Evening Star Newspaper, August 1, 1926, Page 62

AMUSEMENTS. “Good Luck, **St. Pat Revue| . In the Spotlight ° #\WASHINGTON is really proud of u the merry band of local revellers .ho have made the “St, Pat Revue” at the Strand Theater this week an -alluring attraction. These are the day when theaters are not crowded to the doors. without a special reason, and the breezy little organization gathered and trained by Rev. Father Francis J. Hurney, very largely for iworthy charities, literally overflows ‘with pecial reason. The entire show has the zip and “finish of one of those big things we {gometimes hear of as constructed Stunder the personal supervision” of Philadel STHE SHOW-OFF"'-—essentially & character study of a blatant, boastful American type who, in this “case, slangily refers himself as “the kid from West Philly” —Iis es- sentially a story of Philadelphia, as put on the screen. Philadelphia, its streets, its avenues, its landmarks, its ‘people, its atmos- phere and its environment are claimed to have been woven into the warp and woof of the story. When Malcolm St. Clair under- took the director of “The Show-Off”" he made no attempt to substitute a &tudio Philadelphia for the real thing, He simply transported his company #&nd his technjcal equipment direct to the famous metropolis, recelvead what amounted to the freedom ot the city from the mayor and then proceeded to paint a homey, intimate to “By Their Works, Etp.“ SO.\YE years ago James Cruze pro- duced the picture, “One Glorious somebody supposed to know all about revues. Except for its youth, beauty and general sprightliness, there is nothing amateurish about it, and there are many special features that ought to command professional attention during its forthcoming visit. to the big metropolis, where Father Hurney is taking it on a further mission of charity The blase few who shun the juvenile in the theater need have no fear of the “St. Pat Revue,” nor need those who tremble at the touch of pro- priety. Both may well take a chance on Washington’s very ovbt'l'!‘,\$l’l;?l time. phia as Is. modern picture of Philadelphia and its people, as he concelved it. The Betsy Ross house, where the first American flag was made, ADDEATs in the record. S0 does Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the statue 0l William Penn, the City Hall, Logan §quare with Its beautiful fountain, (he University of Pennsylvania, the Broad Street Statlon and even the actual interlor of the Pennsylvania Railroad offices in Philadelphia, where Kelly’s mythical hero was employed. Lven the wrecking wagon that drags off the hero's mangied motor car bears a Philadelphia tele- phone number prominently displayed. And the 16 beautiful girl “extras” who add color and atmosphere to some of the scenes are Philadelphia girls, hired right in their home town. Even George Kelly, the author of “The Show-Off,” is himself a Phila- delphian. career with Paramount and has made pictures for no other organization. It is our sincere wish that he remain Recently he lived it. Immediately following a preview of a roughly assembled print of +0ld Ironsides,” Jesse L. Lasky signea Cruze to a new contract whereby his services will go clusively to Para- mount for several years to come. “I consider ‘Old Ironsides’ the supreme achievement of Mr, Cruze's career,” declared Lasky. “The picture is without doubt the most stupendous and startling sereen play ever presented. This, with ‘The Covéred Wagon’, his previous achieve- ment, establishes Mr. Cruze as a director who has contributed more to. motion picture art than almost.any other individual. Cruze began his directorial Day.” Meaning of “Beau Geste.” S'NIEAU GESTE,” the name of the mystery story written by P. C. Wren and filmed by Herbert Brenon, translated from the French, means “gallant gesture.” Because Wren has given the title of this story of the French Foreign Legion a double meaning, no little confusion has resulted as to its exact significance. The story centers around the sacri- fices of a vyoung Englishman for those he loves. As it unfolds it be- comes inereasingly evident lhll“hil actions are a “gallant gesture’ a real gentleman’s efforts to unravel an unfortunate situation in the house- hold of his aunt. Wren's story centers around three boys whose family name is Geste. Michael, the oldest, is nicknamed “Beau” by his brothers, a nickname that sticks h him as he grows older. Thus, eau Geste”, not only refers to the hero’s sacriffte, but also can be taken as his name. Herbert Brenon, the director, chosen recently by newspaper crities of the country as one of the best ten directors, led a company of 2,000 into the American Sahara in Ari- zona to film this story. et Chaplin's New Screen Stunt. FROM the thumpins ise-drums of Hollywood an” writers of Times Sq notices of “The Cir wilent drama and | rh”un'l the magaz [ Recently the magaziic> hav telling in droll paragraphs of the visit made by Chaplin to New York last Summer, when he became acquainted \with the Feitiebaums and Looeys of Je M. Milt Gross. They do say, too, that Chaplin and Gross