Evening Star Newspaper, August 23, 1931, Page 43

Ste{ge News We Have Sav and Screen and Gossip AMUSEMENT SECTION - The Sunday St ed the Stage And Recaptured the Road Say S.O.S. Press Agents Folks May Be Still Willing to Pay for Good Plays, but Where Are They?—Someth;nd Needed Besides 'S. O. S.." Buttons. By W. H. OW that the battle has been fought and won—but stop! ‘What old battle is it that inspires us? Where was it fought? How was it won? The “g, 0. S press agents have blazed in upon us with streamers pro- claiming victory, and their trum- pets are so\md(ng a blast that ought to be heard at the utter- most ends of the earth. They have both “saved the stage” and “recaptured the road,” all at their own expense, and without dis- criminating against anybody in any way, shape or form. It has been “the most slg;xcme publicity campaign the theatrical world has ever known.” San Antonio, Tex., has issued a sticker in color. Cities i, are dlamaying cards, ban- are g cards, - ners, one t&i three sheet '?:u spreading e , . unselfish vities of “&wor?hg." Walter and Fay Bainfer have %omd the conquering hosts and C. Tyler is the first of the Landvoigt. |crowning need of the theater to- day. It may be possible to stir the old institution into new life and “save our stage” at the same time. The idea may lead to the formation of fine stock companies, at least in the larger cities, and let them do the play pruning and groduclng, leaving the great New | York moguls to the lessened duty of handling the visiting stars for {the highest theatric illumination of whatever may be produced in this way. This method, at least, overcomes excessive transportation costs, and it promises much in the way of economy in play han- dling on the stage itself. There are many yet alive who will re- call the great stock companies of other days. Today, more than ever, they are needed as schools rs | for those players who before many moons will need to be replaced with “something just as good.” It was the old stock company that made the great actor bysone days. And what man has done managers to come man can do again, maybe. the enemy. All this is glad- * % x % some news, ous tiding *‘;"‘fi OOKING over the fence of the gs. “God’s in heaven. All's with the world!” * ¥ % % of the meanest tricks of an irresponsible hose-handler is to &r“nt‘h with tf;cetul hs:éumdo( ‘wa e newly planted garden of his next door neighbor. Yet ;h‘nt o t now, wlt.hu'.hz accent w. doletul locality, the theater is immortal, to warrant the unanimous and whoops before the whooping is due. * %ok PBUT this idea of Mr. Rice’s of letting the art theaters do their best with his in advance is going to give Mr. a line on the quality and worth of the play. When he gets flntwhe will net oxllll’th:re it is worth producing at ‘whe a his own expense for m%_ B B e reviving. the. greatest T aid the theater has hed in all its entire existence, the aid of a z:umed stock company which can vel layers as well as prove the :grtg o’l plays. That :}" the enemy, rl'h:hhere in Vgnt:lhtxg- ton, Manager Harry Crull of the 'Fox Theater, is quietly doing this very thing for vaudeville, which the movie unceremoniously wiped off the earth and then, repentant, went back and restored as a valuable asset and financial sup- a;n to the wavering t.a.lklns - e. The motion picture industry gu accomplished great and very work in its own peculiar .sphere, but it has long been a question if it has always acted ‘wisely with the other branches of theatrical entertainment. “Adl the women merely players. They ve their exils and their en- , and oné man in his time “many parts, his acts being ullzn." km was ngu n&n.re amre’l y n . Anghafll futable fact is the movie can neither de- as blood, not their photographs to of depict itself. Even a gt.lkmz wraith can never do it. * % x * IN all the publicity that has been spread broadcast throughout A on g Was . 