The Washington times. [volume], August 01, 1928, Page 11, Image 11

About The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
QUAKER CITY
TOBAR ALL
‘DIRT PLAYS’
New York producers will be
that they will be savin*
tnoney by keeping all realistic
"off-color” plays out ot this
®ity, it was announced in Phila
delphia this week. AB produc
tions of this kind, especially
Plays la which the language em
ployed “would make a mule
twmce,- will be banned here, the
officials concerned said..
The action was decided upon
ot a conference between Harry
Davis, director of the Depart
»nent of Public Safety, and the
Rov. Dr. Frederick J. Poole of
the Board of Theater Censors.
Dr. Poole showed the director a
list of plays he deems objec
tionable which are scheduled for
Production here next season, and
authorised to go to New
York and warn the producers that
thby will not be permitted to be
shown here.
Screen Leerer
Brooks Benedict, one of the
■ •green's champion menaces, has
been signed for a leerirfg role In
Parampant’s ‘‘Moran of the Ma
rines," which will star Richard
DiX- Charlotte Mineau has been
added to th© same picture, her role
being that of “a gossip.” The di
rector is Frank Strayer.
I tTMUY OMNDJU.L THEATERS
I ft—Ml zriairtrfl
The Refrigerate©
EARLE
■ MM tt * ■ wk MM MM
■ CONTINUOUS W A. N. TO II F. M.
■ 0* Lex* ©*•«*. I 3« 3 tit. 7. 9 F. W.
I MOW SHOWING
I JOHNNY HINES
W with MARGERY DAW la
I “HOME MADE”
Or the Stage
’.I r FAREWEL WEEK
I JACK PEPPER
I The /oy Boy of Syncopation
I .. ..
I Metropolitan
I “Wfcere tke Scree* Speaks Each Week"
CONTINUOUS II A. N. TO II F. M.
» ’ MRCOM© WEEK ’
'■ The SercM’a Sreatut Talkiaj Fleture
I “THE LION AND
I THE MOUSE
■ IN Which -Yew 'See and Bear
■ OK VITAPHONE
I MAY wicAVOY
1 LIONEL BARRYMORE
■ y Vitaphone—Shert Subject*
WASMINSTON S SUMMER RESORT
■ ts AT ISTH ■
H MOW PLAYING
K A Metro Golduyn-Maver Picture
■ JOHN GILBERT
Im In * gerceeua lave aterx la a
M' . Mttla* as batt lea. thrills
|M sad romantic Ruaala.
■ THE COSSACKS
■ With RENEE ADOREE
■ ERNEST TORRENCE
—Oa the Stage—
■ WESLEY EDDY'S
'■ WELCOME HOME WEEK
■ PrMMtIM HAREM—SCAREM
I LOEW’S >
■ Columbia
■■ , F ST. AT ISTH
■ t» 11 F. M.
NOW PLAYING
A Paramount Picture
I ESTHER RALSTON
I la a Freak aad Entertaining
Treatment ot Cnmpanloeate
Marriage
I HALF A BRIDE
ADDED HITS
M-G-M Bal Roach
"Oar Gang” Comedy
ANNOUNCEMENT
| Local "Our Gan*" Comedy Caxt
M Will Be Choaen at Thia Theater
M Every Afternoon nt 3: IS. Brin*
J the Children
per Smmn > j
fFrfttam Fox Preaente
“THE NEWS PARADE’*
Glorify**** Unknown
Xrfwenfarere Who
Mohn the Newsreels * |[|
A Fox Movietone Appearance el 111
RICHARD BONNELLIIIi
Barytone Chicago Cutie Opera Co. I
Van 45 Schenck in
fat Movietone Newe
On the Stage I
An S. J. Stebbins It
SYNCOPATION FROLIC I
First Appearance ft
national ’air'i.t”
“9U the •Me »»«• ’*»
[Mat. Today All Seats 50c |
NATIONAL THEATER PLAYERS IN
BOOTH TARKINGTON’S
COMEDY OF ADOLESCENT YOUTH
OABDItt
“flat Am Iriiflt itoT
1 F UN
EKS* T I WAN ,, M <MUSEMENTB
Over in our neighboring city of Baltimore, Washington’s
champion of spotless linen, George P. Marshall, with Fred
Schanberger, will attempt, beginning August 20, a subscrip
tion season of stock productions dealing only with clean
P1 S S is the practical answer to a blistering blast delivered
» in the Monumental City by Messrs. Knopf and Farnsworth,
stock impressarios, who retired $55,000 behind after a
stormy season at the .Auditorium Theater, graced by many
prominent, visiting stage stars.
