Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 57, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 July 1927 — Page 5

JULY 16, 1927

BIG STOCK EVENTS ON VIEW AT KEITH’S AND ENGLISH’S

‘Alias the Deacon’ to Be Given by Walker Organization at Keith’s Next Week —St. Clair’s New Play to Be Presented at English’s. “Alias the Deacon,” a droll and amusing comedy by John Hymer and Leßoy Clemens, will be the Stuart Walker company offering at Keith’s theater starting Monday night. Though a substantial hit on Broadway and in Chicago, the piece was never sent on the road and the Stuart Walker company presentation -will therefore be the first opportunity that local theatergoers have had to view the engaging success.

is in an amusing and extremely exciting prologue that the central character in “Alias the Deacon ’ is introduced. A box car conceals a circle of tramps who art playing cards. A smooth spoken fellow who talks most correctly a,nd has an air about him despite his shabby make-up is most appropriately hailed by his companions *as “The Deacon. He is obviously the leader of the pack. He tells them when it is their turn to play and watches too avidly the hands of the others. One of the crowd is a silent ieilow while another is an Italian, Tony, who is, wiinoul mating anj bones about it, tough. The deacon is winning a pile of money and Tony isn t so happ> about it. A fight is in line when the deacon, in a most annojing manner, lets the Italian know that he is acquainted with his past deeds, mostly bad. Tony grumblingly subsides. The train stops and someone climbs into the car. The intruder's cap is tom off and the surprising discovery is made that the stranger is a girl masquerading as a man. Everyone tries to kiss her—a fight ensues—the deacon shoots —Somebody jumps and the girl disappears. After the stirring and mysterious Incidents of the box-car prologue, the first act lands the girl and one of the hoboes at a small town boarding house where they find employment and decide to get married as soon as they can save S2OO. The deacon turns up again and all is merriment throughout the following acts. Eugene Powers will have the role of the deacon and the well-balanced cast will include George Gaul. Vivian Tobin, Larry Fletcher. Elizabeth Patterson. Judith Lowry. Aidrich Bowker, Muriel Kirkland and several others. NEW PLAY TO BE GIVEN AT ENGLISH'S Charles Berkell, manageer of the Berkell Players at English’s, announces the premier performance on Sunday night of anew play from the pen of one of his own players, Robert St. Clair. This play, with St. Clair in the cast, will be seen for the first time on any stage. To this performance has been invited representatives and readers of several leading producers, including Klaw & Erlanger, Shubert managers, and others, with a view of placing it behind |he footlights on Broadway. The play is as yet unnamed. In order that Mr. St. Clair might have the best possible title for it, Manner Berkell has offered an award of SIOO to the patron who will submit a winning title. Those participating in the contest are required to attach their seat coupons, their name, address and telephone number to their suggestion. The dramatic critics of the three leading local newspapers will act as judges in the contest, and their decision will be announced and the award made on Tuesday July 26. Suggestions should be mailed to the Contest Department, English Opera House. The play is termed a mystery comedy. It is done in three acts, and is unique in the fact that its mystery element carries with it no murders, no firing of guns, no dead bodies and nothing grewsome. Those who have read the script have acclaimed the piece a polished and well-poised one, with its comedy element strictly up to the minute, and capable of fulfilling all the demands of the modern theatergoer. Manager Berkell will spare no expense in giving St. Clair’s new play the best possible presentation. It will be seen throughout the week, with matinees as usual on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons. The usual popular prices prevailing. “Love ’Em and Leave ’Em” will be the bill for next week, and following within a short time is the much-talked of play, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”

