Evening Star Newspaper, February 12, 1928, Page 63

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. 4 Photoplays This Week FROM THE SCREEN LN F the many complaints motion pictures in these United made against the Monta |States—and Mr. Fox himself holds Bell picture, “Man, Woman |a record for having successfully and Sin,” which was ex- | written, directed, produced, dis- ' hibited in Washington recently, tributed and exhibited motion the fact is often lost sight of that | pictures. this was, as a whole, a bad pic ture. In nearly all of the letters addressed to this department of ' FLASHES BY C. E. NELSON, TR J}E German government re- with certain episodes of the the effort has resulted in a loss ghmogla.\' “}:d‘ :danous mz&;%l:‘(l‘s of six million marks. Naturall ave been criticized as ur - this opens up the age-old propos :‘::e ul! 11\: Nalmns((fgpgall-’ '{hf‘;g‘non of zm'grnmcngt owngrslgl(;)—~ mplaints are justified, but one put it might mean a 5 raust not lose sight of the fact 2 el that the picture should never have been screened. In its en- * ok ok ¥ ’l‘HE motion picture exhibitors of | tirety, it was a bad picture and| _ Ohio. after a long legal battle, | unworthy of showing. There was| have won a decision regarding | no special reason why it should | the Dempsey-Tunney fight pic- | have occupied a place in the tures. It has been decided that| movie calendar: it was not his- | the picture may be censored in torical: it had no mgqral value,' Order that it can be screened in and there was absolutely no ex- the photoplay houses of the| cuse for it E State. State Director of Educa-! “Man. Woman and Sin.” which tion. John L. Clifton, who is also! cently attempted to promote | The Star, fault has been found and mflnzge filmppmduct}’on. bui; | | | might be the title of almost any hotoplay ever made. should ave skipped Washington—and if the producer had. for a single moment. considered the effect of his product. he might have can- celled its showing all over the country. One correspondent says: “The picture is a terrbile insult to our city, to our citizens and, partic- ularly, to our mothers. It is bad publicity for Washington and a mistake to let the picture go un- challenged. Monta Bell may get away with this sort of stuff at times, but it is certain that he is headed straight for the neares: laundry.” & One of the worst phases of the | matter was the disappointment of nany Washington mothers who' saw their children in the picture. An invitation was issued, during the making of various scenes in the Capital. to boys and girls to take part in the production. At that time it was considered that the finished product would be a more or less accurate description of Washington life—but it fell as flat as a balloon tire with a rail- road spike in it. Will Hays and his confreres made a slip when they allowed “Man, Woman and Sin” to crowd a good picture from the movie screen. * % x o 'HE fickle public, or that large part of it which attends the photoplay theater, is no longer | satisfied with straight comedies. It wants comedies packed with thrills and danger sequences, ac- cording to Sigmund Newfield, who holds the whip hand over the Btern Brothers studio of Holly- wood. And then Mr. Newfield 'Des on to explain as follows: ‘The stunts which used to cause gasps of horror and breath-taking suspense in the old-time thrillers now are considered very funny when performed by a comedian. Perhaps the average man is be- coming more blood-thirsty. May- be he is just tired and fed up with the old heart-grippers. May- at the head of the Ohio Depart- | ment of Censorship, was ordered by the Ohio *Supreme Court to| view the films. This he did, and then he passed them as suitable for showing. Following this move, they are being exhibited | in a number of picture houses throughout the State. It was first ruled by Director Clifton that as the tight pictures wele in the State as the result of “i’ violation of Federal law, he would | refuse to review them. In this manner the censorship was held up until the decision of the court. | »ox ¥ i MILTON, Mass., a town of 14,- 000 inhabitants, has never had a theater, movie or other- | wise, in its 233 years. An effort | was made to open a photoplay theater recently, but the board of selectmen refused a license. | BEE | ‘“T'HE Man Who