Indianapolis Times, Volume 45, Number 200, Indianapolis, Marion County, 30 December 1933 — Page 6

PAGE 6

MADGE KENNEDY COMES TO ENGLISH'S STAGE IN 'AUTUMN CROCUS

Jack Oakie Heads Star Cast in Sitting Pretty' Ginger Rogers Also Featured in Comedy Which Opens at Indiana: Jack Haley Also Figures in Cast. Music written by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel, two of America's ace song writers, combined with comedy furnished by an all-star cast headed by Jack Oakie, Ginger Rogers, Jack Haley, Thelma Todd, Gregory Ratoff and Lew Cody are the main ingredients of the screen musical comedy. Sitting Pretty,” which opens tomorrow at the Indiana, Jack Oakie and Jack Haley are a couple of likable fellows from New York s Tin-Pan Alley who finally sell a song and go Hollywood. They loose their money in a crap game and have to hitch-hike. They meet a nut who tells them he's the president of a motion picture company. He takes a liking to them, gives them a contract and away they go. When they arrive at the studio the —.

cold reception given them comes as a complete surprise. But with characteristic boldness, they crash their way into the studio, talk themselves into big jobs, and meet all the blonds. Then their troubles begin. Success goes to their heads; girls, girls, and more girls interfere with work so they give up work. Checks bounce back and their harmony becomes discords. But it remains for a sweet, demure, home-town sweetheart to swing things into shape again. She gets the boys back on their feet, and the picture ends in a surprise climax that is crammed with laughs and hilarity. On the same bill will be a program of selected short subjects and a news weekly. tt tt a 'Dinner at Eight' Described after its sensational opening at the Astor theater in New York as the- greatest piece of motion picture entertainment of all times, “Dinner at Eight,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s adaptation of the Broadway play hit, now is at Loew's Palace theater. The cast includes Marie Dressier, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, Lee Tracy, Edmund Lowe, Billie Burke, Madge Evans, Jean Hersholt, Karen Morley, Louise Closser Hale, Phillips Holmes and May Robson, together with a supporting cast of eleven players. The remarkable part of the picture is that its episodic narrative offers each of the celebrities in the cast a meaty role. Just as there are enough stars in “Dinner at Eight” to equip more than a dozen film vehicles, so its story has enough plots and sub-plots to furnish any; number of separate cinema narra-; tives. One phase of the picture deals with Lionel Barrymore, who is worried over the collapse of his shipbuilding concern, while his wife, Billie Burke, blithely arranges a dinner for a pair of visiting British aristocrats. It is into this aspect of the story that Marie Dressier is introduced as a retired trouper of the “gay nineties” and an old flame of Lionel’s. Also concerned is Lionel’s daughter, Madge Evans, w r ho is in love with John Barrymore, a “hasbean” movie star. The tragedy of this movie star, w'ho tries desperately to make a “comeback,” presents anew angle. His intrigues with his agent, Lee Tracy, to appear affluent before Jean Hersholt, a theatrical producer, and the tragedy which results when he fails to get a coveted part in a Broadway show', also in-

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ITMI2T fCU Tomorrow Night 8:30 ClJn WAjJI9Jni 4 NIGHTS ONLY Special Matinee, New Year’s Day, 2:30 The Outstanding Stars MADGE KENNEDY and ROLLO PETERS in f “AUTUMN CROCUS” With a Large New York Cast A Romantic Comedy—2oo Performances in N. Y. Mon. Mat., 35c, 50c, 75c. Nights, 50c, 75c, SI.OO. 4 NIGHTS Hilarious N. Y Show - _ , n i it a The Roush and Ready Comedy on STARTING tow and •‘Bundling" sun., jan. 7 "THE PURSUIT of HAPPINESS” Matinee Wednesday With KENNETH HARLAN—EFFIE SHANNON'

EH r T f CU SATURDAY n V L Ia II JANUARY 6 Two Performances Only Good News for Drama Lovers The leading Actor of the American Staqe MALTER WMII in Two of His Latest Successes MATINEE AT 2:13 MACBETH EVENING AT 8:15 RICHELIEU SPECIAL PRICE SCALE B(aw of economic conditions. but without in any way lessening his standard of production, Mr. Hampden has agreed to play at lower prices than ever before in Indianapolis. MAT. —Orchestra. *2<*>. 8150; Balcony. *1.50. *l; Gallery, 50c. EVE.—Orchestra, *2.00; Balcony. *1.50. *1; Gallery, 50e. 10% Tax Is additional SEATS ON SALE JAN JST.

