Evening Star Newspaper, April 7, 1929, Page 57

AMUS EMENTS Photoplays SCREEN ATTRACTIONS Or THE WEEK EARLE—“Sor.ny Boy.” This afternoon and evening. PALACE—"“The Dummy.” This afternoon and evening. FOX—"Kid Gloves.” This afternoon and evening. COLUMBIA—“The Broadway Melody.” This afternoon and eve- ning. METROPOLITAN—“The Divine evening. LITTLE THEATER—"“Looping the Loop.” evening. EARLE—"“Sonny Boy.” Warner Bros’, Vitaphone talking pic- ture, “Sonny Boy,” the current screen offering this week at the Earle Theater, presents Davey Lee, the 4-year-old star, and a group of eight leading players, three of whom bring new voices to the screen. Those playing important roles are Edward Everett Horton, Betty Bronson, Tom Dugan, Edmund Breese, Lucy Beaumont, Gertrude Olmstead, John T. Murray and Jed Prouty. “Sonny Boy” was adapted for the screen by C. Graham Baker from a Leon Zuardo story. It was directed by Archie Mayo, and is a finely constructed comedy-drama in which a proposed di- vorce is responsible for bringing about an unexpected marrjage. Davey Lee casily dominates the piece with his merry, yet wistful and elfin tininess, his lipsing speech, his deft though wholly | unstudied use of eyes and body, sending audiences into ripples of laughter. A Vitaphone presentation, the Earle | topical review and an overture by the Earle Orchestra, Daniel Breeskin con- ducting, with a special rendition of hits | from “New Moon” and vocal interlude | by Jean Beverly, soprano, complete the program. | PALACE—"The Dummy." | “The. Dummy,” Paramount's first | melodrama to be produced as a talking picture, is the screen attraction at Loew’s Palace this week. The picture was adapted from the famous stage | play of the same name. In the cast | are Ruth Chatterton, Frederic March, | John Cromwell, Mickey Bennett, Jack | Oakie and ZaSu Pitts. ‘The story starts with more than a touch of comedy when Mickey Bennett | secures a_job in a detective agency by a ruse which sends all the other boys home. The head of the agency wants to find out the whereabouis of a mil- lionaire’s daughter who has been kid- naped. He sends the kidnapers a faked | message purporting to come from a This Week Lady.” This afternoon and This afternoon and hero, is unfolded, with Lady Hamilton, who (played by Miss Griffith) rose from obscure birth—her father was a black- smith—becoming a world famous beauty, the wife of a great diplomat, and a real power to be reckoned with in inter- national affairs. Lord Nelson, at the same time, was becoming England’s great naval hero, the savior of his na- tion and the first man to defeat Na- poleon in any sort of en; ment. The meeting of the two in Naples began an idealistic romance, sanctioned by the aged Lord Hamilton “The Divine Lady” was adapted to the screen from the novel by E. Barring- ton, and is one of the biggest produc- tions which First National has ever made under the direction of Fraunk Lloyd. i H. B. Warner, Victor Varconi, Ian| Keith, Marie Dressler, Montagu Love and Dorothy Cummings are seen in the cast. Vitaphone and color have added to the beauty of this mammoth produe- tion, including battle scenes, a carnival and many others, The short subjects presented with the original presentations will also be held over. They include the Metropolitan ‘Topical Review and a Vitaphone pres- entation, “The Synco-Pets,” a musical quartet that sings well known and popular numbers. LITTLE THEA':ED—"IMDIM the “Looping the Looj UFA's newest production dealing with circus life, will be presented this week at the Little Theater under the auspices of the Film Arts Guild of Washington. In it the carnival clown is seen smiling with genuine sincerity and not through a maze of tears, for in “Looping the Loop” Werner Kraus is the circus clown and in the end he may be seen taking to his | | arms the girl whom he loves and who | Shakespeare's grave in the Collegiate he finds is in love with him. But four persons are in the cast of | this new thriller from Germany. They | |are Werner Kraus, no longer a new | laying of the corner stone of the new Yaconelli's Accordion. T}m fifth horseman and the White House spokesman are more conspicu- ous than Frank Yaconelli, accordion player for Lupe Valez on the Rialto stage in New York and in “Lady of the Pavements,” but there is a story in