Indianapolis Times, Volume 40, Number 221, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 February 1929 — Page 6

PAGE 6

GEORGE ARLISS TO BE SEEN IN “MERCHANT OF VENICE”

‘Trial of Mary Dugan’ Has Been Booked at English’s for Week’s Engagement, Beginning Monday Night, Feb. 11 —‘Good News’ Listed. IN connection with the appearance of George Arliss in Winthrop Ames’ production of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” at •■•tarting Monday night, for three nights, new data relative to Shakespeare’s ancestry’, as told by Dr. John S. Smart in a recently published book, “Shakespeare, Truth and Tradition," is of interest. The ancient fictions, started by Halliwell Phillipps, concerning the private life of Shakespeare, receive a death blow in this new volume. The author is the late Dr. John S. Smart of Glasgow university and lie presents a convincing story, particularly for those who still believe in the “illiterate actor” fable.

The poet. Dr. Smart shoe's, came of great and ancient lineage on his mother’s side. The founders of the Ardens was a Saxon noble of the name of Turchlll, who had large landed estate at Arden, Warwickshire. and lived in the country town. Making his peace with the conqueror, he had his property confirmed to him, was duly entered in Domesday Book and, after Norman fashion, assumed a territorial surname. From this Turchill Arden descended Mary Arden, Shakespeare'S mother. In the time of Henry HI a Sir Thomas Arden took up arms under Simon de Montfort, was with him defeated at Eversham, taken prisoner and ransomed by the sacrifice of his lands. Later these acres were handed back. About 200 years later a Robert Arden found himself in sympathy with the White Rose and, being captured, w’as beheaded for high treason by the Lancastrians in 1452. Again the Arden forest lands were confiscated and then again restored by the Yorkist triumph. Walter Arden, who thus received them back from Edward IV, married Eleanor, daughter of John Hampden, whose descendant and namesake led th'> early opposition in the Long Parliament and died on Chalgrove field. Eleanor’s son, John, became esquire of the body to Hem/ his younger brother, Thomas, settled at Wllmcote and Smithfield and the latter’s great-grandson, through Robert Amen (son) and Mary and John Shakespeare of Smithfield, was the poet. Ancestry’, therefore, as Dr. Smart concludes, had much to w’hich the miracle of genius was indebted. The story of the “ignorant clodhopper” is nonesense, as are other stories of the kind, and each one is similarly disposed of. The truth has probably never been so clearly put before. tt tt u BIG HIT IS BOOKED HERE Atmosphere plays an important oart in the production of “The Trial of Mary Dugan," a melodrama coming to English’s for an engagement #f one week, beginning Monday, Feb. 11. Upon entering the theater the audience finds the curtain up and the stage set to represent the supremo court of New’ York. For fifteen minutes numerous characters stroll on and off the scene. Scrub women dust the furniture, police officers sit about reading papers, court attendants make their entrances and exits, exchanging gossip and comment per--aining to the trial. Presently the witnesses appear, followed by spectators who wrangle for the best seats. The district attorney bustles through a rear door and makes sure that his assistants | have all his papers in order. With the appearance of the judge, court convenes, and a moment later Mary Dugan, timid, frightened defendant. is led through an iron cage to a seat at her attorney's table. An Italian girl is sentenced to die for the murder of her lover, and as she is dragged screaming from the courtroom the trial of Mary Dugan begins. By this time the audience, which acts as the jury, is thoroughly imbued with the atmosphere fit the courtroom. But the attention to detail does not end here. The “acts” of the play are spaced by’ adjournments, and when it is time, for the trial to be resumed court attendants in uniform g 8 out into the lobbies and bid the “jurors" to resume their seats.. During the second intermission there is a bit of atmosphere that never fails to win its round of applause. A sleepy old spectator awakes to find himself alone in the courtroom. Instead of going out with the others he calmly seats himself at the lawyers’ table and eats a sandwich he has brought in his pocket. “GOOD NEWS" TO “ BE SEEN HERE “Good News,’’ the Schw ab and i Mandel musical play with the back- j ground of a western co-educational college coming to the English starting Monday, Feb. 25. has been one of the greatest box-office record breakers of recent years. It ran for nearly two years in New York City, and has been a tremendous hit wherever presented. The story is collegiate to the nth degree. All the familiar types of a small town college are there. They have them at every’ jerkwater institution. The old folks know all the types in the old days when they went to college and the young ones can identify them all from their classmates of today. The appeal of such a show as “Good News” is universal—it has much of the same appeal as George Ade's famous play, “The College Widow.” but “Good News” is a snappier and a more up-tc-the minute production. Laurence Schwab and B. G. DeSylva wrote the book. Lew Brown contributed the lyrics, Ray Henderson furnished the music, and Bobbby Connolly arranged the dances. A combination hard to beat. Each caught the spirit of youth that the book or idea called for—the spirit of youth and romance of college days. Schwab wrote with a keen eye to the humorous value of college character types. The cast includes: Will Ahern, Max Hoffmann Jr., Margaret Breen, Jerry Downes. Peggy Bernier. Joseph Alien, Katharine Morris, Dorothea James. Barry Walsh, George Schiller, Edwin Michaels, Rglph Sanford. Gene Sheertn, John McDonell, George Olsen's famous I band, and the chorus of fifty flapper ; f resides.