AMUSEMENTS

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Free Acts on View at Riverside National Swimming Meet Will Be Held at Broad Ripple. The season of free vaudeville being presented each night on the elevated stage in the center of Riverside Park is proving immensely popular with the patrons. Opening tomorrow afternoon and continuing each evening for the week,,the De Courseys are the feature attraction in plastic poses and reproductions of ancient and modern sculpture. Long an established act in the better class of vaudeville houses, the troupe comes here through the local Burton theatrical agency, which is booking the Riverside free attractions. It will be presented tomorrow afternoon and evening and in the evenings only for the remainder of the week. The coming of the famous Oriole Orchestra to the Cinderella Dance Palace at Riverside tomorrow night for a four nights’ engagement is exciting the interest of music and dance lovers, and it is expected the orchestra, known to millions because of its broadcasted programs from the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, will pack the Riverside ballroom. Fifteen hundred couples can dance in comfort at one time on the Cinderella floor, and accommodations will be provided for those who do not care to dance, but attend to hear the music. Several other noted orchestras will come to Riverside in the next few weeks, among which will be the Vincent Lopez organization. BIG SWIMMING MEET TO BE HELD * Summer amusement seekers arc turning toward Broad Ripple Park, with its sixty acres of fun, including the big cool groves, where picnic parties find the same facilities for arranging a meal as they find in their own homes, the big free wild animal zoo, clean, wholesome attractions along the midway and, of course, the big feature, the huge swimming pool, with its everchanging pure water from the new filtering plant. It is in this pool that the National A. A. U. swimming meet will be held Aug. 16, 17 and 18, and which will bring to the events so ne of the best swimmers and divers both male and female in this country. According to Paul R. Jordan, president of the local division of the A. A. U., declares the big swimming pool, with its numerous changes, especiallly the new filtration plant in better shape than ever for the meet. Swimming parties are now quite the thing at the bi gpool, and every afternoon and evening groups can be seen enjoying themselves in the pool and around the beach. New diving boards have been erected and other improvements Have been made. Another popular spot Is the new Moonlight Dance Garden. It is the pleasing surroundings that the garden affords and the really excellent dance music furnished by a Benson organization, composed of reap musicians, that appeal to the legion of dancers that fill the floor nightly. From the dance floor proper the dancers can dance out into a pretty garden surrounded by shrubbery and palms and with only the sky for a covering. Several classes in natural history have visited the big free zoo and studied the habits of the various animals. “Mrs. Murphy,” the giant ape, and her son “Pat,” who is but a few inches long, attract considerable attention. Along the midway one of the most popular of games with both men and women is the skee ball alleys, which are the most complete of any similar alleys in the Middle West. Noah Likes to Fish Noah Beery, Paramount feature player, is an ardent fisherman.

ENGLISH S PLAYERS ALL WEEK BEGINNING JULY 17TH JQ JEAN OLIVER—MILTON BYRON S* /W/tr In That Gripping 3-Act r \ j MYSTERY COMEDY /faS By ROBERT ST. CLAIR OF BERKELL PLAYERS

See the play, then writ* your suggestions and enclose your seat check. Mail to— Play Contest Department at English's. The title accepted announced July 26 NO ADVANCE IN PRICES MATINEE. WED., THtJR.. SAT.—2:IS EVERY NIGHT AT 8:16 NO ADVANCE IN PRICES | WEEK OF JULY 24 £ r |

SIOO IN GOLD AWARDED THE PERSON SUBMITTING THE NAME CHOSEN FOR THE PI/AF BY THE JUDGES

lEffifli. $1 mmm Hhi jW , spßfif

No. I—Frank Marlow will be seen in Robert St. Clair’s new and yet unnamed mystery play at English’s starting Sunday night.

A Star

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Wallace Beery Here's Wallace Beery as he appears in “Fireman Save My Child,” Paramount's big satirical comedy production which comes to the Apollo the week of July 24th, in which Beery and Raymond Hatton are re-united as co-stars. Asa fun making team Beery and Hatton created a veritable sensation in "Behind the Front” and “Were in the Navy Now.” x

New Comedian Being, Made

Every producing unit at the Educational Studios, with the exception of the “Big Boy” juvenile company, is busily engaged in making comedies on the new Educational Pictures scheduled for 1927-28. Lupino Lane has completed hi;s first starring vehicle, “A Half-Pint Hero,” and has nearly finished his second comedy; Dorothy Devore is working on her first starring production, a comedy with thrilling aviation sequences; Johnny Arthur is in the midst of his first Tuxedo Comedy: Lloyd Hamilton has completed his initial comedy: George Davis has finished his first Mermaid Comedy, and the first Cameo one-reel comedies are now in the making. And over at the Chadwick Studios, Larry Semon soon will have his first starring comedy ready for Educational. It will be titled “Dummies.” Lane’s.first comedy shows him as a fire fighter. Johnny Arthur appears as a cub reporter, who is vamped by a girl on trial, in the first Tuxedo Comedy Anita Garvin plays the vamp. Hamilton tries to be a soldier in his first picture, a training camp comedy. Estelle Bradley is his leading lady. George Davis plays the leading role in a baseball romance, which constitutes the story of the first Mermaid Comedy of the season.

