Evening Star Newspaper, September 8, 1929, Page 54

s From the Screen [l News and Comment of the Picture = BY C. E. N interesting story comes from Hollywood regarding the making of talking pic- tures. It is qul;ev natur:l at, the sound film being new, :lgtors and directors were Very nervous with their first tests. There was much discussion as to whether certain voices were suit- able for reproduction, and some of this apprehension was un- necessary. It has been discov- ered that any person who gpeak.s in a natural tone, speaking “from the chest up,” and who enunciates clearly and does not mumble his or her words, has a good record- ing voice. But there are instances where voices do not fit the char- acters portrayed, notably in “heavy” parts. hButythpere is one thing which no sound expert can tell, even when he hears an actor sing or talk. Until the record is played back, there is no knowing just how a voice will reproduce. Near- ly all stage-traine good recording voices. The nvercomihghmtle difficulties. For instance, there is the case of re- lver shots. When these were finst tried in the sound pictures it was found that they caused the needle of the recording machine to jump. Now, the gunpowder is| mixed differently and the shots have a higher tone, although sounding natural. In making scenes for one picture a jazz or- chestra was used, and one par- ticular scene had to be made over several times because a saxa- hene player persisted in tapping | ?\is foot in time to the music. The low tones of that tap sounded "T* like a cannon shot in the midst of the music. In another case| the director heard a low buzzing| throurhout a record. A search behind the studio set revealed an actor asleep and snoring away behind the working stage. | Of course, these are only a few | of the troubles of the directors and their assistants. The sound pictures, coming into being with a jump, found the studios unpre- pared, but great strides have been made within the past few months, and it will not be long until every- thing is running along smoothly. Rk | UNIVERS!TIES and medical so- | cieties are taking up sound pictures for lecture work, and the | first product of this sort was turned cut during the past Sum-; mer at Teachers’ College of Co-| lumbia University. The picture | will be used before gatherings of | public school teachers and admin- istrators. %k * ILM DAILY, which seems to “see all and tell all” that goes | on in the movie world, has issued | its “Directors’ Annual and Pro- duction Guide,” a heavy vclume concerning the men who really #yrn out your photoplays. The bewk is a colorful work, and it tells everything about the direc- tors. For instance, if any one should care to know where and when Cecil B. De Mille was born, the Annual gives him all the in- formation. If you should desire to know something regarding the past life of Ernst Lubitsch, all you have to do is to turn to page soandso, and there ycu are. The Annual is complete, well illus- trated and excellently printed. $nwn THE | | recpening of the Little| Theater reveals splendid cour- age of a business order when one considers events of the past year or so in the movie game. To an- nounce a Fall and Winter pro- gram of silent films in the face of the remarkable popularity of the sound pictures, certainly can be tagged courage, in the opinion of this writer. Of course, one| must consider that the Little The- | ater does not have a great seat- | ing capacity, that it will draw from a certain grcup of photoplay patrons and that it makes a spe- cial appeal. But it may be the| last stand of the silent film in downtown Washington. However, the Film Guild deserves credit for taking a chance * Xk X THE writer of this column has ‘™ been asked on numerous oc- casions concerning the where- abouts of Charles Ray, who was once a leading light of the cinema. Also, what is Ray doing? _And why did he drop so completely from the Kleig lights? Ray is now registering a distinct success as a vaudeville performer DANCING. TUDIO OF DANCING, 517 13th ST. n.w—Bullroom dancing— carefully ~taught; slso stage dancing: strictly pri “flnnen. PEGGY BREIN, Manager. MTBS GIRARDEAU L EGARE, FIVE PRIVATE lessons, §6. single, $125. Fox trot, waltz, shag. ' Beginners 'given _special _attention. 