Evening Star Newspaper, September 14, 1930, Page 62

AMUSEMENTS Flashes From the_ Screen News and Comment of the Photoplay By C.E. OW that we have reached the season of Chesapeake oysters and the legitimate theater attractions—and the two naturally go together in the District of Columbia—the photoplay palaces are showing an inclination to awaken from Sum- mer lethargy. There are many ersons who may slmrly see a Eot-weather calm settle around the Eff-street lobbies when the 1§t of July comes along, but those who are really in the know declare that the Summer product of the producers falls away below par; that as soon as the first cool evenings of Autumn appear the better pictures are ipped in from Hollywood. Be this as it may, there is no getting away from the fact that the central portion of September will find some splendid attractions billed for the local screens. For instance, those funny Marx Brothers, with their “Animal Crackers” (said to be one of the funniest of screen efforts), comes to the Columbia after Miss Garbo concludes her engagement. The Two Black Crows, Moran and Mack, are back with us again in “Anybody’s War” at the Palace. John Barrymore’s big picture, “Moby Dick,” will draw the fans to the Earle, and “Leatherneck- ing,” with an excellent cast, is showing at Keith's. Washing- ton is given a “world premier” with this week’s showing of “Scar- let Pages” at the Metropolitan and Ruth Chatterton and Clive Brook share the starring honors of “Anybody’s Woman” at the Fox. As an added and very special attraction, the Rialto, on Ninth street, again throws open its doors next Friday, according to present plans. This beautiful playhouse offers the screen ver- sion of a stage hit, “Little Acci- dent,” and it is said that the sec- ond attraction of the season will be that “smash” of the screen world, “All Quiet on the Western Front.” * % ¥ % 'URIED in comedy, literally sat- urated in comedy, growing older in comedy, Hal Roach re- tains his sense of humor! Could anything be more unusual? Hal is a pioneer in the manufacture of screen laugh-producers; he has worked with temperamental co- medians, dogs, cats and monkeys in efforts to make them nrpur funny, and yet he can laugh heartily over a screen comedy. I had luncheon with him one day -last week, and impression is basked by the thoroughly enjoys his work. This makes him a success in his par- ticular line—that of lllfplflnl laughs to the hundreds of thou- sands of theatergoers. Hal Roach went into the movie game when it was just a game, and he has seen this medium of entertainment grow until if is one of the xreneat of industries. He watched the coming of the talk- ies, he rienced the cuities incident their successful pro- duction, and he hag seen them gradually develop to a higher plane. He has had no little part with his comedies. “When we found that we must make our comedies with sound,” says Roach, “we experienced trouble in - the juction of comedy sounds. instance, take the fast-movhef fire engine. The sound was entirely too fast for the engine. If the latter was slowed down to fit the sound, the engine merely crawled along. If the sound was slowed down, it did not fit the speed of the engine. ‘We have remedied this by record- ing the sound and the picture at different times. “With ‘Our ' comedies, we found that the youngsters’ voices did not record well. When they spoke in a natural tone of voice, this was too low for the recording apparatus. When they were told to speak louder, their voices were unnatural. This has been reme- died, recently, with an entirely new recording apparatus, which will take up the softest whisper. ‘The children can now talk in their natural voices. “As regards the general run of photoplays, we have had a re- markable experience. With the first silent pictures, we adopted a technique of our own, getting en- tirely away from the stage. This, as the years went by, became highly developed. Then, when the talkies came in, the produc- ers and directors were of the opinion that they were forced back to the stage technique. They followed this idea for a time, and it accounts for much of the same- ness in the first talkies. Now, they have dropped the stage idea and have developed another tech- nique, fitted for sound pictures— far removed from the stage and the first silent pictures. The di- rectors have discovered the great outdoors. In the months to come, you