Laughs,” with | Paul Leni directing, has been | completed, and reports from the West Coast say it is a “big pic- ture.” The stars are Mary Phil- bin, whose work is reported to be the best of her screen career, and | the German, Conrad Veidt. First National has completed “The Heart of a Follies Girl,” which is also said to rank among the high-class productions of the | year. George Sidney and Jean Hersholt and stars of “Give and | Take,” and Ralph Ince is direct- ing the last scenes of “Crooks Can’'t Win.” Margaret Livingston has the leading role in “A Wom- an’s Way,” and Dorothy Sebastian | and John Harron are featured in “The Devil's Skipper.” Sue Car- | roll, one of the “finds” of the past season, has the big part in the De Mille production, “Walking Back,” while Belle Bennett is being starred in “The Sporting Age.” First National will make a sequel the A. Conan Doyle picture, “The Lost World.” i l)OlJORES DEL RIO is to havei the leading role in a picture . NORMA TALMADGE axe /\IOAu DEERY- Pa]ace ry CHARLIE /MUDQAV- be he laughs at them in a supe- | called “The Bear Tamer's Daugh- rior, ridiculing sort of way. I'have | ter” produced by United Artists. enother theory for it, however.: The setting is the Carpathian In applying these thrills to! Mountains. comedy, we are only superimpos- Titles are being written for the ing the thrill and the comedy re- | yack London story, “Burning Day- lief to it—giving the action and Jjght” The picture, produced by the reaction at the same time.| pyrst National, is a starring This heightens the reaction and | yehicle for Milton Sills. gives the audience a chance to Universal has employed another laugh before the tension has let ' «yonder director.” His name is down. Therefore, we get a more pay] Fejos, and he hails from spontancous and a bigger laugh | Hungary. than if the comedy relief were| “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” is used as a follow-up of different | peing especially “fixed” for British material. The danger our players | exhibition. Notice was served that now are subjected to in order to the British object strenuously to inject the thrill element into com- | the sort of English nobleman por- edies is beside the question. The | trayed by Mack Swain, and this public demands it, and we have character will probably be a Ger- to please the public.” { man when the picture is exhibited PP RENEE ADOREE has recovered | from a severe illness and has joined a Universal company con- sisting of Conrad Nagel, Lloyd Whitlock, Frederick Esmelton, Adolph Milar, Maurice Murphy end Virginia Grey, workingz under the direetion of Irvin Willat in ,imducing the Rex Beach story, “The Michigan Kid.” % % 0 REX INGRAM. the director who was thought to have left the £merican producers for all time, has signed a contract in London to make one British picture, and | it will be distributed in this country by First National Pictures Alice Terry, Ingram's wife, will have the jeading role and the pic- | ture will be made in a studio in ' England An all-English cast | will surround Miss Terry, and three stories are being considered. It is stated that more British | money will be expended in the production than has been spent on any English-made photoplay.' For three years Ingram, who cirected “The Four Horsemen," “Bearamouche,” Mare Nostrum’ #nd “The Garden of Allah,” has made his pictures in Europe, pre- | frrring, for some reason or other rot o work in the neighborhood of Hollywood. 8o complete was hix isolation fom America that it recently rumored he would become a Mohammedan, but this #ory may helong among the press Eyent yarns It was Ingram who hrought Fudolpn Valentino into fame vith “The Four Horsemen of the Lpocalypse” Lhe Jate June Mathis, reenari writer, having recorm- mended the young Jtalian ViLMA 4 New Yu “ hore in Hungary s “Leatherfa E 1 with visiL at her Her last " in which unald Col oid ‘J'HE recent deal by which the ¥ox organization oblained Lhe Wesen Holding Corporstion has turned out W be one of the largest | 15 Lthe bistory of the motion pic ture in this country. IV puts the Yox banner over » great chain of theaters on the West Coast, yether with other units in the Mdale West, and 1L also gives Vox s substantia) interest in First Kationsl Pictures The move [urmhhl' places the Yor organization at the