| volves Miss Dressier and Miss Evans. Then is presented the domestic I picture of W allace Beery, the hardi coiled business racketeer, who is ! responsible for the upheaval in Lionel Barrymore's shipouilding :n----i terests. Beery is married to the flashy Jean Harlow, who carries on an affair with Edmund Lowe behind her husband s back and whose I social ambitions bring her into con- ; tact with the other principals at this I all-star dinner. On the supplementary short subject program is featured the latest ; Walt Disney Silly Symphony cartoon filmed in technicolor and titled "Lullaby Land” and completed by the news of the day by Hearst Metro- ; tone News. tt e tt To Open Tomorrow “Flying Down to Rio,” the Circle theater’s new musical attraction opening tomorrow, with its flying 1 chorines, its soaring pianos, its mari imbolas and its exotic settings, sets anew pace in musical motion pictures. The picture has a snappy story concerning handsome Gene Raymond, an American jazz band leader who takes his orchestra down to Rio De Janeiro to open anew hotel. He falls in love with the hotel owner's daughter, Dolores Del Rio, and a hot rivalry develops between Raymond and Raul Roulien. a situation complicated by the fact that Roulien already is engaged to Dolores. When the “heavies,” a syndicate of Greek gamblers, try to spoil the deal and ruin Dolores’ father by getting city officials to prohibit Gene’s show, that young man foils them all by taking his band and his 200 beauties aloft. In full view of thousands of awed Brazilians, girls sing and dance on the wings of airplanes, adagio dancers hurl their fair partners from one plane to another, and oallet dancers dance while fluttering earthward in parachutes. “Flying Down To Rio” introduces anew exotic dance, the “Carioca,” as w 7 ell as three new Vincent Youman tunes, “Flying Down to Rio,” “Music Makes Me,” and the hit song of the season, “Orchids in the Moonlight.” The picture also introduces to Aims the celebrated musical comedy star, Fred Astaire, favorite of Broadway and London. tt tt tt Rogers Held Over Will Rogers and Zasu Pitts, the new comedy combination having costarring roles in “Mr. Skitch,” seemingly have gained much favor with local film audiences, as the film is being continued for the second week upon the screen of the Apollo. “Mr. Skitch” also will head the Apollo New Year’s eve program commencing at 11:30 Sunday night. tt tt tt New Feature Here “Captured,” which advance reports indicate to be one of the most important pictures of the year to come out of the Warner Bros, studio, is said to be a powerful drama with an unusually strong love tale that is laid in the German military prison camps during the World war. It is now showing at ' Keith’s theater with Leslie Howard, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Paul Lukas and Margaret Lindsay playing the stellar roles. Although most of the action takes place in the prison camp, the strength of the story is said to lie

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I—Madge Kennedy, one of the stars in “Autumn Crocus,” at English’s tomorrow night, Monday afternoon and night, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

1— Dolores Del Rio is one of the good looking stars in “Flying Down to Rio,” which opens tomorrow at the Circle. 2 Will Rogers is in his second splendid week in “Mr. Skitch,” at the Apollo. 3 Thelma Todd and Jack Oakie have comedy roles in “Sitting Pretty,” which opens Sunday at the Indiana.

in the unusual triangle involving Howard, Fairbanks and Miss Lindsay, who is married to Howard but discovers she loves Fairbanks. Both men are fellow prisoners in the same camp. • Vivid dramas of love, hate, jealousy, despair and even madness among the hundreds of men incarcerated behind the German lines, are climaxed by a most sensational denouement when Howard, as the Victoria Cross officer, discovers his wife and friend’s unfaithfulness. A spectacular delivery of all the prisoners engineered by Howard, his solution to his love problem, and his deed more daring than that for which he won his decoration are just a few of the highlights that are said to make “Captured” remarkable entertainment. The producers, who have already given such outstanding screen fare as “I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang,” “42nd Street,” “Gold Diggers of 1933,” and “The Little Giant,’ consider “Captured” as the strongest dramatic picture of their year of production. Roy Del Ruth directed the picture. The Paramount News Weekly and a comedy will complete an enjoyable program.

Welcome Home!

Six years ago Ralph Levis, an Indianapolis boy just out of high school and who had displayed considerable ability as a comedian in amateur theatricals about town, was given an audition by Larry Rich, well-known vaudevillian who then was filling an engagement at the Lyric. Mr. Rich was so impressed he placed Levis under contract and took him along as a member of his vaudeville company. Mr. Levis since has become a popular figure in vaudeville. He now is a member of the team of Levis and Harris, blackface comedians. who now are at the Lyric in Joe Barnett's “Parisian Parade,’’ a spectacular revue. It will be Mr. Levis's first engagement in Indianapolis since he ventured on a professional theatrical career. He is a son of Harry Levis, 815 Gerard avenue.

