Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1926, Page 77

Part 3—10 Pages Process of Social And Dramatic Evolution BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. NE of the most important productions of recent times | “Sam Abramovitch.” It | ic a revelation of stage ef- | fects- which include an eaborate | mechanism of scenery. This proved | something of an obstruction rather | than an assistance. since it was not | in all respects smoothly handled on the opening night, which had to be | postponed because of lack of prep- aration. The play rose superior to jts scenery, in spite of the nervous- ness which necessarily resulted from the confusion in handling “lath and canvas | * % ok ok is Tt was Anne Nichols who produced the play, which will rank in_the minds of all who saw it as a high light in an artistic career. Like other producers, Anne Nichols made | a humble beginning artistically | * % Some prominent managers laid the foundation for sufficient capital to g0 on to-big things bv a mere song. as in the case of John Golden and Gene Buck Anne Nichols wrote “Abie’'s Irish Rose,” presented it amid the jeers of Rroadwav, but held it “for "a record-breaking run because it was beloved of the| Bowery. O x Many who saw bramovitch.” misled by names, came to laugh and remained to find their eves glistening | because of some intense beauty of lofty thought or some delicate touch of ‘pathos. it This play is again a study of the melting pot viewed from an entire different angle than that of “Abie’s | Irish Rose.” The mild comp!ications | caused by disagreem about mat- ters of faith and opinion are super- ceded by an intimate study of the| aspirations and characteristics of | the strangers seeking fortune, or at least relief, in this continent still so voung in history that it remains the | hope of that part of the world| whese thought in economic matters has grown old and weary and some- times cruel. e e ] The play by Francois Porche is finely adapted by Charlton Andrews. A “translation must leave some of the beauty of the original unreflect- ed, so far as the words are con- cerned, even though adaptation may hcrease its effect in connection with modern stage presentations. What- ever shades of meaning must have escaped in the course of transmis- sion from one tongue to another, Mr. Andrews has made the play a splendid example of literary Engfish. * k % % 5 One of the most remarkable fea- tures of the production is made pos- sible entirely by the sincerity of idea snd_intense discernment into the qualities of humagp character yet to be developed in these western sur- roundings. That feature is the in- troduction into episodes of serious meaning of immigrant types which have been traditiomally associated with quaint comedy. Among the figures in the bewildered crowd proaching a great destiny with the mingled faith and fears of childhood may be seen many such characters as have Been delineated for the sake of a smile by Warfield, by Weber and Fields, by Eddie Can- teor, by Louis Mann, by Leon Errol. Behind the smile that cach provokes there is a shade of new understand- ing which makes sympathy :Race" derision.” * ! ook K | Two careers are.developed side by side, one that of the 'passionate thinker willing to sacrifice’ money | for the sake of ideals; and: that of | the implacable ploiter of men willing te sacrifice ideals for money. They move side by side in a story which shows no favoritism in_de- picting circumstances that affect | their fortunes. The circumstances are common knowledge. | * k ¥ % | Each molds his own career and| his own destiny with the material at hand and achieves the highest aspiration of which his mind_and heart is honestly capable. They start even, in abject poverty. It is a fair eneugh race. - The contrasting types of person- ality as they move through new op- portunity. could not be better por- trayed than are the title role by De Cordova and that of Rosenfeld by Arthur Hohl. Rosenfeld is an ungracious, even rasping, role, en-| acted with a finish which makes it | convincingly human. It holds hint of exaggeration despite its em- phasis. The role of the idealist ani mated by devotion to wife and child and a burning wish to help the| ‘whole world, in short the role of the oet, is most exacting because of its eauty. Many of his speeches are| orations with the eloquence of deep, though sometimes ingenuous, ear- nestness, but they are not harangues. These who hear him are not a mob but a group