Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-14
fIE PLAYCOER'S
WEEKLY TALK
observation on Plays and
Photoplays of Interest
to PhiLadeIphians


4 &thcr forms of expression or entertain
tBt,
Away back in the early days of the
Z &in1s there were sometimes actors whose
4Nties we're confined to talking behind
\ NE screen and handling a lot of me-
chanical aids in trying to convey to
the spectators in front of the curtain
) Just what the action on the screen
meant. 1nasmuch as the devices were
mt Successful their efforts were not
bng required and intelligent writers OF
titles were developed to show the utter
usclessness of these subterfuges.
The next step was the attempt to
Nnchronize the phonograph disk with
the action on the screen. A notable
star Of this period was Eva Tanguay
and a special theatre was erected near
Inniper and Market streets for housing
this form of entertainment. 1t was not
sropular, however, and passed along with
the other attempts at novelties.
ID. w. Griffith then came along with
his choir of voices which he used to
advantage in Intolerance" but this
was not permanent device. Of course.
he used appropriate sounds and noises
in addition to special musical scores
for his other productions.
Now Mr.. Griffith prefaces the photo
play proper with a pantomime exhibi-
tion of some of the important points
4of his tragedy, Broken Blossoms. in
which the characters of the Chink and
the child in plastic poses are shown on
the Garrick stage with the aid of black
draperies and colored lights. 1t is very
~ al 81
At the Forrest. where Auction of
Souls" is on exhibition. the promoters
Of this enterprise have seen fit to have
the nurse, Miss Edith c. Graham, who
figures in the original story from which
the movie was taken. appear in person
and tell of some of her experiences.
Again the question arises as to whether
the film is of sufficient strength to hold
the attention of an audience without the
aid Of the human appeal.
A Snowman from the Pacific coast
conceived the bright idea that the people
Of the East would like to see the girls
of the Pacific beaches in their one piece
bathing suits, and so forthwith he ar
ranged with Mack Sennett to have some
lot these well-known film figures, aided
by other show girls, appear, along with
the exposition of a comedy slap stick
Rlm, Yankee Doodle in Berlin" An
other artist who appears with this com
pany at the Chestnut Street Opera
House is the impersonator, Boutwell,
Browne, as the Heroine who also
appears in the film. In this instance, it
ls the girls who are the magnet and not
the attraction, because all of the adver-
Using heralds the girls in much larger
type than the films.
Would it not be a treat for the
women If some manager would gather
toeether, as has been suggested, all of
the handsome leading men, such as Tom
Moore, Wallace Reid, Richard Barthel-
mess, Douglas Fairbanks and others,
and have them sing a song about how
clad they are to appear in person to
have the audience admire them? Who'll
j0in the chorus?
sNTHILE Frank Fay and Dave Dreyer
~ were having a heated argument in
the wings Of the Shubert stage as to
who is the best theatrical tailor in the
world. in walked Mark Wilson. press
representative of the Shuberts. As Mr..
Wilson is the encyclopedia of all knowl-
edge, whom the actIrs and actresses
playing in Philadelphia Shubert play
houses consult on every subject under
the Eun, the two actors pounced unon
MIN TO settle their argument. This
Mark proceeded to do without too much
ado.
Fay had contended that we'll
known Philadelphia tailor was the sine
qua non, ne plus ultra. all ll-woolibus. ct
ynrdorum wide, best theatrical tailor-
NOT only in Philadelphia. tbe East the
West the United States and the North
snd Soutb American continents br+ IN
She u.bole world with Tho accent ~ 49,
who,. Mark oracuIarIr dooIarod h;n,
tSh.n. snoLa, ~ ;ndnf;.aLJn ~ nm
~.s-s s;at.h,a ..,,.h a.. - -,
49,. 10. =, t.,, INC mnolo ',u.h' ,...n'
~. .ne ~ it'ie
ssss , wy u,r a. ma le!er
s'u M W. ~ ms ~ wie,u.i y, n seis
.ors anu threau' 10 prove 10 Dreyef
BOW iit'ie ne OF ,ittis New iork knew
g sucn matters' Mark outtonnoied Doth
thespians and gently but hrmly led
them Thence and then thlther to the local
Iooley street. when Dreyer saw what
was to be seen at this tailoring studio he
admitted that New York, London, Paris
and Oshkosh must be content to remain
far down the list as centers of theat-
rjgueur. and so forth, and SO on. Dreyer
Said SO many times as he gazed at the