Yaconelli, nevertheless. Mexican, as many suppose, Itallan who was born Munich of Italian parents. He has known Lipe Valez only a year, and yet she will not work with any one else and she in- sisted he accompany her in the stage act in Chicago and New York. Buffa'o Bill's Wild West Show boasted of the Yaconelli accordion for & year. Mr. DeMille’s “Volga Boatman" emoted to the strains of the Yaconelli accordion. The 92d Aero Squadron, A. E. F., heard Yaconelli play each night when he had laid aside his gun. The musi- clan was in action on the Flanders front and in the Cambrais drive; he: was in service overseas for 14 months. ! He started to play the accordion when | he was 6, and made his stage debut at the Hub Theater in Boston two ycars later. ‘Au a child he traveled with his parents — musicians — through Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Greece and | Rumania. He was 3 years old when he reached America. ‘Yaconelll began his screen career as a character actor in Larry Semon | comedies. Shakespeare ‘! Home TO“’H. FIVE - WEEK Spring Festival opening Monday, April 15, will mark the return home of the Stratford- upon-Avon Festival Co. from its first successful transatlantic tour, according, to a cablegram. { In the course of these five weeks eight plays will be presented in reper- | tory, seven by Shakespeare, in addition to the usual old English comedy. Of | the seven plays of Shakespeare, four will be new with reference to last sea- son's Spring and Summer festivals and the repertory for the Canadian d American tour. In the order of their entry into the schedule of the festival, they will be “Twelfth Night,” ing Richard the Second,” “Macbeth” and “Much Ado About Nothing.” The first performance of “Much Ado” will occur on Tuesday evening, April 23, Shakespeare's birth- day, after the day’s usual picturesque ceremonies of the unfurling of the flags of the nations and the procession to Church of the Holy Trinity. The birthday ceremonies this year | will be further distinguished by the D. C. APRIT 7, 10%9-PART 4 ‘The latest in Hollywood is the foot muffler, worn when rambling around the sound studio. Dorothy Janis, appearing in the new Ramon Novarro picture, “The Pagan,” is putting on feit soles and rubber heels s The Moving Picture cAlbum By Robert E. Back to Nomalcy. OME time ago Adolph Zukor said to his fellow producers, “Talking pictures have given our industry a new start—and we're all start- ing equal.” There was a certain | . Sherwood. ous!” said Mr. Mayer, overcome with enthusiasm. “This opera star came out in clown make-up in front of a black velvet drop and I tell you it was won- derful! You wouldn't believe it. “What did he sing, Mr. Mayer?” asked an unidentified yes-man. Coming Attractions NATIONAL PLAYERS—*“The Skull.” Next week the National Theater Play- ers will produce one of the real thrillers | of the American stage, a mystery play called ‘“The Skull” that had a sensa- tional run in New York several seasons 280, In their five successive seasons in the National Theater the National Players have produced all manner and sorts of plays, from supreme tragedies to clever | comedies that are intended merely as |light entertainment. In between these have been sandwiched from time to time mystery plays, and always it has been the mystery play that has counted high | I.;tt,h ‘Washington audiences. The record amazing. | tional Players 1s pleased in having se- cured the Tights to “The Skull,” a play that outthrills some of the most thrill- ing pleces of its kind ever enacted. lThere are said to be some sights to be | seen in this play that have never before | been revealed on a local stage. “The Skull” has for a background an | old abandoned churchyard, with tomb- | stones and the like, a ghost tale and | then some. STRAND—“Red Hots.” The week of April 14 will bring “Red Hots” to the Strand Theater, a show’ that is sald to have been living up to its name all over the Mutual circuit—"out to make plenty of whoopee,” with orig- inal jokes, many funny scenes and an aggregation of pretty girls in the | chorus. The head-liners outstanding in- | clude Wava White, Gladys McCormack, | Billy Gordan, Milt Prankfort and Gor- | don Rydeen. “SOMETIME SOON” in May. Sometime soon the Troubadours of George Washington University will pre- sent to the