talked into the latest hours, and that the result of their converse was an invitation from the comedian to the comic glnm %o sit in as advisory counsel on “The ‘treus.” CTh- outgrowth of that converse- tion seems to have been that Mr. Gross went to Hollywood, com wome of the “gags '—as movie lexi- cogrephers term comic sequences— end then departed homeward. ‘While in Ne)w York l(:}fl':n:nx': lained his employment of * vy asserting the negligibility of plot. {e said that in his next picture, as in others, characterization, which -is so easily picturized through extreme in- cldents that amount to moving cari- catures, will be the thing. “producers assert thatethe pubiic wants this, that or the other—battle, murder and sudden death in evening dress and smoking jacket. But if.you have the neatest tailored plot in the world and have not living characters, you have nothing,” said Chaplin. Among the peanut shelis and the sawdust rings under the commonly Adenominated “big top,” there will be enacted between Chaplin and his new Jeading lady, a 17-year-old girl named Merna Kennedy, many of these inci- dents which give atmosphere and character to the film and guffaws to the customers. One of these scene depiets Char on a tight rope. Chaplin can walk the taut wire with f success. However, in " he is faking it. ‘hen the wire snap ;rJnuware that his overhead support has broken, Charlle keeps on skipping up and down the length of the wire. Suddenly he spies the dangling wire before his eyes. He looks up. He looks down at the monkeys. He Jooks at the wire and his face goes white. Down from his eminence ymes the brave fellow, proud before is fall. According to all information at hand, the circus story is woven of ust judicrous situations. It is “built or laughter, a low-brow comedy for igh brows and one that will satisfy his most, exacting critics.” Another Billie Burke. BILLIE BURKE, famous circug clown of days gone by and also @ character man of the stage, now o resident of the Actors’ Home in New York, stopped in Washington yecently for a visit to friends on his Wway to his old stamping ground in about Richmond. .ngrw of the features of his visit took him to the Elks Home, ‘where the famous band of Elk clowns gave him a cordial reception and Elk hospitality, which he reciprocated by teaching the younger geperation some of the fine art of clowning. DANCING. . PR oD, 5. T, A ACHER STURIO. ;‘zv l(!‘ 'Pn.’.‘.&v.—clum#&n % -;‘; im-;m':?‘h".‘m';!‘ " et 1900, 8 DAVISON’S 75470 53" ow g . with us many vears to come.” Born and educated in Ogden, Utah, Cruze began his career as an actor, touring with medicine shows ' and stock companies. As a popular screen Jeading man he appeared in more than a score of photoplays, among them “Belleve Me Xantippe” and “The Million-Dollar Mystery.” In his career with Paramount he has directed many successes. Coincidental with the announce. ment of the signing of Cruze, B. P. Schulberg, associate producer, de- clared that unusual efforts would be made to give him only vehicles that will permit the full scope of his re markable ability as a director. Movie Mothers. LESSINGS on the “movie mama!” That sums up the attitude of Col- leen Moore toward those who have been instrumental in guiding and safeguarding their daughters on the motion picture trail to success. “I, like many another girl who has succeeded in the film profession, owe a proper beginning to the ‘movie mama'—and a proper beginning is half the battle. “These movie mamas made us keep our noses to the grindstone. They helped us sldetrack ‘distract social temptations, which would have spell- ed late hours—and in no work in the world are those proverblal hours of sleep before midnight worth more than in the movies. The camera is merciless in revealing lines of fa- tigu “Most movie mothers are real mothers of their studio charges; some are adopted ones. Mine is a real one— real in every sense of the word, “If doting mothers of screen begin- ners, who are proud in their daugh- ters’ achievements and omit no op- portunity to boast about them, would only broaden their interest to Include actual chaperonage and supervision of . their offspring, exercising, of course. a proper self-effacement in thelr daughters’ official contact on the lot, not a few careers that meet with shipwreck could be made to en- dure successfully and happily.” Colleen Moore is one of the stars of the current week in “Ella Cinders.” Will Help Disabled Planes. VIATORS may soon be able to bring their disabled planes safely to earth by means of a parachute, if the device now being prepared by Harry D. Doucett. chief aviation mechanic at North Island Flying Field, San Diego, proves successful. He announced that his invention will be tested within 30 day Doucett, it is claimed, has invented and patented a parachute device which Ideut. B. P. Donnelly, United States Navy, in charge of naval para- chute work on the Pacific Coast, and other Navy officers believe s likely to prove the biggest step made in aviation in many years. Unable to finance the remodeling of an alrplane and the