Evening Star Newspaper, October 6, 1929, Page 80

AMUSEMENTS. THE SUNDAY «STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, OCTOBER 6, 1929—PART 4. The Wovmg Picture cAlbum By Robert E. Sherwood. THE UNHAPPY CZAR. HERE are very few men earning $160,000 a year with whom I wouldn't cheerfully trade jobs. . One of taese few happens to be Gen. Will H. Hays, the grand high exalted bag holder of the movie industry. You will recall that the general was basking in the golden sunshine of the Harding administration when he was called from the cabinet to become the celluloid czar. His job was to pour oil on the troubled waters that appeared in the wake of the Arbuckle case. He was to give church membership to the wayward cinema. A great many unthinking people, hearing of Gen. Hays' enormous new salary, envied him and murmured that he was “in soft.” How wrong they were! For ever since he donned the movie mantle and deposited his first movie check, the gentleman from In- diana has been under the heaviest fire. He has had to contend with intense antagonism from without the picture business, and with base treachery and mutiny from within it. He has been in the uncomfortable position of the warrior who never knows where the next high-explosive shell is coming from. The most recent blasts against the good general have col from the editors of two prominent religious or- gans, the Churchman and the Chris- tian Herald. Three months ago the Churchman charged Gen. Hays with the blame for permitting the “degrading influence of the movies” on our impressionable youth, and even suggested that he was being used as a “smoke screen to mask meretricious methods.” The Christian Herald is even more emphatic. It demands that he abdi- cate from his post as czar of the i dustry. It describes the propaganda that he sends forth as “nauseating and untrue.” It even goes so far as to suggest that he and others in the in- dustry “cloak themselves in pious garb, hide behind the altar and fill their potkets in the name of the church.” Of course, the reason for these hot attacks is that Gen. Hays has per- sistently argued against outside cen- sorship on the ground that the movies, under his benevolent supervision, can be trusted to censor themselves. He has made all sorts of fervent prom- ises to all sorts of reform organiza- tions that the screen would be kept pure. Let it be said for him that he has done his utmost to fulfill these prom- ises. He has battled valiantly for purity in Hollywood. And this is his reward for virtue—to be referred to, in the Churchman, of all places, as a sanctimonious smoke screen. In the meantime police officials in Chicago are barring various all-talking melodramas from theaters in that cil because such pictures might sugges to the local film fans that there is| such a thing in this world as crime. And crowds of men, women and chil- to see and hear the unblushing, rowdy Marines in “The Cockeyed World.” * ok kA N an editorial entitled, “Morals and | the Movies,” the Nation quoted from a speech delivered by Dr. Phyllis Blanchard_of the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic. “I have sat in motion picture the- aters,” raid Dr. Blanchard, “and mar- veled at the unanimity with which | children present reacted on the side of | law and order. When the villain Liy caught and punished, as is always the | case under the policy of those who make American motion pictures, the applause of the children is swiftest and most enthusiastic.” Commenting on this utterance, the Nation says: “Yes, we too, have heard that ap- plause when the slim young lieutenant of the Canadian Northwest Mounted invaded the lonely cabin in Saskatche- wan and yanked the fair Kathleen from the arms of the gent who hadn't shaved for a week. And we agree with Dr. Blanchgrd that such things are not likely to make children delinquent, but we have been concerned with the effect produced upon the minds of the adults in the audience. How can a movie | which satisfies a child of 12 be made morally safe for a man of 35? Thus far the censors have spent all their time | protecting children against adult movies, | they might better protect adults against | childlike movies.” The Nation is perfectly right. But any one who goes regularly to the movie theaters and studies the audiences therein knows' that the Nation's excel- lent suggestion will never be put into effect. For even if there were censorship boards for the protection of adults their efforts would be wasted, for the simple reason that they couldn't find any adults to protect. * ok K K Ve STAGE NOTES HILE the funeral vans from Camn’s storehouse in New ‘York have been carting