In Uniform Milton Sills is Americanborn and of American ancestry, but he’s wearing an American army uniform for the first time in many moons for a current picture, after wearing two French uniforms and several others. The picture is “Hard-Boiled Haggerty,” which Wld Gunning is producing and Charles Brabin Is directing for First National Pictures, with Molly O’Day in the leading woman role, and Arthur Stone, Mitchell Lewis and George Fawcett In the supporting cast.

AMUSEMENTS

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

No. 2—Wilson and Ardell in “Goofy Golf” will be on view at the Lyric next week. , No. 3—Corinne Villa will be

ROUNDING THEATERS

Summer opera at the Zoo in Cincinnati has become more than a single city enterprise because vistors are being attracted from many States to these performances. Last week 1 made my first visit of the present season to- the Zoo to hear “Aida,” by Verdi.

With the exception, of Chicago. Cincinnati is the only city I know of that has summer grand opera. St. Louis has its Municipal Opera, but most of its season is not devoted to grand opera, but to the lighter musical shows or the light modern opera. In other years I have visited tnb Zoo for opera, but this season there seems to be present a better singing organization than ever before. The ballet is no longer a troublesome burden, but a nicely drilled organization. From a scenic standpoint, the Zoo has never dressed :ts productions in such lavish style. Isaac Van Grove is again at the director's desk of the orchestra for all opera performances. This is the seventh season of grand opera apd symphony concerts at the Zoo and the very age of opera in Cincinnati is a compliment to those citizens who bravely determined to give that city summer grand opera. The personnel of the opera company this season is as follows: Sopranos IdelLa Banker Helena Morrill Mary Alice Cheney Stella Norelll Vera Curtis Alma Peterson Lvdia Dozier Mabel Sherwiod Lucv Oates Helen Stanley Cara Glnna Violet Sommer Contraltos Verna Caresa Myra Peach Constance Eberhart Tecla Richert Irene Pavloska Marta Wlttowska Helen Nugent Tenors Bo- .a Julian Oliver Ralph SrroUe Fenton Pugh .oi test Lamont John Sample \ Albert Mahler * Baritones and Basses Natale Cervl Fred Patton Charles E. Galagher Italo Piccht Herbert Gould Robert Ringlmg Charles Hathaway Howard Preston Louis J. Johnen Joseph Rover S2K-H B ?f , I er Louis Raybaut Scenic Artist John Herfurth ■■■■ Ottone Pempruner Musical Director . f. ..... . .Isaac Van Grove rnnr^. C f to^- < C hor . us Master... .Fausto Cieva B°a?l C e f t rt MSt n e a nd r UCt ° r . '! XTS'actt Charles G. Miller is busfnesf manager of the Cincinnati Zoo Opera Company, a position that he has successfully held for years. Next week the two opera bills will be “Fra Diavalo” and “Tannhauser." It Is to be regretted that “Faust" with Emil Jannings did not do the business this week at the Apollo that such a worth-while movie should

attract. I am not going to blame -

REVUE COMIQUe INTERNATIONAL DANCERS —/<• LATE STARS OF EARL CARROLL'S * VANITIES * HARRY WELCH 5 NED NORTON IN A COMEDY RIOT CALLED " TWO EGGS "~~ RIDGE'S COMEDY CARL SCHENK- DLJO“THE CITY HOTEL ' ] EQUIUBRISTIC MARVEL'S WILSON S ARDELL | ALLAN SHAWGOOFY GOLF g “THE MONEY MAKER" /%. SPECIAL ADDED ATTRACTION / ; | PERSONAL APPEARANCE \ POPULAR COWBOY MOTION PICTim^STAR! AND HIS FAMOUS HORSE “PAL” COLOR CLASSIC, "TRAIL OF THE RANGER”—KINOGRAMS—COMEDY, "A WOLF IN CHEAP CLOTHING” JMk DAILY PIPE ORGAN RECITAL BY LESTER HUFF W M STARTS 12140 O’CLOCK, NOON, DOORS OPEN 12:80 TfMPIWH |ip

among those present at the Palace starting Sunday for four days. No. 4.—Vivian Tobin will have

