Evening Star Newspaper, January 20, 1929, Page 58

‘AMUSEMENTS.! - Heart Interest in Comedy. BY HAROLD LLOYD. ACK {n the dark ages of motion pic- tures, more than a decade ago, the recipe for screen comedies consisted of & few gags, many pies, and perhaps a little mud or molasses thrown in to thicken the “plot.” Gradually, how- ever, the standard began to improve, and I believe the motion picture com- edy made quicker progress than any other division of picture making. One of the first ingredients thrown in to make the comedy a better thing to look 3t was a little story material, coheion, plausibility. With that prog- Tess came a development of live inter- 2’,1!. and today, answering a question, -“What do you think is the heart of a comedy?” I would say it is “romance.” Romance, properly executed, helps to make for rhyme and reason in a com- edy, gives to it a touch of sincerity without which no picture, or I might qualify this and say few pictures, can hit the bull's eye of popular response. ‘This is one thing we learned many years ago. Even in the early days of our one-reelers, after I had adopted the horned rims and introduced our present-day character, we attempted to | tie together a string of incidents and gags to establish a measure of sin- cerity and story value. We realized that love interest, ro- mance, was an absolute necessity for comedy, and this fact never was lost sight of in any of our pictures after we had the glass character well under way. In all our two-reelers we stressed the “heart interest” and in all of our features we have attempted to incor- porate as much romance as possible out interfering too strenuously with e development of comedy. Most every person who attends mo- | Mon pictures wants a certain amount of romance with their entertainment. A Vast majority prefer, of course, that it be held within bounds and not laid on 00 thickly. That is why we have al- ‘ways endeavored to make our love in- terest blend unobstrusively with what- @ver story we were relating. Motion picture comedy producing to- day is an entirely different art thah it was 10 years ago. The entire princi- pals and precepts have been altered. Slapstick is virtually passe. Broad comedy, when mixed with a fair por- | Chinese den, toss in some sound and place in the sphere of entertainment. The advent of sound and dialogue is going to give another impetus to the art of producing laughs. It is regrettable to us that we did not have sound in the days when we filmed “The Freshman,” which in many ways has been one of our biggest pictures. This production was made to order for sound and dia- logue. The foot ball sequences would have been strengthened a hundredfold had we been able to record the voices of the 80,000 people who attended the California-Stanford games at which many of the scenes were filmed. Dialogue should be an important factor in the maintaining of interest in | comedies during those stages where the picture slows down to permit of story telling. One of our chief difficulties in comedy production is to retain the in- terest of an audience when progres: ing from one laugh sequence to an- other. This we have done in the past with story. If our “plot” fell down, we were sunk. With dialogue and sound it will be much easier to hold an au- dience's interest during these “build- ing"” sequences. Weak gags can be strengthened with the aid of dialogue. Sound can build up certain places, especially in pictures similar to that which we are now pro- ducing, where mystery will be an im- portant elemens. Take a couple of fel- lows groping around in the dark, in a perhaps a little dialogue, and you have the foundation for hilarious action. But underlying everything in com- edy there must be motivation for whatever you are dojng. And here ro- mance often provides the entire back- ground. Analyze “Safety Last,” where we had to climb a 12-story building. Back of that climb was the sincere de- sire of our character to “make good” for the-girl he