Evening Star Newspaper, January 5, 1930, Page 55

. Theater, Screen and Music Part 4—14 Pages DUNCAN and LAWRENCE GRAY- In" 1t$ AGreatLife" AMUSEMENT SECTION he Sunday Star. WASHINGTON, D. C, AYMOND HATTON and FRED KOHLER- /7 Y Hell's Heroes” s /Fo . Vanishing Ghost Precedesl ; Great Revivals. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Taking advantage of the dark-| ness just before the dramatic dawn in Washington, “Trevelyn's Ghost” slipped into the National | Theater for a demonstration, which, so far as any robust ex- | pectations of fun are concerned, | proved, indeed, spectral. | * % ¥ % It did not amass holiday crowds ! in the auditorium, but proved a| literary seance of a very exclusive character. In fact, so few people | saw it that it may be considered | new material worthy of descrip- tive comment, for the sake of a certain intrinsic interest which attaches to carefully calculated effort which does not find the than at the present time. The | author, Dwight L. Taylor, is a| youth in the playhouse, though one strongly and naturally in| close touch with the ways of | players and playmaking. He is| the son of Laurette Taylor, whose | name is of itself calculated to in- | spire much well wishing. Al-! though scarcely beyond the quar- | ter-century mark in actual years, | this new author indicates clearly | a possession of much knowledge | in craftsmanship, even though not ready to apply it with posi- tive skill in the quest of audacious novelty. It has often been said, though but seldom believed, that farce public correctly tuned in. It is|requires the keenest sense of 1un‘ another of those specimens which |on the part of the actor and the invite analysis as to cause and ef- \Most competent interpretation. fect when a delicate synthesis of It is a sort of mental and tem- ideas is attempted without at- | taining popular recognition—a | noble exgeriment which gets no| further than a faint explosion in | a secluded corner of the artistic laboratory. | * * % % “Trevelyn's Ghost,” as revealed by the plot, is in reality no ghost at all, but a human being inspired; by entirely mundane motives to simulate 2 supernatural charac- ter; somewhat after the manner | of the ghost in “Chimes of Nor- | mandy.”" Described in the an- | nouncement as a farce comedy, it is even more farce than comedy in its material, although much | less than either; as it offers itself | as a completed product. Its plot| changes key as often as the Flor- | odora Sextette, though it is not s0 well modulated from one step | of interest to another. In one scene, it is a play something like “The Bat,” introducing some demonstration which might prove scary, if the “ghost” had not taken pains to explain all care- fully before hand, thus running no more risk of frightening the ladies than the player in “Mid- | summer Night's Dream” who pro- | tested that he would eoo as gently | as a sucking dove. There are moments of society comedy and a dash of the finan-| cial drama which figures on| leases and options in terms of shrewd machination. The play is cast for a society comedy, with none of the comic emphasis, even | 80 far as make-up is concerned, that is requisite for farce. A Charles Hoyt might have taken| the story and wrung from it many rounds of compelling laughter,. but even a Frederick Lonsdale ! could not have made it a sustain- m{ substructure for scintillant wit * % % ¥ why a dramatic venture which, | even in manuscript, must have | Cisclosed itself as precarious| should find exploitation. The fact that it was sponsored by A. L. Erlanger and George C. Tyler is reason enough. The experienced “ ¢ man of the stage has had forced upon him the realization that an unlimited supply of drama cannot be depended on in completed form. The manager cannot go on forever revising the classics, and the problem of developing new 3 WAS pever more urgent | bility, since the history of ghosts, | Iint.o April is now expected by the | National Curlosity inevitably arises as to4spondence is already under way peramental calisthenics. Its tricks, it attempted at all, must be most cleverly done. In all the cast of well poised drawing room figures, it was Geoffrey Kerr, a veteran of many seasons’ experience, one who has played romantic as well as character parts, to give the‘T demonstration that made the scene seem comfortable and con- | vincing during the brief periods | that permitted him to hold it in | his own way. 1‘ The National Theater's an-| nouncements include for the near future such names as George M. Cohan, Ed Wynn and Otis Skin. ner, each in'a characteristic ca- pacity such as to invite popular interest. Of course, all this is| printed in the regular announce- | ment spaces of the National pro-‘ gram. Unfortunately, however, the program of last week was ex- | ceedingly limited in circulation. That this ghost will reappear | frorg *we> to time, as all ghosts| do, ™dy be accepted as a proba- | whether seriously presented, or assumed on lines of human mas- | querade, like mortal history, re- | peats itself. This ghost is limited to a brief career, for it was laid to permanent rest at the end