will notice a great im- provement in the talkies.” Roach travels about the coun- try in his own airplane, often making the trip from Hollywood to the East Coast in two days. Wk 'RQM present indications, Wash- ington photoplay theaters will operate without orchestras— at least, to a large extent—within a few days. The union and thea- ter managers, at this writing, have been unable to reach an agreement; hot words have passed; and the music styled “canned” probably will prevail. Naturally, this affects only the larger downtown theaters, the suburban houses having used mechanical music for some time. 1 am seated on the fence, one leg on each side, in regard to this dispute. —The large orchestras were splendid attractions, but they were expensive. No one can deny that the “canned” music is a lowering of the standard, but it is cheaper for the theater—and the red side of the ledger is being watched very carefully by the chain owners. And, by the way, here is an interesting little angle to the music situation. One Washington theater manager tells me that the union rate for musi- cians engaged in photoplay re- producing work in New York is 545 ;1 hour. But, of courge, all world, o Nelson. the musicians cannot obtain this sort of work. * %k *x % HANDS - ACROSS - THE - SEA Note: France and Germany, this week, concluded a treaty by which there is an unrestricted exchange of fllms between the two countries. This is supposed to act as a barrier against pic- tures from other countries, and the pact is regarded as a serious move against United States films. The papers of the treaty are now in the hands of the respective gov- ernments for ratification. * ok k¥ RODUCERS and exhibitors of motion pictures long ago reached a conclusion that women, and not men, decided the fate of a picture. Also, it had been con- sidered that women customers did not favor war and crook dramas. This latter idea has been explcicd by an investiga- tion of the New York theaters. The average matinee perform- ance, it has been found, is made up largely of women—about 70 r cent. At the evening per- ormances the women customers slightly outnumber the men. The New York investigation shows that such plays as “The Dawn Patrol,” “Journey’s End,” “The Big House” and “All Quiet on the Western Front” drew large feminine audiences. These pic- tures were lacking in lover or ro- mantic interest, yet they drew up to 75 per cent of the women. Producers and many exhibitors once held the idea that the fair sex was interested only in the heavily sentimental screen story. Now they have discovered that women decided the fate of a pic- ture, and that they B:eter a good story, whether it romantic, war or crook drama. * X X x H_ M. WARNER, president of the Warner Bros. organiza- tion, strikes a high note in an interview upon his return from a THE SUNDAY STAR, WA IT has been a long time since the pic- ture attractions in the various lead- ing picture houses have been of as rare an excellence as those announced for the current week; nevertheless, ac- cording to the mo- vie ecustom, some of them will be supplanted in the new week starting in some houses on Friday and others on Saturday of this week. At the Fox The- ater, stariing Fri- | day, Ruth Chat- terton’s picture will with its Jack Lon- don story and with Milton Sills for its Star. The Fox will be celebraling sn anniversary and, of course, the occasion requires something new and something much out of the Milton Sills, survey of the European field. Speaking of the European actors, he says: “Stars of the European stage and screen act in a greater va- riety of roles than American players. They are expected to perfect themselves in many ‘roles, and not go on, year after year, playing the same tye of thing. The first-rate player is supposed to be a student of humanity, and as such, is e; ted to be able to interpret youth and age, wealth and poverty, the sophisticated and the naive. Nothing is beyond his reach, and nothing beneath his ‘rflde‘ I think there is much good in this. Here in America we are in the grip of the ‘star sys- tem.” Whether the fault lies with . | the public, the producers or the player is not for me to stay. The danger is the possibility of becom- !nl: lteret;t" eduWa hneed more p! TS Of e Lon aney type. I tX\'ink. however, that the em- E:nm on the ‘star system’ is fad- g in this country, and we ate approaching the ideal of a play- er with unusual talent, who can enrich any role he attempts.” ‘The present star system is one of the worst things ever invented by the photoplay producers. It is bad for the star, bad for the exhibitor and bad for the public. Some of the best pictures ever exhibited—“The Valiant” and “Hallelujah,” to name only a cou- g:‘e of them—came to us with un- own players. The story should be advertised above the star. Many a well known player has been killed off by an uninter- rupted run. of the same sort of vehicles. * ok ® X Short Flashes. 