Indianapolis Times, Volume 37, Number 46, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 July 1925 — Page 5
SATURDAY, JULY 4, 192&
BERKELL PLAYERS CELEBRATE FIFTIETH WEEK HERE
‘Lightnin,” Frank Bacon’s Great Comedy Success, Produced as Golden Jubilee Bill for Stock f Company at English’s. Next week has been designated “Golden Jubilee Week” at English’s, it being the occasion of the Berkell players’ fiftieth production in Indianapolis. Manager Charles Berkell has very fittingly selected the great American comedy, “Lightnin’ ’’ as the bill for the week. Mr. Berkell, most astute showman, came here in the summer of 1923 unheralded and unknown. During the first weeks of his 1923 season business at the box office was of a most discouraging sort.
But Mr. Berkell had faith In his company and in tne possibilities of ultimate success in Indianapolis. He had been highly successful elsewhere and he contended that there Is no difference in the people of any city; and that if he persisted in presenting plays that assured good entertainment at popular prices his patronage would come. The results proved him to be right. After ten weeks of scant business the tide turned, and for the rest of the summer Berkell was on the i ight side of the ledger. When he returned with his com* pa.ny in 1924 he was accorded a hearty -welcome, and the company enjoyed a prosperous season. This year has been a banner one. No little credit is, of course, due the individual members of the company for their earnest endeavors and conscieutious work. Larry Sullivan and Isabelle Arnold have been iden tlfied with the company from its in ception here, and during its visits •py have not been out of the cast of the plays produced, nor ve either of them missed a single performance—and 500 performances will have been given at the conclusion of the “Golden Jubilee Week.” A1 C. Wilson was with Mr. Berkell here during the summer of 1923. He was engaged elsewhere last summer, . but returned again this year. Mary Hill and Robert Fay made their debut here last summer. Milton Byron, leading man, and Edythe Ulliott, leading woman, are spending their first summer under the Berkell banner in Indianapolis. This is true, too, of Tommy Evans, Martha Morton and Robert St. Claire. William V. Hull has been with Mr. Berkell from the first season, and is doing splendidly this season in the Important post of director. Souvenir programs containing photographs of the members of the company will be a memento of the Jubilee Week. Little need be said concerning the tnerits of "Lightnin'.” It is, without question, one of the greatest American comedies in the history of the theater. It ran three years and one day at the Gaiety theater in New York, two years in Chicago, and a tremendous success on tour. “Lightnin’ ” has just been released for stock at *he highest royalty figure ever exacted. Written by Winchell Smith and *Frank Bacon “Lightnin’ ” has the West for its setting—a point on the dividing line between California and jfcJevada, with a bevy of fair divorce among its characters. JHnere is plot and counter-plot Ei-plenty, but it has been so skillfully arranged that there is no suggestion of hackneyed tricks, and the story, ripples along smoothly. Milton Byron, leading man of the Berkell Players will have the role of Lightnin’ Bill Jones, one of the quaintest, most lovable and most genuinely humorous characters this generation has seen upon the stage. A Civil War veteran, tippler, champion liar of the county, shiftless ne’er-do-well, philosopher and friend, Bill has been nicknamed '‘Lightnin' ” because he never moves fast. The action pivots about his whimsicalities and drolleries. The company will be augmented to suit the requirements of the cast. Pearson Takes Hudson Theater Arthur Pearson, one of the best known producers and managers in organized burlesque, has taken a lease of the Hudson Theater in ■Union Hill, N. J., and will open the house on Sept. 7, with “Miss New York, Jr.” Shows of the Mutual Burlesque Association will play a w eek each at the Hudson following their engagement at the Prospect Theater in New York. Playgoers of Hoboken and Jersey City are within ea3y reach of the lively business section in which the Hudson is lo- ! cated. EARL HUDSON BUSY AGAIN Earl Hudson, head of the eastern units of First National is writing the story of “Atlantis,” which will be as a sequel to “The Lost
ENGLISH’S Golden Jubilee Week 50th Production in Indianapolis BERKELL PLAYERS —WITHEDYTHE ELLIOTT and MILTON BYRON In John Golden’s World Famous Triumph “LIGHTNIN”’ By Winchell Smith and Frank Bacon
SOUVENIR PROGRAMS CONTAINING PHOTOGRAPHS OP ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY WILL BE GIVEN AWAY AT EVERY PERFORMANCE.
