The Washington times. [volume], August 04, 1928, Page 6, Image 6

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
6
I STAGED SCREEN
BLONDE LAURA
BECOMES A
SALESGIRL
Laura La Plante, the .popular
blonde screen comedienne, slipped
vrey easily into her role as a de
partment store »clerk in “Home
James,** her newest hit, which is
the current screen attraction at the
Earle Theater.
The star recalled to mind those
dim. early days when earning a liv
ing for herself and her mother was
her sole object In life. She thought
of a certain, few months during
which she sold art gadgets over
the counters of a large department
store. When she remembered how
_ she kept one eye on the customer
and the other on the floorwalker,
the portrayal of Laura Elliot in
'•Home James’* was easy for the
Universal actress.
Miss La Plante, had left San
Diego High School to go to work.
She had many different jobs before
she came to Hollywood to play
extra roles.
“If you had come to Hollywood
In the first place you would have
achieved success in motion pictures
a lot sooner,*’ a friend said to
Laura recently.
“I might have, she replied, "but
I would have missed a lot of ex
perience that is proving of great
benefit in helping me act my roles
today. Supposing I had never been
a clerk in a department store. I
couldn’t have acted my current
part so truthfully without the ac
tual experience.’’
Experience with life if anything
has made Miss La Plante funnier
than ever in “Home James.”
Charles Delaney appears opposite
the star. Others in the cast are
Aileen Manning, Joan Standing?
George Pearce, Arthur Hoyt and
Sidney Bracy.
William Beaudine directed the
picture. • \
COLD BREEZES
MADE STARS
SHIVER
Many members of the Universal
Company nearly froze while on
location in the desert making
acenes for “The Foreign Legion,”
tfte gripping romance which is now
on the Metropolitan , Theater
screen with Norman Kerry and
Lewis Stone co-starring, supported
by Mary Norman, the screens
most beautiful blonde, and June
Marlowe.
In all California there are but
three places where rolling sand
duhes can-d»e found, such as pre
characteristic of the Algerian des
ert. The Universal Company used
the saftid dunes on the edge of the
ocean near, Gaudaloupe, Calif.,
half way between Los Angeles
and San J Francisco. Thia .is a
bigh country which gets full sweep
of the wind from the ocean or
from the High Sierras, in either
case a cold, high breeze which
settles down to a steady pace at
dusk.
At nights the company nearly
froze. Six and eight thicknesses
of blankets were used by the en
tire cast to keep the chill out of
their bones. At early morning .
when they left for the location
the air was crisp and the desert
■was covered with frost, having
the appearance of newly fallen
snow. But the sun quickly dis
pelled the frost and s by 9 o’clock
the heat of the desert rivaled any
thing-in the Sahara.
Two weeks were spent there by
the companv, including the cast
and some 500 “extras’* garbed in
the colorful costume of the For
eign Legion. %
Just a Few Facts on
Norman,Kerry Career
Norman Kerry, considered one
of the outstanding stars on the
screen tddgy, was born in New-
York city. He persuaded to
take a part in a Universal picture
by Jack Hoxie, .noted Western
star, and it proved the tuning
point in his life. Some of his
greatest pictures are “The Hump
back of Notre Dame.” "Merry-Gc-
Round,” “Annie Laurie.’* ’"Phan
tom of the Opera,” “The Un
konwn” and “The Foreign Legion”
new playing at Crandall's Metro
politan Theater.
*1 Atop the AHlnrte* iw
A U fak Vermont Ave. and L |
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411 ATI ALIA I in. WMciist
MAI I Uli AL. wt. sac, 75c, si
| W “CLARENCE"
I Starting Monday, Matinee Wednesday and Saturday
*• K. C osH ® AN AMD CLIFFORD BROOKE OFFKR
THE NATIONAL THEATER PLAYERS
IN
■ Earl Carroll’s honey comedy with a million laughs
I WIM AVVI
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rms it Nt. S of a series of stories on the men who
direct tho destinies of Washington’s theaters. Tho
sixth will appear in tho Drama and Motion Picture
Pages of Tho Washington Timor next wook.
Who remembers when Will Rogers was a No. 2 act twirl
ing his lariat and chewing his gum while the late vaude
ville customers were finding their seats!
Well, Roland S.. Robfiins,» manager of Keith’s Washington
Theater for one,- sijice he played the now famous humorist
when Will was an humble two-a-day beginner.