'WALTER DAMROSCH, orchestra conductor, implores the mu- sicians to discontinue their bat- tle against sound reproducing devices. His words: “Nothing ¢an stop the pggress of these in- ventions. The fight is as futile as the efforts of the hand weavers once were to stop the develop- ment of the machine age. Fur- thermore, I am convinced that the sound devices which have been and are being perfected will help in the musical development of the American people.” To quiet a rumor, Mary Pick- ford announces: that she will not, return to the stage. She intends to limit her work to “super pro- ductions” similar to “Kiki,” her next dialogue picture. Sergei Eisenstein has been en- gaged by Paramount to write the dialogue scenario and direct “The American Tragedy,” from the novel of Theodore Dreiser. The company has owned the picture rights of the story since its publi- cation and has refused several big offers for it. Lily Damita has arrived in Hol- lywood to play opposite Gary Cooper in “Fighting Caravans.” Doug Fairbanks, jr., has been borrowed from First National for the leading role in R-K-O’s “Beau Ideal.” Ralph Forbes has an im- &orcnnt role, and Herbert Brenon directing. Quite a colorful cast has been gathered for “The Lion and the Lamb.” Among the well known players are Carmel Myers, Walter Byron, Montague Love, Raymond Hatton and Charles Gerrard. The story was written by E. Phillips Oppenheim. After having made a successful screen debut in “The Desert Song,” Carlotta King is leaving Hollywood for a New York Stage offer. She may go back to the West Coast for other pictures. When he completes work in “Resurrection,” John Boles will assume the lead in “Merry Go Round,” another Universal pro- duction. The production of “Sons o Guns” starts September 23, in case Al Jolson, who plays the leading role, returns from Eu- rope in time. Lily Damita may play opposite the star, and, again, she may not. George Bancroft’s next story will have to do with newspaper work. .He plays the hard-boiled type of managing editor. Dorothy Knapp, prize beauty of Broadway, has the leading role in “Under the Cock-Eyed Moon,” a Spoilers,” a Paramount pro- with Gary Cooper, Betty Compson and James Kirkwood as its shin lights, will open the new week at the R-K-O Theater Saturday. On Saturday also Loew’s Palace Theater announces the coming of the screen and sound version of “Good News,” the famous Broadway musical comedy, this time embellished with a cast including Bessie Love, Mary Law- lor, Cliff Edwards, Stanley Smith, Lola Lane and Gus Shy. This production also has technicolor sequences to add to its glories and charm. As might be expected, the Marx Brothers in “Animal Crackers” will just keep moving along for another week at Loew’s Columbia, where laughing crowds are attesting its humorous qualities without abatement. rdinary. “The duction, AlEGEswa iU, O child actresses make good later in life? Joan Peers is one who did. She accomplished it by dropping out of the limelight in the middle of her “growing- up” days, going to school for several years and then blossoming forth again. 8he is blossoming this week in “Any- body's War” at the Palace. ‘The daughter of Frank C. Peers, former opera singer and now manager of the Adelphi Theater in Chicago, Miss Peers made her s debut at the age of two and a years when she danced at & “recital” given by a dancing instructor. This dancing won her the title of solo dancer for the Chicago symg‘hony Orchestra. Guy Bates Post saw her dance at a benefit and offered the 8-year-old girl the child part in his roduction of “The Masquerader.” Miss 'eers toured for a season with the com- pany. ‘Then she stopped to go to school. Upon her graduation she entered stock. A year of that she won the ingenue role in" “Companionate Marriage” in Chi- cago. The company moved to New York as “Marry the Man” and Miss