Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 November 1940 — Page 12

| I

PAGE 12

| STAGE

New Stage Magazine Has Text Of Play at English's Next Week

By JAMES THRASHER

THOSE who like to read their plays before they see them are hereby directed to Vol. 1, No. 1, of the new Stage Mazagine. For the first issue, although not designed primarily tor Indianapolis, hit the local news stands just in time. It contains the complete text of “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” which opens Tuesday night at English’s. Stage has other virtues of a less local and immediate nature. Everything's new but the title— including the publishers. And though the format seems a little messy, the magazine is crammed full of informative, amusing and original ‘material. Movies, music and radio, as well as the theater, come in for con-

is likely to be blown away in a gale of sub-midriff laughter, 3 s s 2 The following sounds like just another press-agent’s tale. But I am assured by Elmer Kenyon, in the off-the-record intimacy of the

sideration. luncheon table, that it’s so.

Among the leading features are a digest of current and pending plays; a short (but amusing) au-

tobiography of William Saroyan;

an interview with Somerset Maugham by Ward Morehouse; a letter from Clare Boothe to Herbert. Hoover; a radio script by Arch Oboler, and an article by Alexander Woollcott,

#” » ” Mr. Woollcott, you know, sat to George Kaufman and Moss Hart for the- satirical caricature which turned out to be “The Man, Who Came to Dinner.” [It’s a caricature to inspire thoughts of libel

suits in a subject's breast. But Mr. Woollcott, who can spot an antic genius at work—even when it’s working on him — liked the play. In fact, he loved it. In further fact, he played his own caricature briefly on the West Coast, which might have been something of a feaf if the part hadn't been almost actor-proof.

In his theatrical reminiscence for Stage, Mr. Woollcott takes a slight poke at the Kaufman-Hart play. He says he can remember Maude Adams in “The Little Minister” better than he can recall “that actor—his name escapes me but he was bearded iike a pard—who was so funny when I saw him a year ago |in that pay called ‘The Man Who Came to Dinner’.” ® 2 THAT, however, is a pulled punch in the light of Mr. Woollcott’s talent for polite invective. And because of the light jab, we are forced to the conclusion that Mr. W. loves the madcap playwrights from Bucks County, Pa. for themselves alone, in spite of everything, Knowing Messrs. Kaufman and Hart must be quite an experience. But it also means taking your reputation in your hands, if you happen to be in the public eye. There seems to come a time periodically in these | gentlemen's lives when they regard their intimates as just so much grist for their dramatic mill. | Elsa, Max« well and Noel Coward are among those who have experienced similar treatment before Mr. Woollcott. \ Nor are the playwrights partial to their friends. They've no com= punction about taking such per=sons as John D. Rockefeller Jr., the Mahatma Gandhi or even the mythical Tarzan and converting them to their own purposes. But nobody seems to mind. After all, it would take a pretty thin-skinned person to be offended by. his own image as distorted by Mr. Kaufman and Mr. Hart. So light is the touch and so brilliant the dialog that rage

Special

Mr. Kenyon is in advance of Philip Barry's “The Philadelphia Story,” which brings Katharine Hepburn to English’s for four days starting Nov. 20. And Mr. Kenyon insists that Indianapolis had a large part in making Miss Hepburn’s current offering the success that it was and is. It happened in this wise: Miss Hepburn came up to the date of the play's New York premiere with a bad case of opening-night jitters. There was good reason. Her first post-Hollywood play, “The Lake,” had been a bad one.

| The New York critics are never { in a too friendly mood toward

Hollywood luminaries. And Miss Hepburn, who was relatively in- . experienced when she opened in “The Lake,” was scared to death. The results were pretty disas< trous. And the memories haunted her as she prepared for the “Philadelphia. Story” opening. Here, she knew. was a good play. And here, too, was a better and more mature actress. Yet she realized that the critics’ judgment of her first-night- performance was going to spell success or failure. It was enough to paralyze an actress’ throat and turn her knees to water. But Miss Hepburn found a psychological solution. She called her cast together shortly before curtain time and told them, in substance: ‘“We’re not opening in New York tonight—we're cpening in Indianapolis! It's a friendly audience, come here to have a good time. We've nothing at stake and nothing to worry about.” It worked. The critics buttered their former sharp words, and the play ran a solid year before starting on tour. Why did Miss Hepburn choose Indianapolis? Well, if you remember her appearance here in “Jane Eyre,” the packed houses, the stormy applause, the adulation on stage and off, the answer isn’t hard to find.