wanted to marry. He had to have money to marry on, where- in lies the ultimate reason for the hu- man fly act. “Dr. Jack,” “Girl Shy,” “The Kid Brother,” all had romance back of their comedy setting, “Grandma’s Boy” had romance, but more heart interest—the boy's love for his aged grandmother and counselor. But whether you call it “romance” or “heart interest,” in 90 per cent of the comedies of the typs we produce it will be found the “heart of the ple- tion of legitimate comedy, still has its Pounds Mean Nothing. HAV‘KNG achieved marked ‘popular success in her last week's sing- ing role at the Belasco Theater, Kate Smith of the Savoy Musicomedians stands ready to assert her talents in the realm of‘dancing in “Honeymoon | Lane,” another Charles Emerson Cook production, beginning at the Belasco Sunday evening. * _Miss Smith had the same role in the original .production, it is nounced. ‘The following excerpt from a New York paper the morning after her “Honey- moon Lane” debut is quoted by the Savoy management as attesting’ what may be expected of the coming week’s performance: “Just 19 years old—ex- actly 200 pounds in weight—and she 3s a solo dancer! Even more astonish- ing, she specializes in the Charleston, that nerve-racking gyration, and finally stops a°musical show with her art. Kate Smith is the girl who does these things, and Eddie Dowling’s “Honey- moon Lane” is the musical play in which she performs. In repose, this ponderous . dancer appears a happy, Gest Plans Curtain Surprise. IN connection with the forthcoming return - of Nikita Balieff and his Chauve-Souris company in a wholly new, intimate international revue, Mor- ris Gest announces that one of several major surprises which will mark the remiere at Jolson's Fifty-ninth Street 'heater next Tuesday evening will be “The Talking Pictures of 1929—in One Intermission.” This feature will take the form of a special curtain. The scenario for “The Talking Pictures in 1929” is the work of Will Rogers, Ring Lardner and Marc Connelly. The desi are by Ralph Barton and Carl Link, and the feature has been staged by Morris Gest espe- cially for the new Balieff program. In the-cast of “The Talking Pictures in 1929” will be seen Adolph S. Ochs, Fepdor: Chaliapin, Mrs. Willlam Ran- dolph Hearst, Douglas Fairbanks, Mayor James J. Walker, Otto H. Kahn, Will Rogers, Grover Whalen, Giulio Gatti- Casazza, Max Reinhardt, Florenz Zieg- { feld, Edgar Selwyn, Arthur Brisbane, Lady Diana Manners, Willlam Ran- dolph Hearst, Edward Ziegler, Armand Vecszy, Joseph Urban, Norman-Bel Geddes, Robert Edmond Jones, Theo- dore Roosevelt, Don Marquis, Lester Markel, Oliver M. Sayler, Charles Dana . Gihson, Norman Hapgood, Christian Brinton, Paul Block, Gertrude Hoff- man, F. P. Adams, Louls Untermeyer, ture.” placid lass, with little except her size to distinguish her from her sisters in the show. “But when the strings begin to strum and the saxophone to moan, Kate is another woman altogether. There is speed and grace and agility in the way she weaves and writhes. Let it.be as- serted right here that Kate Smith can sing, t0o, in a clear, melodious soprano, but it is her dancing which registers highest with Broadway audiences.” Miss Smith herself is quoted as say- ing that there is nothing extraordinary in the fact that a girl weighing close to 200 pounds can dance well. ‘What has size to do with it, any- | how?” she asks. “I have always loved music and have danced since I was 2 years old. A natural sense of rhythm and an unerring response to the music are the two important things about dancing. Without them the thinnest person in the world couldn’t perform the simplest steps. I would rather dln]ce than do anything else in the wor] Tears on Request. THE value of 6-year-old Freddie Fred- erick to moving picture producers in Hollywood consists in his ability to cry on request at a moment's notice. Freddie can cry bitterly, broken-heart- edly, angrily, with tears flowing down his cheeks or dry, racking