Peers en- joyed her first New York role. At the SHINGTON, (Continued From First Page.) Chick Evans, conceives the idea of stealing his captains uniform and dis- tinguished service medal and philander- ing in high society of Honolulu. He is successful in capturing the fancy of Delphine Witherspoon, daughter of Sir Oliver Witherspoon. moment, New York agents were all looking for a girl to play Helen Mor- gan's daughter in “Applause” at Para- mount’s Long Island studios. Miss Peers ‘was chosen for the part and her success in that brought her to Hollywood for her second screen role, Adolphe Returns After various movie experiences in Europe, Mr. Menjou has returned to Hollywood, and his first role under a new contract with Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer will be in “The New Moon,” which co-stars Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore. Meeting of the Mighty. A TALL, quiet stranger stood to one side and watched with quiet interest while Dorothy Arzner directed Ruth Chatterton in the opening scenes of “Anybody’s Woman,” Miss Chatter- ton’s newest Paramount picture. “Splendid!” remarked the stranger to Jesse L. Lasky, first vice president | in charge of Paramount production, who was at his side, “I'd like to meet her.” Mr. Lasky gave the word, and a few moments later Miss Arzner was shak- ing hands with Florenz Ziegfeld. Mr. Ziegfeld left the sound stage as quielly as he had arrived there, with only a few of the busy film company knowing that one of America's fore- most stage producers of musical shows had been a spectator at the scene of the masterful work of America's fore- most, woman director, Miss Arzner directed “Manhattan Cocktail,” “Get Your Man,” “The Wild Party” and the smashing dramatic hit, in which Miss Chatterton was also the Chick’s buddies, Frank, Stein, Sparks and Douglas, emvious of his soclal prowess, decide to take their sweetles, Hortense and Edna and “crash” a party at Delphine's home. Then follow all sorts of things including a yachting trip, a mishap that leaves the party marooned on a deserted island, a rescue and—well the picture shows it all. METROPOLITAN—EIsie Ferguson in “Scarlet Pages.” poIGNANT drama of the tensest type is promised in “Scarlet Pages,” the Pirst National-Vitaphone production based on the play of Samuel Shipman and John B. Hymer, now current at Warner's Metropolitan. This photo- play, which brings the beautiful Elsie Perguson back to the screen, is said to be one of the really penetrating dramas of the new season. Miss Fer- guson played in the original play on the stage and essays the same role in the picture. Miss Ferguson in “Scarlet Pages” is seen as a noted criminal lawyer who is called -upon to defend a young night club dancer, who confesses to killing her father but refuses to give the motive for this crime. Unable to make the girl reveal her secret, she is suddenly confronted by the opposition with & silent witness in the form of a hospital entry that brings into court the scarlet pages of the lawyer's own past. Just how the lawyer bares her own scarlet past in order to save the girl and the resulting disgrace is said to make a drama that combines the pathos of “Common Clay” with the intense drama of “Madame X." Marion Nixon appears as the girl, Grant Withers as the sweetheart who sticks to her through thick and thin. Supporting players include John Halli- day, Daisy Belmore, De Witt Jennings, willlam Davidson, Charlotte Walker and Helen Ferguson. The program is rounded out by the Glovanni Martinelli latest Vitaphone rendition, “The Temple Scene From ‘Alda,’”_ assisted by Ira Bourskaya of Metropolitan Opera: the two-reel comedy, “Si Si Senor,” and the Graham McNamee talking reported newsreel. COLUMBIA—Greta Garbo in “Ro- mance.” AFTER widely heralding the coming of the Four Marx Brothers and their picturization of their famous pro- duction, “Anmal Crackers,” for the cur- rent week, the management of Loew's Columbia suddenly resolved to.hold over for another week Greta Garbo's latest triumph, “Romance.” Washington ap- parently asserted lts preference in the succumb. This will make the third week for “Romance.” ‘The supplemental entertainment also will continue. It includes a Charley Chase comedy, “Dollar Daze,” a Fitz- patrick travelogue, the Heart Metrotone News and probably not the the Colum- bia orchestra. RIALTO—"Little Accident.” ‘] ITTLE