away the remains of no less than 10 defunct productions in as many days, a sufficient number of new works have come along to take their laces and so maintain the level on roadway. Not all of the pleces re- moved by Mr. Cain, to whom failure in the theater is even mare interesting | than success, were the victims of box office anemia. “Hold Everything,” for example, after playing at the Broad- hurst since October, 1928, is going on the road; "The Camel Through the Necdle's Eye” was taken away to make room for the Guild's first production of the season, “Karl and Anna,” and Mr. Ziegfeld's “Show Girl" was deposed partly in deference to the impending “Bitter Sweet.” Some of the season’s newest _enterprises, however, such as “The Commodore Marries” “A Strong | Man'’s House” and “Hawk Island,” have | folded up their tents in sheer, honut‘ Plnys which opened during the past week were “Candle Light,” with trude Lawrence; “Divided Honor: A Hundred Years Old,” Otis Skinner's vehicle by the Quintaro brothers; “La- dies Leave,” “The Criminal Code” and “Among the Married.” ‘Ten attractions are scheduled to o] in the coming week, namely, the Guild's “Karl and Anna,” Mile. Bourrat, Claude Anet's play, to be done by the Civic Repertory Theater; “Ladies Don't Lie.” from the German of Paul Frank; | “Jenny,” with Jane Cowl; * Youman's I “Great Day’ Lardner and eorge S. Kaufman; “First Mortgage,” ‘“Mile. Modiste, ond of the Victor Herbert revivals House of Fear” and “Her Friend the King,” with Willlam Faversham. “Re- Born,” starring Glenn Hunter, is a pos- sibility. ‘Winthrop Ames, a producer who has been constantly identified with good taste in the theater, in respect bot 'HE newest Fox production, “Married | in Hollywood,” is one of the most | lavish and elaborate offerings that have | come forth since the birth of movie- | tone. It has huge sets, angry mob | ncepes and the type of preposterous | fantic plot that flourished in the | old days of silence. Furthermore, for | all its silliness, it is estimable enter-| tainment, and it reveals in J. Harold | Murray a new all-talking, all-singing movie hero of no mean proportions. “Paris Bound” is a worthy attempt to achieve serious comedy on the vocal screen, but it is not a successful one. It merely proves that light, frothy, semi- whimsical dialogue can never survive the ordeal of microphones, vacuum tubes and magnetic loud speakers. Ann Hard- | ing makes up into an exceptionally at- | tractive heroine, and her voice is far pleasanter and ‘'more substantial than the lines that she is given to speak. In “The Sophomore” is one superb dash of genuine satire, It is the de- iption of a foot ball game by a radio announcer, and no matter what you may think of the earlier reels of the picture, this final highspot is not to dren in all parts of the country are gathering in brawling, boisterous mobs | be missed. (Copyright. 1929.) Thurston C thS Anew. ETURNING from Chicago recently, Howard Thurston threw his maiden effort at play writing into the ring of mystery thrillers and thereby dispelled l]blt of personal mystery anent his own 5ns. p’I'he magician admits that without any urge other than the psychological effect of fl\c Mm"* he has committed & mystery play all his own. It is called | and if this were not enough to stir the goose bumps and | shivers to the surface of a suspecting subject, ‘it is hinted that Thurston will play the principal character in the story. ‘The role is that of a student of the oc- cult and an adept of the savants of the ancient East, who applies his knowledge of the supernatural to the solution of a series of modern crimes that are as It is announced further that where the current puzzlers of modern crimi- nology, a la dramatique, allude to ogres, hobgoblins and ghosts as mere abstract suggestions to affright the soul of the onlooker, Thurston brings demons upon the scene as living entities. They min- gle with his protagonists of flesh and blood, and these wraiths of the super- natural become integral characters in the plot. By employing the lure of a mysteri- ous fragrance he even permits the audi- ence to rub elbows with ghosts who later | are manifested upon the stage and play | a part in the horror annd suspense of | his narrative. It was stated yesterday that the play will enter rehearsal immediately and | goes into New York the latter part of the month, after a brief tryout on the uncanny as they are strangely but really true. road. Stumbled Into Drollery. VIANY and varied are the stories re- lated of Will Rogers, and espe- | cially as to how he came to do his talk- | ing act in vaudeville, which later be- came of widespread interest