2035'P st. n.w., up one flight. North 0731 9. CARMODY STUDIO North 4522 and e D FARLE . for Met. B persons have| A studio workers are fast|i World NELSON= e in the Southern States. He is offering a song cycle, and his ac- companist is Ray Gold. The for- mer movie star announces that he is studying for a career in musical comedy and light opera under the guidance of Chevolier Alfredo Martino. Ray’s big “flop” in the movies came with his attempt to produce and finance “The Courtship of Miles Standish.” The star wanted to play the leading role in the story of the Pilgrims; he thought | ps it would be one of the very big- gest pictures on record, and he sunk every penny he owned in the venture The “Courtship” turned out to be a weak effort, or, at least, a poor box-office at- traction Ray had gone into debt, and his efforts for the past few years have been toward making a settlement, cleaning up his obli- gatlons and getting back on his eet again, * kK X MONG the new pictures listed for early exhibition in Wash- ton theaters are “The Dance of Life,” scheduled for the Columbia; “Unholy Night,” featuring Dor- othy Sebastian and Ernest Tor- rence, at the Palace, and “The Hollywood Revue.” First reports were to the effect that “The Hol- lywcod Revue” would open the National Theater, but “The Front Page” (not a movie) is now scheduled as the orenlng attrac- tion. Therefore, it is probable that “The Revue,” which contains about 100 stars, will glay either the Palace or Columbia in the near future. * % % ¥ > 'HIS week’'s photoplay fare of- fered to Capital theatergoers is probably the best of the season, up to date. Warner Oland is the featured player in that “Mysteri- ous Dr. Fu Manchu,” Joan Craw- ford comes back to town in “Our Modern Maidens,” Dorothy Mac- kaill plays the star's role in “Hard to Get,” “The Cock-eyed World” is holding over and “Broadway” continues for another week. Al Jolson will sing song after song in “Say It With Songs,” and one may revive his knowledge of early historical matters by seeing, and not hearing, of the troubles of |Joan of Arc. There is a good pic- ture for every night of the week. Story of Anita L:ipierre. SIX years ago & courageous group of French players organized a stock company and came to America to revo- lutfonize the drama in the United States, but somehow Americans have become accustomed to plays done in their native tongue, and although they sympathized whole-heartedly with the spirit of the thing, the venture was not fln;gcmly successful. e group disbanded in Providence, R. I, and Miss Anita La Pierre, the leading actress of the company, was forced to seek employment as person- ality singer of French songs. A few years later she was the most populs entertainer in the Midnight Frolies, foremost Chicago night club. Miss La Pierre is featured here this week In the Palace stage unit, “Creole Nights” a Frank Cambria production, in which she sings her famous “kiss song” in French, but kisses—well, in almost any language. “Kuddling Kuties” Coming, THE Gayety Theater announces “Kuddling Kuties,” a produetion known favorably from coast to coast on the Mutual wheel, for next week. This year's company includes such favorites as “Sugar” Schadd, Inez Real, Melva Senzi, Jeane Williams, Al Golden, Sammy Smith, Max Plelds, Fred Bar- ron and a chorus of good lookers. Un- usually attractive scenes, lighting effects and costumes are promises ————— CAROLINA ___with JOHN STANTON in _“ON_TRIAL." PRINCESS .15, 5 & WILLIAM HAINES in “ALIAS JIMMY VALENTINE." % EDY ‘and NEWS. o oo ALEXANDRIA. VA. RICHMOND ,fexavesrs. va. DAVEY