of | last night’s performance. * % ok % i In contrast to suggestion or‘ gloomy weirdness, a plain straight- | forward study in human conten- | tion, brain against brain, will be | restored to . the footlights, and | “Sherlock Holmes,” in the person |of William Gillette. Gillette will | face large audiences. This is made | evident by the early demand for | seats, which, if it is maintained, will call for twe matinees in the week, where only one was sched- uled. A season extending along Theater, and corre- in negotiation for the personnel of a company which is confident- ly announced, even at this early date, as likely to be one of the best _ever assembled in this city. Other tHeaters will not be de- serted, and electric lights will blaze in serene dignity, not for man grand opera and the classic dance. The taste is for revivals on a gand scale, and there are | the risin, VICTOR MCLAGLEN- In* Hot for Paris” > 4 Screen's First Actress. HE honor of being the first woman ever photographed by a motion pic- ture camera, it appears, may belong to Cissy Fitzgerald, character actress, who appears with Billie Dove in “The Paint- ed Angels,” now at the Earle Theater. Thirty-five years ago, when Miss Fitz- gerald was acting for Charles Frohman, g inventor, Thomas A, Edison, invited her to come to his laboratory to be photographed by his newly buiit moving picture camera. The actress did a dance from one of the current musical comedies, and Edison captured it on the film, recording the first wom- an's face on moving negative. Miss Fitzgerald is thus the film actress with the longest motion picture record in the world. She has played hundreds of roles since she began devoting all her time to pictures. Her daughter, who recently arrived from England, is playing a small role in | “The Painted Angel.” Billie Dove appears as a cabaret hostess, an unusual role for this beau- tiful actress. SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY BEBRE LLoY \"LoveCormes Along” \WiLLIAM GILLETTE and JOHN MILTERN-/# W\ Sherlock Holmes” Nstional BARRYMORE -/7 . meShowof Shows”, /Vefropo//fa/z { CHurBY DRISDALE- fif/ze Ga)/e'/y The Stage "THIS has been a peculiar season of | drama in New York. Of the Broad- | way productions, one hundred and one have either gone to the store house o | left the metropolis for smaller and less | discriminating fields. Producers admit that the road is in a worse condition | than ever before, with only one organ- ization obtaining more than an_even |break. This is the Theater Guild. Ethel Barrymore, as an individual star, has met success. However, Broadway managers are making rather elaborate preparations for the remainder of the season. It is estimated that at least 70 productions are in the process of making for New York introductions. William A. Brady announces that he will soon have two more companies playing “Street Scene.” One of the companies will be for the much-delayed London premiere, and the other will go to the Pacific Coast. John Golden is producing a new play tentatively titled “Ditches and Dreatns, » and George Jessel is reported to have a 40 per cent interest in the venture. Allan Mowbray and Mary Blair have been selected for the cast, Gilbert Miller has relinquished the management of Otis Skinner with the withdrawal of “A Hundred Years” from the road. However, the star will reopen the show himself, with a transconti- nental tour in prospect. New Tune Factory HEN the motion picture developed a voice and became a medium for the expression of music, it accomplished another remarkable thing. It set per- sons to humming and whistling when, previously, they hadn't thought of doing either. The motivating thing back of this observation was realization of the fact that any one heard whistling or hum- ming today—nine times out of ten—is whistling or humming something from a talking picture. And this, you might say, with the talking picture just about one year old. Of 10 popular songs of 1929 played last week by the Symphony Orchestra at the Earle Theater, and selected as the oustanding hits of the year, six were from talking pictures. Only one was genuinely a product of Broadway, which in the old days furnished vir- tually all the tunes for whistling pur- poses. “That Precious Little Thing Called Love” was from the picture “Shop- | worn Angel.” “Wedding of the Painted the current drama, but for Ger-| Doll” was from the first of the big talking-singing pictures, “Broadway Melody.” “Pagan Love Song from Ramon Novarro's “The Pagan.” Next on the list is “I'll Always Be in Love no revivals more imposing in quality and honored in tradition than such as these. P s cnonisamsson. - ot i A - With You,” from “Syncopation.” The tuneful “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” was from “Gold Diggers of Broadway.” And “Singin’ in the Rain” was from “Hollywood Revue.” The one from Broadway was “Moanin’ Low,” from the stage revue “Little Show.” One of the nthers was & Rudy Vallee song, “Deep Night.” The remaining were “I'll Get by as Long as I Have You” and “Honey," neither from any show. Bebe a Real Actress. THA’I‘ the histrionic fire burning with- in Miss Bebe Daniels is not to be extinguished by the “talkies” but is rather taking a new life force i de- clared in her latest picture “Love Comes Along,” now at Keith's Theater. Few players have had a more varied career than Miss Daniels. A graduate |of the long since departed Mack Sen- nett comedy, later supporting Rudolph Valentino in “Monsieur Beaucaire,” of recent years imitating the athletic rowess of Douglas Fairbanks in amus- fog Tight comedies, she now emerges as the thoroughly adequate dramatic ac- tress. Putting aside the lissom charms which carried her so successfully through “Rio Rita,” she assays an en- tirely new characterization in Peggy. And she gets away wl? it ALEVANS- Mssterof Ceremonies - Palace. 