construction of a test parachute, the inventor took his proposition to the Famous Play- ers-Lasky Corporation, which is pre- paring to film “Wings,” a picture of A. E. F. Alr Service in which 400 veteran flyers will appear. After conferences, Jesse L. Lasky agreed to furnish the necessary funds. The test flight will be made in about 30 days by ex-Navy Pilot F. Oelze, who 18 convinced that the device is practical and will employ his own plane, which is now being remodeled at Ban Diego, so that the parachute may be installed. Oelze says he will take the plane up between 5,000 and 6,000 feet, stall it completely and rely on the parachute alone to bring the plane and himself to earth. Richard Talmadge to Rise. WXTH the signing of Irwin Willat to direct Richard Talmadge in his first production for Universal un- der the contract the athletic star re- cently signed with Carl Laemmle, it is the evident purpose to enter Tal- madge in the ranks of the firstclass artists. Hereafter he will produce his pictures at a cost of approximately $200,000 aplece. For his first production Tal has purchased the rights of “The Black Rider,” by Max Brand, 2 maga- zine story on the type of “The Mark of Zorro,” in which Douglas Fair- banks achieved distinction. Negotia- tions are now in progress with a noted scenarist to prepare the story for the THE MONTH RIGHT ¥ VISITING TODAY 49 ATTRACTIONS ON WEEK NIGHTS TH ARE 8 DANCING TO “HAPPY’ WALKER MUSIO o PR bl A e R SRS S a0, AR o Bl ot AR SRS St S o ) ] [ OHN L. SHINE is now in London arranging for the production in this country of “Autumn Fir a British drama, in which he will play the leading role acted abroad by his| With, brother, Alfred Shine. Brock Pemberton has decided upon tomorrow night in New York for the opening of Sam Janney's .comedy, ‘Game the Dawn.” It will be the sixth anniversary of the opening of “Enter, me,” with which Mr. Pemberton made his debut as a producer. “Shucks,” Martin Flavin's comedy, recently tried out, is announced for ‘?‘:lober presentation by Sam H. Har- Laura Wilck will put in production immediately ‘‘Swing High Sweeney,” described as "a comedy of a 100 per cent American in Siberia.” by Belle Cohen and Samuel Spewack. David Burton will direct the pla; .. Edward Goodman, who will stage An American Tragedy” for Horac Liveright, safled last week for Italy. After a month in Venice he will start rehearsals. “Miss Manhattan” is the title of a new revue to be brought out by Wal: ter Kenny and Joseph Felee, in asso- ciation with Miller & Goldreyer. The plece opens at Asbury Park August 9, Dorothy Appleby and Adah Howard will head the cast. Hassard Short will present his first offering of the new season, 'No Tres- passing,” by John Hunter Booth, in Brooklyn, August 16. Russell Mack will head the cast of “The Little Spitfire, in Brooklyn, August 16. Myron C. Fagan is the author. Theresa Maxwell Conover ind Peggy Allenby are also in the cast. Another play by the prolific George Abbott will be tried out in Columlm‘l. Ohlo, this week, under the title of “White Madness.” Mr. Abbott, as is his custom, has collaborated with Paul Dickey, Ruth Shepley will play the leading role. ““Ace in the Hole,” which was tried out In Brooklyn several weeks ago, is announced for a September opening in New York. In the meantime it will be d‘cumplolely revised by James P, e. B'Iancho Ring will play Mary Bol- and’s part in an Eastern company of ‘Cradle Snatchers,” which starts on tour Labor day. Rehearsals began in New York last week, under the direction of Bertram Harrison, of “Potash and Perlmuter, Detectives,” a comedy by Montagu Glass and Jules Eckert Goodman, in which A. H. Woods will star Ludwig Batz, the Jewish comedian. The open- ing is scheduled for August 18. “'Chick’ and the Chickens,” a se- by Richard Taber, been tried out in Detroit, instead will be presented in Australi: it is announced, shortly Taber opens there in “Is Lawrence Langner’s comedy, “Henry Behave!” was placed in rehearsal last week by Gustav Blum. The play opens in New Yeork about August 23. Ruth Gordon will try out in Roches- ter this month a new play by Rudolph Lothar, translated by Sidney Howard. It is called “Collision,” and is the prop- erty of Gilbert Miller, managing direc- tor for the Charles Frohman Corpora- tion. Miss Gordon’s activity last sea- son was confined to a comedy called “The Fall of Eve,” written by Anita Loos and John Emerson. “Able’s Irish Rose” reached its eighteeri hundredth New York per- formance last Wednesday night. The comedy has been running in Néw York for 51 months. Large audiences still continue to patronize the play. From Gene Lockhart, who is now in London, comes word that “Bunk of 1926, the revue which got into diffi- culties with the play jury ‘recently, will reopen in the Fal 1t is said that only blondes will be in the cast. New plays to the number of 13 are announced unsuperstitiously by Sam H. Harris for the coming season. The biggest peach in his basket Is, of course, the new Jeanne Eagels show, “Garden of Eden,” adapted by Avery Hopwood from a German script by R. Bernaur