONAL—“Chicken Feed,” comedy. KEITH'S afternoon EARL noon STRAND “Siamese Twins,” NATIONAL—"“Chicken Feed." John Golden's production of comedy of the family “Chicken* Feed,” which hzd a seven run in New York, is the of. fering at the National Theater this week, beginning tomorrow night. The play is by Guy Bolton, author of lly,” “Adam and Eva” and “Polly With a Past.’ A married woman, entirely depend- ent upon her husband for such spare the *"| change as dribbles from his hands and | who feels the humiliation of this prac- | bur help{ again, but it I do, it will be because | broadly comic 3 | Golden ion and then | | into New York for preparation for his | | served for the cooler weather of Tate | 2dwards’ |and story. tice, grows rebellious, and thus the theme of the play is sketched. The piéce advocates the idea of a “fifty- fifty” cash arrangement in the home on the thory that if a wife shares her husband’s trials and sorrows she should also share his income. How one group of women accomplished this rather utopian arrangement, forms the hub of the action + Bolton has treated the theme with rokes, his propaganda with surefire situa- tions and repartee. “Chicken Feed” is one of John outstanding producing suc- It is he who has given the world such sensational hits as “Lightnin’,” “Turn to the Right,” “Three Wise Fools,” “The First Year,” “Seventh Heaven,” etc. Leneta Lane will be seen as the bride whose spunk starts the revolu cess play | tion and whose -determination sees it through to a triumphant climax. KEITH'S—“The Pierrot and Pier- rette Frolic.” Gus Edwards, whose name has been associated with the best productions | vaudeville has ever presented, brings to B. F. Keith's Theater this week his newest offering, ‘“The Plerrot and Pierrette Frolic.” This will be its first week, and it will introduce 25 of Mr. latest “finds,” gorgeously gowned, bewitching beauties and tal- ented young men. The entire produc- tion concefved, written, composed and staged by Mr. Edwards. London’s idol of the music halls, The Four Camerons in a laugh-pro- voking sketch, “Like Father, Like Son,” will combine beauty, youth and humorous and thrilling situations. laugh-coating | “The Pierrot and Pierrette Frolic,” vaudeville he Maryland Collegiates,” vaudeville | Lily Morris, the greatest “singing sin- | {gle’” of England, also will be featured. | | Washington. | Roche is the leading man. Opens tomorrow evening. Opens this vaudeville. Opens this after- Opens this afternoon EARLE—The “Maryland Collegiates.” The “Maryland Collegiates” a pocketbook, | group of Maryland college boys, form- ing a 10-plece orchestra, will head the Earle program this week. opening with a matinee today at 3. Featured will be Charies B. Mad miniature revue, “Vogues and <" a melange of jazz melodies syncopation, with a cast of 10 are Murray and Alan, “The Jesters of 8,000 Years Ago™: Mary and Ann Clarke in a “sister act”; Fred El- kins, Joe Ray and Jac: Ellins in “Mirth and Melody,” and the Wille Brothers, equilibrists. The photoplay will be *“Baree, Son of Kazan,” by James Oliver Kurwood, with Anita Stewart as the featured player. The Earle News, two-reel comedy, Floyde Wheeler's orchestra and the organ recital on the Kimball grand organ complete the program. STRAND—"Siamese Twins.” “Siamese Twins,” Violet and v Hilton, two 16-year-old girls of San Antonio. born joined together, are the headline attraction in a new alt by Terry Turner at the Strand Theater this week. This appearance, is their second and final week in They will perform on various musical instruments and will entertain with singing and dancing. Other acts include Edmond Gingras & Co. in “The Military Athlete,” Beulah Kennedy and Billee Davies in “Fun in One Sunny Boyne and Hargy Leonard in “Minnie” and Jim Reynolds, “A Loose Leaf From the Ledger of Laughs.” “Scandal Proof,” starring Shirley Mason, is the film attraction. John The story concerns a girl who, accused wrongly of murder, descends from high social position to that of z nursemalid. Short films and orchestral numbers, including “Because of You,” by Fiorto, und “When Eyes of Blue Are Fooling You,” by Monaco, will com- plete the