MATINEES —Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday WVjf% ¥£l Afternoon, 26c, 86c, 50c; Evenings, 26e, 50c and BOc. ■ 'l*ll P Plu C ' 8 ' GoTt> Tax on 80c Beat Ticket* Onlj. JL illlvuljl Reservations Mar Bo Made for the Entire Season. PHONE Circle 3373 WEEK JULY 12th—“NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH"
MABEL NORMAND BEST IN BUSINESS SAYS A. H. WOODS Comedienne Gets Five-Year Contract for Stage and Picture Work. By Russell" J. Birdwell NEA Service Writer OLLYWOOD, July 4.—" She can make them laugh and i___| she can make them cry, and sne’s beauitful and brainy, and any woman like that is cheap at $2,500000.” That is the way A. H. Woods, the producer feels about Mabel Normand, whom he has just signed up for a five-year contract to act on Broadway, New York, and at same time make a series of film comedies —at least three a year—from the plays in which she appears. Each week Mabel’s little pay check will be for just $5,500, and then there will be one-third of the profits of the plays and one-third of the income of the pictures. ‘ To my way of thinking she’s the best In the business,” continues Woods. V Beauty and Brains ' “God gave her a* head crammed full of brains with her beauty. She’s the only woman comedienne in the world today and the world wants laughs. “But Mabel can make them cry, too. She is a great actress and a great artist. „ “She has one quality that few possess—she can express with her face what other actors take dines to tell. Beyond question, in and out of the picture business, she is he greatest pantomimist in the world “Love and hate, laughter and tears, joy and sorrow, the whole gamut of human emotions are conveyed by her in a single movement, a single action, a single expression. Comedy Drama “Her plays will be all comedy drama. The worlJ wants to laugh, and Mabel will make them laugh.' “She has earned all her skill by hard work. She started in at the bottom in pictures. She studied her stories and her pa -ts. She learned her characters. “She reads Incessantly, books, plays, stories, newspapers. She watched the way people acted and the things they did and when the time came to act these parts she did them. Creative Genius “She is a creative genius, too. She knew what was clever, funny, skilled, beautiful, artistic. She never slip over anything, but used the wonderful brains that God gave her in addition to her beauty. “I’m lucky I didn’t have to pay $5,000,000. I’ve tried to get her for Broadway now for five years. I guess I would have paid it if I had to. “But then, Broadway says I’m a lucky producer anyhow—and getting Mabel is the best luck I’ve had for a long time.” DORIS IS GETTING BETTER Boris Kenyon is rapidly recovering from her recent operation for appendicitis and expects to start work shortly on “The Half-Way Girl,” which Earl Hudson will produce at the New York studios of First National. HILLYER “TRICK SHOOTING” Lambert Hillyer is up to his old tricks. He is doing “trick shooting" with a high-power rifle in “The Making of O’Malley,” which he is directing for First National In New York, with Milton Sills starring.
AMUSEMENTS
PERSONALITIES ONSTAGE AND PARK BILLS
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MOVIES DON’T EVEN TRY TO BE ORIGINAL Jungmeyer Airs His Views on D hases of Films. By Jack Pungmeyer 'TTTJ EW YORK, July 4 —ln no \ vase does the screen so __J frankly confess and emphasize its disability as in the frantic endeavor of producers to acquire the movie right to popular books and plays. < In such representations of something already tried and proven, the screen becomes a mirror, and its craftsmen more or less clever copyists. During the past 3-ear, with hundreds of pictures produced and mlllions% expended in production, the world's greatest entertainment medium has pitifully little of originality to show. Ir. fact, so little that the occasional flash of symholism or phantasy is hailed a* something .phenomenal, prodigious. The movie grist is ground out to simulate as nearly as possible in plot and treatment w? at the greatest number of photoplay spectators have already seen and heard in published stones and approved stage plays. So True How seldom do you see a movie advertising itself as original—and how often as an adaptation of this or that. And it prides itself most when the copy has been most perfect. An adapter, a purveyor of near-beer, of phoney jewelry, of the just-as-good—-that is the movies. It vies to duplicate the best seller in hook or play because it can capitalize the popularity of the thing it seeks to imitate; can secure an advantage to which it is not really entitled—the benefit of a copyist
DAT A —POSITIVELY SUN„ MON., TUES. & WED. ONLY SEE the WORLD’S GREATEST the INDOOR CIRCUS the I _l FROM A COMFORTABLE OPERA CHAIR Ljl— S J SOMETHING -THE GREATEST NEW UNDER// SHOW ,/v"a stallions -monkeys MOH.. TUES. a W£o.. 2 M. JrM f -~AW\. ELEPHANTS IN FRONT yy \ OF THEATRE W \ and now for •THE SEASON’S BIGGEST LAUGH MOVIE JOHNN Y HINES “THE EARLY BIRD" Funnier than a Case of Muncie Measles Positively NO ADVANCE in Prices: Mats. 20c-30c, Eves. 30c-50c CDCnill I MONDAY MATihHhi ONLY OrELUIAL! reception or stage to see the animals and clowns.