Washington public their an- duced by the students out G street way. Appropriately enough, it is titled “Sometime Soon,” and is booked for a week's engagement at the Wardman Park Theater during the first part of May. The Troubadours, it will be recalled, delighted capacity audiences with their 1928 offering, “Sharps and Frats.” It is hoped, however, that “Sometime Soon” will excel all former successes, in view of the large number of students that are coming out for the production, and the new talent that has been dis- covered on the campus. “Sometime Soon” is in two acts, with he opening chorus revealing a Holly- wood studio where the filming of “Th ‘Three Musketeers” is in Hence, the management of the Na-| | nual musical comedy written and pro- | “AMUSEMENTS.” “Bed Fellows” closed a preliminary tour in Brooklyn a week pl‘o. An early announcement of further bookings is promised. Gilbert Miller has acquired for pro- duction in New York next Fall Marcel Pagnol's play, “Marius,” which is now having a successful run in Paris. Eddle Dowling announces that, in as- sociation with David Belasco and Edgar MacGregor, he will next week begin re- hearsals of a comedy. He also plans dramatic production in June, and later his previously announced musical ver- sion of “The Big Parade.” | convince anybody that the theatrical season in New York is just about done. True, there are yet to come a Barry- more show and the Theater Guild pro- duction of “Camel Through & Needle’s Eye”—and possibly a random show or two that will prove surprisingly worthy —but last week’s cluster may be ac- cepted as the final convulsive gasp of 1928-29. And none too good a season, | either, if you want to bring that up | again. James Whale, who so admirably | directed “Journey’s End” in New York, enough to direct Otis Skinner in “A !'Hundred Years Old.” Like the superb war play, the Skinner play belongs to Gilbert Miller. “A Hundred Years Old” won't reach New York until next sea- son, spending the intervening time in | the lesser cities, of which Chicago is one. Robert E. Sherwood, who did so well { as the author of comedy, as witness his “Road to Rome” and “The Queen's Husband,” has undertaken musical comedy writing. He has recently turned over to Vincent Youman, at the latter's request, a piece called “Horseshoes,” which may serve as Durante. It is also possible that it will have among its players Miller and Lyles, the Negro team, and Marion Harris. Ring Lardner has given up maga- zine writing and has gone whole-heart- |edly into writing lyrics for several | musical comedies in which Youman will compose the music. Lardner also announces that he is going to put | some of his own money into the under- After last week it won't be hard to | {will remain over in this land long | a vehicle for Clayton, Jackson and | IN THE SPOTLIGHT Notes of the Stage and Its Peogle. try-out by Willizm A. Brady. Dickins wrote “The Command Performance,” which had a brief engagement early in* the season. Michael Kallesser announces that John F. Hamilton has been engaged to play the leading role in “Rockbound.” a play about Maine fisherfolk, by Mr. Kallesser and Amy Wales. The play is scheduled to open on Broadway the | latter part of this month. Another musical comedy by Herbert | and Dorothy Fields, with music by | Jimmy McHugh, is announced for’ Fail | production by Lew Pields. It will be | entitled “You Can’t Do It.” | Doris Keane will make her first ap- pearance in “The Pirate” in Santa Barbara, Calif., April 12, and will open in Los Angeles two days later. Vernon | Steele and Joan Bennett will be among those in the cast. | ‘The entire civic repertory company, | now playing in New York. will be taken {on the road and after the performance } on Saturday evening, April 20, the house will be dark until next Fall. The company opens in Philadelphia April | 22 with Alla Nazimova and Eva Le Gal- | lienne playing the leading roles. | The premiere of “The Vegetable" | takes place in New York this week. Lee | Strasburg has directed the production and among the players in prominent roles are Eva Saxen, Syd Brenner and Mildred Seplow. Sam H. Harris gave the play a try-out several seasons ago with Ernest Truax in the principal part. Morris Gest has leased the New York Hippodrome for an indefinite period jand his initial presentation will be the | “Passion Play,” played by Germans, and later on the “Miracle.