Indianapolis Times, Volume 38, Number 261, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 February 1927 — Page 5

FEB. 5, 1927

‘LAFF THAT OFF TO PLAY RETURN DATE AT ENGLISH’S

Katherine Cornell Booked Here for a Week as Iris * March in ‘The Green Hat’ George Arliss to Be Seen A:ain in ‘Old E nglish’ in This City. For a simple little domestic type of comedy success, “Lass That Off,’’ which opens a special return engagement at English's for three days* beginning Thursday, Feb. 10, keeps the property department as busy as though it were another “Mircale” or “Mecca.” * Although the entire action takes place in a combination living room and kitchen, such as are found only in cramped New York, the property crew is busy from the first rise of the curtain to the finale of the laugh fest.

To begin with, there is a tricky radiator that has to emit cracks at certain cues, and has to send hissing steam from a leaky valve at another critical juncture. Then there is a Christmas tree to lie toted around, holiday wreaths, bundles of yuletide gifts, pieces of jewelry that are constantly getting mislaid in the big spaces back stage. Thd property man must also act as a sort of emergency plumber. There is real running water in the sink, and the ice box must run over at just the right instant and spill upon the stage floor —naturally from melting ice. If the property man is not watchful his associates will appropriate the vegetables that are used in one mirthful scene of three bachelors preparing their own meals. Although the play never moves scout of the single room in which it ™s depicted, it covers a period of considerably more than a year. Each little item Is important and the number of items may be imagined from the fact that it requires three large dining room tables, grouped back stage, to contain all the materials. They must be arranged in certain order, ijust as they are picked up in a hurry and used by various members of the cast. The preparations of the property department just prior to curtain time are quite similar to those in a home where important company is anticipated just before the arrival of the guests is expected. If you have ever seen a good housewife taking seventy-five final looks at the dining table, under such circumstances, you have a good conception of the expression upon the face of the property man for “Lass That Off’’ around 8 p. m. -MISS CORNELL MAKES A GOOD STATEMENT “Learning a part,” says Katherine Cornell, star of “The Green Hat,” coming to English’s week of Feb. 14, "is merely putting on clothing. That is mechanical. You slip on lines, business, relation of parts and button them up. But once the clothes are on you must begin to live. Now and then your petticoat will show, your skirt will need dusting, there will be a run in the stocking of the part. “But no living thing has died of jhese deficiencies or been one whit es.s memorable or one whit less herself. Iris March does not always wear the same clothes, nor do her clothes always look the same, but Iris March is always the same—if there is an Iris March. How can you put an Iris March in the clothing of her rehearsals I do not know. "I can measure blank verse and write ten syllables to the line, but 1 cannot tell you by what magic poetry creeps into it, or by what misfortune stays out. I do believe the Almighty, Himself, could tell you why he succeeded in Plato and missed in a plowman. “All but one thing more. And that’s this matter of sincerity. I do not know what most people mean when they talk about sincerity. If they mean emotional sincerity, I think they follow a snare and a folly. For my own part, there is but one sincerity in the theater or in art, and that is the sincerity of imagination. “The very word means, literally, ‘without wax’—that is, something

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Her First The first leading woman Cecil B. De Mille ever used appears in his latest picture, “The King of Kings.” Mabel Van Buren, a star in her own right, is a veteran of the days In 1912 when De Mille and Jesse L. Lasky set up their film shop in one-half of a small barn In Hollywood.

that has not been cracked and, hence, in need of mending wax. From ceramics to the imagination is but a step in a little world that must play its whole symphony in six or eight stops. “A sincere imagination, like a sincere pot, in one that is whole, the image uncraeked. I do not suffer with Iris March, but I can imagine her suffering. I have not wanted her lovers, but I have sincerely imagined her wanting them. “If I had broken my heart on the opening night of ‘The Green Hat’ because she could not get the man she wanted, I could not have played a second performance. But 1 have always imagined sincerely that her own was broken. And now that’s all there is to it.” r 1 - GEORGE ARLISS TO RETURN TO ENGLISH'S Winthrop Ames will present George Arliss in John Galsworthy’s “Old English,” at English's, Feb. 28-March 1-2. Since his opening night in this play, Mr. Arliss has been breaking box-office records whereever he has appeared. He now Is making his first transcontinental tour in twelve years. Mr. Arliss plays the title role of “Old English.” the name given to Sylvanus Heythoro by his associates. This rare old fellow is a pagan at heart, a “great old sinner,” an unscrupulous, shrewd, but lovable octogenarian, who meets his fate as he lived, unafraid, unrepentant, with his colors flying. The dinner scene in the last act already has become a classic in the history of acting. The cast includes the players who impressed New York during the 200 performances of "Old English” given there, among ili°m being Irby Marshal, the prominent Australian actress, Molly Johnson, Henrietta Goodwin, Dora Lennox, Lillian Bernnard, Ivan F. Simpson, Murray Kinnell, Henry Morrell and Algan Trotter. ✓