HE'S 'BOY WONDER’

Robert C. Sherwood, now producing “Legacy,” a Columbia picture starring Warner Baxter and Ingrid Bergman, is only 29, and blossoms out as a major film producer without having had previous screen experience.

Purchase

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A.A U. W.

Presents the

GRAFF BALLET

Modern American Dance Company

ENGLISH THEATER

Monday, Nov. 11—8:30 P. M. Reserved Seats L. Strauss & Co. On Sale Nov. 4—82.00, $1.50, $1.00, 50¢c On Monday Tickets on Sale at English Theatre Only

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DEPOSIT RESERVES ANY COAT

is Gary Cooper.

Inspired by her frontier surroundings, Madeleine Carroll is about tn get her man in this scene from “North West Mounted Police,” tomorrow’s attraction at the Circle. The man, in case there's any doubt,

"Western Union’ Tribute to Grey

HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 7. — Zane Grey, whose pen has proved a gold mine to screen producers, will be honored by a film dedicated to his memory, “Western Union.” The picture, now being filmed in color by 20th Century-Fox, is based

lon the last book which Mr. Grey

wrote before his death. As a prolog, Dean Jagger, one of the featured actors, will come upon the screen to pay the famous author tribute. It is estimated that the 113 Grey stories used by the movie makers earned them $20,000,000. None of the films ever lost money and some of theni, such as “The Light of Western Stars,” were filmed four times.

Carroll gets his heart!,

*/] thought you Canadian girls were cold—like your northern climate!” When Texas Ranger Gary Cooper comes North to get his man—but Madeleine

SCENARIST SAVED ON REFUGEE SHIP

HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 7 (U. P).— Arthur Wimperis, noted British scenarist who was one of the 46 survivors of the torpedoed refugee ship City of Benares, arrived in Hollywood today. Mr. Wimperis was rescued by a British warship and returned to England where he boarded a freighter, and arrived in America safely on his second attempt. He goes to work for Alexander Korda Studios on the script of the picture “New Wine,” based on the life of Franz Schubert. Mr. Wimperis wrote the scripts for “Drums,” “Four Feathers,” and “The Private

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

: How She Gets Her Man

Jcomedy opened its second week at

THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 1940

‘Dictator’ in| Second Week

Goebbels Fails to . Supply "Correction of Facts."

If the hurly-burly of election was what kept you from seeing “The Great Dictator,” take heart. For the Chaplin full-length satirical

Loew's today.’ It was hoped that Adolf Hitler's propaganda minister, Dr. Paul Goebbels, would have sent a message to the film's distributors which

WHEN DOES IT START?

CIRCLE ‘‘Seven Sinners,” with

Dietrich, ‘- John ayne, Broderick Crawford. at 11. 1:45, 4:35. 7:25 and

“Slightly Tempted,” with Hugh Herbert. Peggy Moran. at 12:45. 3:36, 6:20 and 9:10. INDIANA “The Mark of Zorro,” with Tyrone . Linda Darnell. Basil . :37, 3:47: 6:57 and 10:07. “Yesterday's Heroes,” with Rogers. Robert Sterling, at 11:33, 2:42, 5:52 and 9:02. LOEW'S “The Great Dictator,” with Charlie Chaplin. Paulette Goddard. Jack Oakie, at 11:10, 1:45. 4:25, 7 and 9:40. LYRIC

Tommy Tucker and his Orchestra or. lase at 12:22, 2:44, 5:06, 7:28 and

“Tugboat Annie Sails Again.” with Marjorie Rambeau Alan Hale. Jane Wyman, at 11:02, 1:24, 3:46, 6:08, 8:30 and 10:50.

