Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 89, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 August 1931 — Page 6

PAGE 6

JUDITH LOWRY IS STAR OF ‘SKIDDING’ AT ENGLISH’S

Laurel and Hardy Have Comedy Roles in ‘Pardon Us,* a Burlesque on ‘The Big House,’ Which Opens a Week’s Engagement Today at the Palace. LAUREL AND HARDY J in ‘ Pardon Us,” their first fea\ure-length comedy, opens today at the Palace, An important episode of the comedy takes place on a southern cotton plantation which gave the stars an opportunity to use Etude Ethiopian chorus, famous colored singing organization of forty mixed voices. The singers are seen as cotton pickers and inasmuch as they sing while at work the melodies fit in as a background to the scene without interfering with any of the comedy action. Not to be outdone by the colored entertainers, Laurel and Hardy

don black-face in this sequence and do a little entertaining on their own. Hardy sings ‘‘Lazy Moon” and Laurel does a ‘‘buck and wing” dance. This little scene will come decided surprise to Laurel and Hardy fans, tor it is years since either of the comedians has done this kind of work. The famous screen clowns get into all kinds of complicated situations in the plantation episode of Pardon Us.” They are shown as escaped prisoners who have covered their hands and faces with burnt cork in an effort to disguise their real identities from the pursuing police. When Hardy, however, falls into a pool water, all attempts at transforming himself into “darkie” are exposed, for he comes out of the pool as white as the proverbial ghost, much to the delight of the real colored cotton pickers. For their initial adventure into the feature-length field, Laurel and Hardy assembled a wide variety of comic gags and hilarious situations. of the plot takes place within the confines of the prison to which they are sent when they offer a policeman a sample of their “bootleg product. Their idea of how to behave in the cells, the dining hall, the prison school and other locales of a typical penitentiary are said to make this film a laugh from start to finish. James Parrott directed the Hal Roach production. Featured supporting roles are played by William Lucas, Walter Long, June Marlowe and James Finlayson. - William Tildcn. the world’s foremost champion of tennis, heads the program of short film subjects in a picturization of the art of playing tennis. Other film novelties include an all-dog comedy, the latest issue of the Hearst Metrotone News, a James Fitzpatrick travcltnlk and a Flip the Frog cartoon.

tt tt tt “SILENCE” OPENS TODAY AT CIRCLE Deop, elemental emotions underlay the plot of “Silence,” the new Clive Brcok-Peggy Shannon-Mar-jorie Rambeau melodrama, which opened yesterday for a week’s showing at the Circle. “Silence” is the story of a man's betrayal of the woman he loves, and his final awakening to a greater love when his daughter s is imperiled by the misdeed of his own past. Clive Brook plays the leading role in this story which, as a stage play, thrilled Broadway a few seasons ago. Brook is seen as the likable, weak and handsome crook, whose love brings heart-break to the woman who loves him. Twenty years elapse between the early and final action of the story. Brooks meets his daughter, grown to young womanhood, engaged to be married. Her father's past threatens her happiness, and Brook awakes at last to his own worthlessness, sacrifices himself to save her. “Silence” brings Peggy Shannon, the flaming-haired beauty recently seen in “The Secret Call,” in two roles, that of the wife and daughter of Brook. The two characters which she portrays never meet during the action of the story, but the opportunity to play two contrasting roles gives this young newcomer to screen fame an extraordinary opportunity. Marjorie Rambeau, well-known and popular stage and screen actress, has the other leading feminine role. The moving picture brings one of the most popular stage melodramas to the screen. “Silence,” a few season's ago was one of Broadway’s hits. Paramount employed the author. Max Marcin, to prepare the film scrip and to assist in the direction with Louis Gasnier. Marcin has lately turned to picture- direcing, and, with Gasnier directed “The Lawyer’s Secret.” Comedy short features and a news reel close the Circle's entertainment bill. tt tt tt APOLLO TO CONTINUE PICTURE Constance Bennett, who has been appearing at the Apollo in Warnef Brothers latest release, “Bought,” will be continued for the second week, starting today. Miss Bennett has the role of Stephany Dale, brought up in poverty and compelled to bear the slings and arrows of gossips who twit her about her doubtful birth. Stephany determines early to get into high society, for money and position, so she believes, safely guard their possessors from unhappiness. , Upon the %ieath of her mother she gets a position as mannequin, through the kindness of Meyer, an aged buyer. This gives her a chance to wear fine clothes in the presence of fine company. She has fallen in love with Nicky, a struggling young writer, but does not return his love for fear of his standing in the way of her goal. She later gets a position as social secretary to a prominent physician and meets a rather unstable member of the fast set. Stephany lies about her family to hold her new acquaintance, but

