Evening Star Newspaper, August 1, 1937, Page 56

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHING TON, D. C. AUGUST 1, 1937—PART FOUR . ; : p LAY REDISCOVERS LOST COLONY Manteo, N. C., Is Scene of Stirring Production, Written by Paul Green of Pulitzer Prize Fame, Dramatizing Sir Walter Raleigh’s Ill-Fated Settlement. By Kay and A. Bernard AUL GREEN, Pulitzer prize- winning playwright, has writ- ten and various co-operating organizations have staged and praduced on Roanoke Island a mag- nificent symphonic drama of Sir Wal- ter Raleigh's “Lost Colony,” with/ the result that the artistic world | has made a beaten track to the little | fishing village of Manteo, N. C. Through this play. the romantic story of Sir Walter's dream of a new nation and the heart-breaking strug- gle of those courageous men and women who were the first English | gettlers in America is for the first time adequately and convineingly told. History and historians have either | noted this first of American folk | dramas in a very slighting and dep- | fecatorv way or ignored the mat- | ter entirely. History’s emphasis has | been laid on the Jamestown, Va., .\9(-? tlement of 1607 or the Plymouth Rock | adventure of 1620, principally because these settlements of this New World | were permanent, and in history, as in every other phase of life, nothing | succeeds like success. But what was overlooked or ignored by the historians —the stark suffering, the high pur- | pose, the drama of lfe. of love, of jov, of sorrow and death—the play- | wright has revivified and brought to life in a moving prodution, and Amer- fran life and art has been greatly | enriched. Let us imagine. for the moment, that we have entered the old Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island, the land- ing place of those iatrepid souls who §cught to hold for England a new empire. The Works Progress Admin- {stration, thr h various agen- e in co-operation with the Roa- | goke Island Historical Association and | the North Carolina Historical Com- | mission, has restored the old fort, with | its rough, wooden palisades and block | houses, its church and thatched roofed log homes, with remarkable and con- vincing fidelity its As we pass througt the fort toward the waters of Roa- | noke Sound come to a natural amphitheater capable of seating 3.000 | persons. Three times each week until September 6. on Friday. Saturday and Sunday, just at dusk, the play i) produced Let us sit for a moment in the crowd that has come for the show and see the prologue of this unusual drama. | | THE last light of day and just in front of us,. in the rear of the stage, the watgrs of Roancke Sound turn into a darkening purnle we fades slowly, Across the waters of this inland sea, 8 man-made star, America’s tribute o | Orville and Wilbur Wright, who flew Tom that spot the first heavier-than- | &ir craft, twinkles alight. Suddenly the amphitheater is flooded with light from the powerful electric floodlights that hang from high towers on both sides. Then the lights begin | to fade very slowly and with their pass- | ing you become conscious of the steady lapping of iiny waves upon a| sandy shore and the first soft breath- | ing of the notes of an organ, bringing | an overtone of melody into the sym- | phony of sight and sound which is the night. Then it is dark—save for the light of the stars—utterly dark. As the notes of the organ swell out into the night. a =oft spotlight throws into | shaded relief a gray-robed choir as it | slowly files into its stalls. With a change of cadance by the organ, the choir begins to sing an nld English hymn, and when the song is ended a bright spotlight in the cen- ter of the stage reveals an English clergyman, in the robes of his holy office, who offers a beautiful pray: Then the dark comes again, and music of the organ and the voices of the Westminster-trained choir blend again tn another old English hymn. While the last notes of the song linger, a epotlight again seeks the center of the stage, and a young man steps for- ward to tell the audience something of the play they are abx to witness, This in the prologue. From this point the historian, Mr Lee, presents in an impressive manner, between each scene or, shall we “each shift of ligzht.” the connection between the events depicted as well as the historical data so essential to an understanding of the succeeding scene. J the first scene is shown an Indian village on Roanoke Island in 1584, The Indians are in the midst of the celebration of a festival of the corn harvest. It ig here that pantomime takes its rightful place in the drama, and we are given an earnest exhibition of the artistic merit of the scenes that | are to follow in the dancing of Fred Howard as Oppowac, an Indian medi- | cine man. Howard, a former Carolina | Playmaker, is a student of Ted Shawn | and gives a finished and satisfactory performance. His supporting cast of Civilian Conservation Corps boys, who | the Colony ‘Washingtonians who desire to 80 to Manteo, N. C., may, in ad- dition to the usual methods of transportation by boat, railroad and bus lines, reach Manteo by motor by following this route, suggested by the American Auto- mobile Association. Route U. 8. 