Fashion

Believing that 1927 will find more masculine pulchritude in motion pictune comedies than ever before, Johnny Hines has started the year off right by signing his quota of male sex appeal for his forthcoming First National picture, “All Aboard.” The latest representative of masculine beauty to join the cast is Bull Montana, who is a good running mate for Sojin, the Chinese actor. Among other candidates for Apollo’s crown are Frank Hagney, James Leonard. Charles Reed, Henry Barrows and Fred Kelsey, while the feminine portion of loveliness is headed by Edna Murphy and includes Anna May Wong, Babe Farley and Nola Luxford.

AMUSEMENTS

LOOKING OVER NEW EVENTS UPON LOCAL STAGE

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/ With Stuart Walker recovering from an operation in Cincinnati, one is reminded that it will not be long before the stock season opens in this city. Have received a letter from Charles Berkell that he is now making plans for his coming stock season at English’s.

It is definitely known that Berkell will be at English’s this summer and that Walker will be at Keith’s. Neither producer has made public the names of plays they have secured nor annoounced the members of the company. Berkell, with probably a few ex ceptions, will bring the same company that he had here last summer. It is probable that he will bring a new leading woman to English’s this summer. And it is probable that Walker will use about the same players that he did last season. It is to be hoped that he will have an entire season contract with Elizabeth Patterson. Things are not so good on Broadway this season. Many of the best have been idle. This is proven by the fact that :he cast of the revival of “Trelawny of the Wells” includes John Drew, Helen Gahagan, Pauline Lord. Estelle Winwood, Rollo Peters, Mrs. Thomas Whiffen, Effie Shannon, Frieda Inescort and others. It seems that Stuart Walker will have no trouble getting the biggest possible names for his companies this coming season. General John J. Pershing pays a tribute to the people of the stage for the part they played in maintaining the morale of the A. E. F., in a letter to Otto 11. Kahn, national chairman of the campaign to raise a $1,500,000 endowment for the charity work of the actors’ funu. General Pershing has also observed the generous disposition of the actor in giving of his time and talents in aid of every worthy cause, he says in his letter to Mr. Kahn, and he therefore deserves the support of the public in behalf of his own charity. His letter, in part, is as follows: “It gives me pleasure to express to the Actors' Fund of America my heartiest congratulations on the splendid work which it has accomplished in the past and my hope that its plans for the future may meet with every success. “In the World War the members of the theatrical profession rendered very valuable services to the coun-

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

try in maintaining the morale of our soldiers, and in peace none have given of their services with greater generosity and willingness when misfortune has come to others. I am sure our people appreciate these facts and that the Actors’ Fund will receive hearty cooperation in ail that it is doing and trying to do for the sick and needy of its ranks.” General Persuing's indorsement of the Actors’ Fund campaign, and that given by James L. Fieser, acting national chairman of the Amer ican Ked Gross, recalled a series of three benefit shows staged during the war by the actors under the management of Daniel Frohrnan, president of the Actors’ Fund. The late Henry P. Davisson, chairman of the Red Cross, had appealed to him to raise funds for the Red Cross war work. Frohrnan put on a big show in an open air arena at Huntington, L. 1., and raised a large sum. Army welfare workers immediately applied to Frohrnan to put on a show for their work. He gathered up the remnants of the Red Cross show and staged a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House. The yield was so big that

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A REVUE OF J KELLY & FORSYTHE “GETTING A LICENSE” I LEO GREENWOOD & Co7i BASCOPETrHE DANCING MILLARDS “ADVICE” I The Blue Bird | “VERSATICTTY” THE SENSATIONAL RECORD STAR f J MISS LEE MORSE SOUTHERN ARISTOCRAT OF SONG 7—BROWOIRLS—7 A SYMPHONY IN TONE AND COLOR CHARLIE CHASE COMEDY, “MANY SCRAPI’Y RETURNS.” KIN(XiRAMS, UNIVERSAL COMEDY. FOR THE BOAT RIDE.” I

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No. I.—Pauline Drake as she appears in "Lass That Off” at English's, starting Thursday night for three days. No. 2 Adela Verne, noted pianist, to be at 11. F. Keith's next week. No. 3—Marie St. George will be seen “In China” at the Palaee the first half of next week. No. 4—James Kelly of Kelly and Forstyhe at the Lyric all next week. No. s—Katherine Cornell and Alan Hollis in “The Green llat” at English’s the week of Feb. 14.

