The evening world. Newspaper, April 29, 1922, Page 12

LATS TT TURNING ON THE SPOTLIGHT BY CHARLES DARNTON © checking of the crime wave is apparent in the theatre. Three of the ‘week's plays are based on murder. In one of them the actual deed is committed before the eyes of the audience, and in two the bodies of the victims are placed on exhibition. Well, some one may readily ask, what are you going to do about it? Nothing. Unfortunately, or otherwise, there is no law against theatrical murder, If there were, it might go hard with even Shakespeare, and that of course would be an artistic calamity. But I'm not sure that some of our playwrights could make out artistic cases for themselves. There is just a chance that their frantic endeavors might end in exposing them as mere WELL, WHEN YOUR Boss Comes IN YOu “TELL HiM MR. SHRIWEL, WOULD LIKE HIM 6 CALL UP AND EXPLAIN WHY He FAILED Ye KEEP “wat APPOINTMENT YEsTER DAY — Gor it 7) — AN' He ACTED LiKe HE Wuz ORFUL MAD “Too Boss! —— AIT WITH THis OL BIRD —He @AN DO “ME A LOT OF GOOD --1 MAKE AD ATE To DRIVE HIM HOME AN’ LET Him Uf STAND ON A STREET CORNER: “iLL He's sensationalists. Surely, no one can claim there ts any art In the guessing contests called mystery plays now exciting curiosity ‘as never before. So far as dialogue is concerned they are little more than living motion pictures. Rightly enough, audiences care next to nothing for the talk that goes on, waiting impatiently, if not eagerly, to see what will happen next. The whole contraption is simply a box of tricks depending largely upon the stage carpenter, and the more pre- posterous these tricks are the greater the crowds as a rule. 2h car praeamnintan. NTERTAINMENT of this sort may be as harmless as \t is childish, and so have much in its favor. Then, too, our audiences have « lively sense of humor that saves them from taking such nonsense seriously. ‘No matter how grim a face It puts on, they laugh It out of countenance, In- deed, it wouldn't be surprising if they laughed it completely off the stage before long. everything of acute popularity in the theatre, as every showman knows. ‘When Barnum whitewashed his ele- phant he realized the time would come when he would be obliged to turn the hose on it. ‘Turned for a long time in one di- rection, curiosity is sure to get a crick in the neck. That it exists in the theatre with uncommon flercenes» there's no denying. But to be satis- fied, does it require murder to be spread before it? Must it feed upon horror? That is, does it demand them Just for the sake of murder and hor- ror? These things are, of Course, es- ential to some plays, above ail to great tragedies. But are they neces- sary to trick melodramas? A mys- tery play without them would really be a novelty, for then {t might be a ne 2 a MTNA so of the Western World" caused a riot because a bragging lad pretended to have killed his dad, whereas nowa- days a stage murder scarcely raises a ripple, unless it’s one of laughter. ‘able to ask the mystery play to bury its dead. A dofunct fe- male toppling out of a magician’s cab- inet is, after all, a ridiculous figure te when you stop to think that an es- tablished, middle-aged citizen has ‘been fool enough to puncture her in- viting back in his own home with a housefal of people as his guests. In i the other instance mentioned, the ‘dody of a slain bootlegger is left ly- ing in more or leas state so long that it looses the possible attraction of novelty. 8 Sympathy is really for the quick ‘and not for the dead in these mys- tery plays. The active ones hnve to be very quick indeed. They are al- most constantly on the jump, or div- ing Into fireplaces and then finding themselves winded and uncomfort- Bair, able in a still more devilish hole, This ‘ ‘must be especially trying on heavy- weight actors. A thin &nd nimble ne naturally has an advantage over ® corpulent fellow artist. Yet it ‘would seem as though performers generally in mystery plays should have acrobatic training. Ed Wynn might start a school of this kind, and fain the gratitude, not to mention the shekels, of countless mystery players. B is a tale from a London paper that may set you screaming: “To-morrow Miss Sybil Thorndike makes her seventh easay in a Grand Guignol programme. Few of her ad+ mirers know that it was only the ac- 4 