Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 107, Indianapolis, Marion County, 12 September 1931 — Page 6

PAGE 6

LYRIC BECOMES A VAUDEVILLE HOUSE AGAIN TODAY

‘Bad Girl,’ With Sally Eilers and James Dunn, a New Member of the Screen Acting Colony, Opens Today for a Week’s Run at the Apollo Theater. "DAD GIRL,” Fox Film version of Vina Delmar's novel, opens at the Apollo today for a seven days’ engagement. As the young husband, James Dunn, recent recruit from the New York stage, makes what preview accounts have called the season’s most impressive screen debut. Edwin Burke’s adaptation of the story is said to place quite as much emphasis on the young husband as on the wife in this drama of adolescent love, marriage and maternity. „ .®? lly Eilers - remembered for her work in “Parlor, Bedroom and, Bath and “The Black Camel," will be seen as the girl-bride heroine in the title role, ,

Briefly, the story deals with the meeting of a young New York shop girl with a radio mechanic. They fall in love, rather too well than wisely and are forced into a hurried marriage. Then they find that an heir is coming. Their Joys, sorrows and emotional vicissitudes during the following months, form the basis of the drama that ensues. Minna Gombell acts as the ever-present friend of the young wife. Prank Borzage directed the picture. Vitaphone Varieties and Movietone News rounds out the program. 000 “COMMON LAW” NOW AT CIRCLE Topping the screen entertainment at the Circle during the current week which opened yesterday is Constance Bennett's latest film release, “The Common Law.” Appearing opposite Miss Bennett in this picture is Joel McCrea. Others supporting the star are Lew Cody, Marion Shilling, Robert Williams, Hedda Hopper and Paul Ellis. McCrea appeared as Constance Bennett’s leading man in “Born to Love.” His work was such that RKO Pathe immediately signed him for her leading man in “The Common Law.” Joel McCrea, strangely enough, Is a boy who made good in his own home town, which happened to be Hollywood. While he was attending the Hollywood High School, it never occurred to him that he might some day enter the movies. Proximity to the studios had robbed them of their glamour for him. At Pomona college he took part in some amateur theatricals, and often played opposite a girl named Jean Wood. “Her father, Sam Wood, film director, attended one of their performances and suggested that McCrea try to get into the movies. McCrea thought there was nothing to lose—tried—and won. Paul L. Stein, who directed Miss Bennett and McCrea in “Born to Love,” directed them also in their latest picture. A comedy featuring a number of the screen's prominent stars, a cartoon and Columbia featurette are highlights of the supplementary program. * 0 n n A NOVEL IS MADE INTO A NEW MOVIE “Personal Maid,” a picture made from Grace Perkins’ novel, is the main feature of the Indiana current program. This film offers Nancy Carroll playing the title role; Pat O’Brien doing a self-made business man; Gene Raymond, a newcomer, as a rollicking rich college boy; George Fawcett happily grouchy as the multimillionaire Gary Gary, and the rib-tickling Mary Boland making much of the society dowager. “Personal Maid” is a Cinderella story of the screen. It features romance and fun and an undercurrent of drama, lightly told, dealing with the emotion-torn, love-mud-dled lives of America’s millionaires. Nancy makes herself so useful as personal maid to the wealthy Mrs. Gary that she is commissioned to coax the wayward son of the house back to the “straight and narrow.” She falls in love with the boy, and, at, the same time, attracts the attention of a self-made business friend of the family. Convinced that “clothes make the lady,” Nancy steals a holiday and poses as a wealthy heiress. Her ruse is discovered, and she goes back to the servants’ hall, only to be lifted out of it by a real romance. Extra entertainment on the Indiana’s program is furnished in the Chic Sale featurette, “County Seat”; a Tom and Jerry cartoon, “Polar Pals”; a vitaphone act and the news reel. 0 0 0 NEW BILL NOW AT OHIO The Ohio currently offers the Theodore Dreiser filmization, “An American Tragedy.” This picture, which recently was shown at the Indiana as one of its new’ fall hits, was brought over to the Ohio after a successful first run showing. Credit for guiding the screen players. Phillip Holmes, - Miss Dee, Miss Sidney and fifty others who have speaking roles, along the paths of their respective character parts, goes to Josef von Sternberg, veteran Paramuont director. An “African Adventure” film. Wheeler and Woolsey comedy and news reel complete the program. 000 GILBERT PLAYS DUAL ROLE. In playing the character, CheriBibi, in “The Phantom of Paris,” which will be shown Saturday at the Palace, John Gilbert has undertaken the portrayal of a dual personality, no little test of the ability of the screen’s most ardent lover. Not only does the Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer star have to act the part of France’s idolized magician, Cheri-Bibi, but he must carry on as the Marquis du Touchais, following the death of the marquis, in order to escape the iron hand of the law and prove *his innocence of the two hideous murders attributed to him. Director John Robertson had considerable difficulty in finding an actor whom Gilbert could double for, one whose bearing and measurements were such that the star would not be recognized when he stepped into the shoes of the marquis. Hundreds of tests were made before the final selection of lan Keith, a player with the precise manner of John Gilbert. Throughout the major portion of the melodrama, Gilbert plays CheriBibi, the magician who is the toast of the theater and who falls desperately to love with a girl of noble family. .The love is mutual, but the girl is pressed to marry the marquis by her family. The marquis murders her father that he may get his fortune and the finger of suspicion is n Cheri-Bibi. VThere are many tense moments