AMUSEMENTS

* a fjij 8 lf| lj||§ % jf|| WESTERN BURLESQUE 365 DAYS AHEAD OF THEM ALL STARTING iiinillTC CUnUI SATURDAY WITH THE mIUNI I t OnUflf MGHT AN ENTIRE NEW CAST With AUGMENTED ORCHESTRA "“MUTUAL FOLLIES and chorus ~e:girls:girls

he later learns the truth and offers to take her to Europe without the formalities of marriage. She now seeks Nicky and the aged buyer—but that is a vital part of the story that is said'to be absorbing from the first to the last —and suffused with tense drama and fine suspense. “Bought” was adapted to the screen from the novel, “Jackdaws Strut,” by Harriet Henry. The cast includes Edward Nugent, Mae Madison and Doris Lloyd. Archie Mayo directed. a a a CHILD ACTORS ON INDIANA SCREEN Four delightful child actors and a distinguished cast of adults bring entertainment to the Indiana theater where Paramount's “Huckleberry Finn,” the second of the Mark Twain classics to come to the screen, is currently shewing. Young Jackie Coogan is again cast in the role of Tom Sawyer, in which he made such a hit in the moving picture of that name. And Junior Durkin continues his portrayal of Huck Finn. Mitzi Green and Jackie Searl are just as enjoyable in “Huckleberry Finn” as they were in “Tom Sawyer.” Fat and jolly Eugene Pallette heads the cast of adults. He portrays one of the pair of desperadoes who lead Tom and Huck into mischief. Oscar Apfel is the other bad man. Clara Blandick is again seen in the role of the worried Aunt Polly, and Jane Darwell portrays the role of Widow Douglas. “Huckleberry Finn” carries on the adventures of the real boys Mark Twain wrote about in “Tom Sawyer.” Huck runs away from home to escape his father, and, in thesearch that follows, Tom Sawyer finds him. Together, the boys plan a runaway, fall In with two funny

rascals, rescue two innocent girla from wicked designs of the bad men, and win more honor and renown. The direction of this picture is credited to Norman Taurog who made such a success of his first two kid-featuring * moving pictures, “Skippy” and “Forbidden Adventure. ’ Mo* than 200 youngsters of all ages add zest to the rollick- J ing romance. The juvenile cast of “Huckleberry Finn” is larger even i than that of “Tom Sawyer” or j “Skippy.” A variety program of selected ! short features including a Vitaphone act, a cartoon. “African Adventures” series No. 10 and a news reel complete the Indiana's bill. tt tt a FIRST RUN FEATURE AT OHIO Paramount has gone to the history books again for a story of the glamorous west of an earlier day and the result, as in “The Santa Fe Trail,” “The Conquering Hero” and others, is a colorful western drama, this time entitled “Caught.” “Caught” is having premiere Indianapolis showing at regular family prices currently at the Ohio theater. The story centers around the adventures of Calamity Jane—the tough and terrible virago who was more to be feared than the rowdy rustlers with whom she rode the range. Richard Arlen is starred in the production. He is seen as Lieut. Colton, head of the local detachment of United States cavalry, who is sent to Calamity’s gambling and dancing house to clean up the nest of cattle rustlers who are known to have their headquarters there, j Louise Dresser, whose most re- i cent talkie achievement was as 1 Will Rogers' long-suffering wife in j “Lightnin’,” plays the robustious part of Calamity. She not only runs the notorious gambling dive, but she is also the leader of the rustling outlaws who prey upon the fat 1 herds of the local ranchmen. Into this scene comes Frances Dee, who carries the feminine end; of the romantic thread through the picture. The film was written by Agnes Brand Leahy and Keene Thompson. veteran movie scenarists. Edward Sloman, director of Arlen's last picture, “Gun Smoke,” direct-' ed “Caught.” “Battling Silver Kings,” a Pathe sport reel; ‘The Stone Age." a car-, toon; “With Pleasure,” a vitaphone act, and a news reel complete the Ohio's bill.