and enter- tainment. ‘The real truth of the matter is that ‘Will Rogers practically stumbled into it. When he left his native Oklahoma, where he enjoyed a tremendous reputa= tion as a rider and roper, he essayed | vaudeville, and his offering consisted of roping, sans talk. His company included | Buck MeKee and a cow pony. The big punch in the act came near the finale, when Buck rode his steed full tilt at Rogers and Will roped the horse’s legs individually and collectively, wind- ing up by dexterously tying Buck to the pony's off front leg. Will had a clever way of getting out of a jam when he missed the trick, in- tentionally or by design, covering up by | saying, “That's the wrong way: now I'll show you the right way.” This was always good for a laugh. Gradually Will added a few asides | P and eventually began to interject com- | ment anent local and national toplcs | which he gleaped from the press be- tween shows. His witty drolleries soon made him one of the outstanding figures in vaude- ville and later he was induced to join Ziegfeld's Follles, with which he was featured season after season. Rogers plays the role of Pike Peters in his first talking picture, “They Had to See Paris.” _ DANCING. PRIVATE BALLROOM DANCING TAwuH’r in 8 lestons by Miss Joy and Miss Ives at 3 N H. ave. n.w. Phone West 1171-J, for -wmmmen kid = TON STUDIO OF DANCE. AR I L T 1124 Con Phone North DAVISON’ Prot. Mrs 1829 W. C fatul Natlonat s3i1 " fnee at 8. Dancins | lish-speaking stage for 143 years, | company called the King's Men at the “Volpone's" Early Days. THE revival by the New York Thea- ter Guild of Ben Jonson's “Vol- pone,” which is to be the second play of the guild’s subscription season in | Washington, at the National Theater, | beginning the week of October 14, has | marked the completion of a cycle in the history of this comedy that is an inter- esting chronicle in itself and also a barometer of the popular taste since | Jonson and Shakespeare's day. When the guild produced “Volpone” it met instantly with a warm public response in New York, and this same popularity | was repeated last Fall in several cities outside of New York. It is interesting to learn that Jon- son knew his play would be acted long after his death when he wrote it, for he is said to have written a memoran- dum to the effect that “today I laid the plot of my ‘Volpone’ and wrote a good deal of it after a present of 10 dozen of palm sack from my very good |lord treasurer. That play I am posi- tive will last to posterity and be acted \xhen I and envy are friends with ap- atise® - But until this guild production “Vol- pone” had been neglected by the Engt,-s i last recorded production. having been made in London in 1785. Previous to that date “Volpone” had been one of the greatest favorites of all the plays ever written i England. “Volpone” was first played by the Globe Theater, London, in the Winter of 1605, the fourth ph:ce of Jonson's to be presented by the company, of which Shakespeare was a member. For 180 years thereafter it was played many times each season, and the present pop- ularity of the play here in America in- dicates that the comedy has completed a circuit. After its period of neglect it has come back to its cherished place in the hearts of theatergoers. Prof. Homer A. Watt of New York University has explained the period of the neglect of the play on the ground that its caustic humor is of a sort that would only fit Beatrice Coles Studio Tap, Baliroom Dan, 780, Col. Tap Dancing be the feature of '.h! !ntrlcn Colll Studio for the current season. has just returned from New York wheru :lhz studied the very latest in Tap 50“- nes. Hoffman & Hoskins jub, 18th and Col. Rd. N.W. ";'f,?‘"'i" 0% alrorm dancine, Bri . i Stage and ba g Sate Sessons" by appolntment. Call Adams 5388 or_Adams 4769. JOSEPHINE JACKSON. PRIVATE DANC!NG Single lessons, $1; 6 for PYI- 9 to 12 p.m. lllfl 19 PDI 3 Tchermkofi-Gardiner School of Dancing oth smeow Acrobatic, et Caaracter and cing. Children's classes. Adams MAE DAV]SON Mok A =] Toe, Orle) nul. !n‘lluh. . Aero O Heses for children and and evening Evenings, 8 to 11 e Waltz |n¢ st 8t. N.W,, onal 3 CATHERINE BAL'LE Teaching—Spanish, Gypsy, ballet. "foe, character, actobtic! tap, clog, castoneties fimbering, rhythm, in 'class’ or private. Ballroom class dnm fitlrl Tugs, Oct, 10 orchestra._ 1341 Conn. No. ~ CARMODY STUDXO— ticut Ave. North 4522 118 o yom, and Stase Dancing ‘Childrens Classes . an age of satire and cynicism like our own or like the Elizabethan age of the eighteenth century. : POLI'S yand then finally fell back upon the full- STARTING MAT. SAT. ONLY the selection and staging of his