Civic Will 0 Have Big New Season Hale Mac Keen Will Not Forget Plays for Children. ANNOUNCEMENT by Hale MacKeen, director of his 1931-32 of plays indicates a still more active policy than that of its highly successful season last year. Due to the increased patronage, the Civic theater finds itself in a position to add three more productions to its list without increasing its season subscription prices. Mac Keen divides his season into two groups. There are eight major productions, each of which is a play presented for the first time in Indianapolis and each of which has been a proven success in Chicago, New York or London. The minor productions are either revivals, or plays never commercially presented in this country. They will have short mid-week runs instead of the usual engagement. The first curtain will rise Saturday, Oct. 17, either on Rachel Crother’s society comedy, “Let Us Be Gay,” or Philip Barry’s “Paris Bound.” Following (although the order of production is not yet definitely established), will come “The Sacred Flame,” Somerset Maugham’s greatest success in the field of serious drama; “Mrs. Partridge Presents,” by Mary Kennedy and Ruth Hawthorne. For Mid-Season For mid-season comes the rollicking, boisterous Robert Sherwood piece, “This Is New York.” Next will come “In a Garden,” wriiten by Philip Barry; “Rebound,” by Donald Ogden Stewart, a society comedy similar in theme and treatment to “Holiday,” and “Saint’s Parade,” with Whitfield Cook, the author, as guest director for the production. This play is brought to Indianapolis as an example of the new development in play-writing which is now such a tremendous hit in New York with ‘‘Grand Hotel” as the chief representative. The minor productions include Ibsen’s “Little Eylof;” a German play called “Time Is a Dream,” which is based in a most interesting manner on the author’s conception of the Einstein theory, and “The Mother’s Comedy,” which is a translation from the French. For the Children As if this long list was not enough for one director, energetic though he may be, Mr. Mac Keen makes the further announcement that the Children’s theater activities will be greatly augmented by producing four full length plays, beginning with “Robin Hood,” which will be followed by a dramati-ation of the A. A. Milne Christopher Robin stories and with Tarkington’s “Penrod” and "Ivanhoe” to follow in the spring. All four of these should have an appeal to children of school age and it is intended that this department be expanded as rapidly as possible until its audiences become city-wide in scope.

At Colonial

For his second offering, Dick Hyland presents at the Colonial, starting today, “Allah’s Garden.” The style of entertainment is labeled burlesque. Two of the musical numbers are ‘South Seas” and “Garland of Roses.” Virginia Lee offers a radium dance. Bob Conn and his eight dancing girls, the Kroghs in an adagio dance, Marie Mussio, featuring one of her own compositions; Bobbette Eckard, the blue singing sourbrette, and Don Chicolini, are in the show. George Hill and Art Bowers are the comedians. Another New Disease Having fully recovered from a serious attack of poison oak. Eddie Quillan returned to the RKO-Pathe studios to resume work on his present untitled starring picture for that company.

Opens Tonight The Lyric ballroom will open its season tonight with Erell Muslirush in charge again. Walt Wagner, Butler student, has been engaged to furnish the music for the opening week.

when innocent Cheri-Bibi is about to be captured and his beloved is married to the rotten marquis. The marquis dies before an admission of his guilt can be gotten from him and Cheri-Bibi steals the body, has Iris close friend, a doctor, perform a plastic surgery operation upon him, and returns to the marquis’ home as the marquis, explaining that Bibi had taken him to a mountain secluded place and held him prisoner. John Gilbert’s portrayal of the marquis following so closely upon his part as Cheri-Bibi and his change back to Cheri-Bibi when his innocence is proven, is one of the greatest feats of makeup, acting and directing attempted at the studio. Gilbert’s supporting cast in "The Phantom of Paris" includes Leila Hyams, Lewis Stone. Jean Hersholt, C. Aubrey Smith. Natalie Moorhead and Alfred Hickman. Hal Roach's “Gang Kids,” in their newest all-talking comedy, “Big Ears,” heads the program of short subjects. Also on the bill is a James Fitzpatrick Traveltalk, “Madeira,” and the latest news happenings as pictured in the Hearst Metrotone News.

v~y •

I—Dorothea Chard, new member of Arthur Casey company in “The Greeks Had a Word for It,” at English’s Sunday night.