ROUND With WALTER D. HICKMAN

the result of the weather. It seems impossible to “sell” Jannings in this city in a heavy drama such as “Faust.” Here is a great picture and was the subject of conversation this week on the part of those who saw it. They say that the proudest moment in a playwright's life is when his first play Is first produced. Then Sunday night should be the proudest moment in the life of Robert St. Clair when his new mystery play is presented at English's for the first time on any stage. Os course It is impossible to get photographs of scenes of a play not produced and so St. Clair turned artist and drew his own pictures of his characters. These drawings have been on view all week in the lobby of English’s. Sign Long Contract Lane Chandler has been signed to a five-year contract by Paramount just prior to starting on his first starring picture. “Open Range,” the picturization of Zane Grey’s latest melodrama, which will be directed by Arthur Rosson. Chandler's rise in the film world Is unprecedented. Seven months ago, he was the passenger agent for the Yellowstone Park Company at Old Faithful Inn.

Lindbergh The trend toward pictures featuring daring air exploits since Colonel Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic is reflected in animated cartoon comedies recently released. Felix the Cat, the famous black cat created' by Pat Sullivan, flies to Europe in a blimp in Educational’s recent picture, “Felix the Cat in a ‘Loco’ Motive.” The entire flight from New York to Berlin, after a trip over Ireland, London, Paris and Italy, Is shown by means of animated cartoon sketches, more than 7,000 individual drawings being required to show Felix’s daring flight.

AMUSEMENTS

one of the chief roles in “Alias The Deacon” at Keith's starting Monday night.

Composer

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Zez Confrcy "Kitten on the Keys.” a popular Jazz piano composition, is the work of Zez Confrey, who comes to the Circle the week of July 17. as one of the big events of the Circle’s fourth syncopation season. Zez Confrey is one of the most popular and famous pianists of American popular music. He brings his orchestra with him. Gertrude Signs Contract Gertrude Astor has been signed for a principal jole in Warner Bros, picture, “The Broadway Kid," the temporary title for George Jessel's new starring vehicle. The production is now in work on the coast with Byron Haskin directing. The leading feminine role has been assigned to Audrey Ferris, anew Warner “find.” In “Tell It to Sweeney” William H. Tooker, who plays Sweeney in “Tell It to Sweeney,” Paramount's first production costarring Chester Conklin and George Bancroft, is one of the veterans ,of the movies. He made bis first appearance about fifteen years ago and has worked continuously ever since. Why a Hollywood "Actors and actresses like to get into the movies because picture people can live in one place long enough to have a real home," according to Esther Ralston, Paramount star. She comes from a family of show people and traveled all over the country as a girl.

Sitting With the Big Stars

Sydney Shields, late leading woman In “New York Exchange,” has been engaged to do the principal role in “The Family Skeleton,” recently acted wiih considerable success at Asbury Park and other New Jersey resorts. It Is to be seen in New York early in September..., Charlotte Wynters, the stately blonde leading woman, seems to be preferred by managers as well as gentlemen—sometimes they double —ahd will go to Portland this week to head the stock company that will try out new playj....Whitford Kane will head a cast cf competent players who will go to the Pacific coast shortly to do a series of plays, including “Juno and the Paycock,” the Irish comedy which was a success in London and New York, and later done by Mr. Kane with continued success in Chicago... .Edwin Franko Goldman wrote anew march called “The Third Alarm.” and in it he pictured the response of the fire department to the third alarm of fire. There were whistles, sirens, bells and all sorts of noise. The firehouses in New York all have radios, and this went, over the air one night, reaching the men on duty. ! some of them were dozing, and, ; awakened by the clatter and alarm, found themselves descending the i pole in their drowsiness Julia | Parker will remain in vaudeville until fall, when she goes into anew ! musical revue.... Patricia O’Hearn, who has been the little Irish hero- | ine in “Abie’s Irish Rose.” is not j nearly so old as this statement | would indicate. She has turned her ; talents toward music compositions and there is a potential Irving BcrI lin in the field Antoinette | Walker, formerly a well-known actress and for several seasons under I the management of David Belasco, largely as leading woman for David | Warfield, become a theatrical ' producer. WKh M. J. Kavanagh she Is presenting Miller and Lyle, ! the clever Africans, in anew revue in New York next week. John Goes West | John Thomas, former literary edti tor of “Time." a New York weekly, , and author of "Dry Martini.” successful novel, is now in Hollywood ! working on the script for his first picture for Paramount. “Jesse James" on Screen Fred Thomson, Paramount's ace I Western star who is now making j “Jesse James,” used to be the Boy ; Scout commissioner of Nevada bc- | fore entering the movies and still is active in scouting activities.

