Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 October 1940 — Page 8
PAGE 8 Joe Cook's Now on Ice r
He's the Camic in Soria Henie Extravaganza.
By JACK GAVER United Press! Drama Editor NEW YORK, Oct. 29.—There is a lot of ice skating in “It Happens on Ice” at the Center Theater and a little less of Joe Cook. Personally, I could nd a little more Cook and a litile less ice but, all carping aside, it is a big show and your moneys worth any way you look i This is the extravaganza which Sonja Henie, the skate and cinema star, has produced in partnership with Arthur Wirtz, and they certainly have not been stingy with money. The show is elaborate to an extreme and the settings, costumés and lighting represent a maJor part of an outlay said to be over $200,000. Miss Henie does not perform in this production. but there are talented skaters galore, among them being Hedi Stenuf, Jo Ann Dean, the Caley Sisters, Lloyd Baxter, Arthur Neller, other principals too numerous to mention, and, of course, a comely and talented skating ensemble. Bel Geddes’ Settings Leon Leonidoff, impresario of the Radio City Music Hall, staged the production and Norman Bel Geddes did the settings, costumes and lighting. Catherine Littlefield was responsible for. the choreography, doing an outstanding job. Cook, who has been sadly missing from the stage for several seasons, is the same ‘happy, athletic comedian of yore and does some yeoman work in leavening the diet of skating. He has turned his mind again to one of | those fantastic, mammoth inventions of his which have delighted audiences for years and displays anew his qualifications as a master of both pantomimic and spoken comedy. The_ tuneful, if not tly distinguished score, is the work of several persons—Al Stilman and Fred E. Ahlert, Vernon Duke and Will Hudson and Mitchell Parrish and Peter de Rose. Plays Open and Close St. John Ervine, the distinguished British [playwright and critic, has written some mighty fine plays -in his time. About four years ago I read a little number of his published under the title “Boyd's Shop,” which was about as dull and unnécessary as they come and I was sure at the time that Broadway mever would be afflicted with it. As usual, I was| wrong, because it did get produced here, under Schubert auspices. Although the title had been changed to “Boyd's Daughter,” it still was the same lack-luster tale of the old time Irish grocer, his pretty daughter, ¢the young upstart who set up busi‘ness across the street from him and the manner in which romance brought a happy ending .to it all. The play used some good actors, but only for a short time. It opened ,and closed within ? week,
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Behind the Mustact
Here are two glimpses of Charles Laughton as the Italian grape
grower in Sidney Howard's “They Knew What They Wanted,”
a role
for which the English actor acquired a luxuriant mustache and a rich
Italo-American accent.
On the left Mr. Laughton engages in an earn-
est discussion with Carole Lombard,
posite he's in the even more earnest
with the help of William Gargan and Victor Killian.
be at the Indiana Friday.
_ THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
he Is Laughton, the Grape Grower
his co-star, and Frank Fay. Opthroes of getting his picture taken, The film will
Opera House at Boston on Block
Times Special
- NEW YORK, Oct. 29—Music lovers of Boston received a shock recently when the Boston Opera House was put up for sale and it wae considered likely the building would become a market, a garage or a bus terminal. Built in 1909, the neo-classic house was one of the country’s finest. In 1914 the war caused the Boston Opera. Co. to disband but the fabulous golden horseshoe and the marble-tiled foyers continued to light up for the annual visits of the Metropolitan Opera Co. Occasionally—and sometimes disastrously—spoken drama ventured on the great stage. Katherine Cornell, -however, presented Bernard Shaw’s “Saint Joan” there four seasons ago and in one week drew $38,763, which broke all records gpd remains the all-time high for eight performances of a- play in Boston. Up to that time, John Barrymore in “Hamlet” had held Boston’s box office record for drama. Another notable theater soon to be invaded by the wreckers is the Shubert - Belasco on Lafayette Square in Washington. It stands on the site formerly occupied. by the Seward mansion, the house in which an attempt’ was also made on Yhe secretary’s life the night Linco was assassinated. During the first quarter of the century, the ShubertBelasco’s Presidential box was frequently occupied by the Chief Executive and his family.
POTEL REAL VETERAN
Victor Potel, who plays a davenport salesman in “Christmas in July,” started in pictures at the old Essanay Co. in 1910.
WHEN DOESAHT START?
CIR Gears White's “Scandals,” with Blue, Billy aves, Crai x 5, on By. at 12:55, 3: 6: 35 and 9:25, “The Quarierback,” with Wayne Morris. . Virginia Dale, at 11:25, 2:15, 5:10, 7:55 and 10:35.
INDIANA “The Ramparts We Watch,” at 12; 31, 3:48, 59 and 10:10. Mexican Spitfire Out West,” Fin Lip Velez, Leon Errol, at 11:2 2:31, 5:42 and 8:53.