Mr. Robbins is one of the real Keith veterans.. He has
been 23 years in the employ of the founder of vaudeville
and the extensive circuit created by B. F. Keith. ,
Somerville (Mass.) high school,
which now brags about turning
out Pie Traynor, of the Pirates,
and “Specs” MacFayden, of tha
Red Sox, also handed a diploma
to this gangling youth destined y
to go far in the world of the
theater. . \
It was the Robbins* custom
HuBP
■p* .........u
ROLAND 8. ROBBINS
in the waning 90’s to hie from
Somerville, while still in school,
to the neighboring city of Bos
ton, and make his spare moments
profitable at the Castle Square
Theater. The youthful Roland
S. began as an usher. Henry
W. Savage and his Castle Square
Opera Company occupied the
house and laid the foundation of
the huge theatrical fortune he
recently bequeathed. From usher
to the box office and a long ex
perience selling seats and ac
quiring knowledge with the
stock company presided over, by
John Craig and Lillian Law
rence. Then early in 1900, at
tracted to vaudeville he filed an
application for a treasurer’s jeb
with Manager Dupee, of the
famous Boston Keith’s Theater.
“I’ll “file your application,”
Manager Dupee said. The ambi
tious Mr. Robbins departed ie
jected, certain he would hear no
more of his job quest. The op
portunity came to become ad
vance agent for the American
tour of . Pietre Mascagni,
mous Italian composer. He took
it. The tour was a disastrous
failure. Then a lucky break.
Keith’s answered his application
by sending for him. Would he
go to Philadelphia? Would he,
such a question. So in 1906
he took up his duties as treas
urer and business manager of
the Orpheum Players in Keith’s
Philadelphia theater and for
seven yfears shared ‘ln a stock
company success that was
notable.
Then the call to Washington
in 1913. B. F. Keith had ac
quired the Fifteenth Street thea
ter from P. B. Chase and Roland
S. Robbins was installed as man
ager. There he has remained,
having the distinction of greet
ing and entertaining three
Presidents of the United States
and diplomats from 30 countries,
not to mention hundreds of
United States Senators and Rep
resentatives.
The lamented President Wilson
was the most enthusiastic patron
of Keith vaudeville. A weekly
guest until his final illness con
fined him to his S Street home,
the war President’s last visit
for amusement was to the Keith
Washington theater. He had to
be carried to his seat in the rear
of the orchestra but he laughed
and enjoyed the performance.
Manager Robbins has a per
sonally autographed photograpn
of Woodrow Wilson with ates-
THE WASHINGTON TIM?PS
timonial of appreciation for
constant kindness and courtesy! .
It was Manager Robbins who
arranged and chaperoned the
only vaudeville act to play the
White House. It was the Meis-
L tersingers of Boston and they
sang in the East room for
President Harding and a select
company.
In Liberty bond sales Keith’s
Washington house holds the
nation’s record. Likewise in
Red Cross roll calls, one of
these annual musters for hu
manitarian relief being directed
heffe by Manager Robbins. The
Community Service drives en
listed hte services and the chart-'
table aims of the Rotary Club
have ever been one of his pet
hobbies. In 1919 he served as
president of Washington Rotary.
Manager Robbins can always
be found when Keith’s doors are
open. It is his unfailing custom
to stand in the lobby and
V cheerily greet the incoming cus
tomers. I suppose he knows
more theatergoers personally
than any one man in Washing
ton. Certainly he knows more
notables for he has been taking
care of their reservations and
seating, twice a day, since 1913.
'Who holds the box office rec
ord for Keith’s/; Washington?
You’d be surprised. It’s Ted
Lewis and his band. And the
record was made in Holy Week
-which makes it all the hiore re
markable. Who or what is the
greatest vaudeville act in enter
tainment value and pulling
Jower at the box office? Eleie
anis tops them all for con-
I ristent success as a big-tin e
•tar.
Will vaudeville come back?
You can’t get the genial Roland
S. to admit it ever , has been
anywhere. “Certainly” he says,
‘'vaudeville is in for a boom
season. Without vaudeville there
there would be no great musical
shows, for 75 per cent of the
musical comedy stars were de
veloped and entertained in the
two-a-day. High-class vaude
ville provides a variety and a
diversion that no other branch
of the amusement business can
supply. It is as permanent as
the theater.” Apd so on. It
leaves you without a doubt that
the chief of the Keith forces is
a 100 per cent vaudeville booster.
When he is not in his office
at- the Fifteenth Street theater
you may generally find the
Keith manager at his pretentious
Cleveland Park home, 3409
Lowell St. Once his Japanese
valet made a hasty departure
with all of the extensive Rob
bins’ wardrobe. However, he
appeared that night in the lobby
well groomed as usual. His din
ner suit happened to be in his
office cabinet. Such misfortune
did not forfeit his title as the
Beau Brummel of the Washing
ton theater managers.
