Evening Star Newspaper, December 7, 1930, Page 61

Stage _‘ News and Screen and Gossip AMUSEMENT SECTION The Sunday Star, m \WATKINS-/n ¥ WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 7, 1930. Stere “The BaT i fie Mearntire” * Dream GARDE| HISPERS" Palace \ N Girls - Palagg(smg) EDDIE QUILLAN and MIRIAM SEEGAR-/n > Big Money ” R.KO Kerths Aha! Breakers Ahead By W. H. 'HE diffident conversation- ist will not be restricted to the weather as a topic dur- ing the long evenings of the current Winter, if the crystal gazer sees clearly. Art is in dan- ger. And it goes without saying that everybody loves art whether he knows what art is or not. Noah Webster, in his wonderful dic- tionary, carries the quest for in- formation on the subject down to his eighth definition in the cur- rent issue before you get it. Never- theless, everybody goes in for art, especially the art of the theater. And the seeming lack of compre- hension of what that art should be promises to start a more lively debate in the social salons than Congress in its most inspired state will ever face on any or all of its national pmb]ei?s. x ¥ x THE cause of it all seems to be that a perfunctory public inion inclines to the belief that a great dramatist creates it, it is art; also, for the sake of art, every sin against the decalogue| should be forgiven—that is to say, it any one is really interested in sin or forgiveness. For a long while the metropolitan critics | have been perturbed at the drift | of the drama in a trend that is| more artful than arty. Many havé spoken with a degree of emphasis upon the subject. Nevertheless, great dramatists in this and in other lands go on molding their drama and the busy New York producers produce it, while the c, clamoring to see it, taxes capacity of theaters big and until now a theatrical tri- umph is measured, not by the merits of the production, or the performance, but by the returns m box office. It might be per- all right, if only the drama were likewise. * % ¥ % UT much of the drama, it ap- pears, foreign as well as domestic, brings with it a strong reminder of tainted meat. Scenes and situations that would never be tolerated in real life after the n arrives are without stint upon the as high art and a reflex of the life of our present day. Wom- an, since dragged down from the tal upon which the near ancients” loved to adore her, is now being trotted about and served like a turkey, with or with- out dressing, as the hungry public seems to prefer. Gorgeous beauty of colors and .crystals are blended in a setting of grandiose mag- nificence for her. And that’s art, they tell us. B A 5 A Lundvolidt. hibits the wife of his problem play in all the known varieties of mis- conduct, while the husband, seek- lnf to test her loyalty, looks on calmly and unperturbed, but jots down her shortcomings in his note book for future use. This we are told is essential to emotional art. Romance is booed in with the saxophone, tossed about vo- luptuously in passionate clutches, reaches a thrilling climax and ends with everybody happy, but with every character robbed of its reputation. Even the grim tragedy of war and its heartbreaking mo- ments are garnished with the grease of the grisette, and com- edy is smothered in smut to make ‘em laugh louder and longer, re- gardless of the fact that so re- lentless a wit as the great George | Bernard Shaw, at this very mo- ment, is writing for the future and handing down our present performances as a reflex of our times. Could anything be more terrible than to have others see us as, apparently, we like to see ourselves? * % * X BU‘r help is at hand, More sensi- tive for the lambs of his flock than our people seem to be for posterity, Mr. Frank Gilmore, chief executive of the Actors’ Equity Association, has called a meeting. And to it he has invited producers, managers and even dramatists. The “propolition,” as Andy might call it, is that the New York Legislature provide for censorship of the theater by a secret civilian jury system. This may sound like another attack on {emmm liberty, but in times like hese actors must be protected. Have not several:of our most ire- spectable already been hailed into court to answer for the short- comings or the outpourings fantastic play writing? They we: under contract to play before be- ing assigned their parts. If they had refused, they would have been in dutch with Equity. So they went on, and the law nabbed them. It was most embarrassing. R 'HOSE who have always boasted of their love for liberty have with equal vehemence attested their dislike of the idea of censor- lh‘l‘pm Am: ti’eemonhlp, evex;‘ng:, m nof necessary, e people at large, rather than a small, inadequate, often incompe- tent and now secret court, did the censoring first. Put their foot— or both feet, if necessary—down against the evil at which Mr. Gil- more is aiming. Any other cen- sorship is censorship against the neoph themselves, as much as it against dramatists, . producers case of