ACCIDENT,” Universal's comedy-drama is now announced for the Rialto Theater, beginning Fri~ day of this week. It is described as “a triumph of hilarity and amusement.” Douglas Fairbanks, jr.; Anita Page, “Slim” Summerville, Sally Blane and Zasu Pitts are among those featured. ‘The plot of “Little Accident” lends itself to screen somedy. A young man, on the eve of his scheduled wedding, | suddenly learns that he has become a father. In a flash, his existence be- comes a nightmare of complications. Young Joan Marsh is said to give promise of fulfilling the prophecies of = ~ NATIONA Announcement Extraordinary BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL By the Famous BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA With Its Illustrious Conductor DR. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY FOUR PERFORMANCES DEC. 2, 3, 5, 6 The Boston Symphony Orchestra will ceiebrate its fiftieth anniversary with eat Beethe al here in_the . ma Beethoven works, the cel Symphony. with solotsts and of 250 volices, will be given. < comedy. Robert Warwick, well known to the old timers, is back in Holly- wood and will re-enter the picture ASON TICKETS ), $7.00, $5.00, $4.00, ¢t to Mrs. Wilson- ureau, Droop's, 1300 B . matter, and_the management had to | NEXT WEEK OPENING OF THE 1930-31 SEASON LEWIS E. GENSLER and MORRIS GREEN (n Association With Erlanger Productions, Inc.) SEPTEMBER 14, 1930—PART According to inside information from Hollywood, a teacher of elocution has worked wonders with John Gilbert’s voice. determined when John appears on a Washington screen with “Way for a Sailor.” Photoplay Attractions The truth of this statement will be those who have hailed her as a “dis- covery.” She has in this play her first featured roles. “Slim” Summerville figures in some of the most hilarious scenes. Others are Roscoe Karns, Henry Armetta, Myrtle Steadman, Albert Gran, Nora Cecil, Bertha Mann, Gertrude Short and Dot Farley. “Little Accident” has amusing situ- ations and dialogue. A share of praise for its quality is given to Willlam James Craft, who directed, and who has directed other Universal comedies. The film is based on the stage play of the same name by Thomas Mitchell and Floyd Dell. It was produced under the supervision of Albert De Mond, Universal assoclate producer. Gene ‘Towne wrote the adaptation and Gladys Lehman the screen play. Playing around in several pictures, Robert Montgomery awaited recognition. It arrived, and he is featured with Dorothy Jordan in the new musical film, “Love in the Rough.” SUBSCRIPTION Tickets Now Ready for 1930-1931 Season PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA Stokowski—Conductors—Gabrilowitsch Four Evening Conc Nov. 4, Dec. 9, Jan, Season Tick $12, $10, PHILHARMONIC SYMPHONY Orchestra of N. Y. Three Afternoon Concerts—4:30 Dec. 16, Jan. 27, Mar. 10 Toscanini—Conductors—Molinari Season Tickets, $9. $7.50, §5, $3.35, $8 T. Arthur Smith's, G, in Homer L. Kitt's $7.50, 85, MON. SEPT. 22 will offer LENORE WLRIC IN A NEW PLAY PAGAN LADY By WILLIAM DUBOIS Staged by JOHN D;WILLIAMS Sottin'fa By HENRY ORDERS NO DREYFUSS ACCEPTED ™ ore $2.00, 150 A& 80¢ FOUR. 1 l On the Stage I LENORE ULRIC IN “PAGAN LADY.” LENORE ULRIC, one of the first ladies of the theater, who has been absent from the curtained arts for somethin like two year: omes to the National Theater Monday, September 22, as the star of “Pagan Lady,” & new play by William DuBois. The appearance of Miss Ulric in a new play is always a matter of theatri- cal interest. One year it was “Kiki,” another saw her in “The Harem,” then the “Lulu Belle” season, and, last of all, “Mima,” each a great success. Indeed, Miss Ulric claims the enviable distinc- tion of having never appeared in New York in anything less than a “hit,” 1f one considers only the period that she has been a star, the decade extending from the “Son-Daughter” of 1919 to the “Mima” of two seasons ago. “STEP ON IT” NEXT AT GAYETY. EXT week the Gayety Theater, on Ninth street, will present “Step On It,” another combined vaudeville and burlesque offering of the Mutual organ- ization. TT: featured players are Billy Fields, Chuck Callahan, Dolly Glenn, Miss Joy, Larry Clark, Beri and Boni, Buddy Abbott and Betty Abbott. A big vaudeville feature will be Ever- ett’s monkey hippodrome. A chorus of beautiful girls, snappy tunes, costumes nngtscenic effects are elements of