and R. Oesterreicher, It will open in New York the first week in November under the joint manage- ment of Mr. Harris and Arch Selwyn. Percy Winte 0 understudied the late Frank Bacon in “Lightnin’ " and who took over that part upon Bacon's death, will wear the brown slouch hat that Mrs, Bacon gave him as a re- membrance of his former colleague and which Bacon wore in every per- formance in which he appaared. The National Players’ management has departed from a custom of two vears’ standing this week when ad- vertisements for “Lightnin’,” this week’s offering, exploited the name of Percy Winter. The reason is that Mr. ‘Winter has played the role above 1,000 times and his membership in the cast made it imperative for the company to do the play. The departure of Leneta Lane from the National Players for a rest she has been postponing for three years, it is safd, was deliberately timed so as not to inconvenience the quest for her successor. The next three plays have only slight parts for a leading Jady. Meanwhile both Director Brooke and Manager 8. E. Cochran have been in New York interviewing prospects. Notable Luncheon List. - E luncheon list” at the Hal Roach studios, where Pathe comedles are made, often reads like a list of “‘who's Wh n filmland. During & recent period the follow- ing players carried their trays around the cafeteria patrol line, either while working for Hal Roach or leasing space in his studio: Our Gang’s seven members, Charley Chase, Tyler Brooke, Helene Chadwick, Ora Carew, John T. Murray, Anders Randolf, Jimmy ~Finlayson, Anita Garvin, Monty Banks, Vivian Oakland, Martha Sleeper, Oliver Hardy, Char- lotte Mineau, Mabel Normand, Creigh- ton Hale, Fred Malatesta, Willlam Blaisdell, Virginia Pedrson, Noah Young, Clarence Geldert, Syd Cross- ley, Francis Mac! , Edna Mur- phy, Virginia Bradford and 10 or 15 others who were merely visitors. ATIONA ational Theater ers, ’ JOHN GOLDEN'S H Success-~What It Brought. SUCCESB has its rewards, but also it has its handieaps. Because they are fighters to begin th, successful peop] ‘e necessarily fighters after they have arrived, or— they wouldn't arrive. One of the most successful plays of, all times {s “Lightnin’,” the play that crowned 45 vears of obscure effort by its author and brought him fame and wealth only as death's hand inter- vened to detach him for all time from the eomforts he had spent a life- tinie struggling for. Frank Bacon wrote “Lightnin’,” which the National Players are to pi sent this week, with Percy Winter in the name role, He wrote it when he was 65, produced it first on the West coast under another name, gave it its Eastern premiere at the Na- tional here and then played in it for three years on Broadway. Several weeks ago-—eight years after the play was first produced—suit was filed in New York against Bacon's alleging plagiarism, The litiga tion was instituted by people who now hold the rights for a play called ‘T nessee's Pardner,” a melodrama of the plaintiffs allege "ll: “Lightnin’ " is pilfered from the i to which they have copyright. ghtnin’ " incorporates 'a locale that “Tennessee's Pardner” didn’t use and couldn't have used successfully— the Reno idea. Divorce in the late and hardly gay nineties was, admit- tedly, a less frequent thing than now. Reno may have been on the map, but its fame hadn't begun to jell. And the outstanding theme of "the play, aside from its unusual charac- izations, is based on the idea that there is a boundary line between Ne. vada and adjoining States and that that line might just as well be com- mercialized by building a divorce refuge right across it. ‘Whatever the outcome of the case now in the courts, “Lightnin’" will be remembered for its merit and “Ten- nessee’s Pardner’’ rather through pub- ficlty attendant upon the suit. Debut of Vitapl’xone. MARION' TALLEY, Mischa Eiman, Anna Case, Giovanni Martinelli, Etrem_ Zimbalist, Harold Bauer, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra of 107 under the leadership of Henry Hadley, and the Metropolitan Operd House chorus all on one program 18 what is promised at the introduction of Vitaphone by Warner Broe. and the Vitaphone Corporation, at the Warner Theater, New York City, Thursday night, August 3, in connec: tion with the premiere of John Barry- more in “Don Juan.” ¥or many weeks Warner Bros. have been synchronizing the pro- gram which is to make Vitaphone known to the world, using as their studio the Manhattan Opera House, which they leased in its entirety for that purpose. Experts claim that Vitaphone will be halled as one of the marvelous inventions of the age. Its develop- ment was made possible by electrical engineers who have made intensive studles in telephonic, radio and sound- wave recording problems. ‘The ex- perts of the Western Electric Co. ana the Bell Telephone Laboratories, to whom credit is given for Vitaphone, The Moving Picture By Robert E. Sherwood THE appearance of motion pictures from Soviet Russia has long been anticipated, and there is now a strong possibility that such films will reach the American screen At least one Russian movie, “The Cruiser Potemkin,” has been deposited on these shores. 