Lop of the ladder 86 for af influence In Lhe, pievure neld of America s con- | cerned. The frst big sep of Lhe viganization was Lhe purchase of tie Hoxy "Theater in New ‘l-uh.l end trom thal ltine other tieaters gnd chalng of Lhealers beve been acquired Fox now has 8 Joud voice in the proauction gisinbution end ealibilion Of | vaned composition in London. When the picture gets to Paris, another character will he substituted for “Robaire.” The John Golden play, “Pigs” has been turned into a photo- play by the Fox company. It is now ready for exhibition. Billle Rhodes, one-time actress in short comedies, will head a new production company, the Billie Rhodes Productions. Frank Capra has been signed by Columbia Pictures to direct “Broadway Daddies.” Paris 1s in somewhat of an up- roar over the announcement that motion pictures are to be ex- hibited In the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame. The elaborate French production, “Joan of Arc,” will have a special audience of church and civil dignitaries. Mrs. Rose C. Douras, mother of Marion Davies, screen star, was buried recently at Beverley Hills. Fox has leased the largest the- ater in Atlanta. He also plans an $2,000,000 theater in Philadelphia, with work to be started in the 8pring It would seem that this is to he a “"Mary Philbin year.” The star has been cast in roles which are sald to bring her to the top rung | of the movie ladder. 8he has the | leading role in the D. W. Grifith picture, “Drums of Love,” and also plays the important role of Dea, the blind girl. in ““The Man Who Laughs” with Conrad Veidt Mary's first hig plcture “Merry-Go-Round."” Harry Pollard announces that he will produce “S8how Boat,” and that work will start, within a short time at Universal City, Norman Kerry, Marian Nixon, | Pauline Btarke and Kenneth Har- ' lan will be the featured player in the Arthur Bomers Roche story, ‘Fallen Angels” | Reginald Denny is going 1o | iope ahout. March 5. At that | time he comnletes hig new picture | “Be Yourself " In England Iu~‘| will undertake negotistions with 1 was | Bernard 8haw for pleture rights 1 three of the Bhaw plays . Author a Pianist of Note. OHN ERSKINE, author of the novel “The Private Lie of Helen of | Troy” which First Natlonsl made it o film spectul vath Meiin Cords, Lewls Btone and Hicwrdo Corter, featured guve proof of his versatility by golng on [tour with the New York Symphony Or- Chestin me pluniist He appeared with the orchestra un der the direction of Demroseh i Ann Arbr pebrowry 1oend i Buftalo on Felnusry 2 wnd played Schumaon’s Coreertn in A Minor Mr Frekine mude his how as w planist 1w recilal @ yenr ngo, but tils merked hix frst sppeatance with an orchestis Beeides writing best-selling novels, Prof Exekine is 8 member of the facully of Columbin Universily, where he le Hres b the students on ’m-l,y and ad % | spteuously prominent i Moviqg Pri_cture”Album BY ROBERT E 'HAT wamous lady, Miss Badle, ‘Thompson, has finally swaggered hre way onto the screen Last week the picture that has been | made of her misadventure In Pago-| Pago was put on view in New York. Badie Thompson has had a hard time of 1t In her attempt to break into the movies. When Bomerset Maugham first. wrote of her in his unforgettable | short. story, there seemed no likelthood that any flm producer would ever carc | to tamper with so dangerous a subject “Then John Colton dramatized - gham'’s story, and as “Rain,” the story | of Badle Thompson assumed & con- | position in our cotemporary dramatic lterature “Rain” was one of the plays that fell under the Will Hays ban, which meant, that none of the compunies in the Hays organization could present “Rain” or anything remotely suggesting “Hain” on the screen. United Artists, at the time, was out- side the Hays fold —and it was United Artists that bought “Rain” and put it | into production with Gloria Bwanson ax star ‘This may be n wild guess, but | think it not at all unlikely that Miss | Swanson's desire Lo pluy Hudie ‘Thomp son wan one of the prinelpal reasons for her departure from Parmmount “The troubles of Badie Thompson were revived while Miss Bwanson wan mak- ing the pleture, for Joseph Behenck manipulated United Artista into the Hays organization. Thus when the was fnished, 1L couldn’t be ve lensed. My Hays had committed hjn self