cident of a damaged wrist which pre- wt vented her devoting her talents to ‘: music teaching and pianoforte play- ing, As a young girl she practised from six to eight hours a day in her father’s vicarage at Rochester, and by the time she was eighteen she had given recitals at the Steinway Hall es and had as many as thirty puptis, . ‘The strain on her wrist was so seri- ous that she was warned that she Se could never play again. In the pur. suit of a profession she then turned to the stage, and gained her first ex- perience with Ben Great on American SNe it diesn’t seem unreason- UT to get back to horrors, here tours. i “She tells a story of how in those i days ahe set out at 5 o'clock in the morning to cover many hundreds of miles from one small township to an- cy other. The company rehearsed ir. the train, to the great amusement of the other passengers. They arrived to HUSBANDLY ADVICE. i ‘The wife in the case was formerly a ery popular screen idol, who retired ‘after ner marriage. The husband is still at the top of the movie heap. ‘They were talking things over cas- tally the other nigbt. “I'm getting dreadfully tired of this - doing nothing." muttered the wife. “1 think I’ fake up something to oceupy my mind. “My dear,” agreed the husband, a fine idea. You must get Biighty; lonely. I'm away from the early every morning and never il after—why @on't you try find that their ‘pitch’ for the night Was in actual fact the local court- house and prison. Thorndike's dressing-room were two Negresses awaiting trial for murder Outside the stage door were newly- erected gallows for the execution of another having escaped, roaming the neighborhood at the mo- ment.” Weil, anyway, it's a good story, isn’t {t? coyotes for some animal Underneath Miss murderer, however, to be who, was known How MAN "STROKES DID T TAKE ON “THAT beep Now, MARY. YuR MoTHER AND T ARE CoING 6 THE PRECEEDING CHAPTERS Cowes Home fete akypcomteg -Now WITH HULDA AND epeecad YOU CAN BUY NONE OTHER Than THe WEALTHY MISTER BL IRSELF SOMETHING Nice WIT YouR Doar — How woud YoU Like T GO To A CONCERT THIS AFTERNOON, KATINKA ? —— AARON something to use up your spare time. “I think I'll take up painting, mused the wife. “Good,"’ exclaimed the husband, ‘and there's still a half gallon of paint and a coupla brushes in the store room"—— He got no further—but the “argu- ment"’ was off to a good start. STORK NOTE, The Sennett lot, already looking like @ thickly populated section of the Bronx Zoo, a few days ago received two trained coyotes for use latest picture. in the Yesterday when Bill Guthrie, Sen- nett’s animal man, went to get the shots he found one in a belligerent mood. Try as he would, Bill couldn't budge the coyote, After un hour's work the an- imal consented to crawl to Bill's out- stretched hand and then he saw the reason for the display of tempera- ment. The population of the coyote cage had been increased by two pup- pies. They have been named Fritzie and Lena, FILM FLAW SEEKERS. Horace Williams, casting director for the Thomas H. Ince studio, yes terday declared war on professional “fim flaw" finders following the an- nouncement of the prize winning film flaw in @ fan magazine. Here's the magazine announcement Williams ob- fects to: “Not a leg to stand onpin Grit- ALL You ENER, THINK) Korie ae ae } i's MY BIRTHDAY AN’ TM) NOT GOING DOWN To BUSINESS YouR wTTLE Girl. 18 A LOVELY CHILD, OF CouRSE, BUT ITS WORTH A DOLLAR “TS “BE FID oF NER Another Good Idea Gone Wrong! FOR AN EVENING. ey GUE: B MY OGU/ JK 434 Gyo". Bats, Iy, 4 Le Yh, PK Unde “tgs is. AUN "iatitlb, 0.& 14, i arr errr) Eeimars SONI) <a 4 -U RINK ERTS -s-s-T —? es - Mon? Hulda AND I ARE SPENDING MY DOLLAR “BNIGHT- CRAZY “T'sHOOT Me — OH - 'M A FINE BIE EXAMPLE OF Sump'N “TH CAT DRAGGED 1N —- WHAT'LL L SAY TO HIM — WHAT yt. AW ONLY CAN COUNT uP “To Oop i “9 Be THAT'S NOTHIN? — Every Time YOU HAVE A BIRTHDAY YOu TAKE A ne ‘Martyrs of the Alamo; Gen. Anna strides about on two per- fect legs, though his wooden leg has become as famous as that of Peter Stuyvesant. Five dollars has been awarded to Mrs. Patterson Miller of Russellville, Tenn." Always ready to take issue with film critics, Williams says: “Has it come to a point where film producers mumt picture historical de- talls in accordanc? with popular fal- lacies or with historical