“Baltimore wants only dirt. Clean plays won’t go. There
are not enough suggestive plays to meet the demand and,
consequently, we are retiring,” was the farewell shot from
the Knopf-Farnsworth publicity guns. _
Os course against such a
rather silly and likewise bitter
indictment of Baltimore play
goers there is the fact that a
rival producer with Glenn Hunt
er and three clean plays made
plenty of money. He then
dropped it all with Mary Roland
and two off color erstwhile
Broadway hits.
Mr. Marshall picks up the
challenge fortified by consid
erable experience with the stage
and audience likes and dislikes
gathered right here in Washing
ton. He has swelled his bank
account through Washington box
office receipts. He knows also
I
‘ I ■
B
yWw-KMiwSXJIX
K Rl
FLORKNCE REED
what it is to have a fine show
ignored by the paying public
and face Saturday night deficits.
Under his management the then
naughty “Getting Gertie’s Gar
ter” and other Hopwood farces
rolled up consistent, profits for
week* in a summer season at
the Belasco. Then again high
class productions with visiting
stars failed miserably. Mr; Mar
shall can tell you that the na
tional convention of the Mystic
Shrine which brought hundreds
of thousands of visitors to the
• National Capital was the worst
week for the theater in a stage
generation. All the entertain
ment was on the outside and
the theaters were boycotted.
In another season of 15 weeks
at the old Shubert-Garrick he
pocketed some SIO,OOO profit
with a like amount for his part
ner, Monta Belt
The presiding geniuses at the
National Theater in the stock
season will not look at an off
color play. Good, clean drama
of the John Golden type is what
they prefer.
On the other hand I recall
a season at the President Thea
ter, under the management of
Leonard Wood, jr. Receipts
were next to nothing for a fine
company with standard plays,
clean and entertaining. Then
William A. Brady happened to
town and suggested Manager
Wood try out Robert Kcable’s
play “Simon Called Peter.” There
were some scorching scenes in
the novel and it was intimated
they had been transferred to the
stage. Sixty ministers were
sent complimentary tickets for
the opening Monday night per
formance. The premiere was
next to a riot with a packed
house expected to see an Earl
Carroll bathtub scene enacted as
a dramatic highlight. Nothing
of the kind happened but the
gentlemen of the cloth who re
sponded to the invitation did
just what the producer ex
pected. They filed down to the
District Building on Tuesday
morning and registered an in
dignant protest against further
performances. The play was
made here by the controversy.
The first week’s receipts were
$8,600 at $1 top and the pro
duction lasted three weeks to
profitable business. Brady pro-
77ie Film Novelty of the Year! h
Follow the trail of a famous diamond from
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DIAMOND HANDCUFFS I
With ELEANOR BOARDMAN
CONRAD NAGEL and LAWRENCE GRAY
At These Stanley-Crandall ThBatBTA!
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Conn. Ave. & McKinley Georgia Ave. & Farragut
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HOME, 1230 C St. N. E.—TOMORROW
A Cosmopolitan Production- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture
THE WASHINGTON TIMES TA. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1928
duced it as a regular attraction
and it died on Broadway.
“Washington wants the dirt.
I’ll give it to them,” Producer
Wood decided. He imported
Florence Reed at SI,OOO a week
to play “The Nightingale.” He
paid SI,OOO more to rent the
original scenery and costumes.
But Washington turned the play
down cold. All of Wood’s profits
on “Simon Called Peter” van
ished.
Another stock venture with a
high-class company at the Pres
ident Theater offered “They
Knew What They Wanted,”
Milton Gropper’s “Ladies of the
Evening” and plays of similar
ilk which stress the sex theme.
Disastrous failure met the ven
ture. The most indecent, play
in dialogue ever offered in
Washington called “And Then .
What” did less than $1,500 in a ’
■ week at Poli's two seasons ago,
and died forever one week after
the Washington engagement.
This play had a splendid cast
with Paul Kelly, now in a Cal
ifornia prison, as its lead. “A
Good Bad Woman” did $2,800
on an opening' night at Poli’s
and because Mrs. Mina Van
Winkle did not make an expected
protest took less than $4,000 on
the.week.; £
Jeanne Eagles in “Rain did
$32,000 in one week at the Na
tional, the record $3 top re
ceipts for this city. Deacon
Hays insisted on deodorizing
the play before Gloria Swanson
could offer it in the movies.