bill. FilyMorria: ILY MORRIS, featured at B. F. Keith’'s Theater this week, and who attributes her success to her love of her work, is one of the most Others will include Wilbur Mack in | successful character comediennes on “Amusing Nonsense,” assisted by Ger- | the English stage. trude Purdy in a potpourri of song Charles Crafts and Jack | Her impersonations of London's coster girls, a type corresponding to Sheehan follow in “Laughmania’; Elias | the genial, boisterous Bowery girl of Breeskin, famed violinist, who has con-| New York, are famous. itracted to appear in the Albee houses; | perception and natural dramatic abil- | Charles sargent and Burt Lewis in “Songs,” nonsense and fun, and Wil- frid Du Bois, the “Jongleur Distingue,” one of the finest jugglers in vaude- ville, together with the house screen features, the Aesop Fables, Topics of ' from | ity To her keen she adds a sympathetic under- standing of human nature which gives her characters an unusually appealing quality. Miss Morris came to America direct the Alhambra, London's fore- the Day and the Pathe news pictorial. meost music hall. . D. O, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 9, 1925. * RaTHRYN -GNy National Columbia | Gayety Opens August 22. IRA J. LA NOTTE, the new ager of the Gayety Theater, shington's home of Columbia Bur- ue, announces the opening of the 26 Columbia Burlesque season hington at the Gavety with a Saturday matinee, August 22 The | attraction will be Ed Daley’s “Rarin | To-Go,” in every particular new, it is | explained, with new scenery, | players and new entertainment | The Gavety has been renovated | from the lobby to the back stage, the lobby and interior having been en tirely répainted and redecorated. The |stage also has not been forgotten, having had the very latest lighting devices and other modern stage equip- ment _installed during the past months. The new season at the Theater, Manager La Motte believes, is bound to witness a still greater in crease in feminine patronage, as each | show on the “Columbia wheel {been designed to please the ladies as well as appeal to man patrons Columbia Burlesque,” he adds, “is an | entertainment featuring pretty girls, | bright scenery, snappy music, clean | comedy and “speed’ in evervthing.” | Special bargain matinees for the ladies will be a feature this season. Il be given daily and the adm is to be 25 cents. man- | ergmxa Valli. | VIRGINIA HOLMES, known to screen fame as Virginia Valli, studied classical dancing in Chicago. | The movies exercised their lure, and Virginia found herself an extra with the old Essanay Company Not satisfied with her progress, she turned to a Chicagc stock company and then to one in Milwaukee. = But and a munificent salary week. In this capacity she appeared he- fore the camera with Agnes Hinkle, who is better known as Agnes Ayres: Rod La Rocque, Helen Ferguson and Ralph Graves. | of $30 per best she got was a place in the ranks once again as extra with the World Film Company. Within a few months, however, she was co-starring with Creighton Hale, {and Bert Lytell, impressed with her work, obtained her as leading woman for a' Metro production filmed in Cali- \fornia. )" She next appeared in “The Storm” { for Universal and won such a success that the Laemmle organization placed her under a long-term contract. | . Later she made her reappearance in | A Lady of Quality,” “Wild Oranges,” { “The Signal Tower,” “The Confidence Man™ and other productions, and she Who Lied.” | Will Give Juveniles Chance. EGINNING next Saturday, August {of Crandall's Tivoli Theater, will in- | augurate an innovation at the Satur- day- matinee performances. Instead of a serial or chapter play, Mr. Loh- meyer plans to establish the “Tivoll’s Junior Follles,” to be participated in {by talented juveniles resident in the Tivoli neighborhood. All that will be necessary for the voungsters to do will be to register their names with Mr. Lohmeyey, what they wish to do on the stage and the date upon which they wish to appear. Tt is planned to work out a definite routine for the youthful performers that will mark this novelty a distinct departure from the usual “amateu nights” or “amateur talent contests. new | Gayety | has | the growing picture again lured her, | this time with the bait of leading lady | Then she went to New York armed | with letters of introduction, but the | has an important role in “The Lady | 15, Harry E. Lohmeyer, manager | LAPLANTE. Rialto photoplays At the Photoplay Houses This Week COLUMBIA—"Wild Hofse Mesa.” ning. METROPOLITAN— and eve PALACE evening RIALTO—"The Tcaser.” TIVOLI—"Soul Fire.” AMBASSADOR evening EARL CENTRAL—*Wildfire.” Shown LINCOLN (colored)—"The Mak noon and cvening, ‘The La - COLUMBIA—"W Another thrilling romance of the frontier, “Wild Horse Mesa,"” by Zane Grey, will be given its initial presenta- tion in Washington this afternoon at Loew's ( mbi Jack Hol Billie Dove. Noah Beery and Douglas banks, Jjr have the roles of promi- nence. The story was scenarized by Lucien Hubbard, directed by George B. Se and filmed in the wild horse countr. d Horse Mesa.” ribed as reels of smashing r-raising without a punchle: ene in > length and tinctured through- a love appeal. It is a revels seven ha action its enti out t tion bands of wild horses were rounded up in the American Southwest vears ago and later sold at ridiculous figures by aring and often unscrupulous plains. | men. The motivating influence of the | story is the effort to capture a mag- I nificent stallion, which settles the ri {valry of two brothers for the same | girl, and which eventually results in | the ‘release of the magnificent animal {at the girl's request | Among the out | the pursuit of the | thieves, which for him to leap from a high cliff into a swiftly-running river; a fight scene between the hero |and one of the villains, a hair-raising | episod nding thrills is ro by three horse daughter at the hands of renegade whites and rescues the heroine from their clutches. The ¢rowning episode, | however, is the headlong charge of | thousands of horses down the canvon toward a trap and the hero's breath | less ride to swerve them from destruc | tion. | Added features will include a short length comedy, International | reel, Topics of the Day and orches | embellishment few | METROPOLITAN—"The Woman Who Lied. Crandall's Metropolitan Theater tk | week will present a program of par- - interest. The feature will be Nations sion of Robert | Hichen's novel, “Snake Bite,” in which the leading rol. Lewis S. Stone, Vi Naldi and Edward ferings will World Survey and a brief comedy sub. | ject, in addition to'the musical em nia. Valli, Earle. Other of- Nita " | bellishment contributed by the Metro- politan Symphony, under Daniel Br skin. An added feature will be the ex clusive motion picture of the Crandall Saturday Nighters, broadcasting a r |dio program through station WRf taken by Nat Glasser, chief of the Crandall technical department, from a working script by Nelson B. Bell, in charge of the microphone when the Saturday Nighters are on the air. Fa- | vorites of the radio who will be seen in the film will include Dorothy Wil son Halbach, contralto; Harlan Ran. dall, baritone: Fred East. baritone; Daniel Breeskin, violinist; William Raymond, tenor; Violaw T. Abrams, harpist; Clara Young Brown, soprano: Gertrude Kreiselman, pianist; Mar garet L. Webster, soprano; Warren L. X tenor; Sigmund Ziebel, violin ate Smith, Washington's “queen syncopation”; the Capital Male Quartet; the Metropolitan String Quar- tet; Milton Davis, pianist; the Metro an Symphony, and the executive of “the Crandall and radio or- tions “The Lady Who Lied,” the screen title of Hichen's “Snake Bite,” is a colorful drama of Venice in the car- nival season and of the Sahara Desert. An engagement is broken and a battle of Wits then starts to redeem the lovi of a young heiress who has married a young physician. To be near her, a former lover engages the husband to safeguard his health during a long journey across the sands. The overture this week will prise selections from * The theme numbers for the interpre- tative score arranged by Mr. Breeskin will be Elisabeth Wheeler Francis' “The Desert Call,” and the exit march, “Gigolette,” by Franz Leha PALACE—“Never the Twain Shall Meet.” Said to have been actually