1 to Fredericksburg. Route Va. 2 to Richmond and Petersburg. Route U. S. 460 to Suffolk. Route U. S. 58 to route 650. Route Va. 650 to Deep Creek. Route Va. 165 to Great Bridge. Route Va. 27 and N. C. 34 to Manteo. 270 miles. were locally trained, greatly aids him in presenting an authentic picture. The scene shifts from Roanoke to | England and Elizabeth’s court and back to Roanoke, and thence to Eng- land again, and we who listen grasp something of the great dream of | Raleigh and his difficulties in obtaining the aid to bring it to pass. In the second act, with the exception | of one scene in Elizabeth’s garden in | England, the entire locale is Rnflnnk(“ Island. We are shown the landing of and made to feel the poignant suspense preceding the birth | of Virginia Dare, the first white child born in America. The spirit of ad- | venture and the high purpose of this | little band of English men and women | who had braved the unknown and Iear-» some dangers of a new land because of their love of England and their desire | for freedom from old economic, social | and religious limitations, is so power- | fully presented that you have an in- | stinctive racial pride in their achieve- ment, | Yet when the other side of the | picture is projected, when you see lh?\ privations, the hunger, the suffering | (physical and mental). and finally the | despair of the colonists when no help\ Carolina Playmakers, who did such good work as Gov. John White, 18 ex- pected to succeed Barry Shannon as Sir Walter. The part of John White will be filled by the Federal Theater Project with an actor from the legiti- mate stage. Fred Howard, who does such excel- lent work as the Indian dancer, is a North Carolina boy, studying at the University of North Carolina, as did Paul Green, the technique of play- writing. This talented young ac* or | and dancer was born at Abbottsburg, | Bladen County, N. C, just 4 miles from the birthplace of the famous | “Mother” (Mathilda McNeill) of th81 In the garden of Queen El Katherine Cale as Eleanor Dare.—Photo by Wootten-Moulton. izabeth. —Photo by Wootten-Moulton. Jack Lee as The Historian. —Photo by Wootten or food comes from England, you feel Rreat American artist, James Mc‘!n'll lian Ashton. a former variety player acutely the pathos that it inspires. | From the beginning of this drama | wherein is blended the fou arts of the theater—pantomime, music, the spoken word and the dance—the audiences that see it run the entire gamut of the human emotions. l \\ HEN, at last, these colonists silently begin their trek through the trees to the land of Croatan and oblivion, there is seldom a dry eye among those who just as silently sit and watch the last march. This, after all, is the true mark of dramatic greatness. The dramatist, Paul Green, dls\lIP! guished son of North Carolina, has' _ done a masterful job in the preparation of the lines of the play itself, and with | the help of Samuel Sclden, who staged and directed it with the assistance of { Fredrich H. Koch of the Carolina | Playmakers. Mrs. Alexander Mathis of | - the Elizabethan Players of Manteo and Eric Stapleton, musical director, has | blended the whole production into one of the most entertaining, thought- | provoking and instructive dramas of the day. It is interesting to know that this | historical folk play can never be mnde into a movie nor can it ever be pro- | duced in any nth!r place than the &pot | where the “Lost Colony” suffered and finally disappeared. The Federal Theater Project of the W. P. A. has aided very materially in the production of the play by furnish- ing actors from the legitimate stage to take the principal roles | Of the plavers, Katherine Cale is easily the outstanding star. Cast as Eleanor Dare, the mother of Virginia Dare. perhaps the hardest character in the play to portray adequately. she given a most natural performance of her role. She seems the living and breathing personification of the kind of woman Eleanor Dare should be. Nightly she thrills her audience with | the rendition of a sixteenth century lullaby. Miss Cale comes to her role with a wonderful background ip the work of the theater. For four years | she remained with the Civic Light | | Opera Co. of New York, four seasons | with the Avon Players in Shakespearan | Tepertory, taking the featured lead as | Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Portia | in the Merchant of Venice. Miss Cale | plaved with Max Reinhardt in the Hollywood Bowl production of a Mid- summer Night's Dream and with the company of players who presented the ovening performance at the Radio City Music Hall. In addition to these roles, | Miss Cale has appeared with Merivale | and Cooper in Othello and Leslie Howard in Hamlet. ! | BARRY SHANNON, who plays er‘ Walter Raleigh, is an experienced | actor, and gave a most satisfying por- trayal of the great English nobleman who dreamed of a new empire in lheg West. Mr. Shannon will shortly gv! to England, where he will make mov- ing pictures under the direction of Alexander Korda. i Bob Nachman, a member of the The Boner Busters HERE are 30 or 40 million rea- | sons why film studios hire | technical experts. The “rea- | sons" are the fans who keep their eyes peeled for movie “boners.” If a piece of angel's food cake sud- denly turns to chocolate cake in the middle of a scene, thousands of fans take their pens in hand and point out the error If a 1937 license plate appears on an automobile in a scene supposed to take place in 1917, the fans are quick to see it. Those are obvious “boners,” easy to spot in a picture. But the fans catch the less obvious ones. That's why Bamuel Goldwyn has two technical directors on “Dead End,” now being filmed. He knows that there are millions of New Yorkers waiting for a chance to write- gloating letters over any inaccuracies. Irving Sindler, veteran property man, who grew up in New York's East Side, and E. P. Goodnow, who was stage manager for the New York | production of “Dead End,” are the “boner preventers” on the Goldwyn picture. To date they've caught doz- ens of trifling inaccuracies which would have brought delight to the “boner spotters.” A baby carriage plays an important part in the picture. One of the prop- erty men brought a buggy, vintage of 1690, to the set. Goodnow caught that boner. He pointed out that baby carriages wear out fast in the slums because the birth rate is so high. The span of life of such a vehicle is never more than 10 years, he claimed. 8o & newer model was produced. Sylvia Sydney, who plays Drina, appeared in a scene with a package of meat. Sindler took the package away from her and gave her another. The reason for the switch was this: The first package was wrapped in white paper and a piece of blue sticky tape circled it. Sindler said that in the East Side butchers use brown paper and brown tape. Sindler stopped Director William Wyler when he was shooting a scene on the water-front fet because a wheel that stood against a piling was “out of character.” The wheel was a farm cart wheel. Sindler substituted a pushcart wheel and the scene was taken. Goodnow spotted a “boner” that had to do with the gum vending ma- chines on the set. The set dresser had forgotten to chain the machines to the front of the grocery store. All such machines are chained down, Goodnow popted out. It was Sinaler who spotted a police badge “boner.” One of the policemen in “Dead End” appeared with a sev- enteenth precinct badge on his chest. Sindler changed it to a nineteenth precinct badge. “Dead End” takes place on East Fifty-third street, which is in the nineteenth precinct. Sindler also caught a set dresser’s error that had to do with a police call box. The one installed by the set dresser was a Los Angeles call box. A New York call box was substituted. [ Ashton landed, | 1 LEC But even with all this care, both Sindler and Goodnow admit they may have slipped up. They are certain that some trifing mistake will be spotted by the eagle-eyed fans. Whistler. The comedian, Earl Mayvo, who in- jects laughter amid the tears. was for |t many years a top-line actor in |he‘r old time stock companies. His per- | formance as Tom Harris, the beggar, is | in company with the best traditions of the stage. Queen Elizabeth, Lil portrayed by Lil- |t Photoplays in Washington Theaters This Week Sunday | Margaret Lindsay in Song of ‘the City Lee Tracy in “‘Behind the Headlines Fred MacMurray and | Frances Farmer Academy &th and G Sts SE.__ Ambassador 18th and Columbia Rd “Exclusive Myrna Loy and Clark Gable in Parnell Mickey_Mouse “Laurel and_ Hardy | andPady ety Pick a Star artoon. News Apollo 824 H St Arcade Hyattsville, Md NE Dark. | Arlington, Va, { Avalon 5R12 Connecticut Ave Avenue Grand 645 Pa_Ave SE | Calvert Clark Gable | Myraa Loy ih ____“Pam “Richard Dix and Joan, Perry ! Devit_1¢ Driving Freide Balliolomew ard Spencer Tracv 11 Captains Courage- “Clark_Gable a'd Myrna Lov 1 Parnel Cartoon. News “West Point of the Air Cameo Mount Rainter. Md.__ Carolina 11th and N.C_A Central 475 9th §t. NW, Circle 2105 Pa_Ave. N.W.