New Band | in Indiana Ballroom Eddie Kern and ‘Egyptian Serenaders’ Open for Two Weeks. KNOWN all over the United States for their entertainment specialties and “personalities,” Eddie Kern and his Egyptian Serenaders, coming to the Indiana ballroom next Saturday for a two weeks’ engagement, will bring with them not only the latest dance rhythms and up-to-the-minute syncopation, but also a “bag full’ of musical tricks, including singing and instrumental soloists, a duo, trio and quintet, a drummer comedian, burlesque dancing numbers and surprise novelties. A featured entertainer is Joe Cappo, who is considered one of the best accordion players in the United States. This youthful Latin combines the soft and sweet romantic strains of his Italian heritage with the snap and smartness of America today in the melodies he caresses from the black and white keys. Eddie Kern, the director, is the nimble-fingered pianist of the unit. This clever group of musical entertainers originated in that part of southern Illinois known as “Little Egypt.” Despite its exotic title, this is a typical American dance band with the spirit, swing and sway of Yankee Doodle Land. They’ have broken box office records in such varied engagements as at Young’s Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, the magnificent Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, the new Eastwood Park, Detroit, and Elitch’s Gardens, Denver, and have proved their versatility by pleasing the smart clientele of impoi’tant hotels, including the William Pitt at Pittsburgh. broadcasting nightly from Station KDKA, and the Chase Hotel at St. Louis. Denny’s Troubles Reginald Denny, having finished the four features assigned to him for this year, is scheduled to start in a story by Gladys Lehman and Earle Snell, provisionally titled "Companionate Troubles.” It is quite likely that William J. Craft will direct this Denny subject.

ROUNDING ROUND with Walter 1 n D ' HICKMAN

BY WALTER D. HICKMAN THIS good old Hoosier city has been undergoing this week one of its most unique experiences as far as the legitimate season is concerned. Just as Ad F. Miller announces that the legitimate season is about to end here and that Charles Berkell and his company will open at English’s on Sunday night, March 10, everything goes to capacity. “The Strange Interlude” has turned away more than 3,000 people, who left the box office begging for tickets. English's was not even big enough for “Rose Marie.”

The demand has been so great for “The Passion Play” at the Murat that a Sunday matinee, beginning at 2 o’clock, will be given to accomodate the many hundreds who want to see this beautiful spectacle. The reactions of the public to both the “Interlude” and “The Passion Play” have been most interesting. On Thursday afternoon at ' English’s for the opening of the O’Neill play, part of the audience was so unnecessarily noisy that it was very nearly impossible to hear what the actors said. This excited part of the audience made it unpleasant for thousands in the audience who were quiet and respectful to the cast and the j author. The noisy and excited element of ! the audience became “licked” after the dinner intermission, thus mak-( ing it a great audience to work to. I had a fine chat with Donald MacDonald who is in the "Interlude.” He had married Ruth Hammond, an actress who also has been with Stuart. Walker in stock here.

AMUSEMENTS MUTUAL BURLESQUE THEATRE - ■ - . . ■ r : Direction of THE MUTUAL BURLESQUE ASS Nos New York | Week Beginning February 3d > H GEO. LEON “DIMPLED DARLINGS’ FAY NORMAN WITH A ’ ; ' * FLAMING PIinCIIC of PEPPY FLAPPER UnUnUj YOUTHS L__, I

1. Katherine Morris, one of the cast of “Good News” opening at English’s Monday night, Feb. 25. , 2. George Arliss in his characterization of Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice,” opening Monday night at English’s.