de- light. “BOKEN DISHES” SEPTEMBER 29. **RRROKEN DISHES,” Martin Flavin's comedy, with Donald Meek in the leading role, is announced for the Shubert-Belasco the week beginning Monday evening, September 29. George Pickett, the London manager, has purchased the rights of the play for England, and has cast Huntley Wright, brother of Haidee Wright, for the part played by Mr. Meek. He is expected to put the play into rehearsal within a few weeks. Jan Musch, Dutch actor-manager, has acquired the rights for Holland, and will himself play the leading role in a production in Am- sterdam. Although Martin Flavin is known pri- marily as a writer of serious plays—he is the author of “Children of the Moon" and “The Criminal Code"—"Broken Dishes,” the only comedy from his pen, it is said, has established itself as the most successful of any of his works. It has been played on the Pacific Coast, it is being made into a moving picture, and it is being acted by stock com- ies in the smaller centers all over the country. It ran for 28 weeks on Broadway last season. GAYETY—“Kuddling Kuties” (Burlesque) . TH!: Mutual Burlesque Vaudeville of- fering, “Kuddling Kutles,” is the attraction at the Gayetv Theater this week. The production this season is sald to be an entirely new one, with “not a line, scene or situation” that appeared in previous editions. Max Flelds is the starred funster and a great favorite with the fans. The fea- tured feminine player is the “brunette dancing doll,” Rudith Willlams. Oth- ers in the cast are Holly Wood, sou- brette and specialty dancer; Mac Bar- ren, Hebrew comedian and chief fun foil for Fields; Al Golden, jr.; Sammy Smith and Al Snyder, duo of juveniles who can step; a Montague, genue, and Andree, vaudeville act fea- turing musical specialties. While the chorus is active on all occasions, its big moment comes in the colorful “Night in a Harem" scene, led by the graceful Rudith Williams, —_— Young Doug Versatile. AN extremely versatile young man is Douglas Fairbanks, jr., featured in Universal's comedy-drama, “Little Ac- cident,” at the Rialto Theater. “Young Doug,” as he is popularly known, is accomplished in painting and carving, has written poems, and recently has written articles for the magazines which were published. Undoubtedly the scope of his educa~- tion had much to do with his abilities. He was educated in New York, Los An- geles, London and Paris. In Paris, he studied painting and sculpture for three years, and for his own pleasure still pursues these arts. “Young Doug” early started on a pic. ture career through “hanging arount the studio of his father. Occasionally he would make a suggestion to his father or the director. When the sug- !zmon was accepted, a check would be orthcoming. in- | AMUSEMENTS. On the New York: ”Stage By Percy Hammond , HIS week's medal for superior acting is hereby pinned upon | Pat O'Brien because of the ex-| cellence of his characterization | in “The Up and UF." A player | of few achievements and little less re- nown, he surprised the students of the | drama Monday night by his faultless | impersonation of a_ phlegmatic book- | maker engaged in betting and a ro- mance. The comedy itself is a nutty, uneven recital of ~incidents in the| gambler’s life, now heaving with agita- | tion, then going to sleep. But it is rich | in savory underworld roles and it is to be filed among the better of the so-so things. It is possible that Mr. O'Brien's | performance is but a lucky strike in| casting and that, assigned to other imi- | tations, he will win no medals. How- | ever, if the playwrights ever need a | man to do a good job as a dumb, third- rate gambler they may hire Mr. O'Brien with such impunity as my recommenda- tion affords. In “The Up and Up” a contrivance by the lady author of “The Subway Ex- press,” Mr. O'Brien is a fellow named Curly, a child of the tenements risen to local eminence as & go-getter in the betting racket. He has no thoughts save of himself and his own progress to riches. Unlike the usual stage gam- bler, he is not a noble man, but a traitor often recreant to honesty. He “fixes” horse races, corrupts politicians and the Kouce force and tramps with rubber eels over all who try to impede him. In a {umblmg way he is a bookworm as well as a bookmaker. He is fond of blognphy and likes to read of Napoleon and other titanic wagerers. He does not drink, he does not flirt and his only