- nd “Happv_Go 1 Ridine on Air* ‘Big Business FEdzar Bereen in “‘Double Talk ™ Clark Gable and Myrna Loy ’ in o PREDEIL” | Myrna Lov and C\ark (‘nble ‘ “Patnen ‘Wn!!nre Beery and Una Merkel in Good Old Soak __News. Comeds. _ Patsy Kelly and Jack Haley in “Pick a Star.” Cartoon. Sport Simone Simon and James Stewart in “Seventh Heaven.'™ __ Cartoon. News. Ge. Ave. and Farragut! Dumbarton 1343 Wis. Ave. N.W. Fairlawn D.C. Hippodrome K near fth Home 13th and C Sts. N.E [ Jesse IRthnr. P 1 I Anacostia, | Henry Fonda " Clark Gable and enced player of many Pat O'Brien and | of the team of McNally and Ashton, which for many vears plaved the blz ime vaudeville circuits, reditable performance. glves a very Miss Ashton, | whose real name is Liilian Kipling, 1: Conservation Corps, show. the excellent a cousin of Rudyard Kipling. The historian, Jack Lee, is an experi- years. His in- eresting interludes do much to pre- Monday | M in Song of the Lee Tracy in “Bei Headlines Fred Mac) France I Tuesday 1 Chas. Bover, Is Made al Rosalind Ki Motor Madr irrav and Fred MacMurray and Farmer Frances Farmer History nd _ “Excli Myrna Loy Clark Ga Parnell _ Mickey Mouse | Lnum and Hardy and Patsy Kellv in * Exc " Msrna Loy and Clark Gable. 1 Parneil Mickey Mo | Chariie_Ruggles in Turn Off the Moon. a Star Lee Tracy in “'Behind| cara News. | the Headlines." Anette MacDonald | Jeane and Neon Eddy | “and Nrknn Eddy in “Maytime ark Oable and Myrna Loy ih Par . T Richard Dix and Toan. P Fdward G Robinson and Bette Davis in Kid Galahad “March of Time ™ TFred Ast and G T 7nd Spercer Trace in an. Captains Courase- | " Captaine fue ons 21k Gebl< Gable and 3 a Lo- in Parnell i Cartoon. News Top of the Towa a “A_Fam Affair Myrna Loy and Clark_Gable Courage- West Poin Air and of the _“Doubls Talk * Clark Gable and Myrna Loy in Rl SE rma Lov and Clark Gable in ___“Parnell” Wallace Beery and Una Merkel in | e Go-Grtter Comedy T Mrrna Lov and CI Lynne Overman in | “Nobody's Baby.” Comedy William Boyd in North of the Rio Grs ks o Comedy. _ Patsy Kelly and Jack Haley in A Star oon. ~ Sport Freddie Bartholomew in “'Lloyds of Lon- don . Jed Prouty Back 0 } medy in_“'Lloy don.*Jed Prouty in Back o Nature.’ of Lon- Wallace Beery “March of 1 Robert Montzomery and Rosalind Russell Clark Gable and Myrna Loy in “Parnell.” Falls_Chu | Lido 07 M 8t . Joseph Callcia 1 Man of -the People Eric Linden. “Swest- {hearts of the Nav Bob Burns aad Mountain Mosic N.W. Pockville, Mt Newton 12th & Newton8ts N.E.i and_Jack . 'Pick a Biar.’ Alzo “‘Servant of the People.” in _“Night Must Fell Laurel and Hardy in Lanrel and Hardy in “Way Out West." Way Out W Warner Oland. “Ch: le Chan at Olympica. James Cagney in Frisco Kid." Bob Burns and Martha Rave in “Mountain Music.” __Cartoon. News, | Bob Burns and Martng Rave n “Mountain_ Music.” Joseph Callea in “Man of the People.’ Eric Linden. “Sweet- hearts of the Navy.” Bob Burns and Martha Rave in “Mountain Music.” Cartoon. News. Patsy Kelly and Jack! Haley, “Pick a 8tar™ Also “Bervant of the _Peopl o Little Oth between P and G Palm _Del Ray. Penn 650 Pa_Ave. S.E. “Maedchen in Uniform.” " Bartholomew and Spencer Tracy.in “Captains_Courage: ous.” “Maedchen in Uniform." “Maedchen in Uniform.” Edward_G. Robinson| and Bette Davis and Befte Davis in n “Kid_Galahad.” “Kid_Galahad.” Freddie Bartholomew Freddie Bartholomew and Spencer Tracy in and 8pencer Tracy in “Captains Courage- | “Captains Courage. Edward_G._ Robinson Bing Crosby in Princess "\v;mkn Vedding.” 12th and H 8ts. N.E. Reed Alexandria, Va. ___ous. A oy Bing Crosby in Norma Shearer in “Waikiki Wedding.” |“Romeo and Julfet.” !Cary Grant in “Ro- Patsy Kelly in “Nobody's Baby." mance and Riches “William Powell and | William Powell and Luise Rainer in Luise Rainer in “Emperor's Candle- | “Emperor's Candle. sticks.” Cart. News. | sticks.” Cart. Ne: Richmond Alexandria: Va. Will Rosers and Will Rogers and Marian Nixon in Marian Nixon in “Dr. Bull “Dr. Bull" Cartoon._ News. Cartoon. _News. Freddie Bartholomew | Bank | serve the interest in the entire per- ' so much a part of the background of | formance. ‘tm( country it would seem that every | The other players. from the Carolina | child certainly should have the privi- | Playmakers, the natives of Roanoke | lege of seeing it Island and members of the Civilian One authority on the theater in America has said ‘The Lost Colony,” as now presented at Roanoke Island, js the most important event in connec- tion with the theater now taking place in this country. Pechs K1 1a Bruce and nchot Tone in training given them and the intelligent understanding of the parts assigned to them This instructive historical drama is Wednesday | Chas. Bover. Is "Made at Nignt Thursday Robert Young in * Dangerous Number " Rosalind Keith in Arthur Treacher in Motor Madness Step Lively Fred MacMurray and Myrra Friday Robert Young in “Dangerous Number * Arthur Treacher in L Jeeves ™ “Step Lively, Jeeves Clark My william Ga Manhat- Po Melodrama - Saturday Jessie Mat Head Oyer | . “History an Melodran, “Another Da “March of Ti Rovert Montzomery in “Night Must Fail.