Buddy Signs New Contract

Paramount has signed anew contract with Charles Buddy Rogers for another year. Rogers is slated to make three pictures under the new deal. First one will find him costarring with his old team-mate, Nancy Carroll. Other plans for Buddy not yet set.

AMUSEMENTS DANCE Sul. hih! Sun. Mtd Reginald Duvall’s Blackbirds RIVERSIDE PARK PAVILION !*rk Plan FREE Admission

1— Peggy Shannon has an important role in “Silence,” now on the Circle screen. 2 Here is Chic Sale in a pleasing' scene from “The Star Witness,” which opens today at the Lyric. 3Os course you knew these two birds. Laurel and Hardy and they arc on view at the Palace in “Pardon Us.”

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ROUNDING ROUND rr\tt T7' A TA TANARUS) O With WALTER I JrlJbAl JtLKo D. HICKMAN

THE same old question is being asked me again—Are we going to have road companies at English's this winter? And my answer is about the same—l hope so, but I have my serious doubts. Roltare Eggleston, manager of English’s, informs me that he has no definite bookings ar.d will not know; anything definite until Leo Rappaport returns from his vacation. No contract has been signed with the regular management of English’s with the stage hands and musicians. And the dread fact is maybe such a contract will not be s'gned.

That would keep English’s closed except for rentals and the musical offerings of Mrs. Nancy Martens. Not a pretty prospect for winter, but that may be the case. have done absolutely nothing to get subscribed audjences for the New York Theatre Guild or the Drama League. Cincinnati has two , subscribed audiences and the season will start there in September, The only good news of the day is that Arthur Casey will remain four more weeks at English’s, closing his season on Sept. 26. Casey is bringing Guy Bates Post to revive his greatest characterization, “The Masquerader.” Casey has brought us this season Mrs. Leslie Carter. George Gaul, Beverly Bayne and other guest stars. Miss Judith Lowry? opens her guest star 1

Busy Again

After a season of comparative inactivity Schwab and Maude!, to whom the theater is indebted for a series of such musical hits as “Good News,” “The Desert Song,” “Follow Thru” and “The New Moon,” . have taken off their coats, rolled up their sleeves and are making ready for a busy summer. They announce the early production of an operetta composed by Sigmund Romberg and book by Oscar Hammerstein and Frank Mandel. This will be followed by a musical comedy written by Oscar Hammerstein and Laurence Schwab, with a score by Richard Whiting.

iss^ SUNDAY NITE, 8:30 Indianapolis’ Favorite JUDITH LOWRY lovable guest artist of “Skidding” A comedv with rood roles for FRANCES DALE DONALD WOODS and entire Casey Company REGULAR PRICES N'ites 50c, 15c, SI.OO Mats. Wed., Thurs. ,25c, 50c Sat. Matinee. . 25c, 50c, 75c Mon.—Cadies' Barsain nite DUC Last Dfcv—"ON THE SPOT”

Extra l Coming Aug. 30th America’s Eminent Star GUY BATES POST in his great dramatic hit "THE MASQUERADER” ■■■SEAT SALE SUNDAY— Nites 75c. SI.OO. $1.25 Mats. Wed., Thurs., Sat. 25c, 50c, 75e Mon.—l.adinV Bargain Site . . ... 75c

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

engagement Sunday night in “Skidding.” The fact of the matter is we should be thankful to Arthur Casey because we would have starved to death for theatrical food. He has given us “As Husbands Go” even before the road tour of the Theatre Guild starts. I can not praise Casey too much for what he has done for this city. tt tt tt Again we will probably have to rely upon the Civic Theater for our flesh and blood actors. We are going to rely more and more upon this organization as the years roll on. They start their drive for membership (subscribed audiences) and it is our civic duty for all of us to join. r. Sam and Gloria Quarrel There seems an excellent possibility that Gloria Swanson may switch from United Artists to Radio Pictures. Understood that Sam Goldwyn and Gloria had quite a spat and that Radio is most receptive to the Swanson advances. Stein to Direct Pola Paul L. Stein, who directed Pola Negri for UFA, is directing the Polish star in her first vehicle for RKO-Pathe, which started preparation immediately after the arrival of the star on Monday, April 20.