vice is chewing gum. He has inherited vague ideas of integrity from his Irish forbears. When the girl (Miss Sylvia Fleld) appears, his icy eyes water with emotion and he sets out to win her with all the cold ardor of an impressioned shark. These characteristics are illus- trated by Mr. O'Brien without an error | of trick or affectation. The play de- pends upon his thoughtful and expert study, and upon the heating scenes wherein_the cops raid his gambling place. That violence, I suggest, is “good theater,” and worthy of a glimpse in case you are amused by the minor drams, LI BAYAED VELLER'S Philo Vance lay, “That's the Woman,” is just a carbon copy of all the other court house comedies, exhibiting, with other items, a hysterical heroine (Miss Phoebe Foster) in the witness box grilled by a fantastic district attorney. In it A. E. ‘Anson performs an old and foxy lawyer, mistaking in his impersonation, I fear, fussiness for art. “That's the Woman” is certainly not a good play. We must walt for the verdict of the ticket, brokers to tell us whether or not it is & good show. * K K % EE SHUBERT, al matters of the stage, accepts with a suspicious alacrity the suggestion made recently in this column that bad plays might be prevented if a jury of drama critics were to pass upon them before rather than after their public performance. “Of cou Mr. Shubert writes in a lotter of welcome, “I can vigilant in |think of some slight handicaps which we would find necessary to overcome. There might be an insuperable ditfer- ence of opinion. Let us assume that 10 critics, after attending “one of these previews, wrote such dissimilar notices that the producer was left in confusion.” Mr. Shubert is right in his supposi- tion, and I withdraw my constructive hint, After reading variating judg- ments of thé reviewers of * ' ‘Woman” and “The Second Lit I can see that no help can bs expected from the newspaper experts. The Eve- ning World, for instance, said that “That's the Woman” was “a great les- son to men, and a play that every wom- an will want to sce.” The Morning World deseribed it as “unusually dull.” The Times liked it, and so did the Daily News, and the Graphie, the Telegram, the Sun, the Journal, the Mirror and the American accepted it in a spirit of tolerance. But the Evening Post and the Herald Tribune spoke of it with contempt. ‘The newspaper verdict of “The Sec- ond Little Show” was also confusingly for and against. Mr. Littell of the Morning World found it disappointing. Mr. Chapman of the Daily News found it “good-humored, handsome and debon- nair.” Whitney Bolton of the Morning Telegraph expressed some graceful aches and pains, but Robert Coleman the Mirror proclaimed it as a masterwork. The Herald Tribune denounced it as dull, and the Sun spoke of it in temper= ate approval. . Mr. Shubert asked me yesterday to be a member of a jury of drama critics to sit upon and adjudge the merits of his entertainments previous to their presen= tation in the New York ‘show market. “If you and Mr, Atkinson, Charles Darnton, Robert Littell, Bob Garland and Gilbert Seldes agree that my play is bad,” he hinted, “I shall shut it up in Atlantic City, Jamaica, Asbury Park, Philadelphia or New Rochelle.” "I for one retreat from this responsibility, pre= ferring to sit in aisle seats at the Broad- way premieres, preferring to tell Mr. Shubert, upon the morning after,’ how wrong his plays are and how right they might have been had he taken me into consultation. A Holdin’ Meetin’s. NO more stock situation comedies are to emanate from the Educational Film studios, and John A. Waldron, for many years Mack Sennett’s “right-hand man,” is authority for the statement. “In former days,” says Mr. Waldron, “g ‘comedy producer would have been lost without his list of gags and situa- tions. A very slight plot which he may have outlined in the morning and on which he may have started to shoot in the afternoon might have suggested & situation between two men and a mald on a train. What pened then? Im- mediately the neat piles of alphabetized cards would be thumbed until, under the letter ‘T, material available for a train situation could be found and ap- propriated for the desired episode. “Not so now, fér that system is totally extinct,” says Mr. Waldron. “Instead, at the Mack Sennett studios, for exam- le, humorists sit at their typewriters ike any normal group of picture