of lost pilgrims hopeful to find the way. He brings the word “demagogue” back to its rudi- mentary meaning and secks to be| not a leader, but a teacher of the| eople ; a teacher not only by words, | ut by his own life example P Abramovitch and Rosenfeld start as partners in business A crash| comes, Rosenfeld retires on a pri- vately accumulated competence, con- | tent with his own opinion and igno- rant of the scorn in which he ought | to hold himself. Abramovitch is not | only shattered in fortune, but over whelmed with grief by the death of his son. Yet it is Abramovitch who goes on content to face the struggle anew because of his wife's unwaver ing love and the whispered assur | | | euphonious -times. A | for | While the playgoers revel in impor- | | tations there are constant reminders, mes as to whether it is The drama must have an intellectual purpose whatever form it takes. It is an advocate,| sometimes insidiously. ~sometimes openly, of a change in the napdzrds., moral or artistic, from the lines of opinion and _custom threatening to hecome inflexible and irksome. ~All plays are propaganda of one kind or another mediately co propaganda A It needed a Col. Bridau to bluster | our gentle audiences out of such { somber contemplations or even an Al Jolson to scatter our brain furni- ture to the winds in a cyclone of | jaughter. Ctis Skinner has a happy | faculty of secming always at his best | in ro'es which have ranged from | the dignities of Browning's “In a| Balcony” to the picture of servile cheating by Hadg. He is one of the actors who may assert versatil- ity and remain unspecialized. S When Skinner first appeared him- self cynical Broadway, no less ad- dicted to the harpoon than now,! brought up two obstacles which it | was loudly affirmed would be insur- mountable. The first was his name, | considered far too prosaic for those | The other was | his stature. “They” said (that word | They has ever been an abominable | mask for malicious anonyminity) | that a man so lacking in height} could not play the hero. This w;_nsi in spite of the well known men in " our own time and in the far back| history of the theater who were] popular favorites, though =many inches from the_ six-foot mark on the measuring rod. On the other hand, it was said with equal posi-| tiveness that James K. Hackett was hopelessly handicapped by being un- usually tall. He plaved, neverthe- | less. to the satisfaction of a devoted- Iy admiring public. His chief handi-| cap lay in finding a leading woman | tall enough to make the tableau and | prevent a love sceme from being a| trifie absurd. Fortunately for him Jobyna Howland, a good actress, was 2 woman of unusual height. It was fortunate for Miss Howland, too, for she was often heard to say that she could not play opg{o ite any romantic | actor excepting Hackett. She was in comparative eclipse for a long| time and was practically a discovery | in “The Gold Diggers,” for no one| had suspected her before of being a comedienne. | * K KK Skinner and Sothern are warm/| friends. Sothern in a letter very modestly related that a wom: had seen “What Never Die paused at the box office to remark“ that she admired the play grca(l)‘.[ but she did wish so much that she| could have seen Otis Skinner in the| part. Skinner's’rejoiner was a chal- | jenge to exchange roles now and" then just.to let"their respective pub-| fics concentrate on a comparison | with a view ta a merger of clientele. | Thus is the public to'its actor. And| professional jealousies are not nearly | so common as reputed. | * k% 1t is probably fortunte for both Sothern and Skinner. that neither ever learned to dance or sing. Per- haps more fortunate for the public that likes its drama spoken in nat- ural.terms than for the player who; patiently proceeds through the sea-| son in an effort to respect the laws | of hyman probability and the ruk_s} of grammar. Jolson is a dynamic| personality, never still a moment, and yet apparently in tune with the rhythms of the universe. What he says and what he sings'is sometimes witty, .occasionally coarse. and.very frequently almost: pointless. But the. laugh he seeks is certain to ar-| | rive. " The very sight of him after-a | brief absence from ' the stage is| enough to set the audience roaring. The 3rt of the comedidn appears to | consist largely in the ability to tame | the brain into 3 mood for laughter | as early as possible in the evening and then depend on the nerve cen-| ters and the diaphagm. * ok