Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-18
AMSEN
THE PLAYCOER'S
WEEKLY TALK
dissertations on Plays and
Photoplays Of Interest
to Philadclphians

nURING the week the final curtain
LIEN on Life's stage for three sterling
actors, Sir Charles Wyndham, Johh
Mason and Shelley HUI.
"a II is not usually known that the
setor-knisht, who was born In 1881.
fought in the American civil War ana
made his first American appearance
with John Wilkes Booth. assassin OF
JJncoln and brother of Edwin Booth.
Sir Charles began his long and success
ful London career In 1865. lie was
often seen in this country. HIS last
appearance in Philadelphia was in Ihe
Mollusc," the play In which. singular'N
enough, George Arliss is TINS week ap-
pearing at the same house. the Broad.
philadelphia Is identified with the
career OF John Mason, since 1t was at
the Walnut that he made his first stage
appearance, at the age of twenty, IN
1873 lie was member OF ~ NJ
! Palmer's Union Square and Charles
Frohman's I.yceum Theatre Companies
Before reaching stardom. as Jack Brooh
field in "The Witching Hour III l'uo'
he was leading man for Elsie de Noite'
Marion Manola this first wire; hathe-
rine Grey was the sccondD, Annie ftus-
sell and Mrs. Fiske. He scored hit
here in AS a Man Thinks" by Augustus
Thomas. His last local appearance was
not SO fortunate, as "DruEgcd,' by owen
Davis. was a failure here under that
title and in New York, renamed BIG
Jim Garrity." after the character I'M
personated by Mr.. Mason.
Shelley Hui was popular ana ern-
cient actor Of the younger generation
With EGle Shannon he made up the en-
tire cast of Under orders" which just
concluded an engagement in New YORK
He became i'll of influenza last Satur-
day on the eve of his departure with
Miss Shannon for road tour in the
production. Mr.. Hull. who was thirty
four years of age and a native OF Ken
lucky, attained wide popularity two
years ago when he appeared in "The
cinderella Man" His last Philadelphia
appearance was at the Broad. couple
of seasons ago, in Interplay calleu
Among Those Present
They have gone on at the ultimate
summons of the Grim Call Boy.
DLAY-GOERS may profitably devote
a few minutes to reflection upon the
virtues of Grant Mitchell, due here Mon
day and promoted to stardom in "A
Tailor Made Man" This painstaking
artist. well remembered here, is seen in
the role Of helper" in an obscure
tailor shop with dreams OF doing the
things that Napoleon left undone. Later
on he makes his entrance into the garish
drawing room of the awfully rich stan
laws porbed in the stolen broadcoth
and fine linen that are destined to free
him from servitude and place him
among the social elect. With uneasy
bravado he takes the plunge, buoyant
with confidence as he spreads the OIL OF
flattery over the dangerous waters ol
the social sea. He transforms farce INTO
satiric comedy and gives credibility TO
the preposterous.
This. If YOU please is real acting. an
art much striven for, but infreduently
attained much written about, but sell
dom observed in this age of types and
impersonators Mr.. Mitchell might pass
for being In the thirties, in spite or MS
tall forehead, and he has always peeh
a good actor-at least he has been one
ever since the days of The Fortune
Hunter" The type idea, however, kept
him out of the main current and In the
backwaters of the plays he so faithfully
adorned. Dry, quizzcal, mildly intel
lectual youths seemed to he the roles for
which destiny had equipped him. HIS
was among the best acting in Years OF
Discretion" but while he was well
spoken of the burden OF the praise
always went to others. He was last
seen in Philadelphia in the leading role
of ut Pays to Advertise" and scored
personal hit of such Importance that
stellar honors could no longer be denied
him. So when "A Tailor-Made Man
was written Mr.. Mitchell came into his
own. The role he plays is singularly
adapted TO his unique personality ana
his mature skill in characterization was
waiting for II.
When Opportunity knocked at the
stage door MIR Mitchell was made up
and ready to go on.
TT IS to be regretted that up to'the
y i present writing no one has been aolt
TO synchronize successfully voice and
movie. There have been many attempts
in the past. but not In very recen,
wears. However this lack of reproduced
and properly adjusted vocal sound Is
made up for in another way, and &c
many persons it has broader appeal
and that way is music.
Music plays almost as much or par
in the unfolding of screen story as
does the action of the players. and it II
very often this part of the program
which carries over what would other
wise be a very poor entertainments J.
only pictures were shown. Not only il
music uSeu III lilt llloNlt NHtoNitS "iNN'
The film has been made, but it Is Otter
employed to give the needed feeling
10 the scenes which some scenarios cal
for Music has a very definite psycho
logic effect in creating atmosphere.
The piano was probably the first mu
steal instrument employed in cinem'
IN theatre Then came the addition o
other instruments, now there can p
IN heard one of the finest theatre orches
W tras in this city at the Stanley. Ther
n have been organ companies formed L
build special instruments for the photo
play theatres and many OF these i'll
struments contain nearly all OF tn
b sound effects which can be obtained fron
a a fairly large orchestra. Some theatre
Y combine the organ with the orchestra
tN and the result is worthy of the effort.
a# The recent season of grand opera Sc
~ lections which Frank Buhler arrange
\ AZ for the Stanley was so successful tina
he intends to devote season to IN
y lighter operas and some OF the bette
N musical comedy scores, This part q
'st the entertainment has brought fort
many letters from music lovers who ha
~ not been attendants at the movie show:
n hut who are now patrons because or IN
4 opportunity afforded to hear good musi
~ In addition to seeing the films
AK "a Many of the smaller theatres ar
making a speciality of their musical pre-
~ wrams ard the requested numbers prov
,{ very popular. The film companies en-
i ploy special writer's to arrange apprc
lif priate musical scores for their produt