plays, has announced that he will retire per- manently from active producing. He gave as his reasons for retiring, after 25 years of theatrical work, his desire to have leisure for traveling and writ- ing. He intimated as well that other factors in his decision were the high costs of producing and the poor quality amatic attractions which prevail today. He believes, however, that the mental caliber of New York audiences | has risen. Among his productions have been “The Merchant of Venice,” with alsworthy's “Escape,” . “Antony and Cleopatra.” School for Scandal,” “Vanity Fair” and “The Blue Bird.” This sea- son he was to have done Robert E. Sherwood's “Marching as to War,” but relinquished his option. Laurette« Taylor, who has given the | American stage many brilliant charac- terizations. is reported to have deter- | mined to make hnrdpfirmanem home in ! the south of Englend, with a concurrent | decision to appear no more on the | stages of the United States. London managers are already necgotiating for her scrvices, offering her a wide va- riety of roles. “Strange Interlude,” O'Neill's prize play, having opened in Quincy, Mass., after a fortnight of fruitless negotia- tions with the Boston censors, found a safe haven in_Quincy. Special trains were run from Boston to take care of the Guild’s 7,000 subscribers, and the many others who wanted to see the play. The London producer of “A Con- necticut Yankee,” which has held the stage at the National this past week, was considerably perplexed as to what to call the play in England. since the mere title “A Connecticut Yankee" would have no special significance for British patrons. First he tried “Sandy length title, “A Connecticut Yankee in | the Court of King Arthur,” to the great delight of the electric slgn company, No Longer “Darkest." ARKEST Africa, the land of savages and cannibals, is rapidly vanishing. The real primitive life is found only on the reservations set aside by the government for the use of the natives. What was the jungle five years ago is today a model plantation of sisal hemp. Vast stretches of land have been irrigated and the natives have found profitable employment in the sisal mills. From the motion pic- tures showing wild animal Jife in Africa, one thinks that el zebras and the like the land. Instcad, you may ride for hundreds of miles on the Uganda Rail- road without sceing so much as a rab- bit, on one side of the track, while on the other side you'll see herds of ani- mals of all descriptions. Why? On that side of the track stretches the game reserve founded by the British in Africa, and the animals plainly show by their behavior that they feel secure, Five Cooks {or This Broth. AVING contracted a feverish yen for absolute authenticity of detail in the production of Gary Cooper's first starring picture, “Medals,” Paramount has assigned five technical directors to assist Richard Wallace in bland trust- fulness that too many cooks will not spoil the broth. Wartime London and the trenches of Flanders are the background for the story, and a supervisor is to keep his eagle eye on each major phase of the picture, Bertram Johns, former English actor, is in charge of the wardrobe of the Cockney characters employed in the London sequence. Frank Terry, actor, scenario writer and former music hall performer in London, will advise on the big music hall sequence. Lieut. Col. McDonnell, formerly of the Canadian Princess Pats, will assist in making the war scenes. “Sailor Boy” Vincent, ex-welterweight champion of the United States, has charge of the rough-and-tumble battle which occurs between soldiers and sail- ors in the public house episode. Billy Brighton, finally, who fought through the war as a member of the “Canadian Black Watch,” will make certain that Cooper’s uniform and mili- tary procedure will be correct. If Gary goes wrong this time it's his own fauit. TONIGHT NIGHTS—50c to $3.00 SAT. MAT.—50c to $2.00 Fastest, Peppiest Show o’ the Year! IN A FAMILIAR ROLE GEORGE ARLISS, Suave and sinister, during the filming of his stage success, “The Green Goddess.” The ph‘lure v.lll be an all- mlkln‘ affair with many (hrllll. Chronicle of a Success "THE history of the tribulations and| provided the Guild with enough of a triumphs of the New York Theater | treasury to start a second time, which Guild, which opens its first Washing- | proved to be another precarious one. ton subscription season at the National| With three successes in the third sea- tomorrow evening, is one of the most |son, the Guild won permanent estab- interesting records of theatrical enter- | lishment, with financial solidity and | prises existing, not alone in