Marlene

would make a frésh lead for this holdover story. But so far United Artists Corp. is still waiting for a reply to the cable which they sent to Dr. Goebbels a week ago, concerning the picture which satirizes the German fuehrer. -

are selling eight weeks ahead and the advance sale is $50,000.

well over

“As the distributors ‘of this film

we feel that in fairness to Mr. Chap-

morning from Berlin to New York, William L. Shirer, news commentator for the Columbia Broadcasting System, quoted an official German radio broadcast that Charlie Chaplin’s new film was ‘playing to halfempty houses.’

truth and we respectfully request a

Life of Henry VIII.”

The cable read as follows: “In a shortwave broadcast this

“This is a gross distortion of the

correction in accordance with the following facts which the German consul in New York City can verify: “‘The Great Dictator’ has been playing to capacity business at the Astor and Capitol Theaters ever since its simultaneous opening at both houses on Oct. 15. At the Capitol Theater it was found necessary to add an extra midnight show to accommodate abnormally large crowds. At the Astor Theater tickets

FOR JEWELRY

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RRNA RE.

BLACKHEADS

= EXTERNALLY CAUSED Also pimples and rashes of external origin relieved with usually effective

lin you should bring the foregoing to the attention of radio listeners in Germany.”

2ND BIG WEEK!

NOW i..the world laughs!

CHARLIE CHAPLIN

The Great

Come amy time 30d 309 2 complete shew. Doors open 11 A.M. PRICES: Matissss 75¢; Pvesings S196, Children [oft Maltaeas: ic (inclining of ties).

AIT]. Sree

Paramou

ff me, you Cree devils!” Robert Preston is captured by Cree warriors.

Sergeant Preston Foster of the “Mounted” gets his | % man, George Bancroft!

2i’ll teach you to steal my furs!’“Lynne Overman as a dour Scotch fur trader finds Paulette Goddard a little too much for his Scotch sense of thrift,

CECIL B.

nt presents

COOPER

(RTI TE

[30H

Paulette Goddard - Preston Foster Lynne Overman - George Bancroft

HOLLOWAY HURT movie comedian is in Hollywood

Hospital with a leg fracture re-. HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 6 (U, P.).—|ceived when he was kicked by a Sterling ~ Holloway, bush-haired | horse.

“LAST TIMES TODAY+ TOMMY TUCKER

AND HIS

ORCHESTRA

ALWAYS A GOOD SHOW

HOME OWNED*HOME OPERATED

® FEATURING ¢

CAROL KAY, ~/, * PAUL ROBERTS

7 Emr “Rhyming

baT*BOB HALL 2xi- I} AW | « THREE FRESHMEN

P\ 6 tating ass

immy and Mildred Mulcay |

"Harmonica Stylists" THE SENSATIONAL COMEDY

fA) a MASHOFTHE CENTURY! NN IEE, aT ll PROFILE’ -

with MARY BETH HUGHES +

JOHN PAY.NE.- ANNE BAXTER |. ® NEXT WEEK ON OUR STAGE *® “HOLLYWOOD ‘ON THE LOOSE”

PLUS WINNER of WFBM NDIANA TALENT RADE

ea | XX A Hy WA RTT ,

“Fire at their rifle flashes!’ oo A little squad of Mounted Police, = i iasttll ambushed by thousands of war.

maddened half-breeds and Indi. ‘ans, hold their ground,undaunted!

“Chief, you sure have a mighty strange way of weltomin’ a stranger!’ Great Bear's (Walter Hampden) warriors bring Gary Cooper fettered, into their war camp,

S #“When the geese fly north, my heart she fly to you!’ Paulette Goddard, as Louvette, the little Freach Canadian wildcat, traps Constable Robert Preston of the Mounted’s heart.

Robert Preston - Akim Tamiroff ‘Lon Chaney, Jr.- Walter Hampden

Sad

CTH GT “MEXICO”

Good Neighbor's

Dilemma