ox x Jolson is one of the most versatile men who ever began a career in black face. Players like Francis Wilson forsook blackface for the then more distinguished and re- munerative prospects of legitimate | playing. Mr. Jolson so far as book reputation is concerned is handi- capped by high salaries. He could not afford to join the ranks of those who struggle to find a play good enough to carry their rgputations. Yet none who heard him in the spir- itual number, who saw him lapse| ! i N0 | into tense seriousness in a moment | always. of burlesque tragedy. who felt the eep pathos he could throw into some inconsequential rhyming about home and mother, could doubt that | the box office in showering Jolson with money. deprived the theater of a player of the highest artistic at- tainments. * o ox “Big Boy” hints at a development that may produce a distinctive American comic opera. It follows the Duncan Sisters’ use of “Uncle | Tom's Cabin” for libretto and selects a good old Southern horse-racing play for a plot unusual in continuity this class of entertainment. which pass almost unnoted, that there is a tremendous native supply of undeveloped resources in mirth, music and serious enterainment here ! inour own country. { Said to Be “Neilaneaque“ SEVERYRODY'S ACTING” scribed as a thoroughly esque product, for Marshall wrote the story: adapted it is de Neilan to the | mer, | ginning next Neilan | R s Bl o R Saere. A i S BILLIE LAMONTE- Strand BARBARA- NEWBERRY - Na‘honal 4% Comfig‘_ NATIONAL—"Love in a Mist.” The attraction at the National Theater next week, beginning Mon- day, December 27, will be “Love in a Mist,” a comedy by the Princess Troubetzkoy and Gilbert Emory, with Madge Kennedy and Sidney Blackmer in the leading roles. “Love In a Mist”" is the story an adorable liar. It finds its reas in reciting the plights of a young lady who will not tell the truth, al though fibbing for the best of reasons This penchant for prevarica- tion gets her engaged to three men at the same time and brings about a near tragedy when one of them comes from Italy and meets the one | Lie who has never been to Italy treads upon the heel of lie until she is so badly scrambled that there is no way out, and when she deviates from her rule for the first time, it is to clear up the situation and bring hap piness to all. Miss Kennedy is best remembered perhaps for her “Bab; " in “Twin Beds" and “Fair She has the support of Sidney Black as the voung Southerner who loves her in spite of her fault and who eventually steers her into the path way of truth and rectitude. KEITH'S—Jane Cowl. B. F. Keith's Theater announces for the New Year week, beginning next Sunday, the appearance of the well known star, Jane Cowl. Further an nouncements will be made later, FARLE—Emmet Welch’s Minstrels, The Earle Theate nnounced . for New Year's week, he unday afternoon, will Welch's Minstrels ince Wong in a novel offering illard and Hillard revue, Babe Eagan and her Redheads and other features to be announced later. include Emmet s vaudeville hill | the | M Attractions. appropriate holiday musical numbers will round out the bill. GAYETY—"Dave ‘Marion’s Show.” “Dave Marion’s Own Show,” with “Snuffy, the cabman,” leading the cast, is announced for the Gayety The- ater next week. Dave Marion himself, king pin of burlesque comedians, has outfitted his production with a bevy of beauty and a cornucopia of comedy. Supporting_him are Walter “Boob"” McManus, little Anna Propp, “Thirty Pink Toes,” Sadie Banks, James Mc- Allen, Frank Du Teil, Richie Covey and 20 fast-dancing choristers. | MUTUAL—"Dimpled Darlings.” Next week's attraction at the Mu- tual Theater is announced as “Dimpled Darling: This is a new unit on the Mutual circuit and comes well rec- ommended Michigan Union Opera, December 27. The annual Michigan Union Opera, “Front Page Stuff” with the snappiest music and dance numbers that have ever been included in the college pro. duction, according to E. Mortimer | Shuter, who will again direct the opera, will be presented at the Wash- ington Auditorium December. 27, Rhythmic dance steps and music | that is at least on a par with many | | professional musical comedies, are in- cluded in the repertoire. Milton A.