MOTION IHCTURESS^ If" First Time in 1 I Richard ARLEN 9 I “cAUGH*UCB 8 you’ve liver seen^fa Clive BROOKI PeggySHANNONI CIRCLE |

4 Constance Bennett in “Bought” did such great business at the Apollo that the picture is being held over for a second. 5 Mitzi Green, Jackie Coogan, Junior Durkin as they appear in “Huckleberry Finn," now at the Indiana. 6 Richard Arlen has the lead in “Caught,” now at the Ohio.

1— Jack Storey has an important role in “Skidding,” a domestic comedy ivhich opens Sunday night at Engiish's. 2 Miss Judith Lowry, one of Stuart Walker's favorites, will be guest star next week at Engiish’s. 3 Here is anew picture of Donald Woods, leading man of the Arthur Casey company.

Ina Claire Works for Goldwyn

Ina Claire’s first picture for Samuel Goldwyn will be an adaptation of the current Zoe Akins stage success, “The Greeks Had a Word For It,” which Sidney Howard is now adapting. In planning this United Artists Picture, Goldwyn has not yet decided on the other two blondes. “The Greeks Had a Word For It”

Favorite Signed Joan Crawford has been placed under a long-term contract by MGM, the duration of which is summed up by the company with the statement, “for a long, long time.” Joan will sail for Europe following completion of “Girls Together.”

MOTION PICTURES It mighttw&happened might nt your I TOUR whole family doomed because they had dared look, and listen I* The STAR WITNESS’ A Warner Bros. & Vitaphone Dramatic Thunderbolt! with AU WALTER HUSTON CHIC SALE FRANCIS STARR DICKY MOORE i f.m. SALLY BLANE GRANT MITCHELL 2 5 C V Today ■ . (SB (HRNSL ■ SHI First Showiur ■f. A JV. ,*■. WSk ; Anywhere Outside .New i'ork 0

AMUSEMENTS / RIVERSIDE • AMUSEMENT PARK Balloon Ascension I # CATCH THE BIG DOLL Sunday, Aug. 23, 7 P. M. I WIN A FREE SEASON TICKET m Picnic Grove and Tables in Center of Park

■will not bring Miss Claire into the fold of Goldwyn's producing activities for United Artists until July. She has just finished a picturization of the Donald Ogden Stewart comedy, “Rebound,” for Pathe, and plans to make still another screen play for Paramount before moving her make-up box to the United Artists lot. It was for Paramount that Miss Claire made her successful “Royal Family of Broadway.” Fox Signs Sally O’Neil Fox has signed Sally O’Neil for the title role in “The Brat,” th| part created on the stage by Maude Fulton, author of the play. J. Farrell MacDonald and Albert Gran have also been assigned important roles. Join Ford will direct.

Arthur Casey Starts His Twentieth Week' of Summer Stock Season by Offering a Comedy of Every-Day Home Life With a Large Cast. Arthur Casey enters the twentieth week of his summer season of dramatic stock at English’s Sunday night with the special engagement of Judith Lowry, Stuart Walker actress, as guest star in the ingratiating three-act comedy entitled “Skidding." Miss Lowry, who has been a featured player in Stuart Walker's organization since 1917. will be starred by Casey in the leading feminine character role of “Skidding.” “Skidding” is the work of Aurania Rouveyrol. and it ran for 448 consecutive performances at the Bijou theater in New York, where it was originally produced.