sobs, with equal facllity. Just tell him the kind of erying which is wanted and he turns on the tears as one would turn on a faucet. So when a little brother was re- quired for Mary Astor in her picture “New Year’s Eve,” which is being made by Fox, Freddie was elected for the Jjob because the brother in the story is il and cries because he will have no toys for Christmas. Later he gets them. That is what caused the trouble. When Freddie saw the electric trains and other delights of boyish hearts, he would not cry when the word was given. Instead, he registered unmis- takable joy. Pleas and threats of tak- ing the toys away were equally futile until some one suggested that the happy scene be filmed first. This was done to the satisfaction of everybody, after which Freddle turned on the tears as wanted for the earlier scene. ey Andrew Carnegie’s first job was that Charles Hanson ard Swope, Ralph Pulitzer, Ruth Dra- per, Elisabeth Marbury, Robert E, Sherwood, Ina Claire, Quinn Martin, Gilbert W. Gabriel, Burns Mantle, Reina Belasco Gest, Carl Link, Benia- mino Gigli, Glovanni Martinelli, Harry Richmond, Leonore Ulric, Rosamond Pinchot, Laurette Taylor, Ethel Barry- more, Fay Bainter and pretty nearly every other celebrity of the day and generation. ‘The engagement at Jolson’s will close with the performance of Saturday eve- ning, February 16. Engagements on tour immediately thereafter have al- mfly been booked in Boston, Philadel- a and Washington. Gleuons 0'{7B rondway. 'HRISTIE CO. has signed Mr. and Mrs. James Gleason for a series of short sketches, all talking. Also, they are to produce as an all-talker their successful play, “Shannons of Broadway” for Universal. The first Christie sketch, to go into l;nducblonhis “Meet l:lde ‘;Vife.” ‘The leasons have appeare: n it man; times for charity benefits in New York)t CAMEO THEATER ™ o> TOMORROW-_MARGARET MANN PFOOR SO 2 TRCLE 2952 Aye Ph W. 958 cfi%&fi‘ng. THE SRS T of M DUMBARTON %Fpcgsl Atu CONRAD NAGEL in SADIE.” COMEDY, “LILAC TIME." 14th AND E. 1. AVE. Today-Tomorrow EMIL JANNINGS, THE PATRIOT. 1419 N. Capito) St COLLEEN MOORE, Y oSO CAROLINA " S A6 with_ALICE_WH NEW STANTO! “POUR SONS. Humanity, Ji H, “u GHER in “STOCKS AND BLONDES." TOMORROW—"'KIT_CARSON.” 4th and Butternut Sts, No Parking Troubles D._ W. GRIFFITH'S “BATTLE OF THE _SEXES" COME! Wb & 8ts, SF e “TERROR." with LOUISE_FAZENDA 'c‘%u?mr. A PECIAL '810. JESSE THEATER FABLE, NEWS, Towne, Herbert Bay- | tory of weaver's assistant in a cotton fac- THE SUNDAY ST WASHINGTO: One-Rung Ladder, 'O become a full-fledged film star on the merits of having appeared in only one picture is an honor to which few actors can lay claim. Yet such a | rapld rise has actually been accom- plished. The person who did it was Camilla Horn, the German leading lady who appears at the Little Theater this week as the heroine of ‘“Youthful Ecstacy,” the new satire on modern youth produced in the UFA studios of Germany. Miss Horn gained her introduction to the films in “Faust,” the P. W. Mur- nau production of Goethe's piay, in which she played opposite Emil Jan- nings. On the strength of this one ap- pearance, Camilla Horn was made a star and her first stairing vehicle, it is announced, was “Youthiul Ecstacy.” In this production she appears as the modern and human counterpart of the Grasshopper in La Fontaine’s famous fable, “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” CastingAfor ScriaTN‘o_t Easy. SELECTING a serial cast is far more difficult than picking the players for a feature production, according to Spencer Bennet, an authority, due to| his 14 years’ assoclation with the pro- duction of Pathe serials. “Almost every type of emotion is usually packed into the 20 reels of a serial,” says Bennet. “The players must be capable of taking part in com- edy, drama, melodrama and tragedy. | “Since the first fundamental of a | serfal is action of the most thrilling | kind, the players must be able to take part in the daring feats. It is not an