| Peterson of Detroit, a student in the |law school, who gained wide com- | men 12 ads for the complete thé present show, besides book, while Dorothy Stone, who is now starring with her | father, Fred Stone, in “Criss-Cross," playing in New York City, has writ- ten’ the lyrics, together with William Lewis, jr.. 29, of Muskegon, who | will also play the feminine lead in | the show. Roy H leading man with Fred Stone in s-Cross,” arranged the L) ation from critics for the musie | t year, has again written the bal- | Bos HALL- Earle 19, 1926. SIDNEY _BLACKMER- National (Weekof Dec 26) INERVA MARCH™- Mutual (ONE of the well known personalities in Florenz Ziegfeld's “Betsy” is Al Shean. Mr. Shean's stage career started at the age of 20, whem he became a member of the Manhattan Comedy Four. To say that he “became a member” scarcely presents the big fact, for he was, in reality, the or- ganizer of this famous quartet, and through force of circumstances It started with a_ group of boys who lived in his neighborhood. They gathered nightly to sing songs and the number dwindled down to four. These four so perfected themselves in:a little group of songs that they came to the attention of the manager of' Lew Dockstader's Minstrels, who sent word that he would like to see them. “What shall we do?" other voung men of Shean. “aVhy, we'll go right down there and knock 'em cold with our songs,” was his reply. This brusque way of establishing morale had its effect. The quartet walked up to the bleak stage of the empty theater and sang ite numbers with all the vigor and self-confidence asked the With Ziegfeld. of professionals. As a result they were engaged and their success, as a combined organization, continued for 15 vears. Then they went to Europe. But Mr. Shean was not with them, as he had already decided to try out his fortunes for himself. It was not long before he was writ- ing, also, his own vaudeville acts. One of them, “Quo Vadis," registered suc- cessfully and he played it for 10 vears. Then came a break into musical 2 Through George Fitchett, he was engaged for the La Salle Mu- sical Stock Co., where he scored in one big comedy role after another. Chicago took him closely to its heart and before long he found himself the principal comedian in the Maid.” His infectious smile and fresh humor pleased Broadway and as a conse- quence he went from one musical comedy to another, including *The Candy Kid,” “Princess Pat" and “Flo Flo.” Then came “Friendly Enemijes,” with a straight legitimate role, and eventually his present important role in “Betsy."” Notabrler“ independently produced films of Gloria Swanson, John Barrymore and Buster Keaton are now being distributed by United Ar tists Corporation. These films Gloria Swanson's “Sunya,” Jok rymore’s “The Ragged Lov Buster Keaton's “The General." HE first F irst Films." | cluding John Boles, picked from a Broadway musical comedy; Andre de | Segurola, Metropolitan Opera star, |and Flobelle Fairbanks, nlece of the | ramous Doug. | John Barrymore's ‘“The Ragged | Lover” is notable for Barrymore's cre- | ative genius in selection of story, cast and sets, the last named designed by “Rose | Attractions In Playhouse ningn. KEITH'S—"Santa Claus"—Eddie noon and evening. EARLE—Eddie Foy, vaudeville STRAND—“Steppin’ in Society,” noon and evening. GAYETY—"White Cargo,” drama MUTUAL—"Stone and Pillard,” bu ning. 1 1 NATIONAL—Ziegfeld's “Betsy.” | Tuesday night of this week Florence | Ziegteld’s musical comedy, “Betsy,” will have its premiere at the National | Theater. | The story, by Irving Caesar and | David Freedman, has to do with life on the East Side of New York. and | has many interesting characters, in-| cluding a baker, a restaurant owner, ! a professional songstress and a pigeon trainer. There is also a contrasting | scene at an aristocratic country club, with all the changes of costumes | scenery and settings that go with it The ‘score for “Betsy” said to be one of the most tuneful in years, is | the work of those two young writers | Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers | who were responsible for the “Garric Galeties,” “The Girl Friend” and Dearest Enemy.’ Striking features of “Betsy” are the musical numbers staged by Sam- my Lee, American dancing director. The work of the chorus is climaxed | | by unusual dancing done by the spe-| | cially engaged featured artistes— {lyn Law, the highest kicker in | world: Madeline Cameron. dancing | comedienne; Bobby Perkins, recently | the star of the “Garrick Gaicties,” | and Barbara Newberry, one of the | principal ~ dancers ‘of the Ziegfeld | “Foliies.” | | The cast is headed by Belle Baker. | { famous in vaudeville; whose songs and | personality are known to thousands. { In addition is Jimmy Hussey, deline { ator of Irish and Yiddish types. Other | members_of the company are Allen | Kearns, Evelyn Law, Madeline Cam- eron, Al Shean, Barbara Newberry. | Ralph Whitehead, Dan Healy, Phil Ryley, Vanita LeNier, Edward Hickey Jack White and Pauline Hoffman. Costumes, settings and effects are promised with the beauty characteris- | |tic of a Ziegfeld. production. ~ The | | chorus, it is claimed, will be the love- | | liest ever seen on the stag: 'SANTA CLAUS"—Eddie - Leonard Santa Claus will be on hand at B. F. | Keith’s Theater the present week at | every matinee with a huge bag of | | toys and a wonderful Christmas tree. | in celebration of the 100th birthday of | vaudeville. Manager Robbins asks that all kid- dies be on hand at one of the matinees {in_order to receive a present. The show for the week, one of the | finest of this season, is headed by the | famous minstrel, Eddje Leonard, with | a big, new company of dancers, sing- ers and musicians. “The Birdseed Couple,” Frank Davis and Delle Darnell, also will be fea- tured in their comic offering, “Bird- | seed.” ! Others will include the funny fellow, | Oscar Loraine, with his phony fiddle; | Zelda Santley as “Little Miss Every- body,” giving her impressions of the greatest favorites of the stage; the | Pasquala Brothers, in sensational ac- | robatic stunts, an unusual act for the kiddies, Schictl's Royal Wonderettes; Jane and Ginger Rodgers, “Just Out of College,” as they bill themselves, and Wilfrid Du Bols, in juggling that is different, with the Keith film fea- | tures, Topics of the Day, Aesop's Fables and the Pathe News. | EARLE—Eddie Foy. | The Christmas week bill at the| Earle Theater, starting this afternoon, | will be headlined by po legs a stage notable than Eddie Foy, dean of American cemedians and buffoons. The added attraction will be Lottie Mayer's- Diving- Gigls, who comprise the original New York Hippodrome “Disappearing Water Ballet,” an amazing act. Other, vaudeville offer- | ings will include Bob Hall, a remark- able: extemporaneous performer, who | compoges lyrics on the spur of the moment from topics suggested by the audience; Lester and Stewart, in a skit ‘entitled “Bound for Nowhere," and for the kiddies, Les Klicks in | “The Enchanted Forest,” a bit of electrical . wisardry which presents boxing frogs, a haunted tree and nu- merous other astonishing things. | The photoplay feature will present Priscilla_Dean in_a new comedy- drama, “West of Broadway,” which is a rarely amusing combination of Western gun play and Eastern golf play. A two-gun cowboy deserts his chooting irons to match clubs on the links with a beautiful young woman, with results that are surprising. The screen portions of the entertatn ment will be accorded pipe organ ac- | companiments by Alexander Arons on the Earle’s magnificent pipe organ. . STRAND—"Steppin’ in Soclety.” Victor Hyde is presenting the musi- | cal comedy “Steppin’ in Society” at | the Strand this week, beginning today. | Irvin B. Hamp heads the cast weth | his clever dialogue and comedy, sup- | ported by two fellow-comedians, Lew Lewis and Earl Root. To the regular | cast. including Kathleen Butler and | Paul Rush, the three jesters and Leo Stevens, have been added two sou- brettes, Billee La Monte and Florence Drake, who will be heard in solo num- bers. The Folies Bergere Girls thave more clever dances and acrobatics to | offer. | On the screen Norma Shearer will be shown in “Upstage,” in which she appears as a member of a vaudeville song-and-dance team. This is Monta Bell's story of life behind the scenes, and in the supporting cast are Oscar | Shaw, Dorothy Phillips, Ward Crane and Gwen Lee. | | GAYETY—"White Cargo.” This week at the Gayety Theater, Lewis Talbot's production of the fa- mous drama, “White Cargo,” will be the attraction. This offering of dra- matic successes by a competent cast, | at popular prices, is an experiment on | the Columbia Circuit this season and will be followed by others from time to_time. Written by Leon Gordon, ““White | Cargo” is a story of dull life on-a rub- | ber plantation at the edge of the des: ert on the west coast of Africa. As the play unfolds, it reveals the deadly monotony of existence there; the grad- I | Washington s This Week MUSIC AND DRAMA NATIONAL—Ziegfeld's “Betsy,” musical comedy. BELASCO—Mrs. Fiske in Ibsen's “Ghosts,” drama. Tuesday evening. Tomorrow eve- This after Leonard, vaudeville. his afternoon and evening musical presentation. This