The evening world. Newspaper, March 10, 1922, Page 36

i THE NEW PLAYS “Broken Branches” A Two-Family Row By CHARLES DARNTON i N visiting the sins of the children upon the fathers, the sympathetic authors of the play at the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre evidently felt it would be better for the fathers in “Broken Branches” to get together Instead of suffering alone, in the. manner of King Lear and Pere Gorlot, from thankless or thoughtless offspring. If it is true that misery loves company—which I sometimes doubt—this consolation has been liberally provided by those obliging comedy-dramatists Emil Nyitray and Herbert Hall Winslow. Yet there can be no question that old Martens would bave been far better ef without the company of his older friend, McCann, for no sooner does Yhis bitter argumentative crony get But of the poorhouse to which his son nd daughter-in-law sent him than he gakes himself disagrecably at home dy warning his benefactor against the children of this happy household ps caring only for his money. But as matters turn out the Irish guest is not entirely to blame for Qhe change that tekes place. Mar. fons discovers that while he was in ‘Europe his son had not only been making love to McCann's daughter. §n.law, but had been influenced by her $o squander in Wall Street nearly all bf $15,000 left in his keeping. Elsie Js a bad lot, her husband is no better, and young Martens amounts to little more than a romantic fool. The play is really a two-family row, swith the fathers remaining friends from a natural inclination to share their troubles, This row is wearl- ome because of the failure of the puthors to develop it into a vigorous, gut-and-out fight. Old McCann is ag- gressive enough to be interesting und fntertaining, but Martens becomes well-nigh groggy with sentimentality fhat takes an absurd turn when @ Btory called ‘Broken Branches" he is feading becomes part of the strange Proceedings. With less excuse fhan the dream scene in “The Bells,” this departure is made for the sake of melodramatic effect after fhe boy has been driven from home ‘and his sister follows him. Nothing could be clumsier or cruder fhan the archaic stage management ‘which affords a bewildering view of & partially lighted door framing old Martens as he solemnly reads his sad Btory of the children who left a stern parent and went to the bad. When this light goes out other lights go up, vealing an opium dive, with young Prartens begging for the drug and his Bister taking poison just in time to gic in her father’s arms. As a matter of fact, the boy goes fo work and the girl marries a trav- elling salesman who had expected her father to establish him in ousiness, whereupon both return and are for- given, Meanwhile McCann gets back his property through a@ lawsult financed by Martens The only thing of genuine value in this extravagant business is the rich Irish brogue of J. M. Kerrigan, who plays McCann for all he is worth perhaps a iittle more. Hyman Adler revels in the sentimentality of Mar- tens, The remaining members of the cast manage at least to be less old- fashioned than the play. I'DonT SPosE You REMEMBER 4 ME FROM ADAM SIR Screenings By DON ALLEN” SAUCE FOR THE GEESES. Rak into Paul Terry, the film car- foonist, who.draws all sorts of thing: Aor Acsop’s Film Fables, yesterday, ‘and he proudly handed us the follow- ng essay on geese. He says it was Written by a young nephe Judge for yourself: ; ‘Geese ts a low heavy-set bird com- sed mostly of meat and feathers. is head sets on one end and he sets on the other. A geese can't sing much n account of the dampness of the oisture, There ain't no hetween to is toes and he carries a toy balloon $n his stomach to keep him from sink- fms. Some geese when they get big re called’ ganders and have curls to heir tails, Ganders don't have to get and hatch, but they just loaf and 0 swimmin' and eat. If I was a geese I'd rather be « gander.” 3 KATINKA ? GIRLS AND MORE GIRLS. % The day of the bathing beauty has Brent = For some time those of us who sit Theatrical News and G JOE’S CAR Joe , You'Lt simPLy HAVE “To Go IN ON “THE “TRAIN ~ (ve. Gor “TO HAVE “THE CaR “> DO MY MARKETING! 