1— Joel McCrea and Constance Bennett as they appear in “The Common Law,” now at the Circle. 2 Sylvia Sidney has one of the leads in “An American Tragedy,” now at the Ohio. 3 Nancy Carroll looks very sweet in her “uniform” in ‘Tersonal Maid,” now at the Indiana.

They Love It

. At^r . •• - v--svk jgjßppPffiEjp \ —Photo by W. Frank Jones. Here are Dorothea Chard, on the Beech-Nut gum autogiro, Joan Winters, new members of the Arthur Casey company at English's, ready to take a windmill turn in the air with Pilot Frank Faulkner at the Municipal Airport. And did the two laides of the stage love it. They did.

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THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

2—Fritz Kreisler, violinist, who will open the Nancy Martens season at English’s Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25.

ROUNDING ROUND rn ty j? \ npT? T} C With WALTER 1 XIH(A 1 Ji(KO I). HICKMAN

-\-\JITH the outlook of the legitimate theater in Indianapolis still a mystery or a myth as far as positive announcements go, there is no myth as far as positive announcements go, there is no myth to the worth of the musical offerings of Nancy Martens. , Mrs. Martens has divided her season into four evening concerts and ;ur Sunday afternoon concerts. 'l l a /• v TCfill n n

The season will open on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25, with Fritz Kreisler, violinist. This will open the Sunday series. The remainder of the Sunday afternoon series includes Serge Rachmaninoff, pianist, on Nov. 15; Y’vonne Gall, soprano prima donna of the French opera. Paris, on Nov. 29, and the Don Cossack Russian male chorus, on Jan. 17. Mrs. Martens also has a special Sunday afternoon recital on Feb. 28, by Harold Kreutzberg and company. The night concerts will get a wonderful start on Nov. 9, by the Cincinnati Symphony orchestra, with Eugene new conductor, in charge. On Thursday night, Jan. 14, will come one of the most interesting novelties of the season, a joint recital by the London String Quartet and a two-piano recital by Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson. The long waited appearance of Jose Iturbi, sensational Spanish pianist, comes on Thursday night, Feb. 25. This should prove one of the sensations of the season. Rosa Ponselle, prima donna of the Metropolitan Opera, will make

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4 John Gilbert has a fine dramatic part in “The Phantom of Paris,” which opens today at the Palace. 5 Sally Eilers and James Dunn as they appear in “Bad Girl,” now in its opening day at the Apollo. 6 Sally O’Neil has the lead in “The Brat,” now on the talking screen at the Lyric.

her first Indianapolis apperance on Monday night, March 14. It is to be noted that Gall, Goossens, Iturbi and Ponselle have never appeared before in this city. I rejoice that Mrs. Martens is bringing new talent as well as the old. The advance sale has been satisfactory, but now is the time to subscribe for the season when it is possible to get fine locations. The time for season subscriptions will continue for several weeks more and then the remaining seats will be sold for the individual concerts. n 000 Received a splended letter from Judith Lowry, who was recently

AMUSEMENTS MH'ffliiiiHiHmi i iii'iiiNPiiii in B S E Public Opinion Wins—Here It Is! 1 J|| BEAUTY ROMANCE COMEDY p| | A A side-splitting comedy of three “Ladies of B I Leisure”—living and loving where and whom they ii I V please—a fur coat here—a diamond necklace £ | Jml there—- % v* WITH I H Joan Winters Yvonne Stebbins * I ** Dorothea Chard r, r M : * ® A j I w Evenings 50c. 75c, §I.OO j I Wed. and Thurs. Matinees All seats 50c D 1 U Saturday Matinee Orchestra 75c. Balcony 50c j IH % Monday—Ladies’ Bargain Night! Best seats...ooc “The Greeks Had A Word for It” ! | | Coming—“ Take My Advice” WESTERN BURLESQUE 365 DAYS AHEAD OF THEM ALL STARTING || IMy |Tr OUfVili SATURDAY with mIUHI ICi dnUVv night Entire New Cast of Star Principals ft VANITY GIRLS IWith ; Jack Wald —Johnny Gilmore—Buddy McElvie—Tillie Griffith— Rags Murphy—Peal Dale—Billie La Point— Jennie Reese—Marie Alley £HORUSJgFGIBLS

3—Violet Carson, former musical comedy star, who headlines the new vaudeville bill opening at the Lyric today.

here with the Arthur Casey company as guest star in “Skidding.” She is now in Chicago doing some dramatic broadcasting. If, available she will be brought here in the winter to play the part she made such a hit in at the Goodman theater, Chicago. The play is “The Sacred Flame,” and it will be presented by the Civic theater of Indianapolis. 000 Nelson Trowbridge, manager of the Schubert theater in Cincinnati, is happy. He should be as his season opens on Sept. 27 with a New York musical hit and he also has guaranteed audiences for at least six weeks of the Dramatic League. Oh, dear. lam thinking of Indianapolis. To Hold Down Salaries Fox is going right down the line in attempts to hold down salaries of contract stars and players. Latest player involved Edmund Lowe, who has option coming up. Fox does not want to pay increased salary as provided in option. Player and studio still discussing, with agreement apparently not in sight.