the Amer- | prestige, both among_theatergoers and | ican theater, but internationally as well. | theater 'managers. Through that and Having its genesis in the Washington ' succeeding seasons the subscription list | Square Players a little over 10 years| grew steadily, providing the Guild with |ago, the Guild project itself was in-|the assurance of patronzge and fur itiated with Lawrence Langner. The and rendering it independent of box- | first performance was Jacinto Bena- | office considerations. | vente's “Bonds of Interest | “Today the Theater Guild has over | the argot of the 40s, was a “cold flop” 30,000 subscribers in New York and is | and lost what small funds the embry- | fast winning twice that number in the | onic organization had assembled. cities embraced by its Nation-wide | Amid gloomy predictions and with | tours. It has registered unprecedented borrowed money, the group went on|successes in New York proper with the and next produced St. John Ervine's | production of new plays of both Ameri- “John Ferguson,” which, by virtue of | can and foreign authorship, and “Ca- the fact that it was the only show to|price” was shown to great acclaim in play through the actors’ strike of 1919, London during the Summer just past. Film Air Hazards. talities that have|more than three feet. and he was trav- ming of spcco.acular |eling at well over 100 miles an hour. “The actual airplane crashes in the icture presented a different problem. I‘H'EJ occasional fa marked the film! stunts for motion pictures in the past have frequently given rise to nzflfllh)n for the discontinuance of such evaodes‘ as_foolhardy. ‘The hue and cry, however, is unwar- ranted, in the opinion of John G. Bly- | | cautions beforehand. t would have been impracticable to re- hearse them, but we took elaborate pre- Among other things, Garrick's cockpit was reinforced with special bracing, the interior was stone, Fox director. Blystone believes the element of danger can virtually be eliminated by the exercise of care in preparation and rehearsal. heavily padded and several safety straps were used instead of one. As a result, although thi‘z'loungsur smashed several Blystone, although he has built up |Planes to kindling, he wasn't even something of a reputation as a con- triver of spectacularly dangerous stunts, has not a single accident to mar his record. “If a stunt is properly planned and rehearsed and every one knows pre- | cisely what he is going to do, there is very little denger,” Blystone says. “It is all a matter of careful preparation. “As an example of stunt preparation, one of the opening shots of the picture I am working on now shows Helen Chandler running across a landing field | just as John Garrick, who plays the title role, brings his ship down. The scene had to be laid out to convey the | impression that Miss Chandler had a | very narrow escape from death, “We rehearsed the sequence time and again, using a cardboard dummy drawn across the field by a rope at just the speed of Miss Chandler's run, while Garrick, a licensed pilot in real life, practiced his landing until he had it down perfectly. In the actual filming Garrick didn't miss Miss Chandler by That Alluring Voice. F the hunfireds of voices he has heard on the screen, only a very, few have “it,” according to E. H. Grif- fith, director of Ann Harding in “Paris Bound.” In Miss Harding's case, the story goes, it was that rare quality of vocal seduc- tiveness which was largely responsible for her winning a fat contract in pic- tures. The method of imparting sex appeal | to the vocal equipment is as yet un- revealed. Too strongly stressed, it bor- | ders, authorities state, upon that em- barrassing quality of “ogling,” which does_more to destroy love than excite it. But in dulcet moderation it defles resistance. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio staff. min LEE AND T. Arthur Smith GERMAN GRAND OPERA COMPANY By arrangement with 8, Hurek N. Y.), Managing Director. Wagner-Mozart Series 0, Flying Dutchman 0, Walkure or Got- -dammerung Cholce of Subscribers Jan. 10, 8:30, Don Juan (Mozart) Jan. 14, 2:30, Tristan and Isolde Season Tickets—$20, $15, $13, $10, 87, 85 T. Arthor 'l“?m Bureau. 1330 G St. - e : ner L. Kitt Musle Co. PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA Series of Four Concerts Tuesday, 4:30, Constitution Hall Nov. 5, Dec. 10, Jan. 21 Feb. 18 Mr. Stol i and Mr. Gabrilowitseh Will Conduct Two Coneerts Each Gesson Ticksio—g11, § 3 Smith T A omer L. I’IIIlHAIlMOlIG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA of New York Three Coneerts—Tuesday Constitution Hall Jan. 7, Jan. 28, Mar. 4 Conductors WILLEM MENGELBERG—ARTURO TOSCANINI—BERNADINO MOLINARI Season Tickets—89, $7.50, 85, $3.75. 