“Rain” and “White Cargo” as
Washington stock productions
gathered dividends that few
regular plays approach. On the
other side of the ledger is the
fact that “Abie’s Irish Rose”
with a 12 weeks run had more
money pass through the box
office window than any stock
play, before or since.
“Ladies of the Evening” and
“Lulu Belle” were some of the
Belasco smutty product which
Washington paid well to see.,
As a contrast, Frank Bacon in
the 100 per cent pure
did a smashing business here
and the Tyler revivals <W Old
time successes that grandmother
enjoyed hold the record for re
ceipts at $4 top.
Baltimore can cite similar ex
periences and I suspect the
shrewd Mr. Marshall who has
invested in theatrical venture in
that city is well aware of it.
“Give ’em what they want at
the right price and they’H buy
it,” is the Marshall motto. The
only problem is to find out what
they want. Mr. Marshall thinks
he knows. Perhaps he is right
i V 2 : 2 ; ; v * :
I r «L. - ?"M
William A. Brady Is to direct
the final dress rehearsals of
“Elmer Gentry,” the dramatization
of Sinclair Lewis's novel which
opens at the Playhouse next Mon
day, Mt. Brady will supervise the
tabernacle mob scenes, which are
said to offer the major dramatic
moments of the play. An addition
was made to the cast yesterday.
Rose Burdick receiving the part
of Lily, the revival pianist.
Lew Fields has decided that
"Violet Town” wouldn’t be such
a good title for the new Helen
Ford musical comedy after all, so
the name is now "Chee-Chee.”
The libretto, by the way, is an
adaptation from James Petit’s
novel, "The Son- of the Grand
Eunuch." Rehearsals are to begin
next Monday with a Broadway
premiere scheduled for the middle
of September.
"Just A Minute,” the new musi
cal comedy which Morris and
Greene are producing, will go into
rehearsal today on four different
stages. The principal* will prac
tice at the Liberty Theater; the
Russell Market Dancers will re
hearse their routine at the Bel
mont; Count Vici and his Sym
phonic Girls will be at the River
side, and the negro dancers, with
Is»slie Hall, will work in a Harlem
i playhouse.
Hey! Hey! Fiddler J
■ll
IjHiy /// \ ■VI
y/\ I .
/ * 1 \
~— / / /Zb I ip i
CHARLES ALTHOFF
WHO IS DUE at the Earle Satur
day to enliven things with bls fid
dle and gay nonsense.
IHOUYWOODI
CLOSE-M
UPS ™
By REGINA CREWE
(Copyright, 1»2«. by Kin* Fe*tu«»
Syndicate. Inc.)
HOLLYWOOD. July 31.—Not
much news today. So let’s go
in for rumors. Perhaps the most
thrilling of these is the report
thet thebeloved Norma Talmadge
Is about to retire from the screen.
All the world will hope that this
b not true. For since the days
when Norma played hookey from
Erasmus Hall high school in
Brooklyn to vork In pictures for
Vltagraph, sho has been adored
by millions of fans all around
the world. The report follows
that mentioned some time ago,
that Joseph M. Schenck, Norma’s
husband and president of United
Artists, will step down from his
pedestal as a producer and dis
pose of his film interests to Doug
las Fairbanks, v, .
' Rumor Ntirnber 2 says that
John Barrymore’s first Warner
Brothers saueakie will be a film
version of "Th© Jest.” And
everyon© who saw Lionel and
' John in this Italian masterpiece
is hoping that this rumor is true.
In Italy the play is a classic and
i* repeated at regular Intervals.
It is a little "strong meat” for
American audiences, and it is
said that it has been banned.
But so were “Rain” and "The
Green Hat,” So after being
scrubbed up here and there it
would seem that "Th© Jest” may
be suitably adapted for films.
If It is done, Lionel will play the
role of "Neri,” in which he
makes folks shudder in th© play.
And Dolores Costello will b© th©
*l4 who causes all th© trouble,
as girls usually do.
Coming to the third rumor, it
is that Georg© Arliss will do two
pictures for Warpers. And that
the first of these will be a screen
version of his celebrated play "Old
English.” Arliss has appeared in
th© movies before. But with th©
advent of the talking pictures
he should be more effective than
ever before.
One authentic story Is to the
effect that Clive’ Brook has been
taken out of the cast of "Th©
T.etter” and that Paul Lucas has
heyn substituted. But as soon as
Evelyn Brent finishes in this one,
she and Brook will b© co-featured
in "Tahiti Nights.” Which, of
course, is a story of th© South
Seas.
