davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-08-24
HOME LIFE OF A WIZ.

II any one passes a week end at the
summer home at Beechhurst, L. l., Of
Thurston, the famous magician, who
begins a New York engagement on
Monday next Mt the Globe Theatre, lie
is made to feel welcome by a skeleton.
who NETS all comers at the entrance.
The house is said to have mJny hair
raising apparitions, and some of his
neighbors are concerned over the prob
lem of whether the social rules OF
Beechhurst make 1t obligatory for
them to call upon the magician.
Part OF the Thurston home Is Allied
with magic paraphernalia- Here is the
experience Of newspaper writer who
called there during the last summer:
AS he entered the house strange
sounds were heard, and as he came
into the living room, which was only
dimly lighted q skeleton appeared
seemingly coming from the side of the
room. 1t said smilingly. as only q
skeleton can smile. "Be seated, please"
The man tried to dig up fitting re-
mark when the skeleton added, MY
master bids you welcome" Then a
gong sounded, tho skeleton vanished
and Abdul. a yogi imported by Thur
ston from India appeared as II from
nowhere. The lights changed to green
ish.
Abdul said. Behold, sahib!" A girl.
radiant in her ghostliness. appeared on
the other side OF the room, spoke
briefly, and as bright electric lights
appeared in place OF the green van
ished.
Invited into the dining room for re-
assurance. the visitor was seated at a
large centre table with Mr.. and Mrs,
Thurston and their young daughter.
After the child had said grace the
room was darkened gradually until
finally 1t was so dark that the guest
could not see tho white plate before
him.
Tho chair he sat In trembled and
there was Kissing sound. The lights
slowly lighted the room and what ap-
peared to be a cobra glided across the
table and emitted tea into tho guests
cup. Before he was able 70 discover
where the snake had come from 1t had
vanished.
There is a delightful Oriental atmos-
phere about the house, which is in
tensified by the presence of the dig
niicd Abdul. who. Thurston says, is a
yogi and is instructing him IN Hindu
philosophy. Abdul, like the proper
yogi he is, understands astronomy. a
section of the roof is arranged so that
1t opens to accommodate a telescope.
The sun., 1919-08-24
JACK PlCkFORD
IN BURGLAR BN PROXY
AT THE STRAND

sary In farcical offerings to have d.
alogue interrupted both in the motion
picture and spoken drama" he said,
but whenever possible. and always so
In the case of serious plays the actor
should be permitted to complete a
speech or statement and then grace
fully move out of the scene. During
the rush and rapid development OF
the motion picture art it was found
necessary to cut and reduce films in
length. This was done with no
thought of artistic effect and often
we have had our keaner sensibilities
shocked by seeing a scene chopped Off
with the leading character talking and
making an important statement.
Holubar was born In San Francisco,
and began his career as an actor when
10 years old with the Alca1ar stock
company under Fred Belasco in his
native city. He subsequently appeared
in David Belasco's production of THE
Girl Of the Golden West" with Blanche
Bates; with William A. Brady's pres
entation of "The Man of the Hour"
Henry w. Savage's "Everywoman."
and then with the Belasco stock, Los
Angeles; Olympic stock, Cincinnati; {;
The sun., 1919-08-24

racing scenes which formed the
climax Of the stage play were filmed
at Belmont Park.
All the thrills present IN the stage
version have been retained on the
screen and many new ones added.
There Is the leap from o speeding auto
to the box car, the tight In the burn
Ing car, tho wreck. the rescue from
the dory, many scenes In Chinatown
resorts eliminating In a fierce hand
10 hand battle, and the great racing
climax. The comedy of the original
play has been faithfully retained.
Checkers" popularized more slang
phrases than any other dramatic
offering In the history of the Ameri-
can stage. "Aint II hell to be poor"
is one OF the slang phrases whica
originated In Checkers"
3. s. Moss will offer at the Broadway
Theatre beginning Monday afternoon,
August rs. Houdini. the noted escape
artist, who will appear in person and
on the screen In his latest and FIRST
complete feature photoplay, entitled.
"The Grim Game" a Paramount-Art-
craft picture.
In this picture Houdini appears as
a reporter and endeavors to effect q
SCOOP for his paper and In SO doing
nearly loses his life. 1t is one of the
weirdest stories ever written and is
the work of Arthur 3. Reeve, author
Of "Craig Kennedy" Tho direction is
ty Irwin Willat.
One of the narrow escapes which
Houdini experiences is while flying in
| an airplane he encounters a head on
collision with car similar to his own
1900 feet up in the air. The third car,
from which closeups were to be taken
Of the manGuvres, was close by when
this collision happened and secured
some wonderful shots of the accident.
| r
BASED upon timely theme that
should promote intelligent discussion
and In no wise argue dangerous phi
losophy, The Right to Happiness"
said to be the most pretentious photo
play production yet made by the Unit
versal-Jewel combination. will bo pre-
sented in this city for the frst time
next Saturday at the Park Theatre in
Columbus Circle. Dorothy Phillips,
who gained renown In THE Heart of
Humanity" will be seen in a dual role,
for she essays simultaneously the
The sun., 1919-08-24