LOEW’S “Wyoming,” with Wall gee Beery. Leo Carrilio, at 11:20, 3, 6:35 10.” “Haunted Honeymoon,” with Robert Monteomnery, Constance Cums mings, at 1:10, 4:45 and 8:25.
LYRIC Laurel and Hardy, on stage at 12:29, 2:45, 5:11, 1:27 ‘and 9:43. “Melody and Moonlight,” : with Barbara (Vera Vague). Allen Lod
Johnny Downs, at 11:15, -1:31, 6:13, 8:29 and 10:43.
HOLLYWOOD
Orson Wel
Prop Collection for
les Sets an All-Time High in ‘Citizen Kare'
By PAUL HARRISON Times Special Writer
OLLYWOOD, Oct. 29.—All over his role of Citizen Kane, who lisher and robber baron, young Mr.
the lot: Having died peacefully in was an aged and filthy-rich pubOrson Welles now is going briskly
about winding up Mr. Kane's affairs and settling the bloated estate.
For ‘a scene which pretty well and human poverty of-the man he
should sum up the money wealth is picturing, Welles has built the
great hall in Kanes austere castle and crammed it with art treasures which his money had wrenched from palaces and cathedrals and European galleries. It represents the biggest job of prop collecting ever done in Hollywood. The Gozens of statues are mostly of heroic size, and so artfully modeiead and finished you wouldn't know they're Hollywood fakes except that theyre all so physically modest. Some of the doorways of the huge hall pre=sumably are parts of old, classic structures which Kane bought and brought to America. (I recognized an arched entry from REKO’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame.”) A full-sized statue of Charlemagne on a charger dominates the place. It's over the massive mantle of a fireplace 25 feet in width. Welles insisted on having a fire in it, and also that real logs be used. It was out of the question to have such a conflagration inside a sound stage, so the logs were treated several days in a fireproofing solution, and the flames came from hidden gas jelts. ” ” » $ SEYMOUR FELIX is a hardboiled, leathery-faced dance director, and a veteran who has bossed no-telling-how-many thousands of cuties on Broadway and in . Hollywood — skipping and whirling and posturing to show 'em what he wants done.
But Felix closed the set of “Tin Pan Alley” the other day. He couldn’t stand the startled stares and ribbing. He even chased away chorus girls and stage crew while he showed Alice Faye and Betty Grable how to do a sinuous and seductive harem dance which would lure the fat sultan, Billy Gilbert, right down from his throne. When I got on the. set, the Misses Grable and - Faye had learned the rudiments and were doing their own rehearsing with
The
Produced, written and directed by CHARLES CHAPLIN with PAULETTE GODDARD
CHAPLIN IS COMING!
talks in his new comedy
Great DI CTATOR
BirrLy GILBERT + MAURICE MOSCOVICH. AKeleused thru United Artists
LOE
Come Any Time
DOORS oi AT 10:30 A. M.
and See a Complely Show
Jack OAKIE- + HENRY DANIELL « REGINALD GARDINER |
Stari ing THURSDAY OCTOBER 31
(Instead of Friday)
S
All Matinees
All Evenings
USUAL CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCES
Children (Mats. Only)
NOTE: This picture will not be shown anywhere at lower prices until at least the summer of 1941.
Including
... s1,10) Al Taxes
veils. I can hardly imagine they had needed much instruction; anyway, it's a cinch the picture would top all boxoffice records if their practice cavortings could have been filmed. The diminutive Felix finally was having fun. Billy Gilbert had been banished, grumbling, to the sidelines and the director was doubling as the sultan. » = » THE STORY of the telegraph’s penetration of the west is being told by 20th-Fox in “Western Union,” with lots of Injun fighting and gore in Technicolor. The company has just returned from a long location chore around Knahe, Utah, during which they bucked
the wilderness with tractors. That place, incidentally, is said to be the farthest point in the United States (about 110 miles) from a telegraph line. At the studio I watched a dramatic . scene between Dean Jaggar, Bob Young and the colorful Chill Wills in a way station. The latter was supposed to be an oper-
- ator, busy at sending and relaying
messages. I stuck my nose into the experts’ business by suggesting that Wills’ key could be a dummy and that a skilled Morse operator could be planted offstage to make his sounder clatter with real messages instead of the jibberish the actor was sending. They asured me it would be all right. A completely new telegraphic sound track would be substituted. A technical man said this is one of the touchiest subjects for flaw-finding fans; thousands of amateurs and professional operators write jeering letters whenever dots and dashes don’t make sense.