Speaking of th© South Seas re
minds ms that Mont© Blue is all
expectation regarding his Tahiti
filmed picture. "White Shadows
of th© South Seas,” which opens
this week with sound In it. Mont©
has never seen it screened. He
didn’t find th© South Seas so
entrancing as they have been pic
tured. and by the time he re
turned to his tltian-haired wife
and their baby he was so fed up
with the entire adventure that he
departed for Europe.
When Richard Barthelmess be
g ns shooting on "Scarlet Seas.’’
He will sail his trusty yacht to
Catalina Island, which has be' n
selected »s the spot where the
picture will be filmed. During
his stay he will live aboard nt*
boat. Which is what I call
combining business with pleasure.
taftATUREIS
SitownOnScreen
EA R L E —Johnny Hines in
“Home Made." At 11:41 a. m-J
1:50. 3:59. 6:40, 7:50 and 10 p. m.
METROPOLITAN -Warner
Bros, sound picture, “Lion and the
Mouse.” At 11:45 a. m.; 1:45, 3:45,
5:45. 7:45 and 9:46 p. m.
PALACE— John Gilbert in "The
Cossacks.” At 11:10 a. m.: 1:40,
3:50. 5:25. 7:35 and 9:45 p. m.
FOX— Nick Stuart and Sally
Phipps in "The News Parade.”
At 12:25, 2:50, 5, 8:10 and 9:20
p. m.
COLUMBIA— Esther Ralston in
"Half s. Bride.” At 10:45 a. m-:
12:20, 2:03, 4:12, 6;54, 7:55, and
Ml P. m.
Strand Theater Will
Play Mutual Shows
Washington’s burlesque center for the next three year*
will be at Ninth and D Streets Northwest. Official an
nouncement was made today that L. H. Herk, president of
the Mutual Burlesque Circuit has signed contracts leasing
the former Strand Theater as the Washington cog in that
amusement wheel.
Ira J. La Motte has been ap- 4
pointed general manager of the
Mutual interests In Washington
and house manager ot th© re
christened Strand. He announced
that th© regular season will b©
opened on Saturday, August 25.
Performances will follow daily
and Sunday for a season of at
least 40 weeks.
In making the transfer of the
Mutual headquarters from the
Gayety Theater to the house
nearer Pennsylvania Avehue. the
Mutual executives declared the
change was deemed advisable to
secure greater seating capacity.
The former Strand now the Mu
tual, seats over 1,900, and has
two balconies. This capacity en
ables the circuit to operate at a
profit with a 76-ceot nightly top
price. This seal© will be effective •
also on Saturdays and Sundays.
Th© matinee prices will b© 25 and
50 cents.
"Just now I am busy signing
Next Weeks Bills
\ 1 ■ r . /' ’ ' ‘
NATIONAL "What Anne
Brought Home,” a play from the
pen of Larry E. Johnson, which
enjoyed a Broadway run under the
auspices of Eart Carroll, will be
th© mw attraction of th© National
Players beginning Monday night.
The. lead role gives Leona
Powers her first big opportunity
since joining as feminine lead of
the National cast. Howard Miller
also gets a splendid chance In an
appealing role. Edward Arnold,
Charles Hampden, Billy Phelps,
Mrs. Hibberd and the new Ingenue,
Mary Loane, are fitted to congenial
character* and the play is ex
pected to register as on© of the
choicest offerings of the current
season.
EARLE Laura LaPlante’s
latest release from Universal.
"Home James,” will be the stellar
screen attraction at the Earle bfr
ginning Saturday. The dimpled
blonde is given a riotous c °
character and It is said to be one
of the best pictures she has turned
out since elevation to stardom.
The stage offering will be "Moon
light and Roses,” 30 minutes of
song, dance, and laugh entertain
ment which features Jimmy
Rodgers, Charlie Althoff. th® rube
fiddler; the Lovey girls, Kardo
Brothers, Frank Seifert, and
others. Joe Bonbrest will preside
as master of ceremonies. Music
by the Earle concert orchestra
with Daniel Breeskin directing,
and short reels complete the pro
gram.
. FOX— What Is described a© the
love story of a Chln©ss "Madame
ButtArfiy” is "“The Crimson City
which provides the main screen
attraction beginning Saturday.
The principal character* are
played by Myrna Loy, Leila
Hyams and John Mlljan. On the
stage will be another of the S.
