Evening Star Newspaper, June 29, 1930, Page 45

' Theater, Screen 'and Music Part 4—12 Pages [ DovLores DeL RIO ane EDMU LOWE - /n “The Bad Ore” Palace AMUSEMENT SECTION he Sunday Star. WASHINGTON, D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 29, TAGE and “SCRE Lockwoop Palace 4 5+age) BETTYCOMPSON a7d LOWELL SHERMAN - ™ The A///'dfl/zf/jfg[ ystery “RKQO. eIThs PALACE—“The Bad One.” OLORES DEL RIO, the famous Mexican screen star, is pic- tured at Loew’s Palace Theater today and this week as Lita, a cafe girl, with a soft spot in her heart for all the world, espe- cially for a rough and ready Romeo impersonated by Edmund Lowe, who has a penchant for following the epi- grammatic advice, “Love ’'em and leave 'em.” Don Alvarado. George Fawcett and Henry Stubbs also contribute to the amusing lcve bat- tle between Lita and her Romeo, and at times there is more or less ex- citement to stimu- late the interest. Lita runs the cafe and is all things to all men until particular Americaro bobs up and starts his conquest of the irl who has determined to_ steel her eart against all men in the love game. Unnecessary to state, she finally eapitulates—and how! A New York Capitol Theater minia- ture revue entitled “Hit Bits of 1930,” the chief stage attraction, will present Leavitt and Lockwood, who have fared well in Broadway production; Jones and Elliott, a singing, dancing team; Ted Eddy’s Melodians, instrumentalists; Elenore Wood, a stellar hope of the future; Dick Terry, a jazz jester, and Delores Del Rio. the Lawson Girls, steppers in the line; of syncopation. i Dick Liebert, entering his final week, ‘will play another of his original ‘organ creations and the Hearst Metrotone News and the Palace Orchestra under Harry Jorjes will be added minor at- tractions. ~-K-0 KEITH—"“Midnight Mystery.” "MmNIGflT MYSTERY,” Hugh Trevor, June Clyde, loff, Rita La Roy and Ray- mond Hatton, appear in this latest thriller, directed by George B. Seitz. Set against the background of an island off said to here of nerve-tingl! mystery e thhnll:l?;‘n’x:c‘thdedthe‘.uw- | the element of mystery is maintained the end. A brief tribute to the original Fourth of July, a_short feature entitled “Inde- pendence Day,” will be shown the entire week which is designated as “Patriotic week” by all R-K-O theaters. The characters and scenes in this film are modeled in clay_sculpturings, repro- ductions of Benjamin in, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, Roger Sherman, John Adams, Robert Living- stone and others concerned with the framing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. The moldings and photography represent the work of Vir- ginia May, the American sculptress. As the events unfold upon the screen there is an accompaniment of colonial melodies and James A. Fitzpatrick ex- plains the origin, preservation and sig- nificance of the Fourth of July. EARLE—Esther Ralston, “A Notorious Affair.” ESTHER RALSTON, one of the most beautiful blonds of the speaking screen, is greeting her many Washing- ton admirers, in person at Warner Bros'. Earle Theater this week and is present- ing a cycle of distinctive songs and dances. Accompanying Miss Ralston on the piano is Bruz Fletcher, well known composer, who wrote the songs used by Miss Ralston in her act and also the music for the new dance which the blond star is presenting. On the Earle screen is to be seen a sophisticated and suspenseful love drama with music, entitled “A Notorious Affair,” in which is starred Billie Dove, to with Kenneth Thompson, Basil Rath- |tan bone, Kay Francis and Montague Love. “A Notorious Affair” is. the story of a spirited English soclety girl and an obscure but talented violinist. The girl marries the musician and makes him famous and wealthy. But moody and temperamental, he becomes infat with another woman and goes y with her. How the wife and husband work out their destinies furnishes an unusual and surprising climax. Added attractions at the Earle will include a Vitaphone Variety of the Vaudeville classic, “The Nagger,” star- ;& lor _short, _entitled of Jack and Jill,” the Pathe and Paramount newsreels and contributions by the Earle Or- chestra. COLUMBIA—“The Big House.” T was inevitable that the recent riots Retribution.’ A CONVICT just released from San Quentin wanted a job. He was experienced in road building and he got one, with a mbvie company, because he didn't like road building and thought acting would be “different.” “Numbered Men,” the First National prison drama at Warner's Metropolitan his first movie offense. The convict was given a uniform and a number by Director Mervyn Le Roy. Then he was put in a truck with a band of other ‘“extras” and taken to a con- vict road camp, where real convicts were working. His first assignment was swinging a pick in the same road gang he had quit with a sigh of relief a week before. e Simmering, Yet Busy. ALTHOUGH only the ghosts of Hinda Wassau and Jerri Macauley linger in the now darkened Gayety Theater, much activity is being planned in the neighborly city of New York for the coming year’s entertainment. On July 7 in Father Knickerbocker's city will assemble a corps of 400 prin- cipal players who have been assigned roles for coming productions. In a series of 20 halls en‘lfed for rehear- sals these, 400—no relation to the orig- inal—will’ besport themselves through long and rigorous “‘courses” on Thes- pian navigation. Contrary to custom, chorus girls will be allowed to sit at home in their re- spective cities until their selection, and remain there until » | toupees decorating the Doesn't Like to Repeat. Im COURTNEY, breezy comedienne of the screen, now functioning in “Not Damaged,” at the Fox Theater, is hru'.hmg in the Hollywood oxygen with deep and rapturous enthusiasm. “This is the life!” says Miss Courtney. 1l she may, for not so long ago the talkies just as State Protege. ARY COOPER is establishing a ue record . for more ! v ol LEILA HYAMS § ond CHESTERMORRIS " Jhe Big House * Columbia —— § N : "/EJEDNI‘CECLA’IQE y and TULLY MARSUALL - ln Waormbered Men * Me+ropo| itan st o CiWg 1930. % e i < Lois Mora INez COURTNEY - In “Not Damayea’; F—ox Mofor,' Aviation and Radio - N and Orre of #he" SUNKIST Besuties BILLIE. DOVE and KENNETH TROMPSON- | 17> Notorious. Aftair Earle Screen Attractions for the Week evening. and evening. COLUMBIA—“The Big House.” METROPOLITAN—“Numbered evening. NOW that Washington finds itself without material theatrical sus- tenance, since the:National Theater is wrapped in a cloak of darkness and Poli’s is waiting for the executioner's ax, nothing is left to do but to rhapso- dize on what used to be the ethereal, the strong and silent movies. No longer silent, it is true, and, ac- cording to the verdict of some, no longer strong, these movies have, however, during the past year pepped up con- siderably more than even the wildest imagination cared to predict. They have not only improved the method of their attack by importing—and export- ing—actors from every sphere and country, so that blonde wigs or blonde heads of dark- eyed brunettes are no longer deemed actors heretofore limited to Broadway audiences, but now recognizable on the screens of every town, village and hamlet. ‘Thus has the word of the actor been carried through the land. Last year at this time there was still much doubt as to the efficacy of the EARLE—Esther Ralston—“A Notorious Affair.” esential, but they have brought before | ho: they | o vast ‘and worshipful public favorite | iceable cloties of northern miners PALACE—“The Bad One.” This afternoon and evening. R-K-O KEITH'S—“Midnight Mystery.” This afternoon and This afternoon This afternoon and evening. FOX—“Not Damaged.” This afternoon and evening. Men.” This afternoon and Talkies Are of Age. uses. Sometimes they have failed woe- fully in their endeavors, but just as often they have carried conviction and a new type of entertainment to a very high peak. Some of the pictures shown in the last few months at local theaters have demonstrated the scope of their im- provement. Although generally ignored, both “Seven Days’ Leave” and ‘“Men Without Women” were films of the highest type. “King of Jazz" was a revue that brought new twists out of the camera, and “Journey’s End” proved that the transfer of a beautiful play to the screen could be accom- plished with superb results. ‘Thus have the talkies been struggling for a permanency which is no longer in doubt. With the broadening of their rizon they have experimented wisely and well. They have come,discreetly into their majority. The process from now on should be merely one of weed- ing and discrimination. Some of the stellar constellations will be falling, but the ranks will be filled—well filled—by actors and actresses to whom this new form of art is a late but welcome stimu- lant to their talents. Love's Lottery. scom of hulking, bearded men re- cently congregated in Hollywood looking for wives.' In the rough, l:hrv- ey assembled to watch a lottery wheel spin. ‘The wheel would determine their luck in_the mat ‘wives were for picture scene in ur i-Rudoiph Friml film, “The Lottery Bride,” in which Jeanette Mac~ Dunnllei Joe E. Brown, John Garrick, Zasu Pitts and Robert Chisholm appear. Lew Cody Back Again. Fox (S#sge) The Boardwalk. AVE you tried the “boardwalk"? It's the latest dance craze, and Esther Ralsten, the “golden girl of the screen,” is its mamma. “I had a lot of fun creating the boardwalk,” says Miss Ralston. “Of course, I knew the breakway, the stomp, the variety drag and the others a bit older than those but I wanted some- thing new of my own. So I used a step or two from each of those and added several new steps of my own. The dance has a marvelous rhythm and is loads of fun to do. It's not a hard dance if you've kept pace with modern dance steps. Every one who has tried it so