\ David Belasco is associated with Mr. Gest and will direct all rehearsals at the Hippodrome. Beverley Nichols' play, “The Stag.” ;whlch for a while was on the Ziegfeld | production schedules, has now been pro- | duced in London with Reginald Owen in the main role. Its reception by the London critics has been very good and it is expected to run out the season. Lili Hatvini's play, “The Love Duel” | the adaptation of which is to be Ethel | Barrymore's newest vehicle, made its | bow in Berlin last week with Leopardine | Constantine, one of Germany's leading “He sang ‘Laugh, Clown, Laugh.' e, St » | burst of sound had displaced Mr. [ SE oo uant ency word;: spdME, | urkor's own company, . ‘aramount- | o 5 % | [petitor, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, _from | tas Cpie UWOUER Wwith “The Broac: |helr predominant, posiions and had | {iimpi of "all ‘the ‘taikies. and. has | boosted such unhyphenated corpor- | fojlowed it up with “The Trial of Mary | member of their ow 3 e name to American filmgoe: Jenny | Shakespeare Memorial Theater, on the T tone Geat end AumanE. It S | Jugo, last seen here in “The Loves of | banks of the Avon. funds for which fo man is arriving in the city and sug- | Casanov Warwick Ward and Gina |replace the original edifice destroyed by gests that they kidnap him. Mickey | Manes | fire several years ago have been gen- Bennett plays the part of the supposed | The tale reaches a highly dramatic | erously contributed by thousands of deaf and dumb boy, and through his | climax with the failure of a stunt per- | lovers of Shakespeare in this count: n efforts the kidnapers are finally cap- | formed by a circus dare-devil, which in | England and in all other civilized lands. introduces a colorful dance number. | players, in the role in which Miss Bar- Others of the film city’s byways are seen | Cad e | rymore will be seen in New York tomor- before the happy culmination of the, “The Morning After,” by C. Stafford | row night. The author was at the Ber- story as a country estate. | Dickins, will probably be given a Spring | lin premiere. Dennis Connell, local director and of | the National Theater Players, is again directing the Troubadours. James Fleck | is managing director. upheaval caused by the sudden out- | note of sadness in his words. For lhe‘ tured. The picture is full of rapid-fire |reality was filmed with great danger to | action and dialog! with comedy throughout. On the stage, Wesley Eddy takes the Palace Syncopators rough the land of harmony in the Loew-Publix pre- sentation “Fore,” staged by Boris Petroff. This unit 15 replete with gorgeous girls, gags, giggles and golf, | and the following artists appear: Alex | Morrison trick golf shot specialist; Brian Macdonald, tenor; Alina Faye, | singer and dancer; CIliff Crane, a black- face comedian and carinet artist, and | the Albertina Rasch Girls. Added at- tractions include the Fox Movietone News, the M-G-M News, short sub- jects, comedy, Charles Gaige at the organ and the Palace Syncopators un- der Claude Burro | FOX—"Kid Gloves.” | Conrad Nagel, among the first of the “silent” picture stars to score in | the newer field of the “talkie,” heads ending tagged to his love affairs with |“Tales of Hoffman, the cast of “Kid Glove: the screen feature at the Fox this week. Playing | opposite is Lois Wilson. The cast also includes Edward Earle, Edna Murphy, | Maude Turner Gorden, Richard | Cramer, Tommy Dugan and John Davidson. Fred Myton did the story. Robert Lord prepared the scenario and | R Enright directed the picture, ich is a fast-moving underworld | romance with symphonic accompani- | ment, sounds and the voices of the | la: | p‘[‘hc story concerns a society girl | who, because of a slight indiscretion, finds herself taxi-bound in the heat of | a gang street fight. The taxi driver— | after the girl's admirer has fled in| alarm—carries the unconscious bsauty into the home of Lou, a shoplifting | {riend of his, where the three are soon joined by Kid Gloves himself, who Jjauntily hops over the window sill and ! proceeds to help in reviving the) stranger. What follows is promised to be_intensely interesting. For the stage a Spring setting will | enhance the offering of many enter- | taining. stars