J. Stebbins mid-summer revues,
featuring the Harmony Revellers,
a crack jazz band and surrounded
by many notable stage enter
tainer* dncludlng Eva Shirley of
musical comedy fame. An inter
pretive overture by th© Fox
Symphony Orchestra. Leon
Brusiloff conducting, Movietone
news reel and short incidental
screen features completes the bill.
PALACE— Bebe Daniela In her
latest pictures, "Hot News”
comes to provide the new screen
attraction, beginning Saturday.
The story deals with the exploits
of a new reel camera girt, who
steps into her father’s shoes and
helps out in an emergency—and
how. Plenty of laughs-and a box
full of thrill* is the advance
promise. Neil Hamilton is *e«n in
support.
On the stage a Joseph Stanley
unit produced for Loew-Publix
will be the attractoln with Wes
ley Eddy presiding as master of
ceremonies. Entertainers will in
clude th© twelve Gamby-Hale
girls, Helen Honan, the Collette
sisters, Fred Bernard, Electa
Havel, Sally Starr and the Palace
Syncopators,
COLUMBIA— KarI Dane and
George K. Arthur, co-starring in
the latest Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
comedy, “Detectives” will be the
screen feature beginning Satur
day. It is described as mystery
thriller with some hair-raising
escapes and the main thought
laughs from the first reel to the
concluding flash. Dane plays a
dumb hotel detective and Arthur
is a bell boy. Marceline Day Is
the feminine lead. The Columbia
concert orchestra under the direc
tion of Claude Burroughs, an or
ganlogue novelty, short subjects
of Interest and an M. G. M. news
reel will complete the program.
METROPOLITAN— Lewis Stone
and Norman Kerry in "The
Foreign Legion” will furnish th©
main screen attraction beginning
Saturday. This is described as a
powerful and spectacular drama
of the colorful French military
unit. It has an absorbing love
story which introduces the per
sonable Mary Nolan and June
Marlowe. The supplementary
screen attractions will be several
short reel Vitaphone presenta
tions, a news reel, comedy and a
specially composed orchestration
for the feature played •by the
Metropolitan concert orchestra,
Alex Podnos conducting.
Uses 22 Gowns
Alice White wore the simplest
of her twenty-two gowns prepared
for "Show Girl,” First National
picture, in the opening sequence.
In other scenes, she will wear
plenty of frills and furbelows.
CLUB MARLBORO
On Marlboro Pike
Dining and Dancing Nightly
From 1© P. M. Tin « A . M .
MUn Harriett Poole and Jerry
Corer Charge BOc Escepti©*
contract© for redecorating and re
fitting the theater,” Manager
La Motte said today. "Burlesque
is looking forward to its greatest
season and Washington is one o£
the best cities in the Mutual
wheel. There is » genuine de
mand for 75 cent top price mu
sical entertainment, such as the
Mutual shows will provide. .We
hope not only to retain our reg
ular following, but to interest
women in burlesque, and special
attention will be given to pro
viding features which will prove
attractive to our feminine pat
rons.”
The future of the Gayety The
ater has not been determined.
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The Creative Mind De la Maison Premet designed
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Outdoors
GLEN ECHO PARK— Washing
ton’s foremost outdoor amusement
resort. Glen Echo Park, is now
enjoying peak attendance, each
day and evening seeing throngs
journeying to the popular Mary
land resort, by the fast street car
Service along the Potomac and
over the smooth boulevards by
-auto. -a. £_
The news about McWilliams
faihous orchestra has spread over
the town, and the big ballroom is
one of the most popular spots
there, is. As usual, the Dip,
Derby Racer and Aero Swing are
“going strong,” and these are
features that know no age limit.
Everybody has a good time from
the small boy up to grandad.
: WK'S A pip a Knir a-ntt
clal entertainers will be featured
on the over-the-water dancing
pavilion at Chesapeake Beach,
Washington's nearest salt vater
resort, on Saturday night. This
new policy for Saturday evenings,
inaugurated last week, is making
a great hit. The best—singers
and dancers available are being
booked, . The entertainment is
CthopoF&tiv®
Artist Concert Come
8 Evening Concerts by
World Artiste
at the '
ti«x*a* ng s* nen
CMTM TISKtlt, S 9 I* SiV
First Bvestag Csneert 1
Cwwree InehMSS Josef ItefBMWMl. John
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‘ZetMa sad Other,
* NOW ON SALE’*
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Other Orsaateatloa Headowarters m
the City
Oae-FWth A|l Jtolee [ FwwsMds far
Tickets Traaefecable and Wltheet
War Tax '
BUY SEATS NOW
11