Holtz Is Villain
Tenen Holtz has turned villain
for “Detectives.” the feature pic
ture at Loew's Columbia this
week. Tenen usually plays comic
roles.
4 n A Clamorous Romance of the China Coast, Unfolding mjl
'M* the Palpitating 14»ve Story of a 11
jL\ Chinese "Madame Butterfly” if |
1 “THE CRIMSON CITY”
' 5 with ~ 1
| ~ MYRNA LOY =j
C1 nod an Unusually Brilliant Supporting Cast
The Only Newsreel of Its Kind mXjL
World Events in Sound and Motion IVY,
FOX MOVIETONE NEWS UU£
fcsSl Speaks for Itself ’
W , FOX GRAND ORCHESTRA lO
’/KI " Meyer Daria, Superrising Director l»/|v
K LEON BRUSI LOFF, Conducting Wlf
*5 ~ The Fifth in a Series of Request Overtures 3i
: = "MlGNON"—Thomas = ;
:= On the Stage Si
Another S. J. STEBBINS
MIDSUMMER REVUE
W
: EVA SHIRLEY—SAMMY CARR • j ;
U[&*lr\CE>3 , SusasrfMl by a Gay Cemoaay of Artist* that are • iJEIjREES :
■; ; “ Sugrrm* as Entertalsar*—Ansthar la th* «*rt»i m ' ■ ■
MSrisr Stebhls* Summer PrsOu«tl*a*.
~CooL~&~ConifbrTaUTe
MYRNA LOY IS
FEATURED IN
FOX FILM
The girl who playa the Chinese
Madame Butterfly in “The Crim
son City,” opening today at tho
Fox Theater, is one of the most in
teresting personalities among the
young comers in film work. Her
name is Myrna Loy*.
Miss Loy was born in Helena,
Mont., and received her education
In Los Angeles, where she studied
for a time to be a concert pianist.
Sid Grauman, famous impresario
and owner’ of the largest motion
picture theaters in Hollywood, saw
her dance one evening at the home
of some friends and was success
ful in persuading her to appear for
him in a prologue to “The Ten
Commandments.”
She w,as seen in several other
stage presentations at the same
theater, including a number pre
ceding “The Thief .of Bagdad'* and
one with *XRomola.
Her motion picture debut was
made under the direction of Monts
Bell, the former Washington news
paperman, in “Pretty Ladies.” A
Warner executive saw her splen
did performance and soon signed .
her to a contract under which she
has done excellent work, notably
in "Across the Pacific,** “Bitter
Apples."-“Climbers,” “Simple Sis,”
"A Sailor’s Sweetheart’’ and “The
Girl From Chicago.” \ '
LIGHTS ARE AID
IN CAMERA
DISGUISE
The new incandescent lightshow
being adapted to motion picture
photography will it is predicted, in
one sweep, abolish all time-honored
forms of makeup and revolutionise
the art of disguise on the screen.
This was discovered by Karl
Dane, when he and George K. Ar
thur were making “Detectives"
now playing at Loew’s Columbia.
Dane found that grease paint ,is
absolutely impossible to keep on
the face under the new lights, and
new forma Os liquid makeup are
necessary which will not run under
the different quality of heat ema
nated by the lights.
“Detectives" saw the first real
test of the old-style makeup with
the new lights, as Dane always
had worn grease paint makeup.
The new story Is a hilarious ad
venture of the heroes of “Rookies
when they appear as amateur de
tectives and bunder into thrills,
strange haunt of crooks and other
startling and hair-raising adven
ture while following a /‘maater
criminal to his lair.
Strange secret grottoes, a cor
ridor full of mummies, one of
which Dane “double*” for in the
course of his "detecting” an under-.
ground surgery, an operation to
remove the heroines memory and
other strange situations are used
to create thrills for the comedians
to blunder into as an anti-climax.
June Marlowe Moved
Along in Hollywood
In less than three years. June
Marlowe, has become one of the
most popular of the screen’s
younger actresses. Her latest role,.
is in "The Foreign Legion” the
Universal-Jewel production star
ring Norman Kerry and Lewis
Stone, which is being shown at
the Metropolitan Theater.
Miss Marlowe took up a screen
career after graduating from Hol
lywood High School. After Play
ing in a number of pictures she
was selected for the -‘emlnine lead
in Universal's “The Old Soak,” and
gave such a remarkable perform
ance that a long-term contract re
sulted.