1t is the invaluable worth of legiti- mate drama, be it comedy or the theater struggled thoughtfully in the days of sa y: ges philosophers to make it what it should be. And sages and phi- losophers in these troublous times may better the work of their wonderful prede¢essors. The diffi- culty has come to them because " | they took their gaze from the wonderful creation of the Greeks and Romans, the French, the German and the English, almost ignoring the nish and the Ital- ian, pa; to the Swede and the Dane. The theater Itas been constructed upon centuries of thought by all na- tionalities because it is the stage of human life and its problems. You can’t wipe it out with talking pictures. And yet how many countless thousands of our young it, except a feeble imitation by a noisy counterfeit that, even in the never replace it. at has been by the enterprising press agent to supply, even in part, this invaluable education? And what do the producing managers who have made their's care about it anyway? Late New York News BY MARK BARRON. EW YORK, August 23 (#).— Eugene O'Neill came back upon Brozdway agan today. Shortly after he arrived herc early in the Summer he disappeared, with the anpounced Iniention of going to California. But he was never seen on the West Coast. He had nothing to say as to where Be has been for the past few months, except that he had been hiding and working very hard. When he first ar- yived from Burope he said he was beginning work on another new play— and that likely has been occupying his time. “Mourning Becomes Elctra” was finished before he left Europe, and he hasn't touched it since. With Alla Nagzimova in the leading role, it goes into rehearsdl in two weeks and O'Nelll {[DWIGHT DEERE WIMAN is a wealthy young man who draws a handscme income from the plow manu- | facturing company. He wanted to be a producer insiead of selling plows and he has succeeded In presenting a long string of hits, including the various edi- tions of “The Little Show.” Wiman Itkes to do sophisticated com- edies and his first production this Fall is one call>d “Anything to Please.” Rus- sell Medcraft, part author of “Cradle Snatchers,” helped Sheridan Gibney Y oRons whe s st young pl ots o wright who had m“vgh?n‘ld one. ogga mrnphn.whm‘%‘mybemnr?ox argument in favor of matrimony. | GEVERAL producers are going up to Provincetown this week to see & play which has caused considerable production. It is 1s here to see that the actors do right |“The | JEYWOOD BROUN'S co-operative { revue, “Shoot the Works,” for un- mwm;wm&amuv. things, bringing both dismay and ure to the columnist-producer. , 1 of work. A balf dozen of the actors have been ur" | signed by other producers and one song | taken out of the show, “I'm Back in | Girculstion Again,” was sold to “Vani- and | tles” and is said to be the hit of that 's a stage and all the men| tragedy. The ancients who con- ceived i but passing heed/ folks of today know anything of | stage of absolute mlecuon, can | R ‘m Enhvflw opposite Orane Wilbur | was WASHINGTON, D. and BEN LYON SBOUGHT” — EARLE 8 | Impn]se to Act. THE desire to express one’s self, the impulse to act upon the stage, is said to be inborn in us all. “Maybe it's true, for at some time or other in our |® secret pride in the belief- that we might be able to do something to at. wants to be famous in one way or an- which. Shirley Grey, who is sul in Richard Dix in “The Public Defender at R-K-O Keith's this week, we are but with a yearning, Pive years ago she decided to make the 3" finck' company. Jim Thatcher, 15 years ago, or thereabouts, was known by everybody in thin;:m the - eral manager of the Poli & Co., in ;);\l:h Izetta Jewell was the ster lead- { woman, saw Shirley and. had eeling he had discovered ™ Eighteen months later she d Wife,” ‘with . liam Gollier, & in. -Gotng. rooked” { Then Sam Goldwyn's scout spotted he:, and soon Shirley was fiyin “ ty- wood. And then Goldwyn Joaned her |to R-K-O and today she s | gpposite Richard Dix. Can' you beat Ghosts Aplenly. “(GHOST CITY.” a mystery story Pl :‘-.zv‘:n’.mund the romance of alifornia’s famou tom | Adele Bumtington. s bea pumchased {by R-K-O Pathe for Tom Keene. Miss ]Bu;;:umn is now preparing the seript. be sent 1o one of the ghost towns which haunt the deserted mining regions the foothills of the larn-leng Mountains, where it wiil o wesks. bringing life and w:& hod |the long-deserted strests. l-amn | scouts are as vet undecided which n will be used » ll Washington's Own anl battleground, | it of the Wash self very strongly en masse. Vaudeville is our whengP. £ others, started * | ville” and showed the world |refined route” was ‘“the easiest |at least, in Wi . Then Keith took up the job where off, and E. F. Albee took up the | cession until vaudeville was ,the map by the movies. But vaudeville wasn't born dead. The movie folk soon f there was an unqualified {it, always providsd it was ethical quality and good enough