far has been wild about it.” Music for the boardwalk was written by Bruz Fletcher. Keith's Answers Curtis' Call. R-K-O KEITH'S is calling attention 1o a special “Independence day” Teel, as a response to Vice President Curtis’ request for a “patriotic week” celebration. Col. Hiram S. Brown, president of R-K-O, and Joseph Plunkett, vice president and general manager of the- aters, have requested all R-K-O thea- | ters to participate in the observance. Therefore, Manager Corbin Shield of the local R-K-O theater will commem- orate the occasion by showing & short subject exemplifying the spirit of the “Fourth.” The scenes and characters assume lifelike forms from a blank clay surface, while an unseen voice stir- ringly relates the events and personali- ties involved in drawing up and con- firming the Declaration of Indepen- dence, A colorful musical background will be supplied by the American Holiday Or- chestra. Oyera Star Hits the Serious.‘ BEEN'XCE CLAIRE, musical comedy and opera prima donna, has just reached the film fans of Washington at Warner’s Metropolitan in her first non-musical screen role (in “Num- bered Men”), although she has been leading lady in three musical films be- fore that! Miss Claire, “the youngest prima donna” of grand opera and feminine star of the stage presentation of “The Desert Song,” came to Los Angeles to play the title role in “No, No, Nanette.” Her success in this musical film led to the feminine lead in “Spring Is Here.” Miss Clair was the protege of Je- ritza, and when the famous opera star introduced her to the world as “the youngest prima donna” the star's ac- companist, Emil Polak, was her teacher. Miss Eggers, however, was her first in- structor, and it is to her that the new movie star attributes her original suc- cess in opera and musical comedy. Sacrifices to Art. T seems that 80 per cent of the peni- tentiaries in the United States allow their guests complete tonsorial freedom. All of which was discovered by the en- terprising Wallace Beery, who was de- bating with himself just what could be done with his mustache and well greased hair on the eve of the filming of “The Big House” the new prison drama now at Loew’s Columbia. In spite, however, of the customs and traditions that permitted complete free- dom of the scalp, Mr. Beery decided after many sleepless nights to sacrifice his appearance for “art’s sake.” The result was more drastic than he had anticipated. Every spear of hair was removed from his head and his mus- tache was clipped to oblivion. ‘They say even his mother won't speak to him now. Still, “art for art's sake.” And what's a little matter of hair? Tallgia: Sonkist Prodict. 'ULLY MARSHALL is one of the few “native sons” of California. He ‘was born in Nevada City April 13, 1874, hich him a California ESTHER RALSTON -/ Lerson- Earle G7ge) The New York Theater By Percy VERY now and then an old-fash- joned parent, seeking amuse- ment for his child, requests this oracle to recommend a drama that may be attended by the young without danger of contamination. Such inquiries are not as frequent as they used to be, since it has been dis- covered that the theater, even in its most squalid hours, communicates ' no blight to the blossoming generation. But occasionally a fretful guardian, overanxious to conserve the purity of his charges, petitions me to direct him to a stage upon which no polluting oc- currences occur. Those are embar- rassing moments to a conscientious harbinger of the drama. Whither, he asks himself, shall I lead an ingenue? To what theater undefiled shall I point the way, assuring him that in its per- formance nothing will happen to inter- rupt the equanimity of his innocence? Yesterday I spraying, weeding and mulching my temperamental flower beds at “Aunt Phoebe's” by a call to the telephone. A soft magnolia voice informed me that the owner, a Southern lady, was in New York with her nephew, aged 16, and was planning to take him to a show. “He is,” said she, “studying journalism in his college and wishes to specialize in criticism of the drama. I have read your articles and I know that you can guide me to a play suitable to a boy of clean mind and no experience. Some- thing worthwhile and not vulgar.” Dedicated as I am to public service, I immediately set my brains to work. “Hold the wire for a moment,” said I, “and I will tell you where to go.” Not to “Lysistrata,” I reflected. Nor to “Flying High,” “Stepping _ Sisters,” “Apron Strings,” “Strictly Dishonor- le,” “Young Sinners,” “Lost Sheep,” “Artists and Models” or_ the “Garrick Galetes.” All of these, I thought, are unfitted in a crisis of the kind. They will abash sheltered drama lovers from Dixie land by their forward exhibitions, replete with passion, lust, nudity and misbehavior. “The place to take your nephew,” I said, “is ‘The Green Pas- tures’ Made of material from holy writ, a simplification of the Scriptures, it is cleaner that