filmed in the South Seas under the direction of Maurice Tourneur, and featuring a cast that includes Anita Stewart, Bert Lytell, Justine Johnstone, Gordon, George Seigmann, Lionel Bel- more and others, Cosmopolitan’s screen production of Peter B. Kyne's novel, “Never the Twain Shall Meet,” re- leased by Metro-Goldwyn, will be shown this week at Loew's Palace, beginning this afternoon. Joseph Urban designed the interior settings, and the exterior scenes are said to include some of the most beau- |titul glimpses of the tropics yet |caught by the camera. ““Never the Twain Shall Meet” is the romance of a young Eurasian beauty Who L —“Never the Twain Shall Meet.” Shown this afte Shown this afternoon and “The Lady Who Lied.” 2 ROOF—“The Hunted Woman.” this aftern of the methods by which immense | and another scene in which an | & Indian chief avenges the death of his| are played by | include the Metropolitan | Huntly | HAZEL BOYNE- Stand This Week Shown this afterno ied.” Shown t ever Shown th afternoon ar Shown this ev »on and eve g of O'Malley | who is suddenl orpha nd lat this girl of tl Added R this The season | with “The {La Pla screen | porting. It is wee Tease introd apper and Marth a girl who fa | arummer, whose breezy 1 raiment, however, don't | family. " To get even wh |interferes, she n Il the married men in their mplicatic me th unexpectedly, - the |turns. He has taken | quette from a deposed ¢ | are many con n Oakland, ) Frank Finch raction will be a photo. N\ Kivalina of entirely by an Jarl Rossman, big two vears in the n making what is declared to be a remarkable pictu The special features will be " by Sylvan Levin and Emilo “Dance of Death” (Sal March Militaire” (S ert), played on two pianos. The Rialto Orchestra, Mischa Guter- | son conducting, will play for the over- ture selections from Puccini’s “Madame | Butterfly International News will complete the program. TIVOLL Richard Barthelmess star at Crandall st two day ational's film Soul Fire.” will be the Tivoli Theater th of this week in Ff version of Martin ireat Music,” in st as a young com. ences and strange N | poser whose expe: | adventures enable him to write master works for the symphonies. Bes: Love, Helen Ware, Carlotta Monter nd Walter Long r the suppc and John S. Robertson directed. {comedy, *“Look Out,” ana P | Review also will be showr Tues ind Wednesday, Reginald Barker's “The White Desert Claire Windsor and Pat O gether with Mack Sennett in Silk,” and “Topics of | Thursday and Friday, Alice Terry supported by Margarita Fisher, Law | son Butt and Aggie Herring, in Henry King's production, “Any Wom als Lige Conley in “Going G and | scenic study of “Rome”: Saturd Universal's production of “‘Raffles, th Amateur Cracksman,” with House Pe ters in the title role, together with a | juvenile comedy, “Baby Blues,” and a Grantland Rice “Sportlight the Day | AMBASSADOR— | Lewis s. | Naldi and | principal rol screen version of Robert | novel, “Snake Bite,” to be shown Crandall's Ambassador Theater first three d of this week | the title of “The Lady Who Lied oap,” also will one, V ward in a Valli, Nita rle have the Nations Hichens ir < the under An be Wednesday and Thursday, “A Wom- |an’s Falith,” with Percy Marmont and Alma Rubens, supported by Hughie Mack, Jean Hersholt and ZaSu Pitts, together with Mack Sennett's “He Who Gets Smacked" riday, ‘“‘The White Desert,” with Claire Windsor, Pat O'Malley and Robert Frazer, the | final release in H. C. Witwer's “The | Pacemakers,” and a Lyman H. Howe |“Hodge Podge”; Saturday, Betty | Bronson, Fiorence Vidor and Adolphe ‘Men]flu. in Paramount’s “Are Parents | People?” also Al St. John in “Curses” |and the Pathe Review. ARLE ROOF—"The Hunted Woman.” Today, tomorrow and Tuesday | nights, “The Hunted Woman,” a story of the outdoors by James Oliver Cur wood, featuring Seena Owen, also a comedy, “Curses”; Wednesday and Thursday nights, Richard Barthel- mess in “Soul day and Sat- urday nights, “Greater Than a | Crown,” featuring Edmund Lowe. ! CENTRAL—“Wildfire.” Aileen Pringle will be the star at Crandall's Central Theater the first two days of this week in a film vers (Continued on Third Page.)