especially recruited for | the week. Many surprises are prom- | ised in a diversified program. The Fox Orchestra will play the “Slavonic Rhapsody” and Fox Movie- tone News will present world events in | sound and picture. COLUMBIA—“The Broadway Melody.” “The Broadway Melod; Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer's talking, singing and dancing hit, remains at Loew’s Colum- | bia for a second week. This picture | brings to the screen the combination of | a talking picture and a Broadway pro- duction. It takes you behind the scenes and bares the sorrows and joys of those behind the footlights. “The Broadway Melody” concerns & | sister team from small-time vaudeville | who come to New York to show the “main stem” how it should be done. | The older sister, played by Bessie Love, knows one of the principals in a Broad- way production, and he has promised to help them get located. The younger sister, played by Anita Page, falls in love with her sister's boy friend, Charles King. He also finds himself in love with the younger sister., Anita tries to discourage him by going out with other men. The older sister sees the situation and realizes that King loves the younger sister, so she pretends she never cared ‘Ward, who was allotted that role. One | of the largest sets ever used for the | filming of a picture in UFA studios was used for this picture. It was used for | the famcus circus arena in which most | tent entertainment, in that they are permanent affairs and not housed un- | der canvag. There is a large circular | arena in the center and circular bal- | conies are provided for the spectators. | ‘The performers enter from the side and from that point on the show is not u like that which children of every a; ope to see each Springtime. e story was written and directed | by Arthur Robinson, with the aid of | | Robert Leibmann, and is said to be one | of the best hair-raising thrillers of the year, presenting some of the best pho- tography ever to be released from the German studio. A Pagliacci may not have an unhappy | lovely damsels, provided he weaves a | little fairy story in with his own and forgets for the moment to tell the whole | ruth. | Charlie Chaplin in his rollicking farce, “Shoulder Arms.” and a newsreel wili omplete the program. [ RCA Photophone Schedule. | RCA Photophone, Inc., is reported to be rapidly helping to meet the | of the story takes place. European cir- | SWiftly growing demand for sound pic- | cuses differ greatly from the American | tures. RKO Pictures, using the RCA Photo- phone system of sound-on-film record- ing, has “Syncopation,” starring War- ing’s Pennsylvanians, well on the way. In production is the screen version of | Ziegfeld’s “Rio Rita” and the musical comedy “Hit the Deck Pathe, another RCA Photophone licensee, aside from regular editions of the Pathe Sound News Reel, has among its sound productions “Strange Cargo” and “The Godless Girl,” a Cecil B, De Mille picture. In preparation is an am- bitious program of seven two-reel grand operas which will be recorded by RCA Photophone. They include “Pagliacci,” “Cavalleria Rusticana.” “Faust.” “Aida.” ‘Martha” “Carmen.” RCA Photophone has been especially prominent in the short comedy field, having recorded, with others, ‘Whirls and Girls” and Mack Sennett and “Ask Dad"” for Coro- net and Educational. Likes to Be DOLORES DEL RIO likes to be the peasant girl of the movies. H Although one of the most prominent | society girls in all Mexico, since ccm-‘ ing to Hollywood three years ‘EOV Dolores hay found her greatest success playing peasants. “Why:" says Miss Del Rio, “Because | peasant girls are the most interest- ! ing. Every peasant girl has a romantic life, filled with love of nature, love that demands sacrifice and an appreci- ation of the little things that make | life worth while. The society girl may | have more polish, more charm and more attraction to some, but the peas- ant girl must learn the hardships of | life which build fine character and | her experiences are individual and in- teresting. “Last year, while touring Europe,” says the celebrated United Artists star, “knowing I was to play Evangeline, under Mr. Edwin Carewe’s direction, I spent many hours studying and talk- ing with the Norman peasants. I loved their simplicity, their