5, 1930. Motor, Aviation and Radio News DANIELS and D HUGHES- & Kerths RK.O. AE THURSTON- Fox (Stsge) Stage and Screen Attractions This Week NATIONAL—“Sherlock Holmes. GAYETY—“Oriental Girls,” b evening. R-K-O KEITH'S—“Love Come: evening. Opens tomorrow evening. urlesque. This afternoon and s Along.” This afternoon and PALACE—"It’s a Great Life.” This afternoon and evening. EARLE—"The Painted Angel.” This afternoon and evening. FOX-—“Christina.” This afternoon and evening. RIALTO—"“Hell's Heroes.” METROPOLITAN-—“The Show evening. This afternoon and evening. of Shows.” This afternoon and COLUMBIA—“Condemned.” This afternoon and evening. Geo. M. Cohan Announcing. “THE partners sing and jest,” says a New York headline writer, “and then go thelr separate ways.” It was the occasion of a casual re- union between George M. Cohan and Sam H. Harrls, who 25 years ago formed an association for the produc- tion of plays and one which proved highly successful. ‘The reunion occurred at the Friars’ Club, and was in the form of a spright- ly “song and dance” number written by Cohan. The lines sketched the ca- Teers of the two men, starting from the time of their association. It began with rhymed mention: of their first play, “Johnny Jones,” of which Cohan sang: “We went fifty-fifty, the play was nifty, And soon we were there with a roll.” Their chant proceeded HK to the point of their most thorough success. Here Cohan sang: “Those were the days when the critics would praise - Every play that we ever produced.” To which Harris replied: “Yes, they had to be good, for they knew how we stood, And they knew that a knock was a boost.” The offering proved to be the hit of the evening at the Priars’ Frolic, and some public jester circulated the report that Harris would next appear in a new theatrical role, that of tap dancer. This he emphatically denied. “I can't say about my play plans,” he told a questioner, “but I can tell you, if you'll listen, about my plans for ' that song-and-dance stuff. = You can say that Sam Harris has made his final appearance for the year. I mean that. George Cohan will have to get Bill Norton or Lep Solomon to team up with him. At that Friars' frolic I was scared stiff. Let George do it. He's good at it.” The adventuresome beginning of the Cohan-Harrls enterprise was recalled by the latter. They agreed to go into pro- ducing together. Harris had $100,000 and 14 race horses. Cohan then was on tour, and when he returned to New York the two met in the Gilsey House. Here Harrls went through the ordeal of confessing that he had lost the $100,000 as well as the horses. How- ever, he knew a man of sporting in- stincts in Philadelphia who might be borrowed from. He went to that city. When he came back, he related, he had $25,000, in $20 and $50 bills, all stuffed in various pockets. - ‘mfie did you get all that?” asked “In Philadelphia,” Harris replied with smiles. “Tomorrow,” Cohan returned, “try Newark.” ‘With the production of “Little John- ni".lonu" in 1904 the firm was imme- diately successful. The partnership rested on mutual affection as much as business, . “Yeah,” Harris sald, “I love that fel- Jow Cohan. Sixteen years partners and not a scrap of paper—all ver! ere were a lot of rich managers after him, but he came with me and took a chance.” But, notwithstanding and neverthe- less, George M. Cohan, according to reports from New York, is Hollywood bound, to write a story for Al Jolson, who has become permanently attached to ‘the, singing films, to his own umul‘cement. L *CONDEMNED- The Moving ! 1SS GRETA GARBO'S bosses, the officials of the Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation, have been ve: reluctant to allow the publ! to hear as well as see her. They knew she could act, even through the microphone; but they also knew that the average Amer- ican citizen can't rid himself of the idea that a Swedish accent is very | comical. | A French, 1tallan or Spanish accent |can be seductively romantic, but a | Swedish accent is invariably good for laugh. And a few vulgar guffaws rom the audience would utterly ruin Miss Garbo as a glamorous lady of mystery. So she has been kept silent while all her sisters and brothers were being submitted to the movictone or- deal. Thanks to her enormous popu- larity, her pictures have continued to make money. Now the ‘magical spell of silence is about to be broken. The M.-G.