after- This afternoon and evening. rlesque. This afternoon and eve- Marble, Denny den, Edward Bunda. Mullen, John C. Lou- Hudson and Punghi MUTUAL~—Stone and Pillard. At the Mutual Theater this week beginning this afternoon, the new organized Stone and Pillard compar will be the attraction. The stars themselves, George Stone and E Pillard, are well known players, not only in hurlesque, but in the ranks of vaudeville and musical come Their_supporting company includes Sylvia Pearl, Margie Austin, Minerva Marsh, Bert Barnard, Tom Phillips and Jimmie Burns, and a large chorus selected for its graces and talent. JANET RICHARDS—Tomorrow. Miss Janet Richards at her weekly review tomorrow morning of the vital questions of the hour will speak fur- ther of “politics in Congress,” of the press reactions to the Fall-Doheny | verdict and of the new Public Utilities Commission for the District and the | sharp local problems awaiting its ac- tion. Under foreign affairs a number of important phases of disturbing present-day conditions will be an. alyzed. The lecture will be given in the Ma- sonic Temple, Thirteenth street and New York avenue, at 10:50 o'clock. WM. RUFUS SCOTT, Tomorrow Noteworthy developments in na- tional and international affairs in 1926 will he -reviewed by William | Rufus Scott in his current events izciure toworrow morning at 11 o'clock at Rauscher's. It will be a summing up of the position of the United States and of other principal nations at the end of the vear. In addition the leading news of the week will be analyzed. De Grange Children Players. 'HE Children Players of Washing- ton, under the diréction of Lenore Marie de Grange, which have pros- pered so noticeably in the three years since their inception and now take their place as a workable and work- ing dramatic organization among other such in Washington, announce as their first production of the season, “The Snow Queen,” to be given Tues- day afternoon, December 23, at Pierce Hall, at 2-p.m..... i Christmas and the birth of the | Chrigt child holds previous memories for Children Players. It was just two years ago this Christmas that this group made its debut at Keith's Theater, bringing joy to hundreds of the poor children of Washington. Miss de Grange, the director, also cele brates her natal hour on Christmas morning, so it is with the spirit of Yuletide joy ‘that this company and its director. eath season celebrate Christmas by making glad the hearts of children and grown-ups alike. This_year they are repeating “The 2now Queen’ by request, with “Darby +nd Jogn,” a quaint little skit, for a curtain raiser. Saturday night, Janu- ary 8, at 8 p.m., they will give a second performance, when there will be added dance features presented by the Tchernikoff-Gardiner Dancers. "Leonard’s First Song. T is'an acknowledged fact that Eddie Leonard has had more influence upon modern minstrelsy than any other singer. Few people perhaps know what a narrow escape his peculigr style of ginging had from being extinguished at the very outset of his career. Leonard laughs when he tells of the lack of appreciation for his genius which was displayed by Primrose and West when he first joined that famous organization. He was little more than a boy, fresh from the roll- ing mill in Richmond. He had served a brief apprenticeship with Haverly's Minstrels, singing the songs which he had learned at his mother’s knee, the old songs of the slave quar- ter of Virginia. From his mother he had learned that peculiar lilting cadence, with its strange haunting note of pathos, which has been at- | tempted by dozens of singers since, | bat which only Leonard really under- stands. Primrose heard the boy sing and shook his head. “That'll never do,’ was his brief comment. “You've got to sing like the rest of us if you want to get by. Nobody ever heard that kind of singing in a minstrel show." Leonard protested that that was the only way he could sing. It was finally compromised by an agreement that Leonard should sing one performance in his own way. 1f he survived, he was to do as he was told thereafter. Somewhat scared he went on the stage and started to quaver an old cabin love song. The show stopped right there, and after Leonard had taken half a dozen calls, Primrose came and shook his hand—a new ele- ment had entered minstrel Has Had Experience HRISTINE COOPER, deleyo of Lewis Talbot's production of “White Cargo,” comes from an old English_theatrical family. Her first professional