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THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

2—Rollo Peters is the other star who will support Miss Kennedy in “Autumn , Crocus.”

ROUNDING ROUND nniTT? A OPT?r>C with Walter 1 rlxi/A 1 r>lvo and . hickman

ON Saturday, Jan. 6, Walter Hampden comes to English’s for two performances. In the afternoon, the great star will be seen in “Macbeth” and at night in a modern version of ’’Richelieu.” Mr. Hampden is of Irish-American stock. He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., and went to Harvard university and the Brooklyn Polytechnic, but his beginnings as an actor were in England as a member of the famous Shakespearean company of Sir Frank Benson from which have graduated many of the finest actors on the English speaking stage. His first ambition was to be an opera singer, having a splendid bassbaritone voice. ~ “ ; ~

After a year of vocal study in Paris he decided upon the drama as a life calling and went to England and joined Benson, making his first appearance as the Duke of Gloster in “Richard H.” He remained with Benson for three years during which time he played over seventy Shakespearean roles, large, small, making his outstanding success as Romeo. In 1904 he joined the company managed by Otho Stuart at the Adelphi theater, London, making his debut in the leading role in J. B. Fagan's poetic play, “The Player of the Sword,” and also playing the Duke in “Measure for Measure,” Oberon in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and Laertes in “Hamlet.” Then he was especially engaged to play Romeo in Glasgow and so great was his success “Romeo and Juliet” was continued there for eleven weeks, an unprecedented run in that city. After two more years in London playing leading roles at Wyndham’s and the Adelphi, Mr. Hampden came to New York with the manuscript in his pocket of “The Servant in the House,” which had been especially written for him by Charles Rann Kennedy. He arranged with Henry Miller for a production of that play with himself in the role of Manson, but before the play was presented he appeared as leading man 'with Alla Nazimova, playing the title part in Ibsen's “The Master Builder,” and also Judge Brock in “Hedda Gabler” with her, and Dr. Rank in “A Doll’s House.” His work in those plays convinced the New York critics and public that a great young actor had arrived, a view that was ipore than confirmed by his subsequent masterly per-

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4 Lionel Barrymore is one of the many stars on view in “Dinner at Eight,” now at the Palace. 5 Elissa Landi and Paul Lucas play the leads in “By Candlelight,” now at the Lyric. 6 Leslie Howard and Margaret Lindsay are in the cast of “Captured,” now at Keith’s.

formance of Manson in “The Servant in the House.” Mr. Hampden devoted two seasons to this play—which he placed in his repertoire when he became an individual star and only recently revived it in New York with his old time successes—and then for several years he was leading man in a variety of ordinary plays while waiting the opportunity to do the kind of thing which he wanted to do in the theater. Roof to Usher In New Year's With Gala Fete No matter what their taste in dance music and entertament, Tom Devine of the Indiana roof promises to please all of the merrymakers who attend the roof’s New Year’s eve frolic and dance tomorrow night. The “Black Revue,” to be conducted in typical Harlem fashion, under the direction of Sambo Pitts, well-known dancer and entertainer, will include a chorus of dancing Creole girls, a blues singer, a comedy team and several eccentric and tap dancers. The “White Revue,” under Pat Lane’s guidance, likewise will open and close with a dancing chrous and will include an adagio, acrobatic and eccentric dancing, and will feature and ance team doing the “Harlem Strut.’” The roof, ordinarily closed Monday night, will have a New Year’s dance Monday night.

MOTION PICTURES

INDIANA £ JOE E. BROWN ■gay— • 1 1 " 1 f f,l Tomorrow at 1 P. M. you car, see the music It avfco.e r.ation to ; singing Did You Ever MmMoitting l|l PRETTY' GINGER ROGERS thelma to dd i MWT- V tIPICKENS SISTERS 3Wi' V £\V 1 AND THE HUNDRED nil / HOLLYWOOD HONEYS AA> -oV jL ML f Cartoon.' Comedy! Sexes!

3—The Dawn Sisters are in the cast of “Parisian Parade,” now on the stage of the Lyric.

Riverside Rink to Greet 1934 With 'Carnival' Roller skating in the big Riverside rink continues to be popular, with an ever increasing attendance each week. Parties are being booked for Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights throughout the winter and spring. Regular sessions are held on the other nights and afternoons. The Saturday afternoon sessions for children are more popular than ever. Mothers and fathers are admitted free to these sessions. The evening sessions hours are from 8 p. m. to 11 p. m., with band music. A gala carnival night is planned for New Year’s eve, and one can skate from 8 p. m. to 1 a. m.