easy thing to find a girl who combines beauty with the fearless bearing which will make audiences accept her in stunts that require a high degree of athletic ability combined with courage. “The same is true of the leading man Serial fans want to admire his good looks, but they will not get a real thrill | out of the dangers he undergoes unless | his physique and bearing indicate that he is capable of braving them.” “Pride of th:p;;pas." THE first Argentinian motion picture star to bid for honors in America is Mona Maris, known throughout South America as the “Pride of the Pampas,” and but recently arrived in Hollywood. Miss Maris, slim, vivacious and speak- ing English as fluently as she does Spanish, French and German, was brought to America by Joseph M. Schneck, president of United Artists, who plans to use her in screen produc- tions of his organization Miss Maris came to Hollywood direct from Berlin, where she has been ap- pearing in German-made pictures. This is her first visit to the United States. Born in Buenos Aires 20 years ago, she was educated in England, France and Germany. Meet Mr. Newman There are few places on the globe that have not been visited by this lecturer, B. M. Newman, who starts his twentieth season of travel tal National Theater today. D. 0,” JANUARY 20, STARS OF SCREEN AND PUTTING GREEN . Conrad Nagel and Glenna Collett, woman goifer, snapped at the Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer Studio in Hollywood a few days ago. A Gentle Giant. JVAN LINOW, Russian strong ‘man, has had so many turbulent fights in pictures that it has put him in a class by himself. Oddly enough, he has final- ly been awarded his first contract after 25 pictures as a result of his outstand- ing work in “The Red Dance,” the Fox film now at the Fox Theater, in which he doesn't do a lick of hand-to-hand battling. Amid all his other pictures this Latvian giant has actually at heart been averse to hurting his opponents. His naturally dramatic instincts, how- ever, have carried him into the thick of the turmoil so powerfully that he has won frequent commendation, even from the man he laid low. His instinctive unwillingness is partiy due to the fact that he gave up an incipient career as a boxer years ago to the fact that he hit an adversary o heavily that the man went to the hos- pital for a long period. It is also found- ed on his innate good humor. “I never knew a big man who wasn't good- humored,” grins Linow. Yet he has convincingly assumed a flerceness that was alien to him in°a dozen screen brawls, His first promi- nent grapple was with Thomas Meighan in “Cappy Ricks,” when they had a scrimmage at sea. In “Forever,” with Elsie” Ferguson and Wallace Reid, Linow portrayed an old-fashioned English pugilist, with the stiff attitudes and quaint crouches of the period. With Richard Barthelmess in “Fury” he became embroiled with another sailor. Now, at the height of his career, he wins a 5-year Fox contract for his abil- ity in not harming any one. The oniy rough-and-tumble in which he indulges is when he is courting Dolores Del Rio and his ardor leads him to bowl her over, while she claws him with equal fervor. Otherwise Linow, for a change, has uncommon scope for his hearty good will. It was due to the insight of Win- fleld Sheehan, vice president and gen- eral manager of Fox, who agreed with Raoul Walsh, director of “The Red [MLITTLE THEATRE Between F & G on Ninth St. th Dail Today 3 to 11 From 1% 1P M, F 8356 NOW PLAYING! CAMILLA HORN (Star et a e.) “YOUTHFUL ECSTASY” A switt, thrilling N\ satire of the antics of the boys and girls of today—with the hu- man actors mimicked by the amusing actions of in- sects that appear to be hu- man! Unique! Daring! Direct From Its N. Y. Success Produced By UFA FIRST TIME AT POPULAR “LOEW” PRICES NOW PLAYING— R\ 1 A C MADE WITH AND MUSIC THUNDERING PRO~ FELLERS ~THE BARK OF THE MACHINE GUNS AND A THOUSAND M.G. M. NEY FOX MOVIETONE 1T SPEAKS FORITSE CLAUDE BURRO HE GIGANTIC EPIC