definitely on the subject of “Raln wnd there wan appsrently no resson foy Wi o veverse his earlier verdict Mr. Behenek and his assoclules, how - ever, hind spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars on “Hadle ‘Thomp- son” and were reluctant to leave all thiese lurge, round numbers on the yed Ik side of the ledger Bo means was evolved wherehy “Badle Thompson” could be given 1o the pub- Ne, with no discredit to Wil Haya or any one else ‘There In 1o need o tell ab length Just what (hal mesns win hut it aftorded mnother stiiking evidence of the amazing shrewdness that hus Alstingntshed Mr. Hays' conduct of the politica of the movie husiness When “Sadie Thompson' made her debut In New York recently, ahe did so | s fatthfully, in ita under the muspices of & very high so- ciely charitable o ganteation !u»‘rly SHERWOOD. debutantes went through the motions of ushering and program selling and many | of the most formidibly respectable members of New York's elite were on hand to impart an impression of dig- nity f The money ralsed on this occaston ix to be used for missionary work In the | Orlent ‘That, it acems to me, 15 the perfect O Henry finish for Somerset Maugh- am's great story N Ax 1o the film “Sadle Thompson™ it~ self. 1t eneral Intent, as John_ Colton with “Rain." True eye-for-eye dominfe, the Rev. Da- vidson, has been prudently stricken out, so that no sect, creed or school of re- liglous thought can feel affronted. and in this pliace appears one Oliver Ham- fiton, a fanatical reformer Miss Bwanson s dynamic and most convinelng in her fury at Hamilton's persecution; after she o his brimastone oratory she falls, some- how, to convey the dumb, unquestioning submission with which Jeanne Eagels Invested her performance, Lionel Bar of Hamilton everything which belongs there excepl, 'n-llupm the absolute convictlon of helng always in the right. He seemed, ot times, to he won deving If after all, he wasn't making a hig mistake Wonvinht Join Denishawn Dancers. ARION Chuce and Lester Bhafer, Warhington and New York dancers, did tha 10K have been engaged as members of the | Denislinwn Dancers, headed hy Ruth B Denls and Ted Bhaw, who are with the tond company of the Zlegfeld Folllee. ‘The Follles are now - the Houth on w tour of the country. Mr Mhuter has Jolned the company snd Mins Ohnce will go I two weeks Miss Ohaee and My Bhafer have been dancing o this city during the present seanon, and were fentured in the minuel wt the Washington Assembly hall. Mies Ohace was winner of the prize for the most artistio costume at the recent Hal Hoheme. My Bhater was formerly of the Ram's Head play- ern, and hoth hisve had s vaudeville touy acyoss the oontinent. — ‘Thely Watning wans recelved at the Dentshawn Btudio I New York, Miss Ohace also studied L the Corcoran Art gohool, has succumbed | re puta into the part | \/ALENTINO Little Theater, S GLENN "TRYON- Rialto Story 0f7t1-1e ‘fComgbacks.” OR those who feel themselves grow- ing old and discouraged about thelr progress In life, the motion pic- tures blaze with hope. For the films have brought fame and fortune, and, what s more important, probably | renewed fafth In themselves to an v usual number of actors, even though they were well past their prime. Frank Bacon in “Lightnin' * probably | 1x the only salient example from the footlights of an actor achieving renown {in his declinng days. But the films are rife with such marvels of delayed distinetion. ox Films has been an unusual agency for fate in this regard. One of the Fox feats was in bringing forward Mary Carr with a rush with “Over the Hill" after she had passed the half- century mark She stepped to screen fame imme- diately from the stage, where she had | been playing only minor roles, mostly of the maternal varlety, for years. An actress who, it 1s sald, promises to make un even more spectacular rise iy Margarel Mann, who has the leading role of “Four Sons,” at the age of 6 after a dozen years of film drudg Miss Mann, as & result of her gentiy endearing performance, has been given Yollows Mr. Maughamrs soript | ® long=-term contract at & very generous | incrense In salary Among the men, ‘Theodore Roberts ix w robust example of belated but richly enrned glory. This sterling actor, who for years has been giving substance and deft humor 1o Famous Players- Lasky