Navy boosters asked him to do something for the Navy. Collecting the remnants of the two previous shows, he gave a third at the Hippodrome. “This is reciprocity,’’ said Mr. Frohrnan, when he learned of the indorsements given by eral Pershing and Mrs. Fieser to ...e Actors’ Fund drive. ANOTHER PARTY CELEBRATION The next big celebration of vaudeville's centennial year is scheduled for the week of March 14, when centennial week will be inaugurated. Keith-Albee officials are planning a tnoro brilliant week for the second celebration week of the big year than was the first celebrative week which found its inception under the title of "All-Nationality Week.” ANNA FOR VAUDEVILLE Anna Case, whose first appearance was made in vaudeville at the Hippodrome last season, will play the week of Feb. 6 at the Palace Theater, Chicago, with other dates probably to follow over the Keith-Albee circuit both in the East and the West.

AMUSEMENTS

The Stage and Screen

By Shelly Pierce United Pres* Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, Feb. s.—Fifty years is a long time to make people laugh, but Sam Bernard has succeeded in doing it. The comedian, who is observing his golden anniversary on the stage, has successfully bridged the gap between the era of long skirts and that of rolled socks and his humor has kept fresh. Bernard is a graduate of the Bowery school of comedy. The only other active alumni of the old music halls are Weber and Fields. All others have long since faded from the scene. The comedian recently opened the new Chanin Royle Theater in “Piggy.” Doings of “The Rich Mr. Hoggenheimer,” a part created by Bernard many years ago, figure in the piece. His 17-year-oid daughter Rosalind plays-with him. Ttvelve years ago Adolph %ikor went to the offices of a large moving picture company with a film under his arm, seeking an avenue of distribution for his product. Zukor had just started experiments with pictures and was looked upon as a visionary with a lot of impractical ideas, according to Allan Harding, who tells the story In the current issue of the American Magazine. After keeping him waiting for three hours the film magnates condescended to see Zukor. The wait only made him more determined. He informed the executives that they couldn't have his film if they wanted it. He would dis-

tribute it independently. Today Zukor is the head of one of the largest flhn companies in the world. After “The Cohens and the Kellys” and “Kosher Kitty Kelly” we are to have an all-Irish picture, “The Callahans and the Murphys,” based on Kathleen Norris’ novel.

MPazumga On a B. Talbot Fine Arts Enterprises mamam* I MURAT AFTERNOON FF ?'J 3 j RACHMANINOFF Sunday Afternoon, Feb. 20th. ROLAND HAYES I Sensational Tenor of Two Continents , .11 • Monday Evening, Feb. 21st. AT LAST, AFTER TEN YEARS’ EFFORT, THIS MANAGEMENT HAS SECURED THE PHILADELPHIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA I And The Great LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI, Conducting Philadelphia Orchestra Prices, $3.00, $4.00, $5.00 plus tax. TO THE PUBLIC: Support the orchestral concerts so they may become permanent. JERITZA CINCINNATI SYMPHONY SCHIPA 1 Mar. 20th April 18th May Ist FRITZ REINER, Conductor. SOPHIE BRASLAU, Soloist, j Now Is the Time for Choice Seats —All Seats Now Selling 1 PRICES: $3.00, $2.50, $2.00, $1.50. "War Tax 10 Per Cent Extra M

Inclose self-addressed, stamped envelope. ONA B. TALBOT OFFICE 616 Hume-Mnnm Bldg.

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THEATRE GUILD 1 TO OFFER COMEDY BY TEST DALTON • - ‘For Brides Only’ to Be Given at the Masonic jjy Temple. Thursday night of next week will see the premiere performance of Test Dalton’s three-act comedy, “For Brides Only.” The production of this play will be a continuance of the Theatre Guild's policy of producing native drama. Mr. Dalton is a native of Indiana and has for many years been writing for the theater and allied arts. In “For Brides Only” he has writ, ten a farce comedy that is said to be one of his best efforts. The play concerns the trials of Ma Gimple, owner of an “east side” boarding house in New York, whose boarders fall in love all at once, and after their marriages Ma is faced with the problem of keeping her newly wed lodgers in the straight and narrow path of matrimony. The play will be produced Thursday evening, Feb. 10, at the Masonic Temple, Illinois and North Sts. Advance reservations may be made through Mrs. D. O. Bates.

AMUSEMENTS WWWWWWWW

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