in “BON] Y. - Ditone Al Falking” Burprise. " 'y %105 Pa. Ave- Ph W. JOHNNY HINES, - “CHINATOWN CHARLIE." ‘oday at 3, 5, 7 and Te 9 p.m. EDDIE DOWLING in “The Rainbow Man" (AN-Tall king Sinsine), Also PATHE 419 SOUND {. OD| LIBERTY contint” SRR 1n “THE_DIVINE LADY." UMBARTON 32 RONI and WILLIAM CO] , Jr., in STOLEN NGETHIER T 12 g ancing Group of girls now forming to play professional engagements * | ‘DRAHA'IIC DINAMITE Theres Nothing like £ stalks” > NOW AT POPULAR PRICES - 35 tvening 50° ) NINTH AT GEE. Variety of Attractions in The Capital Playhouses (Continued From First Page.) American “Rhapsody in Blue,” by George Gershwin, The Evening Star Universal Reel, depicting news events from all corners of the world, and many added short features will complete the bill. PALACE—Joan Crawford in “Our Mod- ern Maide: voan Crawford, Metro-Goldwn-Mayer star in her own right, is to be seen at Loew's Palace this week in “Our Mod- ern Maidens,” the sequel to “Our Danc- ing Daughters.” Josephine Lovett, the author of the first story, wrote the scenario for its successor. The sup- m\n( cast is headed by Rod, que, Douglas Falrbanks, jr.; Anita , Edward Nugent, Josephine Dunn and Albert Gran. “Our Modern Maidens” is a synchro- nized sound production of the jazz age. Joan, playing the part of Billle, lmls- ines she is in love with Gil, her child- hood playmate. She tries to help him secure a position in the French legation through the aid of Abbott, who is known as & man not to be trified with. Her method is by leading Abbott to believe she is in love with him. In the mean- time Gil is pursued by Billie's girl friend Kentucky, who finally involves Gil in an episode and he discovers that he really loves her and Billie finds that she loves Abbott. However, neither Gil nor Billie speak, so the wedding takes place and immediately afterward Billie finds that Kentucky and Gil love each other. Shouldering all responsibility and as- suming all blame, she goes off by her- self, tells her friends it is & modern way of honeymooning, goes to Paris and secures a divorce, then Abbott finally comes to her and claims her for his own. The settings are outstanding exam- ples of modern art and the great scenes housing the modern wedding in the midst of pillars, angles, and strange futuristic stairs provide something new in scenic design. On the stage, Al Evans and the Pal- ace Syncopators are presented in “Creole Nights,” a glimpse of New Or- leans and the sunny South. Featured in the cast are Lang and Haley in a sketch called “Who's the Boss.” Three Rolling Stones, California’s Sons of Pep, the Chantal Sisters, two pianists who play as one: Anita La Pierre, Tom Green, singer of Southern songs, and the Dorothea Berke Girls. The sub- sidiary attractions include the M-G-M International News, the Fox Movietone News, short subjects, organ selections and the Palace Orchestra. RIALTO—"Broadway.” “Broadway,” Carl Laemmle's massive Movietone screen version of the sensa- tional play of the stage, holds oyer at the Rialto for another week. The pic- ture reopening the theater with a flare that has not been surpassed locally and has attracted capacity audiences ever since. “Broadway” is one of the most elab- orate singing, talking and dancing pro- ductions which has come out of the studios in this lavish era. The plot of the picture follows the play closely. Two of its actors were in the original play, Thomas E. Jackson as the detective and Paul Porcasl, the night club proprietor. It is a story of gang life, a bootleg- ger's battle, in the setting of the lavish and garish Paradise Night Club. It gives an intimate glimpse of “back- stage” life—the private life of the chorine, her joys, her sorrows, her struggles. Evelyn Brent as Pearl, the avenger of “Scar's” murder, and Thomas Jack- son, the detective, furnish the high mu of the picture when the detective that the bootlegger, Crandall, juicide. Others prominent