pletures, was one of the earliest players to go from stage to the screen | The veteran had attatned the leading role i Puddn’head Wilson™ before the wir, but the lightning of fame did not really strike him until he played the role of Moses i “The Ten Com- mandments.” After that he won high favor In A number of pletures, off by the title role fn “Grumpy.” ilness forced his virtual retirement A parallel experlence is that of Kr. nest Torrence, who for years seemed andemned to spend the remninder of M e playing mie Beotehmen in musteal comedies on the atage becaise Torrence seemed o be the (ype. He conld tall with a natural Beoteh aceent and managers would not give him an apportunity to show his character akill W other roles ‘The sereen, however. Pt him noa new niche with his moun- falneer part i “Tolable David” and s frontier pertormance in “rhe Cov- eved Wagon we Bydiey, who seems always on it of smiling, even In’ the most wrievons situation, had to develop that | good-humared disposition through some of the most varying vichsitudes until he found his true popularity on the aoreen. Mollowing his enrly debut ax one of the regular practiolng amateurs who won prises at Miner's Howery Theater _he wont through oheap vaude- ville and burlesque clrouits, mostly do- g a serles of impersonations of his favorite charmoler Buay lesy Kven the personal miccens of his frat legitis maute performance, o The Bhow Bhap," did not appear 10 have any last- g effect, and SLAITING Foles In “Wel come Btvanger” and “Cive and ‘Take" made him only moderately well known 10 wasn't until Bamuel Goldwyn put him it the yale ereated by Rarney Bernaid fn the acveen version of “Pot- ash and Perimutter” stories that Sidney really came into his own. Since then he has added to it with “The Auc- tioneer,” in Warfield's famous role; “The Cohens and the Kellys” and “The Prince of Pilsen.’ Another actor who came through a Warfield role vanced age 15 Alec B. Francis seemed never able to get away ministerial characterizations. to from But after years of puttering about in rather | thankless parts on stage and screen and in more encouraging roles in “The | Iron Horse” and “Thank U." he won | such comment by his work in the title role of “The Return of Peter Grimm' that it was decided to give him the lead in “The Music Master.” It was in War- field's famous character of the lovable old plano teacher that Francis made his ten-strike. An Interesting case of an actor who climbed to spotlight success on the stage, only to fade out and then come back with a rush in the films when past the comeback age, Is furnished by Otis Harlan, who, like so many old- time actors, began with a traveling stock company. For years he was with Charles H. Hoyt, who starred him in many musical productions. When Col Selig began pleture-making in Chicago, with the Hoyt forces for screen mate- rial. he pieked Harlan for leading roles Then with the passing of the years Harlan dropped away from public no- tice. He began to come back plaving minor parts in such Happy Warrlor " until finally the part of Zeb I the screen version of “Lightnin' ™ lifted him high in public | favor again And in that same picture Jay Hunt | who played the title role, made memor- able by Frank Bacon, was raised from nowhere into general recognition Fox Stars and 5-Cent Cigars. AKING the “five-cent clgar” a thing of beauty and a joy forevor has been the life-long ambition of Hobble Olark And Paul MeCullough. famous “FMollles™ and “Musie Rox™ stars, who are in Washington this weex on_ tour As the sly and - many say handsome Mr. Clark, who wears spectacles with more savolr the American stage, puts it This tn getting irksome - this bust- ness of paving 18 cents for & amoke. “When the late Uncle Joe Cannon Hpeaker of the House, launched his movement for & good d-cent puft | was right on the job and formed the Amalgamated Order of d-vent Olgar Huyers— tobaoco adda (0 the contrary dinee then I have waged o bitter Nght for this worthy cause. 