and managers, o:.nm&h:';mu Earle (Stsge) Of Interest to.Guild Patrons. EDUCED subscription rates for the four remaining Theater Guild plays in Washington, including the new play, “In the Meantime,” with Glenn Anders, Linda Watkins and others, at the Na- tional, Monday evening, are now being accepted at the National Theater by Miss Lucile Luttrell of the New York Theater Guild subscription department. ‘Those who for any reason were unable to subscribe to the five plays are given an opportunity to buy seats at reduced rates for the four remaining Guild at- tractions. All the plays will be present- ed at the National Theater in Washing- ton. Reduced rates and preferred seat locations are two of the many ulv-n-l hl‘:” in being & Theater Guild sub- scriber. i Armstrong Has Been ‘Em All IGHTER, sailor, railroad boomer, en- gineer, marine, racketeer, showman | | and_gambler, in a near futshell sums | up the varied screen career of Robert Armstrong, now a gentleman gambler in “Big Money,” the Pathe production at R-K-O Keith's. Armstrong llwnllgv fought his way upon the screen. hile pl: igilist in “Is Zat So” in ‘him the cipal Event.” 'F;‘: WAS fight role in “Celebrity,” and in “Be Yourself,” with Fanny Brice, he lm'le donned the mits. Besides t] roles Armstrong has been called upon to put up his hands many times in in- formal settos that involved his other characterizations. Boxing is one of Arnfstrong’s hobbies and has been ever since he was 3 mem- ber of the team of the Uni- | versity of Washington. An Old Circus Man. ART!! BROOKS, one of the leads in torma & Highly diverting' dancing: oe- forms & ver spe- | sialty on roller skates. % Brooks is a luct of the tanbark circus world. was for several sea- sons one of the chalk-faced Merry An- drews with the Ringling show and there learned his skate dance and other stunts. He also does a,buck dance on’ skates that is a_wonder. st et i i W e, { T o'lm 'i‘” .current. culture. . If IRVING AARONSON- i S0, MiLDRED HorFman- Goayety ConraD Motor, atio Radio Programs ///Wofier:f" Cr)/ i /V\efropofH-an NAGEL ad KATUERINE DALE OwEN " In™ e - NILL l??e\gzws and 7 ighrtu ’ odsay ” Rialto JoeL MCrEa- Fox HAROLD LLOYD - /» & Scene From ™ FEET FirsT’ Columbis ° Stage and Screen Attractions This Week ON' THE STAGE. BELASCO—Helen Hayes in “Petticoat Influence.” evening. NATIONAL—“In the Meantime” (Theater Guild). evening. JUNIOR THEATER—“The Prince and the Pauper.” morning. GAYETY—"“Fine Feathers” (burlesque). evening. ‘Tomorrow ‘Tomorrow Saturday This afternoon and ON THE SCREEN. FOX—Will Rogers in “Lightnin’” This afternoon and evening. PALACE—"The Bat Whispers.” This afternoon and evening. METROPOLITAN—“Mother’s Cry.” This afternoon and evening. R-K-O KEITH'S—“Big Money.” This afternoon and evening. RIALTO—“Today,” with Conrad Nagel. evening. EARLE—“The Widow From Chicago.” evening. This afternoon and This afternoon and COLUMBIA—Harold Lloyd in “Feet First.” This afternoon and evening. Newspaper Playwrights. "THE suthors of the Theater Guild’s latest production, “In the Mean- time,” which comes to the National Theater Monday, are Claire and Paul Sifton, newspaper folk, and their thesls is derived from an aphorism by Milt Gross to the effect that Justice is not only blind, but cock-eyed. Mr. Sifton was born in Rockford, I, in 1897, and attended the public schools of Chicago, later in Wisconsin and Michigan. He started newspaper work in 1915, but with the outbreak of the war became a private in the 6th Fleld Artillery, 1st Division. After the'war he became a student at the School of Journalism of the University of Mis- souri and later at the School of Eco- New York some seasons ago and now running in several European capitals. Mrs. Sifton was born at Campos, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Solomon Ginzburg, Southern Baptist missionaries. _After attending school in Budzil, at Pernambuco, she nomics and Political Sclence, University | 1o of London., He is now an editor on the New York World, after years of experi~ ence in newspaper and press association work in New Yofk, Washington, Chi-~ cago, Kansas COity, Des Moines, Denver suthor of “The " play’ i Sterling British Actor. ENRY STEPHENSON, who is fea- tured in the cast of “Petticoat In- fiyence,” is a Britisher by birth, but well known in the American theater as wel. He is one of those sterling actors whose performances are a joy to watch. Bred in the English school of acting, his work is stamped with the painstaking care and the thoroughness of his early training. One of Mr. Stephenson’s first appear- ances in America was made in Wash- ington in “Spanish Love” the play which also featured James Renee and William Powell. Later came Jane Cowl's “Smiling Through” Wwith Mr. Stephenson in a delightful role. More recently he has appeared here in “The Command to Love” and “Journey’s End.” Tough Man's Sweetie. ARRIET MACGIBBON is an actress who has specialized, it would seem, in the roles which compel her to be the sweetheart of tough