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
1— The Grace Edler Dancing Chorus at the Palace the last half of the week. 2 Neal Benson, who handles the saxophone In Connie’s Broad Ripple Dance Orchestra.
ROUNDING ROUND
THEATERS
Have seen on Broadway some mighty naughty women, Nothing personal, but the sort of women that are bought. Meaning such attractions as “Ladies of the Evening” and her kindred sisters. Not going to spill the dirt on these dames, but going to tell you about Willie Howard in “Sky High.”
Am electing this musical show above all the others I have seen so far, because it had that something
from advertisement of the original. So far this has proven a course. Mere visualization of a popular book has been sufficient to fill the movie theaters. A film version of a long run stage play is an almost certain success. Old Rule We film patrons concede that what a lot of people have already seen must be worth seeing. And the movie press* agents take pains to inform us just how many hundred thousand people have read Jane Doe’s latest novel or have enjoyed John Doe’s Broadway wow. How then, being patrons of the arts, can we afford to miss seeing the fllmograph of these heralded successes? And, by the same token, who wants to eiee something that hasn’t already been stamped popular, something the press agents don’t know exactly what to do with? The long and well trodden lane of the movies has few turnings. And the old accustomed scenery still -eems -good enough forthe vast majority of box office contributors. What use then to conceive the movie as a creative and independent art when most people want it to he merely a reflector?
AMUSEMENTS
3AI Wilson, character man with the Berkell Players, who will have,an important part in next week’s production of ‘‘Lightnin’.” 4 Marie Welton, one of the featured members of the' Ruloff Revue at the Lyric.
With WALTER D. HICKMAN
which makes theater going on a hot night enjoyable. To be a success these days one must have an A1 Jolson or an Eddie Cantor on the stage. Howard brings both of these names into visible existence by the means of an impression or a character study. Howard did more than give just a sugestion of these two entertainers. He recreated them both in voice and appearance. Even In blackface. Howard rang true. “Sky High,” Is a dancing show. Nifty stepers do this and that which make people buy tickets. They strut their stuff, not in the vulgar sense, but with the proper understanding of what Is pleasant entertainment. While I have heard most of Broadway talking about Vannessi, the chief femlne attraction of this show, the chorus, Ann Mllburn and all the girls, yet I think It Is Willie Howard that actually makes this show. Some of his jokes came over on the Mayflower or the ark, but he dresses them up In the modern flapper attire. It Is a ■rt’ell mounted show. Easy to look upon. The comedy is enjoyable, pleasant and unoffensive. Am telling you that I am sure you will like this one when It breezes into
Indianapolis at the Murat In tpe early fall. •I- -I- -h I find that stars hang around the box office. Sort of a Warfield, Jolson fever. When I went in at the Gaiety to see “Tell Me More” Lou Holtz, one of the chief reasons for seeing this light little thing, was in the box office looking at the cash customers going In. This is Holtz first starring show. Ho is still feeling his way at times. I mean by that, he is attempting to create a Holtz line of comedy. And when he s’ays in that fieltf he gets over with ease. t I heard this one at that show. “Os course my parents are Puritans. Didn’t my great-grand-mother swim back from the Mayflower?” Also saw on the Paramount lot Bebe Daniels and Tom Melghan at work on their latest. While I write this, I ark In New j York, but when you read it I am back In Indianapolis. Been to Bermuda. Got lots to tell you. NATIONAL NAMES ANOTHER “The Scarlet Saint” is the title of anew First National picture which will soon he put into production at the New York studios. Gerald Beaumont wrote the story under the title of “The Lady Who Played Fidele." Mery Astor will have the lending role.