1 have even taken the matter up with Coolidge and the League of Nations and 1 would have taken it up with the Aunti-Saloon League had not My, Me- Oullough, my distingutshed colleague, nformed me that smoking s not - oluded n the prohibidon law What | stand for, here, there and even in Bouth Dakata, s fil\d - igh we all have R to do without band: Olark and MoOullough ave the world's funnteat comedians They hoth admit It and flo* all talk to the eontrary. fatre than any other man | He | pletures as “The | Prealdent | { times ridiculous. | woman of all time, Helen of Troy. SILENT DRAMA METROPOLITAN—"“The Private afternoon and evening. PALACE—"The Dove.” EARLE—"The Gorilla.” FOX—"The Lady of Whims.” RIALTO—"A Hero for a Night.” COLUMBIA—“The Last Command” (second week). noon and evening. LITTLE THEATER—"Blood and Sand.” ATTRACTIONS Life of Helen of Troy.” This This afternoor and evening. This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. This after- This afternoon and i evenin I METROPOLITAN—"The Private Life of Helen of Troy.” To those who assert that there fs nothing new in the movies “The Private Life of Helen of Troy." which is the attraction at Crandall's Metropolitan ‘Theater, Is declared to be a challenge Many traditions of the movies are abandoned, it is sald, in this production which contains comedy, satire, rich cos- tumes, magnificent sets and which makes its characters human and a! The most beautiful is not a model wife. She is not even a perfect sweetheart, as Paris speedily discovered Paris, on the other hand. is human, too, and Menelaos has all the attributes of the tired business man. Filmed by First Natlonal, Life of Helen of Troy"” John Erskine’s popular novel. ‘The Private made from Maria | Corda, European star, plays the title role, with Lewis Stone in the role of Menelaos, and Ricardo Cortez as the lover, Paris. A Mack Sennett comedy. “Run. Girl Run,” which features Daphne Pollard French comedicnne, and the Metro- politan World Survey, showing news events, and the Metropolitan Concert Orchestra, under Alex Podnos, which will offer an atmospheric prelude, are added features of the bill. PALACE—"The Dove.” ‘The screen attraction at Loew's Palace this week is Norma Talmadge :n “Th: Dove,” adapted from David Belasco's play by Willard Mack. The story concerns Johnny Powell, a young American gambler, who is em- ployed in Charlie’s gambling emporium. Each night he is drawn to “The Yellow Pig Cafe,” the reason being Dolores, ! known as “The Dove,” a sweet, yet volcanic slip of a girl who strums a guitar and sings. Senor Don Jose Maria y Sandoval, as wealthy as he is egotistic, forces his attention on Dolores. She resents this, much to the proprietor's chagrin. Powell sympathizes with the girl and they dis- cover their love for each other. Sandoval sends his cousin to do away with Powell. but Powell beats him to the draw. whereupon the young American 1s arrested on a false charge, and in order to save his life the girl agrees to marry Sandoval. Powell escapes but Sandoval knows of it and plans to shoot him, but the girl pleads to have his life spared. and when Sandoval agrees Dolores tells her | lover to go, as she does not love him. Powell, however, suspects the truth and returns just as Sandoval is to marry | the girl. “And from here the story moves | to a surprising and dramatic climax. On the stage is John Mu v Ander- | son’s production, “Joy Bells.” featuring Wesl Eddy. guest conductor. and Loew’s Syncopators, assisted by Eva Mascagno and her Mascagno Ballet, Douglas Wright & Co. Scotty Weston, the Roma Brothers, Charlotte Arren and Joseph Parson. Short subjects and the Palace Orches- tra music complete the program. EARLE—"The Gorilla.” Thrills, chills and plenty of laughs are promised in “The Gorilla,” the screen attraction this week at the Eare Theater, while on the stage Whitey Kaufman and his Victor Recording Orchestra. who have been held over for a second week. are featured in Edward L. Hyman's production, “Jazz Jollities, with a cast including Allan Walker and Bubbles Shelby. Clyde Cottam, Brown and Batley. Mulr McNeece and Ride, and the Serova dancing girls. “The Gorilla” is an adaptation of Ralph Spence’s stage play and is said to combine all the elements of fun and thrills that made the legitimate version so popular. It is a combination of the weirdest, spookiest mystery and hilarious comedy maginable. Charlie Murray and Fred Kelsey ha: the roles of the two dumb detective: Mulligan and Garrity, whose greates: problem is to keep together. Alice Day is the only feminine member of the cast and others include Tully Marshail Claude Gillingwater, Gaston