modesty and their sincerity. Many people who wanted to cntertain me were disappointed to find | that I preferred spending my spare time studying the peasants, but I believe we} gain our greatest education from study- ing humanity and sympathizing with | the man or woman who knows what life is really all about, regardless of his or her social station.” Miss Del Rio was the Russian peas- ant, Katusha, in “Resurrection”; the French peasant, Charmaine, in “What ry”; the Indian peasant in end the care-free gypsy in for him and scolds him for allowing her sister to be out with these men. King is happy in the belief that the elder sister never cared for him, and he mar- ries the younger, and the elder, with a new partner, hies to the “sticks” once more. The production is synchronized and the dialogue and songs records are claimed to be flawless. One scene in technicolor shows a Broadway stage production. A Metro Movietone act of the World War, directed by Lionel Barrymore, “Confession”; the Fox Movietone News, the M-G-M News, short subjects and the Columbia Orchestra, under Claude Burrows, round cut the program. METROPOLITAN—"The Divine My."' “The Divine Lady,” the First National Vitaphone production which for the past week has been attracting overflow crowds to the Metropolitan Theater, will be heid over for the second and final week, the engagement positively ending on_Friday. One of the greatest and romantic love stories of history, that of Lady Hamil- ton and Lord Nelson, Britain's naval Next Week's Photoplays. METROPOLITAN—“The Canary Murder Case,” fea- turing Louise Brooks, James Hall, William Powell and Louis John Bartels — a Paramount talking picture. FOX— Victor McLaglen in _“Strong Boy.” PALACE—Ramon Novarro in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer sound picture, “The Flying . Fleet.” EARLE—Clara Bow in “The Wild Party,” a Paramount talking picture. COLUMBIA — “The Broad- way Melody.” % .THE_SHOW WITHOUT EQUAL PaLacE F St. at 15th—Cont. from 11 A. M. NOW PLAYING A Pargmount Picture THE DUMMY RUTH CHATTERTON And a Distinguished Cast 1009% TALKING A Thrilling Melodrama Adapted From the Famous Stage Play. ON THE STAGE WESLEY EDDY Girls, With Gorgeou: i Giggles, “FORE" ADDED ATTRACTIONS FOX MOVIETONE NEWS PALACE CONCERT ORCRESTRA HARRY BORJES. Conductor a Peasant. a girl who is torn from a good home and forced to make her way in the | world alone—a peasant in station and in every gesture. S el 2 Theater Correspondence. '‘HOSE postal cards that are given to New York audiences on which to write what they think of “My Girl Friday” reveal that many people have not their minds on the play. Scandal, tips on the market, love notes and les- sons on conduct vie with such phrases | as “fine show” on the more than 10,000 cards that have been mailed by the | management of the comedy. These comments are closely guarded, and only the little girl in the Gerald Bacon office is permitted to read what | audiences of the night before have writ- ten. Every card is mailed, even when comments are n and one in twenty pens “Great sho There are many cards addressed to the girl ushers of the Republic by mash- ers, who say they could hardly keep| their eyes on the show because the usher stood in the back of the house. “The Woman From. Hell.” Mary As- tor's new Fox picture, will have no dia- logue sequence. It was directed by A. F. Erickson. ——————eee SIDNEY LUST'S HIPPODROME oo 25nSter THGR QRN 6h & C Sts. N.E. NE!HSJIAMP Nl.uuum{sugx'\t!m> WM. CHARLIE CHAPLIN, DOUG. ~ FAIRBANKS Silent pictures only. Pipe i FALEH FORBES, KARL DANE and TULLY MARSE. in_th Amazing Epic of the Klondike Gol Rush, “The Trail of '98” EDDIE CANTOR IN' “THAT PARTY IN PERSON” A 100% TALKING PROGRAM DUMBARTON TV eres A and | “The Old Barn” for| | ations as Fox and Warner Brothers to the top of the heap. ‘The old leaders were insufficiently | |quick on the draw and they soon dis | covered that they must shelve their own |silent films and open their theaters to the noisy products of their lesser rivals. The upheaval is now just about com- | plete. The perforated celluloid industry {has adjusted itself with astounding rapidity to the new order, and it is pos- sible to scan the situation and to see just where the various producers now stand. Strangely enough, the two leaders in the production of