'M ty HEAD OF “This FAMILY ABOUT AS OFTEN AS A Cow CLIMBS A “TREE! BuT "Bee" — LisTEN —— R'E BUT 20 YRS. AGO WHEN I WAS A PooR MESSENGER You GAVE ME A “MESSAGE “To Copr. 1922 (N.Y Eve. World) By Press Pub. Co, Baw “aT 's ENOUGH - You VE TRE BABY 4 NICE YOU NEEDN'T WITH ti THE LITTLE DEARS ? see stow uASELFisH! THEY D RATHER Co LONE ~ But THEY Re GINNING THE BALDY CM ON. WELK GIVE YA & RIDE IN OUR NEW OTTYMOBILE | HoRN ° WANNA TAKE) (CANT, FERDIE- MY Boss A RIDE ON FORBID ME To GO OUT MY NEW WITH You ANY MOTORCYCLE.) « HE SAID IF HE EVER SAW ME IN YOUR COMPANY HE'S GONNA GIVE You AN AWFUL CALLIN’ DOWN ! ME(VeELL RIDE RIGHT PASS His WiNDow AN’ CALL THAT GUY'S BLUFF ? RAs Sette rick’s Day Eve. World) 85 Frees Well Thought Out! Copr. 1922 (N.Y. Eve, World) By Press Pab. Co. — NOw LOOK ELMER —-—-- SINCE YOU HAVEN'T LEARNED “To DRWE YouR CAR YET — How'D You LiKE ME “T'DRivE YOU To “TOWN IN tT THis MorNinG !??. and Players By BIDE DUDLEY have been watching the dis- cussion of the brand of humor of the late Bert Williams with a great deal of interest. The only white man who can fully appreciate the real Negro humor is the mat born and brought up in the Negro country, and that is not New York. Bert Williams could make the groes laugh, which is definite pi of the fact that he was a great black BJ face comedian. Willis P. Sweatnam, when he was before the public, 1 showed he understood real Negro hu- ff mor, and others who understand it are Walter C, Kelly, Neil O'Brien, McIntyre and Heath, Wilbur Cox and possibly George Marion, Lew Dock- stader doesn’t attempt real Negro hu- mor nor does Al Jolson consistently. #f Honk! Honk! They are black face performers j handle matters in thelr own origin ways. Bert Williams on the stage was a slouch Negro, and to the man f] who understands the Negro sense of J humor that is the funniest kind. NEW ONE FOR DUNCAN. Augustin Duncan has accepted for immediate production a new play, in C—_—— three acts by Mary Hoyt Wiborg. It = hears the title of “Taboo,” and is described as a study of voodooism, It will be first presented at a series of special matinees at the Neighborhood Playhouse, beginning on March 28, “THE CHINAMAN.” “The Chinaman," written by Bran- don Hurst of the Players’ Assembly, which is offering ‘Montmartre” at the Belmont Theatre, is soon to be produced, Hassard Short will direct! th: staging. HONORING A HERO. N Bert Levy, the Get Together” ¢ar- toonist at the Hippodrome, has re- ceived from the British Government | u letter signed by and a bronze memorial bearing the name of his son, Lieut. Alwyn Gor-/ don-Levy, who was killed in action in the British Air Service during the. war é GOSSIP. § Mabel Withee of “The Rose of Stamboul’ is to be starred by the Messrs. Shubert next season. ‘A benefit performance will be giver! at the Century Sunday night for ‘Temple Ansche Chesed of Harlem, Georgie Empey, sister of Cleo May- field, has been given work to do it he Blushing Bride,” at the Astor and she's fine. Walter Camp saw “Bulldog Drum mond” at the Knickerbocker las’ night and certainly wielded a noisy puir of hands Harry Davenport of “Thank U" will address the Catholic Actors Guild at the Hotel Astor on St. Pat Dor Keane, who studied at th American Academy of Dramatic Arte end look at moving pictures have Wealized this, but not until yesterday thas any film producer placed his royal Mush on the table, face uppermost, wend admitted that the world in gen- gral could manage to mosey along pwithout the aid of the B. B's. William Fox, flinging precedent into the waste basket, along with 1,002 narios, sald: Movie patrans ere tired of bathing Mesvuexs Isut the sume patrons de- $.cind girls in certata classes of flims. An order to satisfy this demand and 0 do way with the prosaic bathing Bast, we have established a girl junit in Hollywood that should prove i knockout. The unit will be used in Beveral new films." Wonder just what the wil People can have up thelr sleeves? “No wondah he die a natur'l What was de means to'rds de en'?” “*Thutty-eight automatic!" “"Uh, huh! He sho’ died ature! CAMEO IS MODEL. Not wishing to “go to the moun tuin," “mourtain’’ to Mahemet looking over New York picture house plans for a pr be built betwee aires, Uheir children and their gue ve committee report Pox NATURAL