Glass and Walter Pidgeon FOX—"My Lady of Whims." A reduced scale of admission charges is announced for the Fox Theater. be- ginning tomorrow, Lincoln's birthday Clark & McCullough of musical com- edy fame head the stage portion of the Fox Theater program for the new weex. while on the screen will be featured Clara Bow in "My Lady of Whims." an adaptation of “Protecting Prudence,” by Edgar Franklin. In addition the stage program wiil feature®the Washburn Sisters and Wil- son in an “interlude of syncopation”; l of events which should that well equipped plan ter of interest and highly to the community. A series of events selected for thelr popularity and ente talning qualities will be offered to public at rates which will make castly accessible to all Rreat city provides a civic cex KToups may assemble to meet o personages’ of attainment and recene from them not only inspiration b practical help from’ thetr expertenc The Wardman Park Theater is pro- viding & Kind of clvie forum. specializ- g particularly i the theater. the people of the theater and those dis guished i the arts related to the th with an appeal ot nt-day interest i modern HE Wardman Park Theate under a new management, a: nounces & policy and a pro The first number is by Louls K pacher Anse popular in Washington for his brilltant _lectures pertaining to the drama. Dr. Anspacher belongs to the brilliant days of the American theater and brings to his audience the splen- dor and beauty of that period He will speak ‘Thursday evening February 18, on the subject, “What's Wrong with the Theater Dr. Anspacher will speak again the sertes on “The Trend of American Diama ® The next speaker will be Robert Edmund Jones. who will speak on - two occastany Allred Kreymberg musiotan, poet and playwright. one of the popular platform cutertaimers among the “moderna,” will present ane of his programs of poetry with the mandolute. Other attiactions will be announced tater Uhe Wardman Park Vheater s oper Atlng under an active board. fncluding Cosmo Hamilton, Edith Wynne Matthi- son, Chistles Ran Kennedy, Oswald Norke Alfred Kreymborg, Hemry Hev- Bert, Mrs Richard Mansfield and Fran iy Wilsan, The board s interested not only In e abuve activity af the theater, | DUt Also I e purpose o prodiee w number of fine small vast compantes for ‘he toad. sending these compantes out wer a olroute af the amatler oities that | fov years have been entirely deprived | of theatrical amusement exvept that of thelr own making. Under the prasent arganteation of Wardinan Fark Theater ) these companies will be booked out tn (he same way that leotirers and musicat attractiane are booked, an & guaranteed AVTARgement I the towns i which they play . A local board has been frmed © ass . n ballad, accompanied by the symphonv orchestra, by Manny King, Washington's boy soprann: Muriel la France and Clay Inman, in the baleony scene from the operatic version of “Romen and Juliet.” and a ballet number, staged by Alex- ander Oumansky, suggesting §t. Valen- A new movietone also will To commemorate the anniversary of the birth of President Lincoln, his fa- mous Gettysburg address will be pre- setting, while th phony orchestra, under the direc ¢ Leon Brusiloff. ‘will offer the score of “The Vagabond King." for th of which the Fox vocal ensemble will b heard in the “March of the Vagabond: This vill be headed by Clay Inman. wno made his debut at the Fox Theater last week. RIALTO—"A Hero for a Night.” “A Hero for a Night," co-starring Glenn Tryon and Patsy Ruth Miller. ich is the picture at the Rialto, i8 « comedy dealing with aviation Tryon plays the role of Hiram Hast- ings, a wise-cracking young taxicah driver, who becomes interested in avi- ation and decides to enter an air racc to Europe. He subscribes to a corre- :pondence school for a course in fiying and builds his own plane. A few davs before the race is scheduled to start he meets J. D. Sloan, owner of the famous Sloan Shaving Cream Company. and his beautiful daughter. Mary. with whom he immediately falls in love, and when Mary tells him that she must get her father to New York by early morning or face financial ruin he offers to take them. In spite of the old man's pro- tests, the girl and ram put him in the plane and the three of them start out. Hiram flies the plane across the ocean and half way