-M. moguls have come to the conclusion that the Swedish icicle must speak up now, or be snuffed out as a star. Miss Garbo's first talking fllm, “Anna Christie,” is ready for release, and un- prejudiced observers who have seen it rrmmy are prepared to testify that t is magnificent. They say—and with convineing enthusiasm—that the great Greta renders as fine a performance as any that the audible screen has known and that she speaks beautifully. Miss Garbo's admirers should assemble in the Grand Canyon and fervently pray that these favorable reports will prove to be correct. * Kk “]ELPORD BEATON, in the Film Spectator, announces proudly that all the prophecies that he has made in regard to talking pictures have been fulfilled—with one exception. This one exception is as follows: “The public prefers silent pictures and ';Wr:]l force the producers to go back to em.” Undaunted, Mr. Beaton reiterates this prophecy and announces that it will come true in February or March of this year (1930). So we have only two months more to walt for the greatest reversal since Na- poleon’s journey from Paris to Moscow and return. Mr. Lasky of Paramount started an- nouncing the production of a mam- moth picture, “Glorifying the Amcrican GIrl” At the same time, they started paying Mr. Ziegfeld huge sums of money for the use of his famous phrase and they also started to pay various alilt?:l‘s large fees for stories that would There is no way of telling how many stories were contracted for, considered and finally thrown out. At least one of them turned up later in another production by a rival company. 1t was called “The Broadway Melody. It would be interesting to know just how Mr. Zukor and Mr. Lasky feel when they remember that they passed that one up. It would also be inter- esting to know just how much they spent on “Glorifying the American GIrl” before that feeble offering was finally presented to the public. And, by the way, why has Paramount neglected to show “Glorifying the American Girl” in New York City? Can it be that they're afraid to ad- vertise their missteps on Broadway? Pictu About four years ago Mr. Zukor and | Arm: 'y BiLLie DOVE -/ *The Pairted Afiqel” Eorle Co/umé/é{ re cAlbum By Robert E. Sherwood. and irrevocably, that the Great War Is over. In the big scene—the Zeppelin rald on London—we see cevidences of the war at its most sdne and hor- rible stage—an attack with devastating bombs on defensless civillans, including old women and young orphans. A few years ago such an episode on the screen would have evoked shrieks and groans of emblittered hatred. Every audience would have, cried loudly for vengeance against the ruthless, bar- barous Huns, But in “The Sky Hawk,” the German bombers are represented clearly and truthfully as llers doing their dis- agreeable duty, and doing it with the stolcal courage which is the soldier': ultimate armor, With the result that the audience can make no.demonstration of hositility against these unfortunate men. And when the handsome hero goes up in his plane to combat the Zeppelin the spec- tators can't help hoping that he will fail to bring it down. They want to sce the battle turn out a draw. They want all of the contestants, the British aviator and the German dirigible crew, to_get home safely. Incidentally, “The Sky Hawk” gives audiences several hints of what life will be like in some American cities in the next conflict, if any. * ok ok ok R. AND MRS. DOUGLAS FAIR- BANKS, who have been around the world, are expected home at the royal palace in Beverly Hills this week. They don't intsnd to co-star again for the time being. The probabilities are that Miss Pickford’s next production will be an even more radical departure from her traditional form than were either “Coquette” or “The Taming of the Shrew.” * koK TH'E next few months will bring forth four more war pictures of a some- what different nature: “The Case of Sergeant Griscua,” ai- rected by Herbert Brenon. Erich Maria Remarque's “All Quiet on the Western Front,” directed by Lewis, Milestone, with dialogue by Max- well Anderson (co-author of “What Price Glory"). Ernest Hemingway's “A Farewell to L John Gilbert, with dialogue by Lawrence Stallings (the other co-author of “What Price Glory™). R. C. Sherif’s “Journey's End,” E.o duced in the United States by an - lish company. If a theme song should show its ugly head in any one of these productions, the conductor of this column will sue. (Copyright, 19%0.) —_—— Gary to Star in Westerns. PLAN! for the future of Gary Cooper are being rushed into form by Paramount, according to word just re- ceived from Hollywood. ‘With his “Virginian” establishing the renewed popularity of the “Westerns" now that they can be done with voice and outdoor sounds, the company plans to star coor‘er in an entire series le- tures of this type, with color an added feature, The next picture will be “The Texan," * ko % ON’I of the chief virtues of “The 8ky Hawk" s that 1t !vvu, finally it was announced, a com n piece t0 “The Vi The latter picture 1s regarded by Paramount as one of its outstanding productions of the year. It Was seen recently in Washington,