83 AL Homer B, RIS e Tnmqrrow Washington eat v and Native AYH v MIDDL By lan Hay British: enst 5¢h and con and - p 3 direet from the ALFRED WELLESLEY — DODO istically staged, (lhlnfl- m»—.‘vg“.u.u- Direct from Hollywood comes this newest pose of the star Norma Shearer and her vaseful of dog. The pup, by the way, is SHUBERT LASC LONDON'S REIGNING * fucting ¢omp In Capital Theaters ___ (Continued From First Pag: | Lightner, though sans previous screen | background, had stage presence and clowning gifts that recommended her to pictures. ‘The vitlphone version, it is sald, fol- lows with fidelity the dialogue of the Avery Hopwood play as produced on | Broadway by Belasco. With a cast of vaudeville and musical revue hea liners, songs and tunes out of the ordi nary, and a chorus of 100, it is felt to be & melodic and colorful presentation. Al Dubin and Joe Burke are responsible for the seven songs that run through the performance. LITTLE THEATER—“Secrets of Nature.” “Secrets of Nature” is the current feature at the Little Theater. This picture consists of a series of the best Ufa subjects, with scenes from the hid- den life of animals, birds, fishes and reptiles; the camera in each case hav- ing been mahipulated by adventurous and sclentific explorers using a new microscopic photography which permits the most minute forms of animal life to be shown on the screen. The wiles of the caterplllars, ants, birds and fish | and their efforts to evade their enemies and capture food are shown. The inti- mate life of the Tittle-back fish and the Caddis fly-larva is revealed. The pic- ture is of feature length and reveals the myriad forms of plant and animal life that make up this planet. Robert Florey's modernistic screen experiment, “Loves of Zero,” Charles Chaplin in “The Count,” newsreels and the Little Theater trio complete the program. COLUMBIA—“The Hollywood Revue.” “The Hollywood Revue,” which has just opened at Loew’s Columbia, is de- scribed by the press agent in circus jar- gon as “the greatest array of talent ever fatherea in one picture.” Over 25 stars rom stage, screen, radio and opera and a chorus of 200 appear in the Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer talking, singing and dancing revue. PALACE—"His Glorious Night” John Gilbert in “His Glorious Night” is ‘the center of attraction at Loew’ Palace this week. The film is a Metro- Goidwyn-Mayer talking production and the first of that type in which Gilbert has appeared. The picture is an adaptation of Molnar's stage success, “Olympa.” Columbia Players Busy. HAVING met Thursday evening for the purpose of electing a board of governors and officers, and with the important object of applying for incor- poration under the laws of the Dis- trict of Columbia, the Columbia Play- ers, one of the city's most accomplished ' and ambitious amateur groups, face an interesting and busy season. i With a gratifying memory of last ! season’s successful presentation of “Ten Nights in a Barroom,” the players will | pursue the colorful course of revivals, and as their first production of the new theatrical year will offer “Not Guilty,” by Watts Phillips, a play as replete with villany and thrills as any one could want.” “Not Guilty” was first bestowed upon a palpitant public by Henry Irving at the Queen’s Theater in London, in 1869. Convicts, murder, mutiny, Indian perfidy and true lovers tint the work with alternate blood and blushes in the exact fashion that we ali know happens in real life—upon the stage. The local presentation will be made some time before Thanksgiving. Among the prominent players in the plece will be George Ocell and H. R. PBaukhage, in the villain and comedy leads, respectivel, both of whom achieved such decisive triumph in “Ten Nights in a Barroom”: Aurora Poston, director of the Columbia Players, will have the woman's comedy lead, and Grace Meyer will play the leading “heavv.” Joe Bourne and Charles Chase | have important roles, too. An unusually interesting feature of the Columbia group’s plans is the inau- guration of a workshop, or laboratory, theater for the training of new players. The players announce with befitting modesty that after Thanksgiving they are "open to engagements"—strictly the youngest member of the Monday AMUSEME NTS. Concessions to Lenore. CERTAIN rules, regulations and un- written laws which have been ac- cepted as suited to all stars playing in audible films were discovered to have been inadaptable to enveloping the character, voice and physical qualities of Lenore Ulric, making her talkie de- but under the direction of Allen