to clapping for more. ‘Manager Harry Crull of {bad an_inspiration. He an all-Washington revue. embraced some of the fipest Washington. Don't _ forget Clair: was originally vaudevillian—and there are others who might be proudly as_eye-opencrs, But you'll have to see. show. It would b2 CONSTANCE BENNETT lives we have found oursglvés nursing | trace the attention of the crowd. For | of such is born fame, and everybody | other, it doesn't matter particulsrly | told, was born a minister's datighter, | this picture the Keene unit will | MAURICE EVALIER *THE SMILING ITENANTZ ¢ - coL A & |4 i { | i repo) i £ iy * skecass o S6o0um RICHARD DIX THE PUBLIC DEFENDER‘-KE/MHS SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 23, 1931 Screen Features This Week FOX-—“The Brat.” evening. EARLE—“Bought.” falling leaf, ther This afternoon and evening. R-K-O KEITH'S—“The Public Defender.” This afternoon and ‘This afternoon and evening. COLUMBIA—“The Smiling Lieutenant.” This afternoon and PALACE—"Silence.” This afternoon and evening. “Kinship of the Circus” HE stranding of the 101 Ranch strand of kinéhip—the kinship of the | Baltimore, ‘Wash! Shows in Washington and the | circus. Pittsburgh rigid loyaity of the performers and show hands down to the humblest on the lot, recalls a 3 : i E .%3535 i 288 §IE H Telation of the big top, the never-iail ing elbow touch of those In their ewn . Producers’ Response : 55 I heel is to League of New York Theaters,| ‘Then -follows & statement that the rts the Herald Tribune of that 4 dramatic wheel city, at its meeting last Monday, passed plan must not be conrounded with a stock selling plan recently referred to | in the newspspers, for it is connectéd with the project of no cther organiza- s st Distinguished Lineage. (CONSTANGE BENNETT siar of 1 " now at Warner Bros.' , is of the seventh gen- - of {heatrical on “her mother’s side, and her , Richard Bennett, who is seen in her . n: CLIVE BROOK ) it ALLAN DINEHART “Onee in a Lifetime.” at least a full year. After Newark, visits will be made to ington, Cleveland and on way to Chicago, ! where the ¢omedy is booked for a lopg fun. At this time, the third week of the 1981-2 theatrical seescn, according the theatrical calendar, there are attractions world—an island of circus folks, .as it | as fast as tron, but as gentle as the were, entirely surrounded by an ocean | en the scarlet | of outsiders.” ! P GAJGE reports {hat he has s+ ¥ith | double chin. SOME of the erstwhile “great”| this be ww',.nmm_. ulv.u. the injunction that this |’ Motor, Aviation, Radio Programs Stage and Screen Battle For Right to Do Away With Ancient Staring Game New Cinema Season Will Find Fewer "Stars™ in Spite_ of Many New Actors Who Claim Their Full Share of the Spotlii}n, By E. de S. Melcher. POLISHED, refined and genial critic of the theater, meditating upon the dulcet talent which at present af- flicts the serious Broadway “hot houses,” claims that names are no longer the thing. He suggests, in his amicable soto-voce, that playgeers no longer scream for giddy “stars”—that, in fact, there are no stars. And that when the Winter has swept its flurries of hantasies upon the East coast ards the producers will not have the inclination to fling the names of their chief players high in the light bulbs of their the- aters. This seems like a fairly violent truism. Time was when the player was the thing—the playwright merely a pawn who was moved hither and yon to accommodate the talents of his particular act ing o e was, in truth, when at the sight of Maude Adams’ name, gayly painied on the skirts of the theater Mr. Y or Mrs. X swelled within their trusses and darted into the ticket office with- out thought of whether the ?I‘h was “The Little Minister” or “Ten echo of such a venerated name as Miss Ethel Barrymore brought such and exclamations of delight—even in Denver climes— that ?nximu ticket purchasers stood in circles without the box office in a dizzy state of expec- tancy, walting for those small bits of pasteboard which stood for by the way—what are we g to.see tonight?” says Mrs. Z at the dinner table. “Ethel more,” replies the hostess. what?” “In what? I'm don’t know: Just Ethel Barry- more.” Just Ethel Barrymore! * * A % I!' the mother theater, crying sl o pn 0 12 apron over ead, is pu B e, ovming. sedson wil 465 a e season and better plays (we trust) and smaller names, now what, for instance, 1s daughter-in-law—the