Ex<Ziegfeld Beauty
Acts for Hollywood
The famous Ziegfeld Follies
beauty and star of UFA films,
Mary Nolan, plays an important
role in ‘‘The Foreign Legion”
which is now on the screen at
Crandall’s Metropolitan Thenter
with Norman Kerry and Lewis
Stone in' the leading roles.
The supporting cast includes
June Marlowe, Walter Perry,
Crauford Kent. Edward Sloman
directed.
The National Daily
Debut In D. C, Today
» ~r. "* ' 1 ■ 1 . 1
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•' r * i I o
T", FW I I
f wL AH
nd '*>' Sw O isaS f ®
- ■■■hi ill.. i - . -1
NORMAN KERRY, who
plays the lead role in “The
Foreign Legion,” a colorful
screen drama about the
crack French military ou£
fit. It opens at the Metro
politan today.
BEACH STAGES
OVER OCEAN
SHOW
The second of a series of weekly
free entertainments on- the over
the-water dancing * pavilion at
Chesapeake* Beach. Washington’s
nearest salt witter desert, Will be
given tonight. The entertainers
will be Phu Hayden, star of Ned
Wayburn’s School of" Dance in
New York, and the Dupont Sisters,
accomplished terpsiefoorean artistes,
istes. '* ‘ •
The dancers will appear in solo,*
duo, and trio numbers, showing
the latest New Yorjc dances, in
cluding a number of steps never
before seen here. Music will ,be
furnished by Raymond Kibbey’s
Mi-Jo Ramblers.
Crabbin again is becoming one
of the chief sports at the resort.
After a scarcity for a number of
years, crabs 'again are • making
their appearance and many are
being hauled , ip. Fishing, salt
water bathing, boating, picnick
ing, boardwalk promenading, and
touring Amusement Fairylahd are
other pastimes.". . 7 4 .,.. , , .
Property Boy Actor ,
Ernest Johnson., the studio prop
erty boy who won an important
role in Emil Jannings’ ’“The Street
of Sin,’’ has been cast again as
an actor. This time he will be
"Freddie, the bellhop.’’ in the. cur
rent production of “Interference."
Louis Payne will play a butler.
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TO TO
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WupiAMTH
In e Deliqhtful matgperade of Love
“HOMt JANETs I
The
BS < /A RefteshiqA Summertime Reuuet
®Ww?g!!y oH Tl«
ROXBr»?»
«’> Kjimmii roocuk<^s, si ?9,
g>?CUARUt MTHOW
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RITTTnn a V itT/wttew. « * aaa
I I ■win W
(Right) KARL DANE and George K. Arthur, who
frolic through and provide some thrills also in their new
feature, “Detectives,” opening at the Columbia. (Left)
Bebe Daniels, who comes to bat with the second of the
screen features built around the exciting adventures of
the tripod artists who make the news reel pictures. It
opens at the Palace.
Brakeman 99
Makes a Hit
A few years agp, there was a popular, good natured brake
man working out of the little town of Meridian, Miss.
This happy-go-lucky chap worked on and off—on .the road.
Because of his wonderful good nature he was a favorite
with the foreman and his fellow workers. He brightened
up many an hour in the dreary caboose with his quaint bal
lads—and high spirits.
The happy “zinging brakeman’’
was Jimmy Rodgers, and Jimmie
did “right well a’ railroadin’ ” He
married a pretty Meridian girl
and aang more and better than
ever: and Jimmie became the
proud father of a little girl—that
was seven years ago.
But Jimmie was a frail fellow
In epit of the sunny disposition.
The strenuous life on the railroad
was too much for him. His health
broke down completely and be had
to quit. All agreed that ft was
pretty tough for Jimmie. A wife
and youngster—a lot of friends —
blit no. job—and not enough
strength to get'and keep one. But
Jimmie still wore the same old
smile. . '
About two years ago, Rodgers
took his )ittle family to Asheville
and to them aSive began
singing and playing at the road
side lunch stands around the city.
In a little while Jlmihie’a yodel
and his guitar were' well 'known
in Asheville. ’ <
It; was there he met a Victor
recording man and had his first
chance to make a record His
first number was decidedly better
than tha average. His second was
a national success. And today—
largely because of the success of
his Victor records —Jimmie and
his little wife and daughter are
living in comfort in Washington.
D. C.. and the yodeling brakeman
is nbw able to have expert inedi
< .1 attention
His poor health has caused Rod
gers to turn down many splendid
offers from the va tdevllle circuits,
but he is as popular aroun-1 Wash
ington as he was in Meridian and
Asheville, >and will be the fea
tured -'star oft “Moonlight and
Roses” thisweek’-s revue at the
Earle Theater—he Issthe leading
feature nf a big broadcasting sta
tion and )iis Victor records are
becoming constantly better and
more popular.