writers. ‘The construct their comedy stories in- dividually, build up the situations, write the dialogue that is to produce the laughter and, in fact, each story is indi- vidually and thoroughly worked out. “But, for example, if a comedy is de- sired for & man like Andy Clyde, who has won fame in his old man character roles, then what? Well, it is simply up to the scenario department to hold a meetin’. And Earle Rodney, Walter Weems, Jack Jevna, Vernon Smith and all _recognized humorists, get Rare Elocutionist. A WINFIELD HOENY, a rare actor * with a wonderful voice, who has won pronounced praise in New York and elsewhere throughout the country for his interpretation of Biblical drama, according to a recent report, is soon to begin teaching in Washington, making ‘weekly visits for class instruction in dramatic interpretation and stage train- ing. Daniel Frohman said of Mr. Hoeny that his voice is “the greatest since Salvini,” and Leonard Liebling of the Musical Courier has proclaimed him “an artist in diction, style and feeling.’ Member Dancing Masters of America Announces Fall Classes Beginning Ballet, Acrobatic, Tap. Sp: Comedy and Baliroo) ecial Class Work for Children THE THAYER STUDIOS. 1226 Connecticut Ave. Decatur 547 Member Dancing Masters of America, —announces the opening Baliroom starts Tues., turing the season’s new d: of stage cing. ~ Classes now forming. Private lessons by appointment. Studio, 132 M St. N.W. Natl st Season 1930-31 Gladys Gertrude Wilbur Specialist in {l Tratnle of Fine Dancers Announces the Reopening of her C Saturday, September at the PL?YHOUSE. l:l‘ N tion a o et on , 1930 St. N.W. rvations r ‘otomac 065° Hoffman & Hoskins Announcing the Opening of Their New | STUDIO HOUSE 1810 Conn. Ave. N.W. Opens Sat. Zoth. 2130 P.M. at., 30 P Ladies® Ci nss Opens Mon., 22nd, 7 P.M. Private Lessons in Ball Room and Stage Dancing by Appointment. Studio Open 10 A M. to 10 P.M, Phone Ad. 5388, o N Season 1930-31 MISS LORETTO MURPHY Creator of Children's Dances Having returned from her study of newest features at New York's leading schools— Announces the Reopening of her Studio On Saturday, Sept. 27, 1930 5906 Conn. Ave. Information amd Reservetions Adams 7884 27777777777 27772 7770777202027720 2227220072007 3 22 P, 2 e, N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N 508 WEST, mnmmw FANCHON & MARCO'S Jhirioes UBILSATAGHOLY, | SuMKIST SEAuTies JULIA, SURTLS | coftSmen hinr Kg-nn.nnuu-m muuni SCHOOL RUTH AVER, B A TS | e wrmn and develop comedy ideas re- volving around an old man character. “Unquestionably this new system has produced superior comedies that, in quality of production and in entertain- ment value, rank with the finest types of feature production.” If two heads are better than one, and the synthetic method of developing hu- or produces results so much better those of the one-man creator: idea that has ‘prevailed for ages, surely no one would want to interfere with it. But think it over and ask yourself if you agree with Mr, Waldron. GAYETY THEATRE Sth & F Sts. Plone Dist, 9324 MAX FIELDS and his KUDDLING KUTIES igh: Ruddith Williams WILSON-GREENE CONCERTS, 1930-31 CONSTITUTION HALL PHILHARMONIC COURSE, 4:30° Nov. 2L _JOSE ITURBI Sensational Pianist, Jan. 15. KREUTZBERG_&: G £ Worids Greatest Dancers o Feb. 3. BOSTON SYMPHO)! BE Beres outeeviteny, COnAUCISr 13. YEHUDI_MENUHIN, Phenomenal Boy Violinist, JERITZA, oprano, Metropolitan Opers CATter “an absence of severdl . 3ears) ARTISTS’ COURSE, 4:30 Nov. 14. GERALDINE FARRAR, —FRITZ KREISLER, BENIAMINO _GIGLL Met. Opera (By request).. Feb. 10. GRACE MOORE, Leading Soprano, Metro. Opers.Co, Mar. 20. RACHMANINOFF. WILSON-GREENE EVENING COURSE & i, wo) other’ artists to 3 CLARE CLAIBERT; ‘Pheriomenal. Beisian® Soprano, Dee. 13. DON_ COSSACK RUSSIAN “Binsing Horscmen et ihe Steppes.” 3 JOSEF HOFMANN, fan. 31. ROLAND LR Cetebrated Cotored "Tenor, . 7. JOHN Barytone, Chicaso Chie Operar ™™ Orders now being filed for all three es, eoncer! . Mrs. G reau, Droop's, 1300 G stcr Divt. 6103, UNCLE SAMS MARINES ON A LOVE'EM AND LEAVE‘EM PI.AYING’ With Star Studded Cast of Vaudeville Headliners, Stage and Screen Favorites IRENE DUNNE KEN MURRAY LOUISE FAZENDA NED SPARKS BENNY: RUBIN EDDIE FOY, JR. LILYAN TASHMAN RITA LA ROY Bombarding Washington with Leather-Lunged Laughs ‘Tantalizing Tunes . . . Technicolor Scenes Tiller Girl Chorus of Singing and Dancing Beauties SPREE /