a Gideon Bible. Also it is a masterplece of courageous dra- maturgy, extending the petty limits of the stage to refreshing and hitherto un- discovered territory. It is just the place,” I added, “to take & burgeoning drama critic aged 16" The musical drawl of my inquirer at once changed to a snarl. “‘The Green Pastures,’” said she, “is a Negro show and we are from Texas. I won't ask you again for ad- vice.” What is a bureau of inquiry to do when its questions are so hard to answer? A drama reviewer's only friend is his typewriter, and sometimes | {n¢o even it is hostile to his comfort. * K ok % ’I‘HE British censor frowns upon “The Green Pastures” and prevents its performance in London on the grounds that it blasphemes the Holy Book of Genesis. That action is from a race that laughed contemptuously at the ‘Tennessee mountaineers when they penalized an American school teacher for lunuun&'o his pupils that there are flaws in the story of creation. The British, however, are not always as superstitious as their prohibition of He | “The Green Pastures” would indicate. EW CODY, long absent from the|writing, directing screen, will make his picture of Olo,rh Swanson in | Coast. They are now shouting hosannahs to Paul Robeson, an American Negro, for his characterization of a bewildered colored man in Shakespeare's “Othello.” ‘The only thing the motherland’s critics y | object to is that Mr. Robeson, yeverting from Stratford to Dixie land, pronounces it “survice” instead of “service.” the drams will last enough for me ummn'-uh&'cmmmmm B PRt o S was summoned from | Hammond. ‘ALEXANDER ‘WOOLLCOTT, writing from Salzbury to The New Yorker, describes the luxury in which Max Reinhardt lives in his castle, the Schloss Leopoldskron. There, sur- rounded by Alps and actors, Herr Rein- hardt, Europe's Belasco, plans new and startling schemes for the development of the stage. Rich, comfortable and esthetic, he sits in his tower, dreaming of novel and salable delights. "0~ gether.” writes Mr. Woollcott, “we ambled through the castle park, encir- cled now by a stone wall built bs the profits of ‘The Miracle.’” Mr. Woolicott'’s word-picture of Merr Reinhardt’s expensive stone wall caused me to think of Morris Gest, the entre- preneur, whose efforts made it possible. If it had not been for Morris Gest and his skillful bravery in the American promotion of “The Miracle,” Herr Rein- hardt would have no stone wall, and he could not have shown Mr. Woollcott “the black swans patrolling the pond, the golden pheasants preening them- selves in the sun, and the flamingoes passing in pallid procession.” Of course, Herr Reinhardt has no memory for such things, but I did not believe that Mr. Woollcott, himself a hardy sentimental- ist, could forget that Herr Reinhardt's stone wall came from the brain and blood of Morris Gest. Mr. Gest is now & bankrupt, ruined by his devotion to such ungrateful grandeurs as “The Miracle.” T see him now and then at first-nights, his head wounded but un- bowed, ‘looking for a chance to come back and do it all over again. I hope that before he is through with the the- ater he will pay for other stone walls, black swans, crested cranes and flamin- goes, not for Woollcott, Reinhardt, Otto Kahn, Moisse or Stanslavski, but for Morris Gest, a game, unselfish and fool- ish showman. “Cimarron” Needs Her. NO wonder Radio Pictures are having trouble. It seems that the coun: try is being scoured for an actress te play the leading role in the picturiza- tion of Edna Ferber's “Cimarron.” Her only qualifications must be that she is “young, charming, striking in person- ality and with ability to portray the various phases of a woman’s life from 18 to 60," which, of course, is some ambition, ‘Trouble is in the air, although the producers announce that they have narrowed the field down to four ladies, who ‘may or may not be the ideal for this role of Sabra O t. At any rate, even if and in spite of the mil- lions of feir ones that are storming the motion picture lots, there is still a pos- sibility that some charmer will step the breach at the last moment, So if there is any blossoming thespian in Washington who can measure up to the standards, she is by recommended to betake herself to the bubbling shores of California and rap boldly on Radio Pictures’ imposing door front. ——— Huston a Stron¢ Actor. WALTIR HUSTON, whose enact- ment of the role of Abraham Lin- coln in the forthcoming D. W. Grifith film is claimed by United Artists to be one of the most expert pieces of acting in film history, happens to be ene O'Nelll's pet_actor, and it was O'Nelll who picked him for the chief roles of “Desire Under the Elms” and “The Fountain” in New York. He is sched- uled to do s play for Arthur Hopkins this Pall in New York. Last year he ar croft, Walter Huston projects power without bluster, gets over his - lmn act lust without & bellow. He says ‘secret of screen is restrain of strength