* _Cartoon. News. hto ie Ruggles 1n Robrrt Montzomery 'urn Off the Moon Lee Tracy in " Benind _the Headlines " g | “Melods_of Plams Arthur Treacher “Step Lively. Jeev 2 | *Nizht Must Fa!l _Cartoon. News. Laure] and Hardy {n Laurel ‘Way Out West CWay and Har Out Wes <_Jones B Viet Smoke Tree R “Meet Moo the Missus.™ Edward G. Rob: and Bet'e Dav Kid Galaha “March of Time." Fred Astaire and Rogers Dance” Joe Penner Harriet Hi New Faces of 1937 Herry Fonda and Annabella in Wings of Morning.' Cartoon. News “Top of the Town™ T Pat OBrien and Henry Fonda “Dr. Bul TEdaina Booth and Harry Carey Edwina Booth and Harrr Cares in “Trader Horn " of the A “She Had to Ept " __Popeye. Our_Gane nd Harriet mu»mx 1 Wm. Bovd wih Popay Mouse. Our Tires Stooges Pat O'Brien _ Cartoon Bette Davis and Humphray Bogart " Msrna Loy ar 5 Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy in Cantaine Courage- “Grorge Brent and Anita Lovise in | “The Go-Geiter.” | T Pat O'Bri jen nnd __ Comed, Pat OBrien and Henry Fonda in “Shim." Pat OBrien and | ole_Lombard. Henry Fonda Gary Cooper and in Shirley Temple | “Siim."* “Now and Forever Norma Shearer and Norma Shearer and Helen Broderick and Leslie Howard in | " Leslie Howard in Victor Moore in Romeg _and Juliel.” “Romeo and Juliet. | “Meet the Miscus. Comeds’ Comedy N, Comed Charlie Rugeles and Edward G Robinton Edward G. Robinson Eleanore Whitney i and Bette Davis and Betie Davis Turn O the Moon.’ in in Short subjects “Kid Galahad " “Kid Galahad " aire Trevor in~ Edw. G. Robinson in Edw. G. Robinson in areer Woman " | “Thinder intheCity.” “Thinder inthe City, Also “Man Who Broke Dick Powell in Powell in MonteCarlo.” _“On_the Avenue " the Avenue Beery Beulah Bondi and Rosalind Rus nd Victor Moore in | Robert Montgomery “Make Way for in 5 ___ Tomorrow.” ght Must Fall Pat O'Brien and Pat O'Brien and Henry Fonda Henry Fonda in “Slim ette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in 1 “Maytime.” | “Maytimer WarnerOland. “Char-| ~ Eddie Oantor in lieChan atOlympics.”| “Sirike Me Pink." James Cagney in' |The Big House for Frisco_Kid. Girls."_News._Cart Madge Evans in " Lew Ayres and Dor “Thirteenth Chair.” | thy Lamour in “La: Cartoon. l'rrn.n From Madrid. _News. Cartoon. ~News. " Bob Burns and |~ Fred Astaire and Martns Rave Ginger Rogers in _Music.” | “Shall We Dance?" in_ P Roadato "Tonn. _ Popeye Allen and herd in the Range. v Gave Him Cartoon “March_of Time_ There Goes My airl “Great Hospital Mystery . Madgze Evans in “The Thirteenth Chair.” Jed Prouty in ~Big_Business.” (,u.x;p OBrlen Wallace March of Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell in Night Must Fall.” | _ Jeanette MacDonald 7 and Nelson Eddy in | “Slim."" Dick Foran in | | “Cnerokee Strip | | “Holly \luod Cow- £ e boy ™! 7 Eddie Cantor in | “Ken Maynard in “Strike Me Pink. |“Come On. Tarzan ~The Big House for Frankie Darrow in |Girls.””_News. Cart. “Tough to Handle.’ Don Ameche in “Fifty ~ Brian Donlevy in Roads to Town." Midnight Taxi." Cartoon. News. Charles 8tarrett in mateurs at R pm. -‘Dodge City Trail." “Mountaih. “Maedchen in Uniform.” “Maedchen, in Uniform.” “Maedchen in “Maedchen in Uniform.” Uniform.” “Victor Moore and Beulsh Bondi_in “Make Way for “Tomorrow."” Joe Penner and | Harrlet, Hilllard “New Pacer of 1937 T Clark Gable and | T Ciark Gable and b Myrna Loy Myrna Loy in in “Parnell.” " Joe Penner and Harriet Hilliard in “New Faces of 19: Freddie Barilolomew | South Seas, is that I am living in an | idyllic little hotel on the poetic left | or the d'Yslys, depending upon which sign about the building you happen to run into first. It is situated upon the Rue Jacob; it announces to the left of its entrance that it offers “the latest comforts,” and it couldn't have been the hosteiry that persuaded Cole Porter to write about “the silence of my lonely room.” If I may be permitted to give away a secret of Paris, I will whisper to you that the dream city of most Amer- icans is not the most noiseless metrop- olis extant. In fact, New York, com- pared to it, gives every sign of being a town seen in one of those primitive silent motion pictures. And the Rue | Jacob, particularly in the vicinity of the Hotel Isly, provides a sort of epitome of the poetic noises of the Paris streets. From dawn to dusk—the only time a sensible man devotes to the ecstatic Dbusiness of sleeping—buses ToAr, taxis scream, sirens shriek, horns bellow, chauffeurs bark, trucks rumble and motor cycles seem on the verge of exploding, thereby adding to the delicious Old World symphony