talking pictures at the present time are Paaramount-Fa- mous-Lasky and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Although both were extremely tardy in | joining the movietone marathon, they have already atoned for their early hesitancy and are now setting the pace for the rest of the field. Paramount did not see nor hear the | handwriting on the wall (with sound) | until last Summer, when its officials de- | cided, reluctantly and grudgingly. to| experiment with the new devices. They | | reopened their long dormant East Coast | |studio in Astoria and installed therein | Monta Bell as chief of staff. They also | constructed soundproof stages at their | West Coast studio, but these were de- | stroyed by a fire. The first Paramount all-talker, “In- | terference,” was released more than a year after “The Jazz Singer,” and in that year the Warner brothers had managed to sweep the country. Since | “Interference,” the Paramount dialogue | films have improved steadily, as wit- ness, “The Doctor’s Secret,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “The Canary Murder Case,” “The Wild Party” and “The Letter.” Soon to appear are “Gentle- men of the Press,” “The Cocoanuts,” “Nothing But the Truth” and *Close Harmony,” all of which give substan- | tial promise of merit. | _ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was even | | slower than Paramount in conceding | that the movietone has come to stay. It floundered around for months with phoney “sound pictures” (including theme songs) and finally delivered “Alias Jimmie Valentine,” which was neither one thing nor another. I have heard a story of a series of turbulent conferences at the Metro- | Goldwyn-Mayer ~studios last year. | Some of the brains from the New York | offices had gone West to plead with | Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg and | other studio executives on the subject | of talking pictures. Mr. Mayer, it seemed, took no interest in this sub- Ject, and it was only ,after days of | argument that he was finally persuaded | to go and see one of the things. | The show that Mr. Mayer attended | (under protest) included a movietone | recording of Bonelll singing the pro- logue to “Pagliacci.” This impressed |the skeptical observer mightily. He came back to the studio, sold. “It was wonderful! It was marvel- | HELD OVER SECOND BIG WEEK ite loves and hates and esses, speaks with a golden voice to stir your soul! LOEW'S COLUMBIA F St st 12th—Cont. from 10:30 SHOWS AT B2—12:57—3:04—8:14 - 7:25—9:31 iDusln." another smack on the box- | fice bull's-eye. It has two others, ‘The Voice of the City” and “Madame X.” which are said to be big. “The Trial of Mary Dugan,” by the way, reveals Norma Shearer as an extraordinarily capable deliverer of dialogue. The strange fact is that, in this film, she is at a great disadvantage when she is not talking: she engages in over-strenuous gestures and lip- chewing exercises while listening to the words of others, but when she starts to speak she forgets to be self-conscious and gains immeasurably in effective- ness. Aside from some inexcusably in- competent photography, and one or two slow scenes, “The Trial of Mary | gy ugan” is a fine picture and a credit | to_its author-director, Bayard Veiller. While Paramount and Metro-Gold- wyn have been forging to the front, the pioneer Warner brethren have been falling back. They have offered noth- ing of any consequence since ‘“The Singing Fool,” which made its debut six months ago. Fox has made some progress, with In Old Arizona,” “Hearts in Dixie” and “Speakeasy.” Its plans for the future are little short of stupendous. Universal has produced several unim- pressive talkies, heroic attempt to achieve prominence with “Show Boat” and “Broadway.” A great deal is soon to be heard from the formidable new unit, Radio Pic- tures, which is now operating at a furious rate with a remarkable array of talent at is disposal. As to United Artists, this Olympian organization was the last to give in to the talkies. its presiding officer, Joseph M. Schenck, having been steadfast in | his assurance that “they ain’t no sech animule.” There was some dialogue in D. W. Griffith’s “Lady of the Pave- ments,” and there is more in the new Vilma Banky picture, “This Is Heaven, | which rates as a feeble offering. No