1 have not as yet seen it, but those who have assure me that it is an extraordinary ex- ample of experimental photography. It is the story—presumably the true story—of a mutiny aboard a Russian battleship during the Russo-Japanese War, showing the first flare-up among the seamen. which later ignited the high explosives of revolution. There is small chance that this picture will be shown publicly in America; indeed, the State Depart- ment is sure tp watch with particular care for any signs of Bolshevist prop- aganda in Russian films. Any of them that touch on communism, even in & remote way, will be summarily barred. However, it is quite possible that the Russians will make pictures that are purely dramatic in theme and that bear no taint of propaganda. That they can do it, and do it well, is col clusively proved by the reports I have heard from various expert observers. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pick- ford saw a Russian movie in Paris, and both are wildly enthusiastic about it. They have gone to Russia to study conditions there, and they will make every effort to induce some ac- tors, directors and cameramen to jour- ney to Hollywood, for the purpose of elevating the American film industry. Certainly, the Russians should be able to produce Interesting pictures. With their extraordinary feeling for the dramatic, as evidenced in their Moscow Art Theater, their Chauve- Souris and indeed their entire litera- ture they can bring to the screen a new and welcome form of expression. I hope to see “The Cruiser Potem- kin” soon, and shall report on it in this column. * k% % It is getting 8o now that no athlete can qualify for the championship in his particular sport until he has passed a satisfactory screen test. Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Red Grange, Duke Kahanamoku, Charlie Paddock, William T. Tilden and many other stars of the sporting page have recently disported themselves before the camera; every studio in Holly- wood 1is crowded with sprinters, fighters, shortstops, pole vaulters, ‘wrestlers, tennis players, halfback: and swimmers of lesser fame, who are learning to apply white grease paint to_their weather-beaten countenances. Furthermore, the established stars— such as Doug Fairbanks, Richard Dix, George O’'Brien, Douglas MacLean, Fred Thomson, Norman Kerry and sven Rudolph Valentino—are all train- ing themselves constantly and Gevel- oping proficiency in every known form of athletics. Action is always popular with the movie tans, and of late there has been a great craze for pictures of college life and the sporting world. P Charlie Paddock's engagement to Bebe Daniels was announced two weeks ago—but this announcement has all the recognizable earmarks of & press agent's yarp, and should not be taken with too much seripusnes: The fact that Mr, Paddock is now a pearing in Miss Daniels' support in a picture called “The College Flirt” will W-MILE MOONLIGHT TRIP MONDAY, 7:1§ ooyt BeC. and B ST. JOHN: Tth St FREE DAN BEG. MON. WED, & FRI. MAT, NIGHT ALL SEATS 500 $1.10,75c & 50c¢ $a1. MaT, 7o, 5 on of Clifford Brooke, mammmt:m%mmnmn or mvaN THEATER. ™ N FRANK BACON AS LIGHTNIN' Brii somEs 3 claim that they have secured syn- chronization of movement and sound to a degree of perfection. They said to be positive in as serting that those who attend the opening contest will hear all the cadences of Marion Talley's youth- ful volce, the rich soprano notes of Anna Case and the clear tenor of Giovanni Martinelli, who make up the trio from the Metropolitian Opera House. As with the voealists, Vita- phone claims that there will be the same charming and delightful effect with the instrumentalists. This means that one will hear all the tonal beauties of Mischa Elman’s violin, the artistic phrasing of Harold Bauer at the piano and the harmonious out- pourings from the violin of Efrem Zimbalist. These will, even in the quietest passages, be heard with the same _distinctness as will the vol- ume from the Philharmonic ©rches- tra of 107 pleces and the Metropolitan Opera House Chorus, The Vitaphone prologue will be a prelude to the presentation for the first time of John Barrymore in “Don Juar " which is Pased on Lord Byt noem. account largely for the reported ro- mance, As a matter of fact, Bebe Daniels is probably the champion engagement- ring collector of Hollywood—and that's no. faint praise, either. She has, at various times, been reported engaged to Jack Dempsey, Harold Lloyd and Jack Pickford, among others. Kach engagement came at a time when Miss Daniels, and the rumored fiance as well, could do with g little publicity. Aside from Bebe Daniels, the two most frequently engaged of the Holly- wood stars are Constance Talmadge and Patsy Ruth Miller. Miss Tal- madge, having recently married a handsome Englishman, however, is out of the running. Another an- nouncement concerning Miss Miller should appear any day now. %% % The Vitaphone, a new device for the synchronization of pictures and mu- sie, will