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Rollo Peters Co-Star in Gotham Comedy Hit - Noted Broadway Actress to Appear in Play Which Brought Francis Lederer First U. S. Fame. “Autumn Crocus.” a comedy which became a decided hit on the New York stage last season and introduced a sensational young continental leading man, Francis Lederer, to American audiences, will be the attraction at English's starting New Year's eve and running through until Wednesday night with a special holiday matinee on Monday, New Year's day. Two outstanding personalities of the American gtage. Madge Kennedy and Rollo Peters, will co-star in this risque and thoroughly picturesque romantic comedy of the Austrian Tyrol. While Madge Kennedy is an actress who has achieved a distinct career in the American theater, her start on the stage was an odd one. She was attending art school in New York and was visiting the mother of Kenneth and Roy Webb, friends of Henry Woodruff, widely known star of some years ago.

Mr. Woodruff neded a leading woman to appear with him in "Genius,” his play at the time, and the Webbs decided Miss Kennedy was just the type. They introduced her to Mr. Woodruff, and he coincided in their judgement. Accordingly, she played a twenty-one-week run in a comedy success, opposite a "name” star, without ever having appeared on the professional stage before. After that Miss Kennedy succeeded Margaret Lawrence in the road company of “Over Night,” and then appeared in such attractions as “Little Miss Brown,” “Twin Beds,” “Fair and Warmer” and others. Appearances in motion pictures followed, and Miss Kennedy then

Stage Revue Is Attraction at Lyric Theater “Parisian Parade,” a sumptuous revue spiced with the flavor of gay Paree, is the current stage attraction at the Lyric theater, while an all-star cast including Elissa Landi, Paul Lukas, Nils Asther, Dorothy Revier and Esther Ralston appears on the screen in a gay comedy, “By Candlelight,” a picture adapted from an international stage success. Vaudeville variety, blended into the revue, is supplied by Hap Hazard and Mary in a laughable skit, “Anything Can Happen”; Levis and Harris, blackface mirth provokers; the Dawn sisters, eccentric novelty dancers, and Frank Melino and company, comedy gymnasts. The pulchritudinous Twelve Streamline Girls decorate the revue in song and dance innovations. The New Year will be greeted at the Lyric by a special midnight stage frolic, embracing many surprise stunts, starting at 11:45 tomorrow night. The Lyric’s doors will be closed for a brief period following the usual second stage performance tomorrow night, and will reopen for the midnight show promptly at 11:30. Although seats will not be reserved for this performance, tickets may be purchased in advance at the theater boxoffice. MOTION PICTURES

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DEC. 30, 193

was brought back to the legtimat# stage as a full-fledged star and featured in such productions on Broadway as “Cornered,” “Love in a Mist,” "Paris Bound.” “Bridal Wise” and “Michael and Mary," which she also played on tour. Ln “Autumn Crocus” Miss Kennedy plays the role of a young English school teacher, very beautiful and attractive but serious minded, and until her holiday in the quiet valley of the Tyrolean mountains, an innocent with every prospect of remaining so, until love in the person of a dashing, romantic young innkeeper (played by Rollo Peters), gave her notions and ideas regarding life. Among the picturesque characters introduced in this fast-moving romance is "The Lady in Buttoned Boots,” (played by Helen Ray); “The Lady With the Baedeker,” (played by Ellen Lowe); “The Young Lady Living in Sin,” (played by Betty Hanna); “The Young Gentleman,” (played by Ainsworth Arnold); “Thirsty Lady,” (played by Evamarie Hetchel); “The Thirsty Gentleman,” (played by Arthur Davison); “The Maid,” (played by Ester Gaylord), and “The Crocus Gatherer,” played by Nancy Jean Sugrue).

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AMUSEMENTS WTL w J>lrA now I f g k f b ” PLAYIN6 | llrON STAGE^j /Parisian \* I PARADEi Ml A potpourri of effer- Cll ml vescent entertainment J\l ml festooned with gorge- \l ml ous girls and spiced W ■f with the flavor of * i EXTRA! Mi K New Year’s Eve {ffrl j | Midnight Stage jir'l n Frolic and J l\ Sunday, 11:45 \\jl V BUY TICKETS Wl lL * f A Gay Comedy Drama jr _ . OF vC R V tangled (iv } tj I AFFAIRS 'C, /a GNDLELI6HT All-Star Caat \tr 1 ELISSA LAND I PAUL LUKAS m J MLS asther km^ r)OR OTHY REVIER / ESTHER RALSTON^jW DANCING in the i LVKIC BALLROOM I r i" * >lch * Hit Purdue I 'rjjri* lb. Da " re Orchestrs I livery Site. Saturday and s Sunday Afternoons I FREE TO OCR PATRONS