in the cast are Glenn Tryon, Myrna Kennedy, Otis Harlan, Rgbert Ellis, Porcasi, Leslie Fenton and George Ovey. The night club and some of the scenes are exquisite modernistic set- tings for all of the tricks of photog- raphy. Sequences of the many dancing numbers are shown by the “hoofer.” Roy Lane, and the band of dancing girls in close-up. FOX—"The Cock Eyed World.” ‘Tvo years ago the silent pictures brought forth an outstanding success in “What Price Glory,” with Victor Mc- Laglen and Edmund Lowe as the fea- tured players. Now in the talking pic- NATION 'MON. MATINEES WEDNESDAY AND SAT! FIREWORKS FOR THE OPENIN By BEN HECAT Claude Cooper and Lee Tracy, featured players in the Jed Harris play, “The Front Page,” which opens the National Theater's regular season Monday, Sep- tember 16. tures comes “The Cock Eyed World," roduced also by William Fox and with cLaglen and Lowe again starred. As with “What Price Glory” this newer tale of the battles of t! two Marines in their quest of the “dames” has broken theater records everywhere it has been shown. Naturally it will bs held over another week at the Fox Theater in this city. “The Cock Eyed World" is a story of the Marines, and one reviewer in New York stated, “It makes a bedtime story out of ‘What Price Glory,” for where you laughed when you imagined their dia- logue in the previous picture, you now actually roar when you get a load of the gab of these two battling Marines.” Raoul Walsh directed both pictures; Laurence Stallings and Maxwell An- derson_wrote the stories, and to “The Cock Eyed World” Billy K. Wells added the dialogue. The Fox Theater transcription of the original Roxy prologue will be repeated for the current week, and the musical score will be played for the Fox Or- chestra. A new Fox Movietone News also will be shown. LITTLE THEATER—“Passion of Joan of Are. “The Passion of Joan of Are,” cur- rent at the Little Theater, as the fea- ture of the reopening program of the Washington Film Arts Fliesler, director, is being shown on the 500th anniversary of the trial and death | of the Maid of Orleans. Mile. Faleonetti, a leading mnch{ rets the title role, and the picture, made under the direction of Carl Th. Dreyer, who was logned by UFA to the Boclete Generale de¥ Films for this production, is said to be out- standingly modern and startling in technique. The accompanying music is taken from Verdi's “Giovanni D'Arco,” Paul Pierne's “Jean D'Arc, Une Poeme Sym- phquue' d from the works of Cae- sar Franck, Saint-Saens, Massenet, De- bussy and Ravel. actress, inte: Beginning On the same program is the dramatic cinematization of Edgar Allen Poe's SEPT. 16 RDAY NIGHT OF THE NEW THEATRICAL SEASON 4 CHARLES MacARTHUR. KA N, =n Stsged by GEO. 8. The Uproarious Newspaper F WHICH .‘l COMPLETE—NEW Y0 Headed by LEE TRACY, OS: i SEATS THURSDAY. 50c to $1.50. Nigh Warner Bros. PRICES RK CAST--INTACT D PERKINS, CLAUDE COOPER PRNCES FULLER ts, 50c to $2.50. Wed. Mat., Sat. Mat., 50c to $2.00 the Eyes, 5."’!;:( to Get ‘DororhYu In the Breesy, Snappy First Nationol Vitaphone cowNY Ge. Ave. & Farragut St. TODAY " Al ¥ —RICH. HOME 1280 C St. N.E. TopAYNoRMA SREARER 1y TR ALL-TALKING PICTURE). 14th & Col. R4. N.W. SAVOY "Hh, SRR PICTURE). TIVOLI 9% & Fark RaNW. oM TODAY, AND TOMORRO mlg « SN AR CO! 5 Ga. Ave. & Quebeo SE N.W. . TURE). uild, Joseph R. | novel, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” produced in Rochester by Dr. J. 8. Wi a modernistic manner. picturization of the eruel- ties of nature is shown in the produc- tion “Hidden Death Traps,” and Char- lie Chaplin is seen in a revival of one of his early works, “The Champion.” GAYETY—"Broadway Scandals” (Burlesque). Youth and beauty, wit and melody are promised in the Mutual rlesque attraction, “Broadway Scandals,” at the Gayety Theater on Ninth street. Head- ing the company of burlesque favorites, many of whom have won high place for themselves, is Charles: Wesson, | known as “the Don Barclay of bur- | lesque” becas of his fine comedy | ability. Others who ave featured in- | clude Joan Lee, soubrette, who dances | and sings well, and Joan Collette, an | ingenue, who is described as a genuine | surprise package of unexpected talents. | A long list of special numbers includes | “The Lady of the Web,” “The Garden | of Girls” and “On the Santa Fe Trail.” Contributing to the entertainment also are Charles Cole, tramp comedian; Ray | King, straight 1 Morokopf, juvenile; Alyce Jay, prima donna, and the De Latour sisters in singing and danci numbers, with a chorus said to equal | any others in burlesque. MRS. WILSON-GREENE'S CONCERTS POLI'S THEATER—4:30 p n ll:?-lfl. Philharmonic Course Nov. 26. ROLAND HAYES Celebrated Colored Tenor 6. FRITZ KREISLER 11. OTERO New Cotora 19, ROSA PONSELLE Mar. 19. RACHMANINOFF Artists Course ARGENTINA® Spain’s Greatest Danecer . 13, LUCREZIA BORI BOSTON SYMPHONY e e T i ! A : Feb. 28, BENIAMINO GIGLI" r _Met. Opers, Wilson-Greene Series lists to be A BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA With that mest dymamic of il plianists ducters, ETHEL LEGINSKA , Playing her ewn concerto ID ONE! Greatess Contralto Jan, 25. JASCHA HEIFETZ Feb. 8. ROSA RAISA AND GIA-CO O RIMINI in Derati m LOUISE HOMER rid-Famjous Contralte AND HER DAUGHTERS tickets on sale, Greene's Bu- Droep's, 1300 G _st. Dist. 6493. g s APt o that AR PR T B ot AN i i Say! youn big horse’s neck, lay off the dames long enough for me to tell the folks . Meyer D&\'vig Up and oing EYER DAVIS has renewed his con- M tract and will continue for an- other year as supervising director of the Fox Theater Qrchestra. In consequence, the theater méhagement has announced - | that the orchestra of 40 musicians will continue to maintain its standard and to play an m'}im }:’o‘n’: th_!ntl)rchutn Pit every week, e personnel of the or will remain suhmnuanyn.ih::tm—e:g:a except that Max Zinder has been | chosen as assistant to Conductor Leon Brusiloff, sus’:eding Samuel Korman, :r'iho ’::a‘l;ea lmBacct-pt a contract with e nal Broadcast; Y(}rk lgi!v. ‘ sting Co. of New ncidentally, Meyer Davis also is mak= ing elaborate plans for the reopening of Le Paradis, the Chanticler and the s;;?ee dancing d»mmnum for the ing season and on t| Quming soas n the usual Meyer Glen Echo Closes. 'ONIGHT at 11:30 the 1929 cur- o tain will ring down upon Glen Echo Park, closing a successful season. Today and tonight the fans are expected to | make the most of the opportunity for a farewell ride on those old favorites that | began operations early in May. In- | cluded among them are the coaster dip, | the popular " derby racer, the coaster, the famous old mill, the swiftly fying airplane swing, in short, a half bundred amusements in operation. Glen Echo 18 reached by fast car service along the banks of the Potomac, and the usual prompt schedules will be | maintained. For automobiles arriving along Conduit road there will be found \-:] abundance of parking space avail- able. THE FILM ARTS GUILD has the honor te present AS ITS OPENING PROGRAM '“l'lIE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC” —"the stunning brilliance of Which our 2 r great Al all !l“ THEATER - 9th, Bet. F & G Todsy, 8 to 11 p.m.50¢ CLEAN, PALCE ¥ _ST. at 13th—Cont. from 11:00 NOW PLAYING A Metro-Goldwyn-Msyer Pleture LITTL Speed! . Jazz! Life! Tove! Laughs! Tears! You can't be thrilled if this one doesn’t stir y The sequel to “Our Dancing Daughters.” With ROD 1A ROCQUE DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, Jr. ANITA PAGE JOSEPHINE DUNN —ON THE STAGE— EVANS “The Prince of Good Fellows™ “CREOLE NIGHTS” LOEW’S LUMBI st_12(h—Cont. from 10:45 Now Playing ANGER-MYSTERY THRILLS You li fongcet “The MYSTERIOUS DR.FU MARCHU A Qaramount Pictre et WARNER OLAND NEIL HAMILTON JEAN ARTHUR ALL TALKING ‘THE COCK EYED WORLD’ Raoul Walsh’s greatest Movietone produc- tion is all set to panie: AMUSEMENTS. Detective Steals Play. 