be used in Grauman's Egyp- tian Theater, Hollywood, during the run of John Barrymore’s picture “Don Juan.” . . The Vitaphone was de- veloped by the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. . . . It will be tried out during the run of “Don Juan” at Warner’s Theater in New York also. . . . Mildred David Lloyd will return to the screen in “An Old-Fushioned Girl,” billed as “Mrs. Harold Lloyd,"” to the intense annoyance of the Lucy Stone League . . . Glorja Swanson's first picture for United Artists will “Eyes of Youth,” which was produced some sev- en years ago with Clara Kimball Young. . . . The news that Monta Bell wants Lilllan Gish to play the lead in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"” is greeted with loud laughter by those who know Miss Gish. (Copyright. 1026.) Titles Less Important. “DL’R!NG the past five years one of the greatest changes in pic- ture production is that sub-titles have become less important,” says Marshall Neilan. he old fashioned way of picture- making was telling a story almost entirely by tit! It mattered slight 1y if the action did not get the sto: | over, for there were the ever-present ub-titles to bolster it up. “Now, however, it is quite different. A picture, to be a good picture, and to not be classed as old-fashioned, must only have a few titles. Thes must be used sparsely and only when absolutely necessary. In other words, the action must tell the story en- tirel; Rica, Herself. HERE 1is a girl appearing in b Monty Bank’s new Pathe feature comedy, “Atta Boy,” called America Chichester. You pro?o\lnce her first name with the aceent” on the . She is a former Greenwich Follles girl and has been described as, “intelligently beautiful enough to be dumb.’ At a recent showing of art paint- ings in New York City this young woman was acclaimed one of America’s most striking blondes. She will be recalled for her “Spanish Love” and “Take It From Me” numbers in the Follies. Outdoor Attractions Glen Echo Park. Glen Echo Park, where admission is always free, announces a hundred and one amusement devices at a low fee. Krom the “Humming Bird,” with its 4,000 feet of thrills, and fre- quent 40-foot drops, to the milder de- vices in the Midway, the hours at Glen Echo may be filled with pleasant diversion. Every evening except Sunday “Happy" Walker and his orchestra play for the dancers in the big ball- room from $:30 until elosing time. Just at this time, when the vaca- tion season is at its peak, Glen Echo is proving a mecca for picnickers, who, compelled by various reasons to forego an out-of-town vacation, com- promise in this and other ways for recreation and fresh air. Rapid transit street car service to and from the park make the journey along the Potomac pleasant. Chevy Chase Lake. Danee music of the brightest and cool breezes of the woodland are lur- ing young dancing folk to Chevy Chase L every evening, where the Meyer Davis Orchestra on the upper pavilion s led by the banjoist-singer, Ben Levine, and that on the lower pavilion by Tommy Thompson. Vaudeville stunts by Ben Levine and his drummer, Ray Kendrick, give an individual twist to the program in the upper pavilion. The Tommy Thomp- son Band features “‘superjazzy, red-hot orchestrations.” “Specialty night” Wednesday will offer a surprise program. | CHESAPEAKE BEACH. The management of Chesapeake Beach reports the weather is glorious and there's something doing every minute, with bathing morning, noon and night. In the afternoon and evening the boardwalk is gay with life and. the derby racer, merry-go-round, paddle booths, Japanese ball booths and ball- throwing games compete with the dancing pavilion and Ralph Garren’s music as attractions. Chateau Le Paradis. The call of the road and luring dance musle at the Chateau Le Paradis are attracting pleasure seekers both from Washington and Baltimore every eve- ning. Especially attractive are the vaudeville caperings of Walter Kolk, special entertainer, and the bright lilt of the Chateau Le Paradis Band, led by Phil De Williams. Colorful jazz is varied with the purling melodies of the new waltzes in the Chateau dance programs. VILLA ROMA. It has been definitely announced by the management that the gala opening of the Villa Roma will take place August 4 on the Rockville {Jiko Just five miles from the District ine. The villa, in the heart of an eight- acre shaded park, is designed to be a rendezvous of Washington's elite. Frank Abbo has selected a rare orchestra and these clever music- makers will render the latest and choicest of dance hits. These synco- pators are to be one of the many surprises provided at Villa'Roma. Marshall Hall. A score or more diversified fun features, including free dancing in the large pavilion to music by McWil- liams’ Band, draw many Washington familles to Marshall Hall, one of Washington's popelar down-the-river resorts. The steamer Charles Macalester makes three trips daily and Sundays, leaving Seventh street wharf dally at 10 am., 2:30 and 6:45 p.m., and Sundays at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 and 