INDIANA U. SETS DRAMA MEETING
Times Special
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Oct. 29.— Practical work in stage and radio production and round table discussions will make up the course of study for the eighth annual State Drama Conference to be held at Indiana University Nov, 15 and 16. : Cuttings from plays will be presented by Indiana high school groups, and high school conferees are to take part ‘in the radio direction and production demonstrations. Discussion groups will be led by directors of high school and
amateur theaters.
CONCERT TICKETS SOLD TO SCHOOLS
Several schools and colleges in the city and state have purchased blocks of tickets for the Martens Concerts series. ‘Among them are Butler University, the Jordan Conservatory of Music, Indiana Central College, Tudor Hall and Ladywood School in Indianapolis, and Indiana, Purdue and DePauw Universities.
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Buy today—alldru TALCUM] POWDER
Concert Soloist
The Italian-American baritone, . Lawrence Salerno, veteran radio singer familiar to WGN listeners, will be soloist with the Indianapolis Maennerchor, under Clare ence Elbert’s direction, at the sea son’s opening concert gn Sature day night at the Athenaeum.
IT SEEMS THAT | AM WASHED UP"
BOSTON, O¢t*»29 (U.P.).—Harry Einstein, 36, of Beverly Hills, Cal, known theatrically as “Nick Parkyakarkas,” has asked Probate Judge Frederick J. Dillon to reduce a 1937 court order requiring him to pay $50 weekly to a 14-year-old son Charles. The boy’s mother, Lillian Anchen Einstein, was Mr. Einstein's first’ wife. The actor said she now was married to a New York lawyer named Seidell. Mr. Einstein testified his earnings were far below the $70,000 he made in 1937.- So far this year, he said, he had earned only $2700. Asked by his counsel if he thought he was “washed up,” Mr. Einstein said:’ “I don’t want to think so, but it seems that perhaps I am.” Judge Dillon took the case under advisement.
MARION TALLEY - SEEKS DIVORCE
HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 29 (U. P.).— Marion Talley, grand opera star, today was seeking a divorce from Adolph Eckstrom, the New York music teacher from whom she recently won custody of their 5-year-old daughter, Susan. She charged cruelty. Miss Talley said she separated from Mr. Eckstrom two months after they were married, on March 23, 1935. For years after the estrangement, she charged, Mr. Eckstrom treated her in a “cruel and inhuman manner.” Her suit did
not mention alimony. Open10a.m.] » rr AMBASSADOD
M. Douglas “He Stayed for Breakfast” Brian Donlevy “The Great McGinty”
oe SLYW.V Te)
Final Today lind
® o First Indianapolis Showing 0
Gene Autry<Smiley Burnette Frankie Darro, “RADIO RANCH”
Plus “BOYS OF THE CITY”—News
ILLINOIS ST AT NEW YORK
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iength films would serve as well. He is the producer, director, star writer, supervisor, gag man, film editor, composer, set designer and practically anything else of an executive nature that goes into movie making. Mr. Chaplin is at the helm from the time an idea strikes him until the last bit of sound dubbing and film cutting is done. He has an able staff and technicians, .of course. But he makes all the decisions and supervises the work, even down to such things as lighting and camera angles. And he makes his pictures at his own studio with his own money. All. this, takes time, of course. “The Great Dictator” was four years in the making, from the first rough draft to the finished product. Actual shooting took 171 days, which is fast going by Chaplin standards, but which makes the average six weeks’ feature look like a quickie.
s # »
“THE GREAT DICTATOR” brought enough innovations to the Chaplin technique to make one think that the boss’ might have delegated some of the less familiar duties. We are assured, however, that he combined old and new without “breaking his stride, Such things as sound-proofed studios, and new lights and camera equipment apparently didn’t bother. Nor did the vastly more important business of writing a script with dialog, some-
‘thing entirely outside the Chaplin
experience. What the dialog contains may safely be left to the customer's discovery. But it might be mentioned that in one half of his dual role, that of tHe little barber, Mr. Chaplin still relies mainly on the pantomime that made him famous. As a production,” “The Great Dictator” is equally off the beaten path. Some of its dimensions make it sound like a DeMille epic. The generally estimated cost was $2,000,000. Besides the list of speaking parts, the script called for 134 bit players and 2586 extras. Battlefield scenes were made in the San Fernando: Valley, and several other portions of the picture required a move from the Chaplin lot to .the more commodious General Service Studios. All these statistics add up to the fact that Mr. Chaplin finally has made concessions to the progress of an industry in which he has won worldwide and enduring fame.
# ” 8
PERHAPS THE MOST remarkable thing of all is the fact that the plot emerges in the movie exactly as its author conceived it. It wasn’t many months ago that money was circulating pretty freely to back up claims that the Chaplin picture would never reach the screen. Changing events made this look like a safe bet. In the four years since the idea of “The Great Dic-
Gg IR qs THE VL dd
BAPTISM FIRE
ATTN ITAL
DARING! EXCITING!