exactness? Gen, Santa Anna had two good legs at the time of the fall of the Alamo and never lost a leg until two years after the time of Mr. Griffith's pic- ture. ‘The prize winner is wrong and should return the money, and the magazine should be penalized a like amount for making such an award,” SAGE ADVICE. In the latest issue of Selznick News there are shown several animated views of Lizzie Robinson of Augusta, Ga., who thinks she Is 127 years old. While the pictures are very interest- ing, the best part of the showing is the following bit of advice she gives to American girls: “Girls, no matter how short “her skirts may be, remember she ts still your mother. SCORE 200 FOR NORMA, Norma Talmadge has rounded out a busy sereen career by playing her 200th part. But that doesn't mean that the fair Norma is thinking ot calling it a life's work and quit. be it from such! Anyway, according to Miss Tal- madge, she started work in Brooklyn when she was fourteen in a flickery film comedy known as ‘Household Pests," “I don't remember much,"” mused the actress, “other than that I was one of the I have a faint recollection of being told to hide under a photographer's black cloth and to pop out at the wrong time, I popped out at least twenty wrong times and the director was emphatic in declaring that I would never, never make a picture actress, That made me angry and I determined to show him."" Just how well Miss Talmadge has succeeded In ‘showing him’ we think you can judge for yourself. The director? Oh, he's driving a truck somewhere in New York Far TO AID POOR. To-night at midnight the Motion Picture Producers, Distributers and Exhibitors’ Committee of the May Carnival, headed by Will H. Hays, will stage a gala show at the Gaiety Theatre to launch the motion picture popularity contest for the benefit of the Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor, Many prominent motion picture and legitimate stars have prom'sed to be on hand and to take part for the sake of sweet oharity, During. the show camdidates will be nomi+ nated for the posts of King and Queen of Movieland, The outcome of the vote will be announced at a car- nival to be held in the Hotel Astor on the night of May 9. THE DIFFERENCE. A pathetic little note from two in- mates of an Old Ladies’ Home was delivered yesterday to a sister-team doing an act in vaudeville. It asked for two tickets to the show. “Of all the crust!" mumbled one of the “sisters,” “That beats all. The noive of ‘em—askin’ us fer tickets."" She fiilpped the note over her shoulder. Vera Gordon, the film player now appearing in vaudeville, overheard the conversation and picked up the note, In five minutes a box was being sent to the aged pair with a nice little note from the film actress. “Ain't that Gordon woman got a noive?"’ asked one of the sisters. “Stealin’ our stuff from us?" But Miss Gordon only smiled. STATIC, Allen Holubar, it was announced yesterday, has been signed by Gold- wyn to direct “Broken Chains,"" the $10,000 prize scenario, By special ar- rangement, Associated First National has released Holubar so that he can start his new directorial job at once. Long before movie sub-titles were dreamed of the Russians had a prov- erb that read: ou cannot sew but- tons on your neighbor's mouth.’ a It's a long time since Theda Bara has been on the vampage In a mov- ing picture. ‘ High Willhays was a mountain in Dartmoor, England, long before there was a ‘Landis of the movies.” Films titlers are now keeping a weather eye on possible attendance So they have named Eugene O'Brien's latest picture ‘John Smith." Think of the personal pride the Smith fam- ly will take in that film “Things Divine’ was the poetic title given her scenario by Nell Marie Dace, who won $1,000 for the st« It will appear on the screen as ‘Ma ried People,"' a change made by Hugo Ballin. And SOME change, say we! Having been “Reported Missing’ and found again, Owen Moore has started his first film in Hollywood, It is now known as ‘A Previous En- gagement.”’ . Maurice Costello, a real veteran of the screen, is taking a flier in vaude- ville. He's also staging a screen come-back. Constance Bennett, Richard Bennett, th her stage debut in Elaine Hammerstein. A contract calling for twenty two- veel comedies during the year was signed yesterday by the Christie Film Compahy and the Educational Film Exchange, The latter com pany will distribute the Christie out- put. Maurice Fiynn, former Yale athlete, {s playing the heavy in Buck Jonos’ daughter of actor, makes idence’? with POEMS OF PROVOCATION | Philip B, Dooner, the poet, has no- tiled us that he greatly desires an iron pansy, the prize in this contest. His rhyme, which follows, tells of several things that get his goat: It peeves me to hear people Read movie titles aloud, It bores me when a person Growls in a subway crowd. It jars me when @ fellow Will laugh at his own jokes. But the braggart who keep boasting, Boy! It’s he that most provokes. A THOUGHT FOR TO-DAY. Now that daylight saving is about to begin, we'd like to ask what you did with all the daylight you saved last year. FOOLISHMENT. ‘I wonder,” said Joseph MeGrain, “Why people should travel by train.” His Ma yelled “Oh, my! And she started to ery. You see, 'twas too much of a strain, FROM THE CHESTNUT TREE. “My dog Is bigger at night than he is in the morning.’ “How's that?’ “We let him out at night and take him im im the morning.’ and Players By BIDE DUDLEY ing girls for the new musical comedy, “Sue, Dear,” a little blonde about eighteen years of age appeared before him, “Do you sing?” he asked. 0 1 ask for work im W' EN Will H. Smith was select~ “Not much," she admitted, a musical comeds “Because | like the stage,” said the girl. “I have been taking a course im playwriting from a correspondence school.’ BA ak "was the director’s~ onl: reply. > IT’S AN OLD-TIMER. John Scannell of “Good Morning Dearie” notifies us that the joke, “Put on your hat—you're half an- dressed,’’ used in addressing bald- headed men like himself, was origi- nally used by a comedian named Phil- lips in 1843. So that settles that’ WINTER GARDEN STUFF, . Alexandra Carlisle of “The Truth About Blayds” had a new maid the other day, one who had been helping dress the girls of “Make It Snappy," at the Winter Garden. Miss Carlisle was just stepping into her first-ast dress when the maid said: “You stockings are wrinkled,"’ No, they're not," came from the actress, looking down. “Yes, miss, they are,’ insisted the maid. ‘But I guess it will be all right unless you kick."* MARGIE, HOW COULD YOU? Margie of Manhattan had a territie experience the other night. ‘Thig is how she tells it in rhyme for us, mitl- titude: Last night my sweetie phoned by chance. I told him I was sick, ‘ton? And then I sneaked off to @ é With some Mount Vernon hick, Oh, gotly! Now I tear my hate + } And writhe in agony. My sweetie's brother saw me there, Gosh! Why must such things be? HOW DISTURBING! Loney Haskell was announcing the old-timers’ vaudeville act in a Kelth theatre recently. \Now," said he, “you will see a man who is seventy years old and has been on the Am n stage fifty years. He is a man"— i “Wheel him out,” yelled a boy tm the balcony. GOSSIP. Hubert Druce will succeed Louis Calvert in ‘He Who Gets Slapped.” Mr. Calvert goes into What the Pub- lic Wants."” eon W. H. Betz and C. H, Mountjoy Hicksville, ©., heard the song the hicks from Hicksville in “Good Morning Dearie," at the Globe last night and didn’t turn @ hal, Maxine Brown Maines, called ‘‘the most beautiful bride to visit the White House’’ by President Harding, has been offered a ploture contract. - Ruth Nugent will appear ~ ‘ “Kempy," which starts reby : Monday Wl ‘phe Mountain Man” will terminate its New York engagement to-night at the 29th Street Theatre, Vot Qualters, up at the Winter Gar- den, is having a birthday to-day. We know which one but don’t dare-say, | The Child Recreation League's show _ at the Waldorf-Astoria to-night, ‘Phe ui Poppy Girl," {8 a musical comeay. , Leo, the Hon, is being groomed” for taming in the coming sum= mer show at the Columbia Theatre, Max Gabel will have a cast of three when he plays ‘The Golem’ Karl Carroll's Theatre May 14 for the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society, William A. Brady has offers from Paris for the early production there of “Bought and Paid For" and “The Mam— Who Came Back." : A ballroom tango contest for the Fastern States championship will be held at Terrace Garden Dance to-morrow afternoon, On 7 evening there will be a Peabody one- step contest, the applause to seleg$ the winners, ‘ OT ee es ee yo