6:45 p.m. Shady picnic groves with tables, benches and playgrounds for the kid- dies are availabie without charge for all-day outings and picnics. Steamer St. Johns. Salt water bathing, fishing, crab- bing, boating, canoeing and dancing are features announced at Colonial Beach, Washington's “Atlantie City,” after a 70-mile daylight ride aboard the steamer St. Johns, which leaves the Seventh street wharf every Sat urday at 2:30 p.m. and every Sunday at 9 am., with free dancing on the deck of the steamer on every trip to and from the beach. Moonlight trips of 40 miles on the Potomac are announced for every eve- ning at 7:15 o'clock, except Saturdays and Sundays, with music for dancing by Sokolov's Band. Next Week's Photoplays METROPOLITAN —Betty Compson and James Kirk- wood, in “The Wise Guy.” PALACE —Thomas Meighan, in “Tin Gods.” COLUMBIA—Monta Bells production, “The Boy Friend.” TIVOLI—“As No Man_Has Loved,” “A Trip to China- town,” “Silver Treasure” and “The Golden Strain.' AMBASSADOR — “The Wise Guy,” “The Road to Manda- lay,” “Padlocked” *As No Man Has Loved” and “Born to the West.” CENTRAL—“The Golden Strain,” “Forbidden Waters,” foana,” “Silence” and “Oh, What a Nurse.” WARDMAN PARK—Rex In- gram’s “Scaramouche” D. W, Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation.” SEGINNING TonA' AL u—rm GRAND INAUGURATION OF VAUDEVILLE SEASON . % * Gala Opening A Programme Extraordinary, Headed by the PRIMROSE FOUR i {Gibner—Drury—Sadler—Stanley) 41,000 POUNDS OF HARMONY"" EXTRA ADDED ATTRACTION SPEAK E-Z-REVUE A SCINTILLATING REVUE OF SONG AND DANCE WITH THE Sidell Sisters WILL H. WARD & CO. In the Comedy Semsation “At the Stage Door” mulv 'I:WINS PHOTOPLAY—FIRST TIME SHOWN™= The Thrilling Romantle Drama “LOST AT SEA” 2 HUNTLEY GORDON—JANE NOVAK—LOWELL SHERMAN ALWAYS THE BEST FORLESS . . MUSEMENTS. Burlcgq_ue Refig_c_ieling’. MANY styles of entertainment dur- ing the coming season are prom- ised at the Gayety Theater, according to plans outlined by Sam A. Scribner, president of the Columbia Amuse- ment Co. Where burlesque has previously been the rule, there will hereafter be seen a diversified armay of shows, including musical comedies, myster plays, all colored and colored-and- white casts, male and female min- strels and ‘a large number of the regular Columbia burlesque type. he public that goes to the theater for amusement wants something be- sides pictures all the time—and we d our patrons want something be- sldes burlesque all the time. “Our business {8 burlesque, and we shall continue to depend upen bur- lesque as our principal offering, but once in a while we will switch in a different type of show to spice the routine. “Truth to tell there are not many traveling companies operating these days—the screen and labor conditions have curbed the production of stage shows. “Every season there are fewer the- aters for shows to play in. So it is that producers are limiting their out- put. But we have the theaters and shows to play in them. Twenty "_"Road Companies.’ THE operating cost of 12 companies of “Ben Hur” and eight com- panies of “The Big Parade,” which Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer will send on tour the coming theatrical season, is said to amount approximately to $3,000,000. Each company unit, it is an- nounced, will consist of musical con- ductor and orchestra of 20 pieces, publicity representative, advance agent, company manager, two 'mogion picture operators, full stage crew and carload of stage settings and com- plete projection equipment—by far the largest and most complete road how enterprise of the so-called “two- dollar” pictures ever made, In the staffs of the publicity repre- sentatives and managers with each company are to be found the nam of Randolph Hartley, R. A. Mitchell, “This season our strictly burlesque companies will run largely to comedy scenes with plenty of girls as usual. We will ‘make it snappy'—for it's ‘speed’ the public wants, whether it be on or off the stage.” An_interesting list of attractions’ promised in the Columbia “Wheel” line-up when the season opens around Labor day includes Lew Talbot's pro- duction of “White Cargo” and “The Gorilla.” Musical shows will include “Kosher Kitty *Broadw 3ive and night, Josephine.” will have all-colored “Watermelohs” a Three companies casts. “Bozo Mack and other Colum- bia ““Wheel” favorites will have at- tractions in the regular burlesque clags along with “Night Life,” “Rarin’ to Go,” “High Flyers,” “Let’ e “Dancing Around,” aws,”. Winrniers, ¥ of the Night,” “Around the Werld" and “New York to Paris." Novelty will be found in John W. Vogel's maie and female minstrels. Each company will have a season of 40 weeks, there being 40 theaters on the Coiumbia “Wheel.” Follies . Howard Herrick, George Bowles, Lester Thompson, Alfred Head, Fred R. Zweifel, George W. Lederer, Tom Kane, Augustus McCune, Arthur Ryan, Michael Manton, John Powe A. E. Morgan, William M. Rod John Stout, Thomas Hodgeman, A. Florida, Fred Meek, Matt Allen, Robert E. Irwin, R. N. Harris, John L. Peltret, James Troup, Lee