BIG DOINGS AT
LAKE NEXT
WEDNESDAY
4BofUy crooned “klues” songs
and versatile dance specialties
will make up the colorful enter
tainment ensemble for “specialty
night” at Chevy Chase Lake'next
Wednesday evenjng, August 8.
Charlitie Lub4r, notable blues
singer, and Farrell and Abel,
adagio and tango dancers, are
scheduled to appear at this mid
week fiesta. Miss Luber is one
of the strongest vaudeville favor
' ttes of tha Capital. To a beauti
ful and mellow voice, she adds
a splendid sense es rhythm and
the gift of showmanship.
Farrell and Abel are now com
pleting a tour of engagements at
various prominent outdoor resorts
throughout the country. Their
appearance At the Lake marks
their debut in Washington.
Splendidly balanced programs
of Meyer Davis dance music are
attracting large crowds of dance
enthusiasts to the Lake every
evening. The Swanee Syncopators
directed by Al Ramons, are fea
tured on the lower pavilion, while
an ace Meyer Davis dance music
unit led by Ben Levine, is the
upper pavilion attraction. — _
i - *■ su <
BN' •WHERE THE SCREEN SPEAKS EACUWELK*
■ bfanninq Todaq, ft
OTdE I
1 "Tsrmao I
S§ WiHi beauHful Marq
and June Matlowe in a PS
'Romantic and Lmohonal Drama of O
fM tpve and Tangled Lives in the
W Langorous Exotic East
1 • Cste FOREIGN ■
1 LEGION J
M VITAPMONL PRESENTATIONS 9
MHQOPOLITM CONC&fffORCUKSTRA
BEBE DANIELS
WANTS 50-50
MARRIAGE
"Th* reason that I am single
is that I have never found * matt
whom I could marry on a fifty
fifty basis.”
This was the declaration of
Bebe Daniels, movie comedienne,
in an interview during the film
ing of her latest picture, “Hot
News?’ now playing at Loew’s
Palace Theater.
“It is not bragging for me to
gay that I have been a success
ful woman,” the Paramount star
said. “With this success hag
come a certain income and an
accumulation of money and prop
erty. The man I marry wilt
have lo be as successful in his
line of work as I am in mine;
he must have as great an income
and as much savings. We must
be on a fifty fifty basis as far as
money goes.
'•The fifty-fifty status would
have to hold in all relationships,”
Miss Daniels went on.
“He would have to love me as
much as I love him—we would
have to be fifty-fifty in that re
spect, too. The same holds good
for other characteristics.
"By the same token, I would
m»t marry a man I considered
my superior. He would not re
spect me, just as I would not
respect my inferior.'* Miss Dan
iels has never been married.
JARDIN UDO IS
BREAKING
RECORDS ;
Jardin Lido, like the Olympia
athletes, never tires of breaking
its own records. This week it
blithely broke the attendance rec
ord hung up last, and, if the
weather holds, promises to push
the total even higher a week ,
hence.
Reasons for the popularity of
the Arlington Hotel “Playground
in the Skies” are not far to seek.
First of all, Emory Daugherty’s * ,
Lido Band, recently augmented, is
?’ working into a smoother and
smoother combination; its rhythms
becodfing more and more compell
ing upon patrohs to get onto the
dance floor and stay there.
! ■ The food, as all night lifers
know, is delicious, reasonably
priced, and served with dispatch.
The Arlington Hotel is centrally
located and easily reached from
all sections of the city, and the
roof—ll flights up—literally as
well as figuratively is the amuse
ment peak of Washington.
With the 50-cent popular-priced
covert obtaining on week nights, •
the financial demands are wfthin
the reach of all and the floor and
table space is ample to accommo
. date all comers. ;
The Friday specialty nights have
been productive, of late, of. soma
of the best amusement in the
city—in theater or out—wfrati with
visiting stage stars informally
augmenting the specially prepared
Lido floor shows. .
“Angel” Always Pays '
The Roxy Theater. New York,
which is owned by William Fox.
did a gross business last Week
with “The Street Angel,” a Fog
production, of 1128,000. This is
the greatest one week’s business
ever run up in a summer week.
The picture will be shown at the
local Fox Theater within the
next few weeks. . - , “. -7' •
Filming “Oh, Kay”
Syd Hlekox is photographing
“Oh, Kay!” Colleen Moore’s cur
rent First National picture. He
was camera man on “Happiness
Ahead” and “Lilac Time,” as weft.