“SECRETS OF A
"The Dictator,’ Due at Loew's Thursday, Proves Chaplain Dictator in Own Right
By JAMES THRASHER
SPEAKING OF “THE GREAT DICTATOR” Loew’s Thursday) Charlie Chaplin is something of a dictator himself. It’s a benevolent dictatorship—perhaps it even should be called rugged individualism—but it still is a fact that, as regards his cinematic undertakings, Mr. Chaplin rules the roost. His present picture is an example, but all the rest of his feature-
(which opens at
tator” was born, the progress of dictatorship has moved rapidly, coming steadily more ominous and tragic. To borrow a phrase from S. N. Behrman, this seemed no time for comedy. Nevertheless, the picture’s plot stayed as it was. And no one, apparently, has been revolted by a light treatment of a world-shaking horror. All of which leads to the, conclusion that eustard-pie comedy is, perhaps, an art, and possesses the same enduring qualities.
Goodman to Play With Symphony
NEW YORK, Oct. 29 (U. P).— Benny Goodman is not only the “King of Swing” but a master of the clarinet in serious music. He will be the soloist with the New York Philharmonic-Symphony in the concerts of Dec. 12 and 13, making his first appearance with a major symphony orchestra. He will be heard in the Mozart Concerto in A major and the Debussy Rhapsody. Mr. Goodman has made two previous appeardnces at Carnegie Hall, :
BOMBING FAILS TO SCARE STUDIO
HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 29 (U.P.).— Despite German bombs which struck their London studio and killed two crew members, a Paramount unit is continuing its production of a picture ironically titled “Quiet Wedding.” A cable received, here today said that the picture is expected to be finished this week.
FULLY EQUIPPED
When John Trent appeared at Paramount to play in the Army Air Corps in “I Wanted Wings,” he brought his own uniform to wear, for he is actually a first lieutenant,
TUESDAY, OCT. 29, 1940
EYES EXAMINED, GLASSES FITTED
See DR. W. 8. GIVEN At
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veses from
still be say
They Knew What
now you'll
ing—"What
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CAROLE LOMBARD CHARLES LAUGHTON
They Wanted"
STARTS FRIDAY
INDIANA
Lerem——
EE
EAST SIDE
5:45 to 6
Thru Wednesday First City Showing
Wayne Morris 9 oer . ii1.adies in Love Lee Tracy ‘Millionaires in prion of
AND! A Leon, Errol Laff Hit
IRS LI
EMERSON .'. 'c 20c
Ginger Rogers “LUCKY PARTNERS” a
OLSON THEATERS
Gene Raymond “Cross-Country SHERIDAN i. %."%% Doors open 6:48 Car
grant “HIS GIRL FRIDAY” Jean “TOO MANY HUSBANDS”
2930 0 , 5:43 PANEER, 3 Sev 10e Sonja
“MY LUCKY STAR” Geo. oO Beton “FIGHTING GRINGO”
The Mecca %.. 20¢
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Tyrone Power “JESSE JAMES” Jas. Dunn “SONS OF THE NAVY”
Geo. Raft “THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT” 0. De Havilland “My Love Came Back”
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Claudette Colbert—Hedy Lamarr
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LST I Chas. Colburn-Helen 1irederick “CAPTAIN IS A LADY” Billie Lee—“Fromise” (Vi:nder Deg) “THE BISCUIT J. TER”
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FRE 3 PARKING LOT “Green Hornet Strikes Again” No. 1 at 6 B. Stanwyck “BANJO ON MY KNEE” Ann Sothern “GOLD RUSH MAIS “TEDDY THE ROUGH RIDER” in Color THUR “THE SEA HAWKS” . “I LOVE YOU AGAIN” NORTH SIDE Central at Fall Crk. ZARING Randolph Scott Kay Francis “WHEN THE DALTONS RODE” “YOU'RE NOT SO TOUGH” wi 19th oc Stratfo ant 2 Martha Raye “BOYS FROM. SYRACUSE” Jon Hall “SOUTH OF PAGO PAGO” Any Sist & REX Time 20¢ Northwestern Geo. Brent “Man Who Talked Too Much" Martha Raye “BOYS FROM SYRACUSE” T ALBOTT Talbott at Hae Geor i Sherid “THEY DRIVE BY NIG CEB A anki J£ SOUIR Bk mir i \ b “SOME LIK HOT” Ba Bennett PrHE BEXANSY oe LL. Open Da CINEMA aa. Vivien Leigh “21 pv TOGETHER” “CROSS-COUNTRY ROMANCE”
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ULAEILENY snow starts at 7
Agr erlantis Jeter, Ann Sothern “GOLD RUSH MAISIE”
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“ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO” “MANHATTAN HEARTBEAT”
—