Dwan. In some respects, it is also disclosed, Miss Ulrlc proved herself inadaptable to the talkie dogmas which had proved effective with other recruits from the stage. ‘The Ulric voice, for one thing, was found to be unlike other voices and re- quired a differently arranged sound equipment. The husky tones which had stirred ‘theatergoers from many stages would record with a slight rasping sound, it was discovered, unless new methods were applied. Sound men worked feverishly to evolve new angles | for the microphone, new toning tol catch the vibrations of the player's voice, and finally succeeded, to such ef- fect, 'in_fact, that somebody wrote a song called “The Right Kind of Man” for the lady’s role. Among the violations of established practice in which Miss Ulric was in- dulged were that she was allowed to fix her own costumes for appearance - on the set and was allowed to arrange, or disarrange, her coiffure with aban- don, “running a comb,” the press agent says, “through the wavy, raven tresses which are hers by right of nature.” In one thing. howeVer, Miss Ulric bowed to rule—that was in the matter of make-up. The gentleman who applied the grease paint, mascara, rouge and fmwdcr ‘delightedly admits that nev in his entire movie work has he made up a face which lends itself to planes, shadings and lights as does the physi- ognomy 2nd Lenore Ulrie.” JOHN McCORMACK, while he be- lieves the talkies are to be '.he’ greatest medium of entertainment in | the future, declines to agree with some | of his musical conferes that the fiims | will ever cause the disappearance of the | concert or opera. Each flls a special need, he maintains, and there is room for all. The Trish tenor is presently engaged in making an audible picture for Fox in | Ireland, under the direction of Frank | Borzage. The story is that of a simple boy of the Irish countryside who strug- [ gles to greatness as a singer. “I want the film first and foremost to | bring Ireland to her rightful place on | the screen,” McCormack said. “Unfor- tunately, in the past every effort to de- | pict Ireland or Irishmen on the screen has been unworthy of us. In the story I | have in mind I would like some flash- | backs showing the parallel between the singer of today and the singer of the bardic tradition. In those scenes we' should depict much of the splendor and | pegeantry of ancient Ireland. We want | to show the cinema-going world that | | Unusual Screen Notes. | HE voice of Nick de Ruiz, a lyrie | tenor, who sang in the Metropoli- tan Opera Co.’s first offering, “Lucia di Lammermoor,” in 1889, is heard, 40 years later, in Radio Pk‘turcs musical extravaganza, “Rio Rita. Maj. S. Shibata of the general staft of the Japanese army, having made the | trip from Tokio to Los Angeles on the | Graf Zeppelin, was commissioned by | the prince of Japan to buy for him | some” special golf" sticks while on the | Coast. 'Keith Weeks, a movie official, took Maj. Shibata around and helped | him to make the all-tmportant pur- chase. | John V. A. Weaver, well known 8s poet, novelist and playwright, acted as co-adapter for Paramount of a_story, | “Pointed Heels,” written by Charles | Brackett, drama ednor of the New | Yorier. | Among the morsels that Paramount sends out for avid fans are the follow- ing: Clara Bow is a good athlete, but not an expert. She likes hiking, swim- ming and horseback riding. She dances well and can drive any make of auto- ‘mobile. Nancy Carroll is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 118 pounds, has red hair and | blue eyes. Charles Rogers, on the con- | trary, o0 to speak, is 6 feet tall, weighs 175 pounds and has black hair and | brown eyes. | Helen Morgan was born in Danville, 1IL, home of the late “Uncle Joe” Can- | non. Clive Brook was born in London. | Paul Lukas was born in Hungary. Other people were born other places. | 'J'I directors reveals that four of the most prominent have either studied ér prac- ticed a profession of engineering. They are William K. Howard, a graduate of Ohio State: Allan Dwan, who took his degree at Notre Dame; John Blystone, an alumnus of the University of Wis- consin, and Alfred Santell, who prac- ticed architecture in Santa Barbara. Their technical training is said to have | served them well in meeting the prob- | lems of movie-making. g | Emphasizing the fact that blondes are still preferred in Hollywood, Monte | | Brice, director, avers that “they pos- | sess the quality of looking neat and | clean.” and that “they no longer tvpify | simplicity and dumbness.” Blond vamps now lead in box office popular- | ity, Brice says. Despite the contention of fans that too many actors with