across Russia be- fore the gasoline gives out and he makes a forced landing. How trip event- ually brings good fortune and happiness to them all forms an amusing story. The cast includes Burr Mclntosh. Lloyd Whitlock, Bob Milash and Ruth Dwyer. “Tangerine.” the popular musica! comedy, is presented in condensed form as the stage feature. The principai players include Marie LeViness, William Lilling. Bernadine Brady. Johnnie Fields, Burr Dwan. Edith Davis and Lita Lopez. Song hits of the original boox which have been retained include “Sweet Lady. Isle of Tangerine,” “Listen to Me. ta Baby" and “Civilization.” International Newsreel and other short films are added features. COLUMBIA—“The Last Command.” Emil Jannings in “The Last Com- mand” continues at Loew's Columbia Theater for a second week. In this production Jannings has the oppor- ;mty to display his talents at their st. “The Last Command” was directed by Josef Von Sternberg. who directed “Underworld.” The story opens with Jannings as a bearded, decrepit. dis- couraged movie extra in Hollywood He has searched the world in vain for the girl he loves. A call goes out for extras to play parts in a scene from !hs Russian revolution. annings is selected to play the part of the general. He rmlbythe Fx‘mfl when he was actually a general in ths Czar's army. He remembers how he saved a girl from his officers. the same girl he afterward loved and searched for. Revolution breaks out and this girl helps the general escape from Russia. Later. unknown to him. she is killed in a raflroad wreck assistant director calls the general from his reverie The climax is reached when the - eral again is seen at the head o!"k:s troops, charging across the movie bat- Uefleld. waving the banner of his old LITTLE THEATER—"Blood and Sand.” Rudolph Valentino in the scree: - sion of “Blood and Sand” is this Y:e\:kr attraction at the Lijtle Theater. This famous novel of Ibanez is a incrrul preachment against the Span- ish national sport of bull-fighting. whic's he considered barbarous and unworthy of his native land. The picture s Wwith Valentino and two other youths setting out on their initial venture as matadors. One boy is killed in his first fight. but Valentino. although heart- broken by the loss of his friend. con- tues and becomes the greatest matador in S There is a strong love interest, 1a Lee plaving the role of the and Nita Naldi as Donna Sol. the woman of the Spanish aristocracy with whom \a 10 becomes enamoured. A Spled s “The Hansom Cab Man" with Harry Lang- and the program is completed wits he News Reel. v capacity with all the of making ! appealis selection of even & thew perative eff \\ HEN the a A period of many years. manufac tured the legend of Helen a of Troy. they started a ihspiration ¢ s of other times The latest author to have a fmg at M print was John Evskine, with his The Private Life of Hel Troy one of the mast popular novels of the decade, & novel, too, which has given rise 1o still another form of narvative concerning the famous legend of my« thology-—a motion pieture based an Er- skine's satire which First National ¥ tures Corporation has produced Fram blind Homer o the most ob- scure scribbler of verse, the story of the matchless beauty of Helen of i Nas been L0 tempting & subject o overlook. Homer's “lhad. . of courss made the legend of Helen and her loves deathiless. Other poets of his thine and SHOFLY After his death atiemy tale Without exception the g Hah poets made teference o N A ot I poems wiitten directly about the tegend, At least By way of comparis son Tennison desorived her iy nely Al and mast divinely fan blonds o statire belng then the curtent siyle m beautitul - wamen Chrstopher \ar- Towe's lne, “Is this the tace that laune ol & (housand ahips® B Kiown thousands who wie not aware of i orighn Several stage veisions, most of them W oatirical veln, have been writien around the tale th various Buropean Inu‘unn although nane hay N poduced i Amerloa. Even oWy ines Helen af Troy has been o good 0 be overlooked by the ambitious. Fial Natianal's i versku, however 15 sald 10 adhere siriotly o Evakines story, although, of necessity. deviating samewhat in eldent Maria Corda, beantitul Hungarian ae- tress. plays (he tale af Helen: Lewis Atone s Menelaoa and Ricardo - Oor- tea I8 Paris, deal of T and n o as