of a great city. NE\«ERTHEI ESS, you would be ap- ! proximately a cad if you did not realize that these sounds, upsetting | as they may be to your entirely un- | important nervous system, were some- ;mmz more ‘than mere noise. They {are the atmospheric tones of a great | city. and you should be grateful for | the opportunity of experiencing them, rather than object to them on the crude ground that they have a slight | tendency to interfere with your sleep. I trust that you will appreciate the kindness of Paris in permitting you to hear them, instead of indulging in any doubts about the acceptance of the French capital as the city of every American’s dreams, the mystic mflrnpnlu of his secret heart, | Parenthetically, I would like to sug- ROSL that it is possible Paris may be | just a pleasant city, blessed by good food and agreeable sidewaik cafes, rather than =0 nebulous a thing as the spiritual and emotiona! paradise that romantic dreamers wouH mflkf‘ l1t. bank that is called the Isly, the Ysly, | "08Sts neither good food nor a side- Critic Discovers Charm In Mldst of Galhc Roar Paris Visit Reveals Place Where Americans Get Relief From Traditional French Drama and Imported Features, By Richard Watts, Jr. HESE observations were written in a away in a peaceful corner of Paris. the bustle and noise of Broadway an World restfulness of a placid, leisury cover a haven amid the cultured tones of the most secret of my escape from it all, an adventure e one of the unravished isles of the— Things. quiet little nook, gently tucked It is delightful to get away from d invite one's soul amid the Old ely city. It is nice, also, to dis- civilized of races. The quivalent to a pilgrimage on Anyway, the Hotel Isly which walk cafe, and is not a spiritual and emotional paradise, is the most fas- cinating of hostelries, and I have made a study of them in the far places of North America, Europe and Asia From its decorations, which are early bagnio, to its service, which is friend- ly, it is an utterly amiable and charm- ing hotel, with sound effects, and its Gallic delights are far from any com- promises with the foreigners. It must be by chance that this pleasant abode, which happily has been kept a secret | from the pushing aliens, should hap- pen to be inhabited almost entirely by Americans. T IS only fair for me to tell you at this point that the charms of the Isly have had a certain unfortunate effect upon my studies in the French drama. In fact, I have been so busy contemplating the ratio between | charm and noise in Paris that I some- how have had no time to get around to any of the plays on exhibition in these parts. The only thing I have seen has been the Cotton Club revue | at the Moulin Rouge, and it is a pleas- ure to add that the visitors from Hare lem are performing splendidiy. It is a fast, lively and exciting ene tertainment that has pace, melody and brilliant dancing There are good zpecialty performers, including the Berry Brothers and a team of six dancing maniacs, known, curiously enough. as the Dancing Maniacs, I think they were called the Lindy Hop- pers when they left New York. Out- standing among the principals iz Bill Bailey, who last appeared in New York in the Cotton Club show with Ethel Waters, and who is the most expert tap dancer to appear since Bill Robin- son. I suspect that he is even a greater scientist of the tap dance than Bojangles, but to say so out loud would be a form of sacrilege. But I must get back to the Isiy for a moment. Among the beauties of the hotel is the fact that me excellent training for my expedi- tion to Spain. The noises of an aemal bombardment wi eem pretty compared to the familiar so hrlzh' morning in the Rue Jarnb il room.” a feature of v Colonial home, in which our ancestors kept “‘the spirits,” has a Hollywood counterpart It is a dark attic vault in the library | | wing of Cecil B.'De Mille's capacious | Laughlin Park home. But it is not | for the De Mille wines. Those are | Kept in the cellar. It's for the more | than 25.000 stills that have been shot during the making of De Mille's 63 | pictures. Pasted in labeled albums they make a mighty tower of huge black books. | But more than stills are here. Sketches | by the hundreds are stacked in bins, | all of them by noted artists and de- signers. many of them worthy of museum exhibition De Mille long azo adopted thP’ method of having the best artists! visualize scenes and characters on | paper for him, drawing on their talents for camera composition as he and other directors draw on the gifts of noted authors for stories. Dore | | was his first artistic mentor. Con- | ceiving a vast admiration for the Bib- lical engravings of this artist, when ! he attended an exhibition with his | father as a small boy, the producer- | director