The play’s setting is a smalltown home in Idaho, and its comedy is derived from the tangle of politics and marriage into which the fairly prosperous western family becomes involved. Judge Hardy, the head of the household, is about to be defeated for renomination as circuit judge by a gang of politicians. His two daughters leave their husband, and his wife leaves him. Then, another daughter comes home from an eastern university, where she has been studying political science. When she takes the stump in her father's behalf, the daughter almost loses the man she wishes.to marry, causing further complications. Judith Lowry will appear as Judge Hardy's wife, one of those priceless mates whose whole life is bound up in that of her husband, her children and her household duties. Jack Storey is to portray the part of the judge. Frances Dale will impersonate the daughter who returns home from college, and Donald Woods is to be her suitor who follows her to Idaho. Freddie Sherman and Dick Elliott will have two of the important comedy roles in “Skidding,” as the sen who is just outgrowing his boyhood and as the querulous old grandfather, respectively. Yvonne Stebbins and Frances Busby will enact the parts of the two married daughters who think their lives have become shipwrecked, one because of the seeming neglect by her husband and the other because of overindulgence. The cast will be rounded out by Walter Davis as a politician and by Mildred Hastings as a darling old spinster. Dan Willoughby Reed is responsible for the staging and direction.

News From Hollywood

Leon Janney has returned after a personal tour over the Eastern circuit of Warner theaters. He will begin work shortly in “Penrod and Sam” for First National. tt tt tt Due to accidents and sickness of several members in the cast, the production of “Five and Ten” at MGM is four weeks behind schedule. tt tt tt Having owned the silent screen rights to Jack Lait’s play, “Help Wanted,” for several years, Paramount just closed a deal with the author for the dialog rights. tt ■ tt tt Gladys Lloyd, former New York stage actress, is now making her screen debut in an important role supporting her husband. Edward G. Robinson in “Five Star Final.” Picture is being directed by Mervin Leßoy at First National.

MOTION PICTURES JUNIOR DURKIN \ MITZI GREEN M % £§ Irakjo EMiH Jackie- Cooean .Jackir Sea.l i ly^NrOMlIAIlAjl

HELD OVER! 2 " d B G WEEK ~ Her Greatest Picture — Better than "Common Clay" 80% mo\ ~ VITM /iji BEN LYON \VJI a MjCfiARD BENNETT J 7AeSTAR'S FAMOUS FATHER... \ 'ic.R SOUL CRAVED THE SWEET \ FRUITS OF LUXURY BUT WHAT A \ V BITTER. WICEiSUZ:PAID/ \ frJM JANET GAT NOR jjlijlWP chari.ks f\khei.l in "Merely Mary Ann" mmET

AUG. 22, 1931

Chic Sale Again Has Funny. Role Cast as Old Soldier in ‘The Star Witness* at the Lyric. THE STAR WITNESS," Warner Brothers latest special production which opens at the Lyric todav for a week's run, is said to be unique in being both melodrama and heart-warming human comedy. Its danger which we nil incur of innocently falling prey to the evil characters who lurk in every city, large or small, is said to be made realistically entertaining by the characters who portray the featured roles. The action begins when Gran'pa Summerill, the man who knew Lincoln. played by the inimitable vaudeville character comedian. Chic Sale, gets a forty-eight-hour leave from the Soldiers’ home, to visit, his married daughter and her family in town. The family, including Pa and Ma Leeds,'the pert young daughter, the grown son, the two smal boys and Gran'pa are at supper when they aye called to the window by shots, just in time to see a man shoot another. The thugs rush through the Leeds home, followed by the police and escape. This puts the family in the position of being the only ones who saw the shooting. The gangsters beAt up Pa Leeds and intimidate the rest of the family to prevent their testifying before the district attorney. Finally one of the little boys is kidnaped. It is Gran’pa Summerill. .in his Grand Army blue, with his shrill fife in action, who wanders about the haunts of the gang—frees the kid, foils the thugs, gives some tips to the cops and finally becomes the star witness in the trial against the gangsters. Walter Huston portrays the district attorney; Chic Sale is Gran'pa Summerill, Frances Starr is the mother of the family who are put on the spot by the gang. Others in the cast include Sally Blane, Grant Mitchell, Edward J. Nugent, Dickey Moore, Bobby Ernst, Ralph Ince and Robert Elliott. The supplementary program surrounding the feature includes a tworeel comedy, travel film, a movie vod-vil specialty and the Fox Movietone News Reel.