cinema—g to do? ‘There : one of : &' ‘names of even the most fash- for the dynamic Greta, the g e, S velve ce Bennett, the tide of name advertising has One ventures, however, 0od needs since the backgrow which: it is bullding stuff than the ancient alleys which used to sing at the ap- proach of Mr. Edwin Booth. * * ® % AWG the names which one guarantees Wwill flame high and wide during the coming sea- son are: Greta Garbpo—Because, say what | a positive |much of a ou will, she represents the abso- te enigma of alluring woman- Ruth Chatterton—Because she can make even the sturdiest male | ery; r;lm Shearer—Because, what between her clothes, her haircut and the handsome curves of her back, never allows one a dull momen Sylvia Sidney—Because she is one of the most capable of the could melt the Sphynx; Clark Gable—Because the ladies claim that they would rather see wi s him than eat; Robert Montgomery—Ditto. * % %% "THOSE who have an even chance to :o;lnder might include: use, with | at_the Fox in all_her lbxl‘t;, she doesn’t seem to be able to get anywhere; Marion Davies—Because, after not. all, one can’t giggle and laugh and | | be coy forever; William Haines—Because his| smile doesn't make the Iladies squirm any more; 1 quy Shannon—Because, al—} | thoug] she's a competent actress, she hasn’t got something that Clara Bow had; and if the truth hurts, she's getting a L who will be lucky if they have their names anywhere at all will perhaps be: of adenoid devotion no longer lflgzfil in a Bar Room.” The mere | h%e uestion but that - mdouthe’:finm annou n&er actresses, with a smile | clicks, and whose knees, while | sound, have now the attitude of | insecurity; Norma Talmadge—Who seems— |alas—to prefer being out of the | picture; | Lillian Gish—Who “talked” once and said she didn‘t like it, and the (faudience agreed with her; W | Douglas Fairbanks—Who enjoys royal British golf more than he does his dwindling screen royai- | tles; | Lou Tellegen—Who, in spite of | having a new face, should join his |most successful ex-wife and rock | discreetly back and forth on the wide porch of her modest Ridge- | field, Conn., est.a'f—‘or elsewhere. * ;NEWS that may tickle—or other- | wise—the local gossiping ribs is that Leneta Lane, former lead- |ing “flame” of the National Play- |ers and heavily engaged to many times wedded Crane Wilbur, bas | been dropped with & thnmr‘w the | Paramount forces. Miss Lane, it is rumored, has, mm-zm her y | handsome Hi ollywood e & John Warburton, allied in the “silent” days to Paramount, and | this season’s flapper interest with | the E street stock company, while | politely told to go places by Para- | mount, has been signed by M-G-M —or is it R-K-O—well, it's one of the two. They say that this is the week in which the great battle over Ruth Chatterton will be decided. Some of the boys seem to know the outcome already. Edward Cnnggl. the most re- o icent of the 1| matinee idols, is to e a fat And, rh;:t in “0;;1’ the Hill.”, d e naall’ when he was ln.s - ington this past Winter? BT Ry three, Bver o ar”), wi + hi -agent guardians e Brough She was'a high-priced seal on exhibition? 3 * % % ¥ t : LLAUGH enthusiasts, and even e certaini |ever is in the grease-paint | ord from the Win Soke the new Gaynor- pi “Merely Mary Ann” is that it°is another “‘Daddy Long Legs' im popular appeal.” e ow the question arises who will play Peg for u-d-lvx the latter produces its ilm of the ancient Laurette Taylor Save inat the vehicle ever seen on the - The greatest flare of the current season, as far as i~ umphs are concerned, undoubted- ly should be credited to James Dunn—you ¢an see him next week “Bad Girl”—who, without exaggeration, “awoke one morning to find himself famous.” PR 'WHILE the hosts and hosts of friends of eral Director M. J. Cullen’ are bidding him a 10 tearful good-by as he wend his way to the mmmt of Pittsburgh, the equal host o¥ | friends of Oolby Harrison are paring to welcome him back. 5’6 game of tit-for-tat which is |among the great, and even the Dorothy Mackail—Because, even | w theaters, less,of the Loe , means that Mr. Cullen will be city mana- Pitts- | ger of the Loew theaters burgh—(as if you didn't know it already) —and that Mr. Harrison will occupy his familiar berth of eneral manager in this ei us, a tear for one and Mae Murray—Whose expression | for ‘the other—or, vice versa, ittsburgh. you come from Pi Season Reservations