of large-scale epics began | | using Dore’s compositions in his Bib- lical films, “The Ten Command-| ments,” “The King of Kings” and | “The Sign of the Cross.” Today De Mille has Dan Sayre Groesbeck. Dwight Franklin and Na- | talie Visart on his staff. Groesbeck, noted for his vigorous | treatment of Russian peasants, pirates | {and big-muscled vagabonds, has his work in the foremost museums and masters of line and color. He will | turn out at least 50 completed pic- | tures and innumerable sketches for | “The Buccaneer,” which De Mille will consult for camera angles, action and costumes. Franklin, who designed many of the costumes in “The Plainsman” and other major Hollywood offerings, is outlining with brush and color the DANCING. To Enjoy Your Vacation LEARN to dance smartly. A few lessons with Ethel M. Fistere, formerly with Arthur Murray, and you will enjoy greater popu- larity this Summer. Peggy Kelly School of Dance Studio 1018 18th St. N.W. ST. 9888 Donald Woods and Ann Dvorak in “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop.” Savoy 3030 14th 8t. N.W. Donald Woods and | Ann Dvorak in “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop.” John Trent in “A” Doctor's Diary." Pred Astaire and Ginger_Rogers in “Shall We Dance? Matinee. 2 p.m. Seco Stiver Spring. Md. | Fred Astaire and Ginger_Rogers in ‘Shall We Dance?" Also_short_subjects. | Also_short s John Beal and Joan John Trent in |Pontaine in_ “The “A” Doctor's Diary.” c Aho short_subjects. i | | | l Bob Burns an Martha Rave in “Mountain Music.” Sheridan Ga. Ave. & Sheridan St. Bob Burns and Martha Rave uounmn Music.” Bob Burng and Martha "fiu ‘Mountain Music.” Kay Francis and Errol Flynn in ‘*Another Dawn. March_of Timi {T_Jean Harlow in “Personal Property. Eric Linden in ins_of Children." Robert Taylor and Jean Herlow in “‘Personal Pr’?ferly" Comedy._News Stanton 6th and C Bts. N.E. State Bethesda. Md. |Paul Muni in Woman I Love. Jeanne Dante in “Four Days’ Wonder." rnand Gravet in ‘The King and the Chorus_Girl." News. _ Novelty. . Jean Harlow in Personal Property.” Eric Linden in |_“Sins_of_Children. Robert Taylor an Jean Harlow in “Personal Property.”’ Comedy. _News Paul Muni in ‘Woman I Love.” Jeanne Dante in ‘Four Days' Wonder.” _ Ternand Gravet in “The King and the Chorus _Girl." News._Noveity. Joe Penner Harriet, Yird n “New Paces of 1037 Robert Taylor and | Barbara Stanwyck [eTnis 16 My Atair.: Charlie_Ruggles in “Turn Off the Moon. Freddie Bartholomew d Spencer Tracy in Captains Courage- | ous. State Falls Church. Va. | Takoma Taxoma Park. Tivoli 14th and Park kd. Joe Penner and Joe Penner and William Powell and William Powell and| Lew Ayers and Harriet Hilliard n ew Faces of 1 orma Shearer and Leslie Howard in ‘Romeo_and Julet.” ““They| im a Gun." Alice Brady in “Mama_Steps Out." Freddie Bartholomew! and 8pencer Tracy in Captains Courage- ous.” Harriet, Hilliard n New Faces of 197 Robert Taylor Barbara Stauw n “This Is My_Affair.” Charlie_ Ruggles in “Turn Off the Moon.’ Freddie Bartholomew! and Spencer Tracy in “‘Captains Courage- ous.” Luise Rainer in ““The Emperor’ Candlesticks. Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard in Romeo_and_Julet. Bpencer Tracy. ““They| | Gave Him a Gun.” Alice Brady in Mama Steps_Out.” Freddie Bartholomew |and Spencer Tracy in, “Captains Courage- ous, Luise Rainer in | Dorothy Lamour in “The Emperor's | ‘The Li Candlesticks." From | Wallace "Beery and | Wallace Beery and | Betty Furness Beity Furness | _“Good_old Soak.” | “Good Old soak.” Claudetty Colbert™ | Cllndeu‘» Colbert ™ ot MetHym 1n “I Met Him in (AR rarisne Sl __Paris” Joe Penner and Joe Penner and Harrlet Hilliard Harriet Hilliard New Paces of 1937." Fred Astaire and Robt. Youns. Florence Ginger Rogers |Rice. in “Married in | Before Breakfast.”™ 'Shall_ We Dance” ' Added attractions. " |Ray Milland_ "W |- Over Honolulu wm. Bovd in_“Hills “Parnell.” | "o "old_Wyoming. Freddie Bartholomew Jack Oakie and d Spencer Tracy In Agn Bo!sh‘F":hi.n ins_Courage- “Super-Sleuth " Norma Bhearer in | Spanky” McFarla Romeo and Juliet.” “Fire Over England.” “Fire Over Ei |{in_*'General 8pank: Cary Grant in “Ro-' Arthur Treacher in ! Arthur Treacher i Bob Livingston in mance and Riches.” “Step Lively. Jeeves.” "Step Lively. Jeeves " “Gunsmoke Ranch.” William Powell and Robert Montgomery | Robert Mon tlomery\ Robert Montgomery Luise Rainer in lnd Marion Devies in' and Marion Davies |n nnd Marion Davies in mperor's Candle- |~ “Ever Since Eve. |~ “Ever Since Eve.” | “Ever Since Eve' & Cartoon. News. Cartoon. News. | Cartoon. News. Don Ameche in Richard Dix and Richard Dix and “Fifty Roads to Joan Perry in Joan Perry in n. ‘Devil 1s Driving.” | “Devil Is Driving.” Cartoon. _News. | Cartoon. News. _ Gfol’kt O'Brien in | Ginger Rogers and “Hollywood Cow- Fred Astaire | Man _Who Pound boy. i in 5 _ Himselr.” our “Shall_ We Dance?" “joteph Caliela 0| "Joseph Callela In Preston Foster. “Out- of the People.” “Man of the People.” casts of Poker Flats." lmu Melton in James Melton in All ar st in _““Melody for Two.” | “Melody for Two.” | “Fair Warning." Kay Prancis and |~ Jack Haley and ‘Errol Flynn in Patsy Kelly in “Plck 8 Star.” _March of Tme. | Serial.