OF THE IR~ THE MOST SPECTA UWLAR PICTURE EVERU SYNCHRONIZED SOUND EFFECT A PARAMOUNT PI {4 with —— 4 §.1 . | .. BOW "BUDDY” ROGERS RICHARD ARLEN GARY COOPER. ADDED ATTRACTIONS NEWS COLUMBIA CONCERT ORCHESTRA WS, (onouc T THE HOUSE OF HITS F Bliat, 12 Dance,” that a new and striking note could be registered by using to the full Linow’s extraordinary combination of formidable physical prowess and burly humor, “I found out early in my screen work,” says Linow, “that the punchcs which aren't really hard registered the best. Which suited me completely.” LOEWS 1929—PART 4. Corinne's New Contract. CORINNE GRIFFITH, under her new million-dollar contract, will appear exclusively in First National-Vitaphone pictures, her first being Franz Molnar's sensational play, ‘‘Prisoners,” which will be directed by William A. Seiter, who directed “Outcast,” which has been declared by critics to be one of her best in recent years. She is required to make two special productions & year, each of an excep- tional, elaborate character. Miss Griffith’s biggest celluloid spec- tacle, “The Divine Lady,” which un- folds the love story of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton, is soon to be released. Tha?HelpfuTMemory. CAROL LOMBARD, recently signed by Pathe, says she has had dra- remember. Six years ago, while still in school, she sought and obtained an interview with Cecil B. DeMille. “You should photograph very well and your mother says you have had dramatic training,” said Mr. DeMille, eyeing her from top to toe. “How old are you?” “Fourteen years old,” answered the blonde youngster. “My dear child,” said DeMille, “go six years.” Amonst six years later to the day, DeMille signed a contract with Pathe for the services of Carol Lombard in his forthcoming picture, “Dynamite.” Pathe's First “All-Talker." ATHE'S first all-dialogue picture will be titled “Strange Cargo,” ac- cording to announcement. This is the production that has just been finished. It was adapted from “The Missing Man,” the play by John Posner and Benjamin Glazer. Players having important roles in “Strange Cargo,” a mystery play with unusual angles, include Lee Patrick, June Nash, - George Barraud, Russell Gleason, Otto Matiesen,- Kyrle Bellew, Andre Beranger, Claude King, Jose- phine Brown, Warner Richmond, Charles Hamifon, Ned Sparks, Prank Reicher and arry Allen. All the action takes place on a steam yacht at sea, 1,000 miles from Jand. PALA S JANNINGS IN HIS GREATEST The "SINS or THE CHARACTERIZAT ON v Fathes FATHERS" olmn PRELUDE PALACH INCERT ORCHESTR, HARRY BOBJES. ~ “BOMETHING. REENIC DIFFERENT" Interpretative Profosue rnnll vietone News ON THE /TAGE WESLEY EDDY PALACE FYNCOPATORS IN PAUL O/CARD'/ PRODUCTION € HICIEIRNED” FEATURING GRACE AND MARIE FLINE— WALLY JACKSON—HELE! FARLAND—DOROTHY Me: NEVILLE —THE GAMBY-HALE GIRLS FAT FOURTEENTH 4 WILLIAM FOX prevents DOLORES DEL RIO &A@fiED DANCE” withy CHARLES FARRELL Cand IVAN LINOW Out of the Carnival of the Revo- lution a Peasant Girl Emerges as the Great Red Dancer of Moscow drama that could only be ene acted in a world turned upside down. Brilllant Fox Movietone Accompaniment the Jtages ANIGHT IN GRANADA A Colorful and Magnificent Touch of Old Spain featuring the FOX DANCING SENORITAS Truly Versatile Are These Dality Misses STAFFORD PEMBERTON 4 Personal Appearance of the Former Dancing Mae Murray, Maud Allen and Gertrude Partner of ofman, DOLORES CORDOVA Dancer of the Royal Spanish Court, THE VISITING FIREMEN Comedians Eztraordinary, WHITE & MANNING 4 Classio in Travesty Lawrence Down Invisible-Visible FOX GRAND ORCHESTRA Leon Brusiloff, Conducting L B2 ey @ster of Ceremonies FOX MOVIETONE NEWS 1t Speaks for Itself Aw Early Showing of the World's First Full-Length Talking Picture That Successfully Combines Spectacle With Spoken Screem Drama OUTDOOR IN OLD ARIZONA The Most Astounding Achievement in the History of Talking Pictures matic ambitions ever since she can| back to school and see me in five or MODEST