engagement was made as a child with Mrs. Pat- rick Campbell.. Then followed a long and hard stock training with com panies playing repertory in the prov inces. Then came a London engage- ment in one of the Pinero plays, where Charles Frohman saw her and placed her under contract to support John Drew in “Trelaney of the Wells.” Followed engagements under Be- lasco, Woods, Henry W. Savage, the Shuberts and ultimately Earl Carroll, the Ton- ance from her that another son will | ™™ v The feature photoplay will be “The Having wide latitude in budget as vay | screen form: directed and cut it & aK Willlam 'Cameron Menzies, and pre- ual eating' away of the moral fiber soon be given him Marshall Neflan Is one of the real * * pioneers in screen work. He was a to describe so deli- | property hoy at the age of 18 when | the prop boy often went in as an extra—Bobby Harron got his start with Griffith that way. From acting as an extra, Neflan graduated, in suc- céssion, into the job of scenarist, film editor, cutter, camera man and as- sistant director. Not _s0 many years have elapsed since Neilan appeared as Mary Pick ford's leading man and after that, as & star in his own right: 3 The attempt cately proportioned and so exquisite- lv expressed a narrative offers no easy task, vet mere superficial and | general comment could not convey rven a faint idea of the work, its ubtleties and its depth. o ow o Whenever a play touching on so- cial problems arises the question - | Blue Eagle,” starring George O'Brien |and Janet Gayno D—"Frolics of 1927." Sunday, Vic. Frolics | STR Next week, beginning tor Hyde will present 1927 nent cast of 2 leen Butler, Paul Rush, Biliee | Bergere Girls. On the screen will be shown a first run photoplay and short reels, of | sensation. at the Strand, with the perma- including Irvin B. Hamp, Lew Lewis, Earl Root, Kath- | La Monte, Florence Drake and the Folies and | dance routines for the production. The first toe dancing number ever to appear in the opera will be in- cluded this year in connection with the snow baliet, while a novelty dance by 16 snow men is expected to be a The *'Adorable Girl” num- be, sung by Robert Graham, '29, of | Harbor Springs, and featured by an eccentric dance by a specialty chorus, is expected to be the hit of the pro. ductlon. Graham, who succeeds Barre Hill as the leading campus barjtone, has a remarkable voice, ac well as in creative thought, each of the three independent stars has spent from $550,000 to $750,000 on her or his initial United Artists picture. Also they will have spent from five to seven months each in preparation, production and titling thelr films. Miss Swanson's “Sunya’ was direct ed by Albert Parker, who directed ““The Black Pirate” for Douglas Fair- banks. In the story Miss Swanson has six characterizations, ranging from a gofgeously gowned opera sing- er to a drab working girl. pleture cording to critics. presents several new screen faces, in- | sents In its cast Conrad Veidt. Marce- line Day, Henry Victor, Slim Summer- ville, Lawson Butt, Mack Swain and Lucy Beaumont. Buster Keaton's first independent production is notable for the fact that twice as much time and twice as much money went into production of “The General” as in any previous Keaton comedy, also for the tremendous scale upon which the railroad sequence and the Civil Wag battle scenes are staged. Januarg, 1927, will bring forth these - lhr‘ firsg independent films, of the Englishman whose mission it is to bring the natives to the Cau- casian view of life. The characters battle to maintain their morale and seek strength in strong drink. , Their haunting fear is that sooner or later they will “go native” and sink lower than beasts. Christine’ Cooper, who played Ton- delayo in one of Earl Carroll's com panies, is seen in the same role Robert Burns- is cast -as Witzel, Jo- seph Forte is Langford and Maurie who gave Miss Cooper the only femi- nine role in the sensational play of life on the-west coast of Africa. When arrangements were made by the Columbia burlesque wheel to test the desires of patrons for an occa- sional presentation of some of the great dramatic successes to add zest to the policy of burlesque, ‘““White Cargo™” was chosen as the first play to break the ice. When Lewis Talbhot discussed the matter of a Tondeleyo Morris plays the doctor. Others in the cast are Tom G. Jones, Willlam A | for the cast with Mr. Carroil, the lat: ter was enthusiastic in his recom- mendation of Miss Cooper. -