__Our_Gans. Norman Foster. *'The Norman Foster, “The Claire Trevor. “Time |Quicasts’ of "Poker Outcasts of Poker Out for Romance." Peter Lorre Fl Peter Lorre| — Buck Jones in _“Crack-Up. Crack-Up." _|“Smoke Tree Range.” mes Ellison in ames Ellison in E 112 _Hours" Lelvl oy ‘Wm, Boyd in ‘'Nortl " of the Rio_Grande.” Lew Avel Dnmthy “The Last Train From drid. |Sally Blane in “Great Hospital Mystery.” |Geo. O'Brien'in __Avenue Logger. S| “Thunder in the City.” |Ray Milland. “"Wings __Over_Honolulu.' Jack Oakie and Ann 8othern in o “‘Super-8leuth.” Bob Burns and Martha Raye in e “'Mountain Music." Uptown Conn. Ave. & Newark8t. Burns and Bf:-nhn Raye in fae “‘Mountain_Music. "~ Bob Burns and Martha Raye in “Mountain Music.” Kay Prancis and Errol Flynn in “‘Another Dawn." rel and Hardy in ‘Way Out West | “wild" West Ds No._1.__ O in New Faces of 1937, | Virginta Bruce and Franchot Tone in Kay Francis and Errol Fiynn ‘Between Two ‘Wom Wilson Afllm Vs. Dark. Joe E. Brown in Joe E. Brown in “Riding on Air." “Riding on Air.” “Ano\hfl Dawn."” Bob Burns and Bob Burns and lnr?h- Raye Martha Rave 1 “Mountain Music.” Richard Dix in “The Devil Is Driving.” Bob Burns and lhrlhl Raye “l‘ounlllfl Music.” “This B “’ Afatr.” u An. HI Cla 4:tte Golbert. AERSEHE vare Bty wrais s Sy agetn |- b Claudette Colbert. ARTEE mnofl-’i‘m and vone maf o Bar in “Mountain Music.” AT E Ea: “Some people don’t dance. They just fight it out!” n your RHYTHM is perfect cing with veu will be a pleasure be left pelishing seats or decorating walls. RHYTHM {| s the foundation of Dancing. Rhythm, ean put Rhythm in your feet and make you a good dancer and & popuiar partner in a short time. New, easy way of learning to dance, developed by Leon D. Canellis, saves half the time required by the OLD- FASHIONED BOX - STEP Method or any other Method and makes your dancing Nat- ural and Graceful from the Bllrlc "ELLIS DANCE STUDIOS 724 11th 8¢. N.W. Dlstrict ll.fl | In | Wedding.” | “Madame X" | andre Bis: | with J. K. |to a new M-G-M contract, is considered one of the greatest living \ since Art in Advance costumes to be worn in the new film authenticating them to the last dee tail. In addition, he is molding & collection of wax fiaures of Frederie | March, Franciska Gaal and other players as they will look in the cos= tumes he has designed More sketches are the output of Na talie Visart, also assigned to designing costumes for the film At least 500 negatives will be shot | by the “still men" when “The Bucca- neer” gets into production shortly And when completed and used | their various purposes. the new stack of sketches, graphs will others in the paintings and phot in the thousands still room." . Beal's Role. ]OHN BEAL will be the son of “Madame X." Assigned to the tensely dramatic role of the young lawyer who unknowingly must defend his own mother against a murder of | charge, Beal faces an unusual test of | versatility. For he is currently east hilarious comedy, “Double with Willlam Powell, Myrna Loy and Florence Rice, from which he will step immediately int) the court room melodrama Gladys George plays the title role of with Warren William the | opposite as the husband, Floriot. The screen play is from the play by Alex- n. Sam Wood will direct, McGuinness as producer The role of the son, Raymond, wili be Beal's second since being signed and is dramatic par: “The Little Minister,” in which he plaved opposite Katharine Hep- burn. He made his film debut at M- expu'wd to be his most | G-M in 1933, in “Another Language. with Helen Hayes, following his ap- | pearance in the play on the New York stage. ___DANC MAE DAVISON Baliroom classes Tues. and Thurs from K to 11~ Reduced rates for Summer Tap. health, ch $3 per mo : private l\fu‘ons -W.. Thomas Cirele. a ‘Cause good dancing —is GREAT FUN. Develops poise and grace— keeps you FIT —banishes timidity— brings POPU- LARITY creates a WINNING p e r s 0 nality. My patient, TALENTED finstructors will teach you to DANCE beautifully and cor- rectly in & VERY SHORT time! LESSONS PRIVATE Waltz—Fox Trot—Tango Drop in: appointments mot required RUMBA Is lm ;n Stay— Dange Masier Over New York—Pittsburgh—Cincinnatt Low Summer Rates! AIR-CONDITIONED 1811 H St. N.W. NAt. 3767 Larger Additional Studio Special Attention to Beginners! D 40.000 Pupils in U. 8) Stage—Tap—Beginners—Advanced “Don Martini Conducts this Branch”