ALTSCHULER, founder of the Russian Symphony Orchestra. and its conductor for more than 20 years, has signed a contract with Henry King, director for Inspiration Pictures, Inc., and John Boyce-Smith, vice presi- dent, to write the complete musical score for King's latest production, “She Goes to War.” - Altschuler has perhaps held the baton over more vocal and musical stars than any other conductor extant, and his repertoire is claimed to be the greatest in this country. Among the recognized artists who have appeared under his direction are Paviowa, Fritz Kreisler, Josef Hofman, Jan Kubelik, Lucrezia Bori, Ysaye, Fremstad, Margaret Ober, Sophie Bres- lau, Valentine Crespi, Florencio Con- stantino, Mischa Elman, Josef Lhevinne, John Powell, Schumann-Heink, Isadora Duncan, Gigli and many others. Altschuler, too, is accredited with presenting for the first time in America compositions from such composers as Rimsky-Korsakoff, Glasnoff, Soriabine, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Proko- fleff. More than 15 years ago Altschuler made the prediction that the motion picture (then just negotiating the kid- die-kar stage) would eventually find that music must come into its own and form at least 50 per cent of the enter- tainment which we would absorb from the screen. “There are two universal languages,” © 'KMUSEMENTS. d Movies - remarked Modest Altsghuler during an interview at the Century Theater, New York City, December, 1913. “Both ap- peal Intrinsically to the emotions, and the more highly ¢2veloped their appeal the more we call the result art. “For a number of years I have had the idea that to combine the two arts harmoniously would be to secure the bighest. emotignal effect, and “the su- premest art. For that reason I believe that this union might be achieved through the moving pictures.” Modest - Altschuler will collaborate with Harry Akst, who has written the feature musical theme for “She Goes to War” in the arrangement of the yScore. It brings together a master of the old school and one of the kings of modern popular music. et st bt No, Thank You! ECAUSE his First National-Vita- phone pictures are scheduled for legitimate Broadway theaters and be- cause he does not care to play in op- position to himself on the Great White w Richard Barthelmess is sald to have turned down an offer from Flor- enz Ziegfeld, the New York producer, to purchase the film star's present con- tract from First National Pictures, Inc., in order to star him in a musical ver- sion of the play “East Is West.” Sunday Doors Open 2P M. I A Drama of Surprises, New Thrills and Daring Action! 3 Au MIGHTY DRAMA' OF THE SEA Slarring A Picture That Is Different! g New in Photedramas It’'s Daring It's Full of Tense Action —ADDED— WARNER BROS. PRESENTATIONS JOSEPH REGAN America’s Foremcat Irish_Tenor “CROONADERS" SYNCHRONIZED GARTOON ! it’s on SEE cessful play times as & tiom pi EARLE NOW_ PLAYI DOROTHY REVIER and Daily 11 AL M. to 11 P. M., NG RALPH GRAVES} the Screen the most. phe- nomenally suc= of modern perfect mo= icture. A buma, beart-appealing tale in which raci al prejudice d religious bigotry aré ::'rpf aside by LOVE. ney 4 'é:mu Ld mv';l\" theme, 80 osemary” and writtle I+4h R Hear the "°l o the :ifl':f' . e TOMORROW-—-JACK DOROTHY REVIER in 624 H St NE. DAY d ORROW-—JOAN m%c:fifln TOMOBRINTOM WITH ROGERS NT PICTURE " EMPIRE o ® st N and _TOMORROW-—-KARL E and ‘OEO. K. ART "BROTHERLY LoVE»" HUR i "HOME % © st nx. TODAY and TOMORROW—SPECIAL ZABE LR RO s T 5 Py . B AVENUE GRAND “THE WOMAN c 9th St Bel. D and B Y and TOMORROW- [ESTER d "SRR PRl PN CHEVY CHASE S&taidisies TODAY and_ TOMORROW- NORMA. n, —1 M Taliabile T PR WOMAR NEw 535 Sth St. SE. and TOMORROW-—KARL nd GEO. K. ARTHUR in “BROTHERLY LOVE.” —S’Av‘oy 1ith s Col. Ra. N.W. TODAY- TR HPOR i oNeRon! TIVOLI me Nw. 1ith & Park Rd. N.W. TQDAY and TOMORROW--MILTON SILLS and DOROTHY MACKAILL [SppyHE BARKER' (SYNCHRON- ca'm o e & Farraan 8 TR M ARARR RO S T Yonr GalAve. & Quebes 8. MWL RGO SRATTON ®