tcrrupted two or three times to show
what Is happanfng elsewhere. The
only exceptions are in the case OF
visions or to illustrate thoughts.
There is an almost complete alb
sence OF closeups in which the faces
OF the actors are shown several times
larger than in life. All the action Is
at close enough range for the players
TO appear of normal size. In this way
Mr.. Platt has done away with the
movie face and other eNagyerations
Of appearance and manner which pre-
vent so many pictures from ringing
true. and In no case Is any essential
facial expression lost, o- even ;nps--
fectly conveyed.
Mr.. Platt's best known achievement
in the theatre was the original Amer
lean production OF Maeterlinck's "The
Blue Bird" which he staged for Win
throp Ames at the New Theatre, but
nc less artistic, although less spec
tacular. was his work on several other
plays at that institution. When pic
lures came into vogue he made a close
study OF the possibilities of the photo
play. and decided that in purely dra-
matte stories or episodes the stage
technique. with slight variations
would give the best results.
So when Mr.. Platt assembled his
cast of actors and his technical staff
in Los Angeles to begin "Deliverance.'
he addressed them at length upon his
ideas and told them to forget every
thing they had been in the habit OF
doing in pictures and be prepared tc
aoapt themselves to an entirely new
order OF procedure.
At first this was difiicuit for some
OF the experienced movie actors In the
cast, like Roy Stewart. Edith Lyle
Betty sohade. Edyths Chapman and
Elmo Lincoln. TO DO. As Miss schad,
remarked, Here I have spent siz
years perfecting a picture technique
and am asked to put 1t aside at q
moments notice" But before the pic
ture had progressed far all were in
tensely interested in Mr.. Platt's idea
: and were convinced of its dramatic
value. Viewing the completed picture
strengthened them in this belief.
Miss Keller's remarkable life has
been so fun of interesting dramatic in
cidents that n complete record of Il
could not be shown in nine reels, as
Is done in "Deliverance," II Mr.. Platt':
plan had been different. AS II stands
done in the Platt manner. II is one Of
the most compact photo plays evei
screened. each fash upon the silver
sheet being filled with action that ha.
| n meaning.
The sun., 1919-08-24

A T the Strand Theatre Jack Pick
"A ford will be seen in his latest
4 y First National production, en-
titled Burglar by Proxy" written and
iirected by Jack Dillon. II Is desig-
rated as a comedy drama Of smiles and
nrriils, and the development OF the
story. meant to prove the old adage
that 'Iove 10 blind" ensues whan Jack
inds himself In q difiicuit position try
Ing to convince Dorothy and her father
that he IL not burglar The cast in
sludes Gloria Hope. Jack Dillon, Rob-
srt Walker and NJ. Guise.
A Scenic Educational Of exceptional
interest which will also be shown is
This Passing Of the Crow" depicting
he home life Of the Grow Indians OF
he far American West. THE Lion in
he House" is the title OF a screamingly
bunny Universal comedy which will
have its premiere presentation at the
Strand. The Strand Topical Review
containing the latest European and
American news pictures OF interest
Topics Of the Day and some scientific
studies complete the screen part OF the
sntertainment
Tom Moore In "Heartsease," in which
be will appear at the Rialto. is seen as
4 struggling composer who dreams oi
mis- unfinished opera. He is in love
with the daughter Of a nobleman. but
through a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. she ac-
The sun., 1919-08-24
THE STADIUM CONCERTS.