'HOMAS E. JACKSON; whose fine work as the detective in Carl Laemmle’'s “Broadway” has been the subject of general comment, made his first appearance on the stage in 1914 in the exquisite Chinese idyll “Yellow Jacket.” Six years as a member of a stock company in Toronto followed a m-.mm, @hakespearean tour, and then role followed role in such theat- record-breakers as rical bond.” “Shipwrecked., “For Goodness Sake!” and many others up to the time he became the original Dan McCorn of the New York stage production, “Broadway.” He played the role throughout the play’s entire run of 91 consecutive weeks. Jackson's act! rank with the est pe: talking pictures to date. Two one-act plays by George Kelly, the playwright who wrote “Craig’s Wife,” “The Torch Bearers,” Show-off” and “Daisy Mayme,” are to be produced for the screen with Vita- phone treatment. They are titled “The Fiattering Word” and “Finders Keep- ers.”- 3 ormances in Other Stage and Screen Notes on Page 12 of this Section. A SPECIAL TRIP A To" INDIAN HEAD Charles ’l-d-:nlnter Today, 2:30 PM. Returning to City About 6:30 A Delightful River Trip on the Historie Potomae Round Trip, 75¢ DAY 2 DAY LEN ECH() AMUSSMENT PARK hugll ALL AMUSEMENTS IN OPERATION UNTIL THE SEASON ENDS AT 11 P. M. TONITE 7 Enjoy a Flight Over the Nation’s Capital In a Seaplane 3 See the Beautiful Potomac —from a new 35-mile-and-hour Gar Wood Speed Boat for $1 SEAPLANE OPERATING FROM 12 NOON TILL 7 P. M. SPEED BOATS OPERAT- ING FROM 12 NOON TILL 12 MIDNIGHT. Seaplane and speed boat ter- minal, Haines Point, just below Potomac Golf Course, across from Naval Air Station and Bolling Field. Distributors for Gar Wood Speed Boats. Nat'l 3626 1716 H St. N.W. GAYETY HOME OF MUTUAL BURLESK Sth St. Bet. “E” & “F"—Phone Nat. “BROADWAY SCANDALS” CHARLES WESSON ' JOAN LEE JOAN COLLETTE 'aul Morokopf—Alyce Jay Charles Cole—Ray Kin, De Latour Sisters A Chorus of Twenty S.:::n‘::;'and Dancing Beauties NEW SHOW AND NEW FACES EVERY WEEK POLI"S—TONJRON NI MATINEES THUR. and SAT. 50c to $2 50c TO $3 The Spanking Girl and Music Success with Sixty !auglu to the Minate / E 03 DORIS VINTON BOB LIVELY HELEN F. MeGUSBION TWINS 12 KELLEY DANCERS COUNT THEM LOU POWERS MAUDE ALLAN ISABELLE VERNON CLARENCE HARVEY 4 MUSICAL DIPLOMATS NO WONDER IT SELLS OUT Song and dance stars in full blast from the New York Ci ino—with a parade of shivering cuties in talcum powder coats. B NEXT WEEK HARRY K. Mail OrdersNow . District of Columbia. THE EARLE—Thirteenth snd E RIALTO—Ninth nesr G northwest. AMBASSADOR-~~Eighteenth and Co- lumbia rosd northwest. APOLLO—624 H street northeast. AVENUE GRAND—645 Pennsylvania avenue southeast. . CENTRAL—Ninth street between D and E. AVALON—Connecticut avenue and McKinley street, D. C. COLONY—Georgia avenue and Far- ragut street. HOME~—1230 C sireet northeast. TIVOLI—Fourteenth and Park road northwest. YORK—Georgia avenue and Quebec street northwest. REPUBLIC—1343 You street north- west. STANTON—515 C street mortheast. HAPPYLAND—-1020 Seventh street northwest. DUNBAR — 1901 Seventh street northwest. BEGINNING SUNDAY, Directly Prior to New York BUSBY BERKELEY, Presents SEPT. 15th THE STREET SINGER MORTON LONG, sr. KELLY ANDREW TOMBES The Year’s Smartest and Snappiest Chorus .—50c, $1.00, $1.50, $2.00, $2.50, $3.00 .-Sat.—50¢, $1.00, $1.50, $2.00 AMERICAN—Roanoke, Va. JEFFERSON—Charlottesville, Va. NEWPORT~—Norfolk, Va, RIALTO—Danville, Va. COLONTAL—Winchester, Va. STRAND—Staunton, Va. BROADWAY—Danville, Va. NEW~—Lexington, Va. MASONIC—Cliften Forge, Va. OLIVER—Crewe, Va. BROADWAY—Hopewell, Va. COLONIAL—Fredericksburg, Va. VIRGINIA—Harrisonburg, Va. REGAL—Urbanna, Va. TOWN HALL-—Tappahannock, Vi 'WEISS—Emporia, Va. . STRAND-—Roanoke, Vs. AUDITORIUM~Onancock, Va. BITZ—Chatham, Va. BEDFORD—Bedford, Va. BOTETOURT—Fincastle, Va. EMPIRE~Saxis, Va, NELSON HALL—Lovingsien, Va. OPERA HOUSE—Bassett, Va. FIELDALE—Fiel@ale, Va.