DEATH, Rockcliffe Fellowes and Ernest Hil- Hiard were helping to keep the Times Building upright yesterday and at the game time absorbing the sunlight and Malking of Rocky's recent Southern trip with the “Island Wives” com oper he one of the finest « in the world plimented, and rightly so, too. HELL BE THERE. Lewis Stone, who plays 1 endyll in the Rex Ingram Me: production of the “Prisoner of Zend wo sons of Ham were dir Sthe sudden death of a fellow ipian, counted Rocky. Mhem evidently had not h iticulars. Here's what I overheard + *Pompe he daid!’ said one is @ veteran of two wa for more i "How he die? asked the oth In ‘98 he served os a boy with tl “oh Pompe die a natur'l deaths [ren N yy n Cat “"How come und or \ ‘ “‘He don’ shot twenty-two natu nut t 0 a de crap game an’ A { reently asked Mr, Stone emus,’ warned toe vther, if he 4. ot of other velerans gives way at the Central on March 15 to Harry Carey in **Man to Man." tention to a thin who seemed to ground for a pair of beayily rimmed always) within SPEAKING OF CARDS. ‘aced, sallow looking the Lyceum on March 20, RHYMED THRILLS i se Defour has arranged th i “| dances for the third section of “Hip aulps) Asson's Matty of Ray Brook, N. ¥., writes acquaintances man who stuck a8| recovering fr CHEERING, on Cobb's well- famous Preneh avia- close as a shadow known nerves veral Suffern, N. J., finan ff You'll Gut Me Tight,’ off clers are planning to bring the Associated Exhibiters’ film sed this month K. Lincoln's et Greenacre Li Ping 1 ing up blue ribbons at big city shows, who has signed with Pathe the footman That part is all right, but he els yours? “that infarneus song Uo isn't fan en appear ina thrilling sezial To this end a committee has been Cobb could stand “Who th' what each house as to seeking « model from which to draft ¢ constint com- ely-owned theatre to n Suffern and Mahwah for the exclusive use of the million { night nd, white (he ne taby didn’t rhyme of Stamboul”' at fhe Century to-nigh’ panion since Norma Shearer prides herself in the is one of the few actress idea of all alrpla leave on her was a membe Then Cobb quit Beforé sallying would be built ines of the Cameo re in West 420 Street it will about 600 and will, Ike the pointed st difference jock CLOSE-UPS ait and when she was » knocks b once UY 08 comfortably seated in her sumptuous she made a discovery. * she eried to the fyotman, a sgon us 1 reach n the speakies, Unfortugately, of Gold” company Tom Mix says Moss feels very highly come in you come down S anxious to use 1 self advertising title prevailing song Go and get them." DID IT ALL taken out of camphor and waiting vf Bivadway ported conyuleveunt, will address the graduating class @ to Methusalah."’ Dances? Ah, sounds wakeful he'd admire to own the copy ©f] Conchita Piquer, recently of ‘Fran + song, ‘You May Hold Me ht] Pay Fable will enter Shuber Vaudesille uring at the Winte | | xquisit , opene | { | prize fur the best rhymed thrill ut the Globe Theatre . last night, and the re), ports are favorable Prince Mohammed Ali Thrahim aj his side kick, Blink McCloskey, at to lamp the performance of The Ros mous at ull, Why, we sane » put our baby lo nbors kicke t here's ™ One night. returning pickled I staggered in the ‘house A THOUGHT FOR TO-DAY. } T felt quite gay and tickled, Mervin L, Lane wir us as follows Like aay other souse. “Ys it true the Limerick revolt wel started by a bird who read ono q A thrill of feur o'ercame me est I felt a presente near; No reader hare can blama me FOOLI@HMENT. i For giving way to fear Cunning little May McGee H A burglar sureiy waited Tried to climb an apple tree. | To take away mu Wile. Down she fell. und Mrs, Taylor | I prayed with breath abated Laughed wntil they had to jait ne That it was NOT mu wife ‘Twas then Twas assautted FROM THE CHESTNUT TRE! Ry bulls and bears und cows? “He had yas put on a pair of ru 1 4 ber boots when he fell out of ¢ Ti whe he yahte halted Aid when tho slaual eighteenth story of the building.’* T saw it WAS my spouse. Rwwline bannecied “He begun to bounce.* You can't? And why not, pray?” “Yos?’ } Well. there's only the ace of dis “And finally they had to shoot f monde ieft, m'lady!"—London Ideas. to keep him from otarving to death, * 4