however, comes the first United Artist all-talker, Mary Pickford in “‘Coquette, and its arrival is certain to create a sensation. That reliable critic, Edwin Schallert of Los Angeles, says “ ‘Coquette’ is con- centrated pathos, climaxing in scenes that will have audiences nearly hysteri- cal,” Mr. Schallert predicts that prac- tically every woman who sees “Coquette” will “be a wreck” for hours afterward. It sounds interesting. (Copyright, 1920.) al said to be outstanding pictures that are to be reissued as sound picture: | author of the book, and the music h: | been written by Willlam Jemison, Ma: | tha Stevens and Daniel Beattie, Jem! | son also is musical director. members of the staff are: Moulton, business manager; Julia Den- ning, dance director; Pern Henninger, stage manager; Margaret Parker, cos- tumer: Kenneth Yearns, publicity; Ed- ward Trilety, advertising. —— His Face on V;cw. | AL JOLSON, now a Warer Bros. star. was accorded the honor of i having his photograph used for the first | demonstration of the newly invented tograph in England. The picture | was broadcast successfully from | Daventry by the device, which claims results similar to those obtained by | television. | Jolson was chosen as the first subject | because of his popularity in England following his appearance in “The Sing- ing Fool.” Historic Accuracy Claimed. ONB point that Edwin Carewe's pro- duction of “Evangeline” is said to | that the Acadians were not deported 5 from Grand Pre, by order of the British crow | Fearing trouble with the French sympathizers, the film points out, the | governor general of Nova Scotia de- ported the Acadians while his sugges- tion of such an idea was on its way to England aboard a slow sailing ship. A presumption of authority resulted in | one of the greatest tragedies of Ameri- can history. Mr. Carewe, it is claimed, has faithfully filmed the event. LITTLE THEATRE THE FILM ARTS | GUILD PRESENTS i THE UFA DRAMA OF | CIRCUS LIFE—“L'OOP- ING THE LOOP” AT THE LITTLE "THE- ATRE, 9th, BET. F & G, ALL THIS WEE K. CONT. 11-11 P.M ADM. TO 12:30—25c. | .In & fascinating romance —intriguing dram: and & strange love born midst the whine of singing missiles of hate! FOX MOVI ETONE NEWS France Pays Homor to Marshal Foch PRESENTED IN PICTURE AND SOUND -FOX GRAND ORCHESTRA LEON BRUSILOFF, Conducting “SLAVONIC RHAPSODY" ON THE STAGE SPRING GAMBOL featuring a greater gathering of stars, including X EARL CARPENTER His Miami Orchestra of 14 HAZEL KIRKE Singing “Blue” Scmps DORIS KANE From “Blossom Time" JOHN IRVING FISHER - 1 Ceremonies A Very Unusual LANE & 0SGOOD 4 Happy P ‘Master of ITA - & Eztraordinary Demeing Star GLORIOUS FOXETTES DAINTY DANCERS DIVINI Ralph Hilton is | Other | Edward | l ‘Goop CONSISTENTLY ENTERTAINMENT Is the Policy of the Stanley Crandall Theaters | HE SINGS : HE TALKS : HE CHARMS | HE'LL MAKE YOU | | | but is making an!emphasize with historical accuracy is' i i | LAUGH AND CRY Talking Picture “Davey Lee,” Aged Four, 1Is the Funniest, Most Lovable Little Boy in the World and the Tiniest Star of the Talking Pictures The Bronson, trude Supporting Cast Edward _Everett Horton, Olmsted, John T. Includes Betty Ger- Murray and Others Who Are Heard As Well As Seen Bring ALL-TALKING COMEDY VITAPHONE CORINNE National With Vitaphone AMBASSADO! the Family to Seeand Hear “Somny RBoy™ Marvelous Synchroniz Orchestral Accompaniment Sound Effects and Singing § “THE DIVINE —ADDED— NEWS EVENTS CONCERT OVERTURE All of Overwhelming Public Demand Forces the Hold-Over for the Final Week This Year's Most Stupendous Spectacle in Sound GRIFFITH In the First Pici ed g o L’rfifi'»‘:{i‘k TR i s 1@"’;‘1 o, IR HIHRER R QTR ::l*:"!:'t"""" | 011 H St. N TODAY and TOMORROW_PHYLLIS HAVER and ALAN HALE in “SAL OF SINGAPORE.” il EMPIRE TODAY and TOMORROW__OHARLES 'ROGERS. RICHARD and W in WINGS" (STRC CHEVY CHASE Seiids. 5e. TODAY afd TOMORROW JEAR and NANGY CARROLL in 'Agm"s COLONY &= Aw & Farragut St TODAY _ and W] ). 1230 C St. N.E. TODAY and TOMORROW—DOLORES COSTELL( ©_and CONRAD NAGEL ING SIN" (SYN- in 535 ath St. 8. TODAY and TOMORROW—PHYLLIS HAVER and ALAN HALE in “SAL —g Avof 14th & Col. R4, N.W. TODAY—EDI UILLAN _TQRAroNon I oA 14th & Park Rd. N.W. TODAY and LO DOI [SYNCHRONIZED). Ga. Ave. & Quebee St. N.W. snd TOMORROW- OLT, (GHARLES ROGERS vl ). TODAY and IRISH