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Here is one of the little ladies, a wee person, with Singer’s Midgets now at the Indiana.

Miss Hammond is in New York rehearsing for anew play. MacDonald is especially interested in the reaction of the audience to the O’Neill play as no two audiences are the same. n a tt Am told by Tom Devine of the Indiana ballroom that Dick Powell is leaving the Indiana roof to become master of ceremonies at the Enright theater in Pittsburgh, Pa. Ace Berry, formerly manager of the Circle, Ohio and Indiana theaters, is now in charge of the Pittsburgh theater and will again manage Powell. tt tt ft As you read this, I am on my way to New York for a short visit there. My object is to sec as many shows as I can, so I will be able to tell you all about them. In my absence John Hawkins will tell you all about the Indianapolis shows.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

Censoring of Talkie Films Stirs Ruckus Pathe Initiates Action in Court Against New York Censors. THE court action initiated by Pathe against the New York board of censors, to determine whether the censors have the right, under the law, to censor sound and talk in connection with motion pictures, reveals a threatened limitation of the rights of free speech and the liberty of the press, in the opinion of many. Among those who have been quick to see a possible invasion of those rights is the American Civil Liberties Union, which, though Forrest Bailey, has written Lewis Innerarity, secretary of Pathe Exchange, Inc., as follows: “This organization is much interested in the court action instituted by Pathe Exchange, Inc., to restrain the department of education for the state of New York from interfering with the production of ‘Sal of Singapore.’ “We wish to commend your fine stand in resistance of pre-censor-ship of sound accompanied films. It may be of interest to you to learn that we have among our counsel attorneys who have specialized in the study of censorship problems. We should be very happy to make one of these available in an advisory capacity, if that would be of helpful service.” Whiteman Postponed Owing to the impossibility of crowding sufficient time into his concert schedule, the Paul Whiteman all-talking subject which Universal will make for next year has been postponed from February to June. The title of this production is “King of Jazz.” The story was written by Paul Schofield, who has been accompanying Paul Whiteman on his tour for the last two months.

AMUSEMENTS AND HERE HE IS Introducing the Creator of GIRL SHOWS DE LUXE ART HARRISON Former Producer of Chicago Publix Shows IN HIS FIRST HIT “MY WIFE'S HUSBAND” Featuring BUDrY KANE A farce comedy of a modem Helen of TroyMore Fun Than a Turkish Bath See Buddy Kane at His Best

3. With Storey and Lee on the vaudeville bill at the Lyric starting Sunday. 4. Norman as one of the “Dimpled Darlings” next week’s burlesque offering at the Mutual.

Noted Player

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Ethel Intropidi

A well known dramatic actress, Ethel Intropidi, will have an important role in “The Trial of Mary Dugan,” opening Monday night, Feb. 11, at English’s for the week.

Rooney Film Pat Roney and family, who arrived at Universal City last week, started on Monday their first movietone subject. It is entitled “Sweethearts” and was written by Edgar Allan Woolf.

AMUSEMENTS \ presenting ■ji ommtude —rai , 11 entitled. ff " Keep Moving §sMpi tA delicious piece of hoken\\W fjffij n STORY & LEE f|H “Too Silly for Words” NAIO & ROMEO 9 Wl THE MARIETTA TRIO 1 —■ “A Three-Girl Novelty” f||§_ “ I HARRY ELLSWORTH & CO. • 1 W'll in ■ *§W “A Prophecy of Television” * jf AT THE METROPOLITAN . A Comedy Skit by Eugene Conrad

'Public Will Not Pay for Poor Shows Burlesque President/ Back From Trip, Talks of Conditions. IH. HERK, president of the Mu- • tual Burlesque Association, says: “Within the past two months I have made a tour covering practically all of the principal cities in this country. The trip was made, primarily, in the interest of the Mutual circuit, which embraces fifty theaters and forty-six burlesque traveling companies. But I devoted a great deal of time to the observation of conditions in all other divisions of theatrical activity, with special reference to the “bad-business” cry that persists everywhere. “Show business, in the main, is bed; but that fact can not be attributed to public apathy. There is plenty of money, and the public is eager to spend it for entertainment. But they will not pay to see failures. And the great numbers of failures is the cause of bad business. Unattractive shows, of any kind, do not attract, and they never have. This season is not unlike any previous season. The successes are drawing crowded house everywhere, regardles of price scales. Knowledge