gentlemen. She is & principal player in the Theater Guild's new production, “In the Meantimé.” In “The Big Fight” Miss MacGibbon succeeded Estelle Tavlor as Mr. Demp- sey's lady love; in “Ringside” she had a similar role, while in “The Whole Town’s Talking” the situation was the same. Her debut was made as a stenog- rapher in “Beggar on Horseback,” and since then she has played in “Ned Mc- | in Cobb's Daughter,” “Jenny,” the Chicago company of “Broadway,” for two sea- sons in the William R. Kane stock com- pany at the Garrick Theater, Philadel- phia, and last season in “Houseparty.” Desnite the type of roles to which she is assigned. she is in real life a sweet feminine type, with wisps of light hair sticking from under her hat, and she has a horror of gum chewing and crudities. ROMANCE ” Fox /n “Petticost InFlvence’ Belasco rom C/r/'cayo' Earle In New York’s Theaters By Percy Hammond HIS is the time of year when parents, wishing to entertain their children home from school for the Christmas holidays, ask the dramatic reviewers to commend plays suitable to inflammable youth, Usually I depend upon Prof. Willlam Lyon Phelps of Yale for counsel, in the crisis, since his taste in the theater is mel- low, naive, human and tolerant. His lists of shows, dramas, grand operas and amusements have been among the san- est things that have been printed in this column, and much of its occasional dependability is due to Dr. Phelps's advices. Since is is now December and I have not heard from him I fear that I have offended him in an antic mo- ment and that he has walked out on me in a season where I need him most. Dr. Phelps’ inexplicable desertion leaves me alone. All that I can do is to publish the titles of some recent Broadway ex- hibitions as are now upheaving the public’s attention. Thus: 'Grand Hotel,” “Once in a Lifetime,” “Girl Crazy,” “Three’s a Crowd,” “The the Spot,” “Up Pops the Devil” and “Oh Promise Me.” Young persons may visit any of these with comparative safety, considering the hazards of drama-loving, and there are several others that I know of only by hearsay, but of which it is said that they are very good, indeed. Any drama, however candid, will cause few under- graduates to blush. * koK ok WHEN Mr. Ziegfeld importuned me to attend the first performance of “Smiles,” his persistence was 8o hos- pitable that I did not suspect him of selfish motives. Here, I meditated, is a producer - who such pleasure my company that he sends me two priceless aisle-chair tickets simply be- cause he likes to have me near him on occasions of great moment. It did -not occur to me that back of the heartiness of “}Il;x lnvlhmnm'r&l‘n: f"lmim that . I would repay y hosannahs for his show, Percy Hammond, “Aunt Phoebe's,” East Hampton, Long Island.—When did you ever see a show in which Marilyn Miller or the Astaires appeared where nudity was any part of the attraction stop Where were you when I produced “Whoopee,” “Kid JBoots, usketeers,” “Rio Rita” and “Show Boat” stop If I ever produce another “Follies” and you Teally insist I will try and give you another thrill in that direction by sug- gestion, but I doubt if that is possible after the displays you are compelled to witness and which you evidently enjoy stop I really believe that you returned from your trip around the world in an airplane and that your hearing is still affected stop Even the crepe - hangers laughed the. opening night and I never had a show with more laughs stop But perhaps I am wrong again, because they are clean layghs, not laughs that would bring a blush to your face if you happen to be with your daughter or mother stop I am one who still believes that New York will accept a clean show stop All audiences do not demand filth and slime stop I believe an interesting Cin- derella story still appeals and that au- diences still love graceful dancing, and in “Smiles” they get it from the three " | greatest dancing personalities the world ever seen stop I also believe that theatergoers s.ill love to listen to lilting music_instead of screeching jazz and that they love youthful beauty glorified and not debased stop I still claim that outside of “Once in a Lifetime” Mc- Guire has written again many ! laughs as there are in any other mu- sical show in New York siop Anyway, Percy, my daughter liked the show, and she is my severest critic, and I didn't have to blush to have her see it stop Why do you expect me to change the character of the show that Marilyn Miller has "WIX! appeared in and played to over fifteen million dollars since she has been under my manage- ment stop It might interest you to know that the public spent $54,000 for tickets bought at the box office at box office prices to see “Smiles,” and last night’s receipts were seventy-nine hun- dred and eighteen dollars, while today's matinee drew four thousand nine hun- dred and eighty-two dollars stop So you see some people don't agree with you and some people still accept a show 1O | without naked women, filth and slime