Arthur Casey Will Present ‘The Greeks Had a Word for It,’ With Yvonne Stebbins, Jean Winters and Dorothea Chard, for the Week at English's. VIOLET CARLSON, formerly in musical comedy, will be the headline attraction on the vaudeville bill at the Lyric, opening today. The Lyric gets back into the ranks of a combination vaudeville and movie theater aftre some weeks as a movie theater only. Tyler Mason, a blackface comedian, is another event on the reopening bill. Violet Carlson was Dot, the piccolo player, in “Sweet Adeline." the original Gretchen in “The Student Prince” and Marie in “The Red Robe.” She has also been seen in “The Love Call," “My Maryland,” “Caroline" and “The Nightingale.”

Four other RKO vaudeville acts include Wally Vernon, who is billed as “The Aristocratic Vagabond”; Oliver, Harris and Andre, expressive dance creations. The screen is featuring “The Brat,” a Fox movietone version of Maude Fulton’s stage play. Sally O'Neil, little Irish girl who has been seen in many recent films, has the title role of “The Brat.” Alan Dinehart, who played in the original stage production, makes his talking picture debut in this film. Frank Albertson. Virginia Cherrlll, June Collyer. J. Farrell MacDonald and William Collier Sr. make up the cast. The story concerns an impudent little Bowery gamin, known as “The Brat,” who, penniless and hungry, steals a meal, and is haled into the night court. An author, attending the night session to get color for his forthcoming novel, is intrigued by the girl’s manner, and takes her to his Long Island estate. Here she continually shocks the author’s dignified mother, the two society girls who are battling to become Mrs. Author: in fact, every one but the younger brother, the black sheep of the family. 000 SWIFT PLAY TO OPEN AT ENGLISH’S Zoe Atkins’ “The Greeks Had a Word for It,” opens Sunday night at English’s as another offering of the Arthur Casey Company at English’s. The play deals with three adventurous “ladies of leisure,” called Schatze, Jean and Polaire, all distinct types of gold diggers. The three meet an eminent pianist, who is attracted to Jean by her beauty and to Polaire because she is something of a musician. Because Jean goes to sleep while he is playing and Polaire appreciates his music, he decides to make Polaire famous as a pianist, but Jean, with an eye to the main chance, which is money or its equivalent, steals him for herself and leaves him when she has dug a bunch of jeu T els and furs out of him. Another member of the group pro-poses-to Polaire and just as the marriage is arranged, Jean steps in and ruins everything and tops it off by grabbing the rich father of Polaire's fiancee for herself. Playing the three leading roles in the production are Yvonne Stebbins

AMUSEMENTS

I State Fair Visitors— Don’t go home until you’ve seen this great show! SEAT3TIU E 5 Thz £§£ r^jSi ksn frs* Sssn ” Gala Opening TONIGHT 8:00 —Let’s Go, Dancers Walt Wagner and His Collegians—Red-Hot Hand , o /OPENING Jk. tonight jjymjAN GOLDKETTE

SEPT. 12,1931

of the Casey company. Dorothy Chard and Joan Winters. “The Greeks Had a Word for It” is the next to the last production of the Casey company. The season of local stock, which has been holding forth at English’s for twenty-two weeks, will close in two wieks.

Here Soon

Radio listeners who have heard the crooning ballads which Seger Ellis, radio and phonograph artist, has been singing over station WLW in Cincinnati, will be glad to hear that this young entertainer is to be one of the headline acts on the Lyric six act vaudevile bill starting Saturday, Sept. 19. Ellis has for the past year been sending his songs and pianologues over this midwest radio broadcasting station. Lionel to Be Featured Lionel Barrymore is slated for one of the featured leads in “Night Court” at MGM following present engagement at Paramount in Lubitsch's “Man I Killed.”

AMUSEMENTS I Gala Opening TONIGHT at 8:00 Let's Go FASTEST FLOOR IN TOWN RHYTHM AS YOU LIKE IT fk Tjd WALT WAGNER and hi* Free to Patrons of LYKIC Special Ballroom Price*