poor voices are chanting songs from the audible screen. | Robert Armstrong, who “sings love songs in a most convincing way, regard- | less of the fact that he has never| studied music,” holds that “you donl need a good voice to sing in pictures” | (already an obvious fact). “The mike | is nothing to be afraid of,” Armstrong | continues; “it just wants us to be our- selves.” Nice little mike! Henry King is making in Florida | what is said to be the first talking pic- ture ever produced entirely “on loca- tion"—that is, outside of the studio proper. It is “Hell Harbor,” featuring Lupe Velez and Jean Hersholt. One hundred and fifteen movie the- | aters are operated by the United States Army at_posts in this country, Hawaii and the Philippines 1 GAYETY TIIEA'I'EII Matinee Every Day MUTUAL BURLESK PHONE DISTRICT 9324 o J. 3. SHUBERT Mats, at 2:30 i15% Sat., ua'-u Beautiful Presenting the Foremost Foreign and_Attractions of the Speaking Stage Arch Selwyn and Charles B. Cochran (By Arrangement with Basi Present Prior to the Ne: A _ROMANCY OF NAVY LIFE Foster* and Tom Miller) York Opening E WATCH SUFCES f Ame the HA”SBUNY THEATRE lete avricer 'in Rin o the kray London Cast Includes FRED KERR—ROBERT MAWDESLEY—JOHN BOYNE ROWE WATTS—RUTH ABBOTT ANNIE ESMOND—GEORGE CARR—ARTHUR MAYRE MICHAEL SHEPLEY AND OTHERS A_jolly, breezy affair of Frills 3 Lavish with Laughter, Girls, Captains and Admirals. admirably British acted. NEXT WEEK MAIL ORDERS NOW SEATS THUR. LIONEL ATWILL ». ‘i “STRIPPED” vmi Jane E 9 o e s Cowl of “Smilin’ Thea' en’ Mal” d Fun in a crui And a Cast of leworthy Eminence 224, “Lilnc Time') i .l_&ulfl-. 50c to §2.00 A perfunctory survey of Fox Films | All for Ireland. Ireland has something more than men with red whiskers and pipes in their hats and endowed with a strange kind of wit.” The tenor also hopes to record native Irish types and accents to pres- ent, “instead of some of the terrible | brogue invented for us in Hollywood.” McCormack vows that he is “throw- ing his best into this film,” and that it | is going to be either a great supcess or a great failure. “There is no via media in an undertaking of this kind,” he concludes. — Gilbert Miller, having announced 10 months ago that the cost of trying out productions in this country was pro- hibitively great and that he would con- sequently test all his productions in England (he even waved a sad, dignified good-by from a transatlantic grey- hound), is none the less the sponsor of now in New York, “Candle Hundred Years Old” and “Journs End” with “Berkeley Square in November. ““Journey’s End,” incidentally, having opened in’ Berlin, is now being done in French in Paris, under the title of “Le nd Voyage. WHEN IN NEW YORK See the Bigger Comedy Success Brock_Pembrrion’s Strictly Dishonorable By Preston Sturges Stag Antoinette Perry'and Mr. Pemberton THEAT way National Forum Jewish Community Center Beginning October 30 Bertrand Russell, Count Tolstoy, Dr. Morr: Fishbein, Jacob Ben- Ami, Kreymborg Puppeteers and Others Eight Numbers— $6.00 All orchestra seats Open to the Public Tickets nov' on sale. Call Decatur 1521 § == | MRS. WILSON-GREENE’S CONCERTS, 1929-30 POLL'S THEATER-—4:30 FF OURSE VEADIMIR HOROWITZ “Grea! the Rising . . 38 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WILSON-GREENE COURSE £ala performance. A Dopular-priced series of gester tot The Fiane of "to- BOSTON WOMEN'S SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA With the most dvnamic of all women pianisf conductors E E LEGINSKA her_own_eonr. Jan. W "SICRID ONEGIN Jan. 25. JASCHA HEIFETZ Feb. 8. RAISA AND RIMINI Leading Soprano and Baryto Chicago Opera, in an operatic Mar. 8. Louise R World-Famous Contraite ¢ AND HER DAUGHTERS ean, concert courses. Mrs. Bury Brooss. 1300 G st." District 403, THE THEATRE GUILD OF NEW YORK Presents THE THEATRE GUILD ACTING COMPANY In the First Product] m of the First Washington Subscrij fon Season. EUGENE O’NEILL’S Satiric Comedy MARCO MILLIONS Staged by Rouben Mamoulian and Costum Wi Setti EARLE LARIMORE, SYLVIA FIELD, by Lee Simonson. th HENRY TRAVERS, ERNEST COSSART, SYDNEY GREEN- STREET, HELEN TILDE N, ALBERT VAN DEK- KER, LOUIS VEDA, TERESA GUERINI and others. Company of 65 NEXT WEEK BEG. MONDAY 3§ reh., $3.00; Bal., §2.50.'52.00 ln onl.. 300, Bal. 2. THE THEATRE Original Production EATS | 1L ORDE! Now An.ao: .00, We 90, 31.50' & $1.00 XI.AI?‘I n" e GIII.D OF NEW YORK THE THEATRE Glll.ll AGTIIG COMPANY In the Sccond Production of the First Washington Subscription Seasen. BEN JONSON’S il VOLPONE Stefan Zwele Adapted LARIOUS CGMEDY THE FOX A DIVERTING FARCE ABOUf--MONEY} 'WEEK OF OCT. 21st “R. U. R” it s the N. Guild Mtfi.