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- SPEGA GA ‘’SOLOIioN HIS WIFE 13 A €*{**€% AND HIS TAKEETIANA DOG TEAM THE INDIAN HERO OF ALASKA In face of a terrific blizzard and at a temperature of 50 degrees below zero, Basco drove his famous dog team at record-breaking speed transporting antitoxin into Nome, Alaska, to save the inhabitants from being wiped out by diphtheria—a feat that challenged the admiration of the civilized world. /IfirK PE ACHES FROM filrvfl \ THE BEACHES" \ I A SUMMER BATHING GIRL REVUE LtH M BETTY CLARK / PHYSICAL CULTURE BEAUTY WHO f WON THE NAT,ONAL health contest VIVIAN & CO.I CREST & FARRELL ' An r^ Novelty The Two Sheiks j*’jf COCHRAN & NORTON GREEN 4 BURNETT The Melody Girls Two Hod Carriers JrW ALEXIS RULOFF AND COMPANY MW fIL In an Original Terpsichorean Conception |k “THE POETRY OF MOTION” HARRY LANG DON IN A SENNETT COMEDY, “REMEMBER WHEN,” KINOGRAMS AND “THE PACE MAKERS”
SCHEDULE OF LYRIC SHOWS Afternoonfc o >dock Evening,™ adockPRICES: $ ll\
UNUSUAL ACTS ON WEEK’S NEW VAUDEVILLE BILLS Barton Brother’s Indoor Circus and Hero of Nome Will Hold Headline Spots. It is indeed an unusual week in the (local vaudeville houses. At the Palace the bill will be all in one “piece,” Barton Brothers’ indoor circus providing the whole program. At the Lyric, Solomon Basco, an Alaskan Indian who made the front pages by carrying the diphtheria antitoxin into the stricken city of Nome, during the recent epidemic, will be featured.
•I- -IEVERYTHING BUT TENTS AT PAJLACB Barton Brothers’ Circus, called the greatest Indoor circus on earth, has come to town and will invade the Palace theater the first half of next week only changing the customary vaudeville atmosphere to the spirit of the big tents. Peanuts, pdnk lemonade, popcorn, sawdust rings, and everything that recalls circus days from the living skeleton to the six ton elephant are found with the Barton Brothers’ aggregation. Fifty performers travel with the company and are said to be composed of circus stars from two continents. All have had much experience In the circus world and know Just what kind of entertainment to give their audience. Mor’-eys, ponies, horses, mules, dogs, and the large elephant all share honors with the acrobats, bareback riders, gymnasts, wire walkers, and clowns. Eight musical clowns offer “Opera versus Jazz” as well as a clown wedding. One of the circus thrillers is the sensational head slide made by one of the Morale family on a tight wire stretched from the balcony to the stage. The comedy sword swallower whose antics awe children is present as w*ll as the comical clown hut for whose presence the cirrus would not mean as much as It does. These entertainers will have special tricks to offer Monday afternoon at the Children’s Cirrus Party which the management has especially planned for all "kiddies” ranging from the tlneet tot to the twelve years old youngster. More fun is entered on the bill with Johnny Hines most recent photoplay “The Early Bird,” telling the rise of a milkman “Amateur Nlte In London" which Is set In a cheap music hall Is replete with fun and laughs in Its presentation the last half of the week. Dancing, comedy, singing are Included In this act. Grace Edler am. her company of four women are “Dancers Unique" In their series of new and original steps. Larry Rielly. Is offering '’Songs and Comedy AMUSEMENTS
Impressions of Today," Two more acts are given. "The Silent Pal" with Thunder, the marvel dog, is the photoplay. Short reels are Included. •!• •!• -IDOG HEROES AT THE LYRIC When the city of Nome, Alaska, was recently visited by an epidemic of dlptherla which threatened to | wipe out the inhabitants Solomon I Basco, an Alaskan Indian attained world wide fame when he performed the heroic feat of mushing his dog team composed of seven mamalute huskies carrying the life saving dlptherla anti-toxin Into Nome In the face of a terrific bllzard at a temperature of 50 degrees below zero. Vaudeville scouts visited Alaska and Induced Basco to make a tour of the United States. He will appear at the Lyric next week relating the true story of hla fight against the elements. Basco Is accompanied by his wife Takeetlana, and his famous dog teAm. In his act he wears the same fur costume that he wore when he undertook the hazardous artlc Journey, The bill will include: “PEACHES FROM THE BEACHES"—An elaborate summer bathing girl revue, with Reed, Hopper and Ballinger, Betty Clark and a group of pretty girls who display the latest styles In seashore costumes. Miss Clark la a South Bend girl, celebrated as a physical culture beauty, and who won the National Health Contest, ss the reault of which she was christened Venus De Chicago. RULOFF REVUE—Dance atars presented by Alev Ruloff, In "The Poetry Os Motion,” an original conception of terpslchorean ideas. CREST AND FARRELL—A pair of comics billed as “The Two Sheiks." ANN VlVlAN—America's fastest woman rifle shot who give a spectacular exhibition of sharpshontIng with songs as an Interpolated feature. WALTERS AND MeßßlDE—Exponents of fun sppesrlng In a laughable skit entitled "You're Next." COCHRANE AND NORTON—"Tho Melody Olrls” offering a cycle of songs, scyncopatlon and dances,
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