of success or failure travels far and fast; and theater goers are ready to greet them according to their merits, as indicated at the box-offices. There is one conclusion, only, to reach in this connection: the producers, themselves, are to blame for bad business. And the carpers are the producers of the failures. Our Mutual theaters, in every city, have never done such large business as they are doing this season. This proves the accuracy of the old saying, “give the public what they want and they will climb a ladder to see it.” Will Have Vamp “The Collegians” are to have a vamp. In none of the three preceding series has there been such a person, but in their senior year and with the introduction of sound and dialogue, Carl Laemmle Jr. feels that this element would not be out of place. Dixie Day is the name of the vamp.

AMUSEMENTS ENGLISH’S STRANGE ALL ” INTERLUDE“

A # DAYS WUw /V ONLY ¥ COM. W /' MON. Jr MAT. WED. /Jy Night* at 8:30 Sharp y/f Wed. Mat. at 3:30 Sharp J' WINTHROP AMES // Presents GEORGE ARLISS // in WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S x MERCHANT of VENICE S? CAST OF 50—13 SCENES BY WOOD3IAN THOMPSON X , city rmf*is ou 5 o soc to ** Indiana fell ULI Oil O Wed. Mat., 50c-2.50 f - ENGLISH’S r- ■■ WEEK Sf FEB. 11 th Matinees Wednesday and Saturday *‘A great melodrama. The cast is perfect. Go and see it.” ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, Jan. 14, 15)20. EVENINGS 50c, SI.OO, $1.50, $2.00, $2.50 Wm MAT., 50c TO $1.50 SAT. MAT. 50c to $2.00 ENGLISH’S WEEK STARTING MONDAY, FEB. 25th *-■ i . -f. i After 41 Weeks at the A I LAb I 1 Selwyn Theatre, Chicago Laurence Schwab and Prank Mandel, Producers of ‘‘The Desert Song,” ‘‘The New Moon” and “Follow Thru.” WUI Bring lou the CLEANEST. SNAPPPIFST, FASTEST and MOST TUNEFUL MUSICAL COMEDY SEEN Here In 30 Year*. SjgMtfi w With AN ALL-AMERICAN FORTY FLAPPER TEAM OF PLAYERS FRESHIES George Olsen’s Famous “Good News” Bend NOTWITHSTANDING THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS ATTRACTION A POPULAR SCALE OF PRICES WILL PREVAIL DURING TIBS ENGAGEMENT PRICES: Evenings. Orchestra, *3: Balcony, *2.80. *3, *1.90; Gallery. *1: WED. and SAT. MaUnees, Orchestra, *2.30; Balcony. *3.50, *3, *1.90; Gallery, ft. MAIL ORDERS ACCEPTED NOW AM> WILL BE FILLED IN THE ORDER OF THEIR RECEIPT.

.FEB. 2, 1929

Burlesque Comedy in New Show New Edition of ‘Dimpled Darlings’ to Open at Mutual. For its fifth annual tour of the Mutual circuit an entirely new complement of songs, specialties, dancing and costume adornments have been provided for “Dimpled Darlings” and a practically new show will open Sunday at the Mutual theaer. George Leon, an eccentric comedian, is the male leader of a comedy host, while Fay Norman is the outstanding girl in an association of singing and dancing “Dimpled Darlings.” Among the other principals are Eiddie Lorraye, a German dialectician, who assists Leon in comedy scenes; an effervescent soubrette, Daisy Dean, good looking, high-kick-ing, graceful in dances and more of an athlete than most girls in her special classification. Another talented member of the cast is Abe Sher, who has the juvenile roles in various acting scones and has his own singing specialty to offer as well.

Guild Play

The Theatre Guild production to follow “Dynamo” in New York will be the Romain Holland play, “The Game of Love and Death,” one of the trilogy having to do with the French revolution. It goes into rehearsal Monday under the direction of Rouben Mamoulian and will enlist the services of the cast now engaged in playing “Marco Millions’* and “Volpone.” This company begins a fortnight in Newark Monday, and will play at the conclusion of the Newark engagement two weeks at Werba’9 Brooklyn, after which it will be presented in New York in the new play. “Dynamo” is now definitely scheduled to open at the Martin Beck theater Feb. 11. The play will have the stage of that theater for a week before its opening for a series *f dress rehearsals.