Riley, F. G. Wallace, E. W. Lewis, Mack Whiting, Leon Victor, J James, John Manning, H. N. Ferrar, Ben jamin Ottinger, Lew Weed, Harry A. Benson and Joseph Shea. To those familiar with show busi ness, the roster reads like a Who's Who in the administrative world of the. theater this, the If the Movie can do temptation is very strong to ask ‘Why not the Speaking Stage?” Coming Attraction NATIONAL PLAYERS—“Charley’s Aunt.” “Charley’'s Aunt,” the marathon farce, whose record for consecutive performances has not vet been equaled, wili follow the current pro- duction of “Lightnin’” at the Na- tional Theater next week. Shakespeare, Sheridan and Geld- smith are supposed to be the only inkpet musketeers whose plays surs vive the ravages of time, forgetting, of course, the attic ancients. The man who wrote “Charley’s Aunt” is something of & Gibraltar himself in lasting power, for the piece {s now 50 vears old, and its dialogue and situ ations are worthy of yesterd: treatment by the sophisticated Ave: Hopwood. Indeed, the farce was only recently adapted for the screen, serv- ing for 8yd Chaplin, and, allowing for the liberties which the screen takes unto itself, the theme proved one of the happiest the shadow comedian has yet presented. And it was as modern as though written in 1926, The play deals with mistaken iden- tities. The character Charley has a wealthy aunt. It is to his profit to produce her in certain sur- roundings. At the last moment she wires she cannot come. Lord Bab- erly—"Bab” for short—happens in. He's en route for a toss at amateur theatricals, booked to impersonate an elderly female. The result is obvious. He's requisitioned for the emergency, though events so shape themselves that the emergency goes on and on, like Tennyson's brook, until Charley's “Aunt” aches for the relief that doesn’t come. Particularly is he annoyed by the attentions of an old dodderer, who has heard of “her” Capital -Sideshows le Paradis Roof. At Le Paradis Roof Garden the Le Paradis Band, led by Jack Golden, with the very is hitting on all 12 cylinders every ev ning. Director Jack Golden combines the zingo element adroifly with grace: ful harmonies, and Bert Bernath, vio- lin virtuoso, produces many delightful melodic effects. Swanee-in-the-Air. Two delightful girl dancers, Miss Margaret Levy and Miss Ethel Willit, will open the series of special enter- tainment features to be inaugurated at Swanee-in-the-Air. Both enter- tainers are about 12 years old and rep- resent the cleverest type of junior dancing talent. The Swanee Syncopators, led by Al Kamons, are serving snappy, tingling dance music every evening. Bituated on the roof of the Earle Theater, the Swanee can be reached h‘: a féw minutes from any part of the city. wealth and is anxlous to festoon himself around some of it. Weak hearts and high-blood, pres- sure had better stay away from this performance, for it is no press agend's dream that “Charley’s Aunt” shakes you from head to toe with laughter, and continuously. EARLE—Maryon Vadi and Ota Gigi. Maryon Vadi and Ota Gigl, with a company of 12, will headline next week's bill at the Earle Theater in an elaborate act of the type in which this gifted court violinist and spirited young danseuse has been making vaudeville appearances. Others will be Kimball and Gorman, Combe and Nevins and Margie Coates, The photoplay will feature Priscilla Dean in “The Speeding Venus.” STRAND—Loew Vaudeville. Next week, the second of the Strand vaudeville season of 1926-7, a bill of Loew’s attractions. selected by Man- ager Sparrow in New York, and a feature photoplay, “The Came Wom- an,” with Cullen Landis, Frank Mayo and Mildred Ryan heading a good cast of screen favorites. Tiffan: that fil First gested by the story “Tth! Tth!” by Rupert Hughes, under the direction of Richard Thorpe. The cast so far includes- Bert Lytell, Harry Myers and Glen Tryon roductions, Inc., announces ing has started on “The h a farce-comedy, sug- gayest of dance music, |3 VILLA ROMA Washington’s Smartest Saburban Resert DINING—DANCING OPENS AUG. 4th CHESAPEAKE BEACH ON TAE BAY. DANCING AND ALL S—MILE BOARDWALK. Adults e, adult BATHIY, AMUSEMEN Round trip Sun holl g TrAIn 0 SOhHS050, 10.80; 11,30 unday: Other days—10. 11:30, 2:30, 6 guent_trains returning. MARSHALL HALL | Located on the Beautiful Petomae Steamer Chas. Macalester Leaves 7th St. Whart DAILY 10 a.m. 2:30, and 6:45 p.m. ARDMANPAR THEATER . Monday and Tuesday GLAS FAIRBANKS in DOv “THIEF OF BAGDAD" Hews » PARIS 5 NEW YORK' A Joseph Santley Production Beautiful Settings and Costumes By Henry Dreyfus 1 Lyrics and Music by Cliff Hess ond Ken ‘ebd. Extra Added Attraction Bud and Jack Pearson “Don’t Tell the Doctor™ A Big Company of Smart Comedians Assisted dy o Beautiful Bouguet of Fifth Avenue Girls Comedy Feature Extraprdinary John-Miller & Mack-Jos. *‘The Bing Boys" Comedy Binging end " Dancing Jack Fulton and Peggy Parker “Diversion A La_Carte® The Modern Marlonettes Julius’ Schichtl Producer PRl et i E LA POR Incomparable Khaos Phnika, Roricy oF THE DAY and"FATHE EWS WEEKLY R b e S U SR CHESTRA. MATS., . 4485, €823,