New Ones Conway Tcarle will become a vaudevlle headliner this fall under the direction of Harry Weber. He will do several bits from Shakespeare and recite. Tony Williams, a “Star of Yesterday” is about to return to his early love, Keith-Albee vaudeville. He will he heard in “Songs, Stories and Recitations.” Dora Maugham will do her single singing turn at the Palace during the week of August 1 and on August 10 will sail on the Berengaria for London where she will open on the 22nd at the Victoria-Palace as second feature bf the allAmerican. all-woman bill.

PALACE

I VAUDEVILLE - THE BEST “PHOTOPLAYS

I HEART 1 ■lthiefJ VMIOI Vil l i MURRAY-MADDOX m CHOW '' • Jxj PcTul Smith villa & OEOBALEXANDFR Kikuiasl STRI6A *?"'**”£ „ JAPS ‘n THE FAI LCjrtE J ARTHUR ALEX ANDER^

Tex Kicks ’Em Dead on Broadway Texas Guinan Has Wild Revue in ‘Padlocks of 1927/ BY DIXIE HINES NEW YORK. July 16.—Something strange came to town this weqjc and called Itself "Padlocks of 1927.” The head aod body was a well-know a night club “hostess” named 'Texa. Guinan, sometime of the screati and stage. Texas is a character. She has refined the art of Jessie James and glorifies in it. Some stage com e said one should never give a sucker an even break. Miss Guinan. one imagines, goes on the theory that a sucker should be given no break whatever, and in her classification every man with money is a sucker. So they hired her to be the star of this new revue. She is the star, the sun and moon of it. She starts talking about 8:15 and rt 11 o’clock, when thb scribe, being unused to such excitement, was led staggering to a waiting taxicab, Miss Guinan was talking, still and yet. So far as I know, she may have been talking all night. But her entertainment is somethin 1 : wonderful. It starts out m the lobby of the theater where all the girls—and La Guinan knows how to pick girls almost as well as she does suckers—are gathered with tjic principals. The man who wasn’t kissed, or hugged, or batted in the eye with a rattler was an exception. Then the company marched down to t£e stage and. standing on thv footlights Miss Guinan grew familiar w'ith most of those whom she knew and not a few whom she did not. Then some specialities, dances, songs, sketches and jokes were pulled. Miss Guinan making her appearance frequently. As the end of the first part came near the stage was occupied by the entire company. They threw balls at the audience and the audience threw them back. They eent rattlers through the auditorium and girls ran up one aisle and down the other, ar.d then down the other %nd up one. They patted the bald heads, tickled the chins of the youthful. In fact they became cn famllle with a vengeance. Nothing like this has ever been seen in New' York. And New York seemed to like it because even while Miss Guinan was talking the girls did some fine stepping, and the comedians were funny, and the acrobatic terpsichoreans were agile. In fact the show was pretty good at times and pretty bad at others. But the audience cared not. They had rubbed elbows with the girls, and some had been called by their real names. So if our visitors slip into the Shubert Theater and suspect they have gotten intA a madhouse instead. never mind. Maybe they have. But they will like it. Save for the review above, there is nothing to write about this w’eek. A revival of “Madame X" was presented with Carroll McComas in the role of the distraught mother, the part, you may recall, that was played fifteen or twenty years ago. by Dorothy Donnelly. And young Rex Chcrrynmn was more than satisfactory in the role of the son, first done by William Elliott when he lyas still a Juvenile.

AMUSEMENTS

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