The success of the stadium SYM
phony concerts conducted by Arnold
Volpe at the Lewisohn Stadium has
SO far. exceeded expectations that the
sponsors Of these concerts have been
prompted to add another week to the
series. with two performances ending
the season on Labor Day.
To-nights usual Sunday night mis-
cellaneous programme is headed by
Kathryn Lee, dramatic soprano, and
Mary Carson, lyric soprano, with the
orchestra heard in tho march from
Meyerbeer's "Prophete," Verdrs "Rigo.
letto" fantasie. the Liszt-JungnickeI
Dreams OF Love-" the overture 70
Tschaikowsky's "1S12," Wagner
"Tannhauser" overture. Gounod's AVE
Maria" Dvorak's ''Humoresque" and
the "Gioconda" ballet
Monday night Margarete Matzenauer
who attracted the record audience OF
the season a few weeks ago, will be
heard in a Wagner aria in English
with D symphonic programme con-
Quoted by Mr. Volpe. Henry Hadley
will be guest conductor, with Harold
Bauer, pianist. as the star of the Tues
day night concert, Mr.. Bauer playing
the Saint-Saens G minor concerto
Wednesday night I'll Trovatore'' will
be given in concert form, with Zanco
de Primo, tenor; Olga Carrara, So
prano; Lillian Eubank, contralto
Earle Tuckerman. barytone, and Mich
olas Zan, basso. in the cast, with the
Metropolitan Opera chorus.
Rosa Ponselle, the Metropolitan
Opera soprano, who was the feature OF
the opening performance. will return
for her second appearance Thursday
The sun., 1919-08-24
A NEW DIRECTOR.

The first photoplay director to make
a positive rule against cutting a film
with an actor in the middle OF a
speech is Allen Holubar chief director
for the Universal Company. He says
that the most ridiculous thing posi-
BILE to his mind in pictures is to have
an actor chopped on Just when his
lips are moving and he is gesticulating.
Holubar believes firmly that correct
staging Is more desirable in cinema
plays than in speaking dramas.
Holubar, who is not yet thirty years
old, has been directing film plays for
the past five years. He has been
making rapid strides to the front and
his The Heart OF Humanity" was
considered one Of the best examples Of
motion picture direction seen in re-
cent years. His latest and probably
most ambitiov' work to date 10 "The
Right to Happiness" to be seen at the
Park Theatre next Saturday.
"of course. 1t is sometimes nsces-
The sun., 1919-08-24
THE HELEN KELLER PICTURE.

A NEW technique Of the photo
~ drama is displayed in the
= Helen Keller picture. "Deliver-
ance," which is now on view at the
Lyric Theatre. George Foster Platt,
producer Of the picture, here uses for
the first time on the screen a method
approximating that of the speaking
stage.
d. w. Grifith was much interested
in Mr.. Platt's work when "Deliver-
ance" was In process of production In
California, declaring that II he was
successful In carrying out his idea
another step forward would be taken
in photodramatic art.
This new technique consists IN
playing each scene Just as II would
be played on the stage. without such
immateriai padding as tho indiscrlm-
ipate coming and going OF the char
acters, and without fash backs oI
Unnecessary closeups. No person Is
shown walking down a street, or 60
ing upstairs or along a hallway. or
even crossing a room unless that ac-
ton has some specific dramatic pur-
poso OF its own. When scene is be-
gun 1t is played through and not in
The sun., 1919-08-24
IN THE OPEN.

Luna Park has so many of its
attIactions under cover that even
the rain of the past few weeks
has not seriously interfered with
the pleasure of visitors. During
the remainder of the season,
there will be a constant change
of attractions to interest the
public.
Steeplechase Park, which is
always magnet to all who are
in search of innocent amusement
will celebrate the carnival at
Coney Island by building a series
of new decorations intended to
commemorate peace. Architects
and decorators will soon set to
work on this feature of the sea-
son. . -
Palisade Park has enjoyed a
prosperous season in spite of the
rainy days, because it is so acces-
sible that crowds have always
been able to visit It during the
intsrmissions between the storms.
The natural beauties of the re-
sort are just now at their best.
The sun., 1919-08-24


bent upon radical vengeance, and that
Of daughter Of wealth
The presentation Of "The Miracle
Man" at the Cohan Theatre, which is
from the well known play by George
NJ Cohan based on the novel by Frank
L. Packard, on next Tuesday will have
an elaborate setting which will include
prologue enacted by a large cast,
depicting many characters from the
play; also an acted epilogue. A SYM
phony orchestra of thirty pieces will
play the musical accompaniment to
the picture under the conductorship of
o prominent leader.
The Lyric Theatre still holds the
cinema "Deliverance," in which the
wonder full achievements of Helen Kel-
ler's life are so interestingly set forth.
Few clnemas have such a serious pur-
pose.
The Forty-fourth Street Theatre
shows two beautiful cinemas in
-Evangeline" and Kathleen Ma
vourneen."
With a guarantee from both the
striking actors and the producing
managers, and from the stage hands
and the musicians. that his perform
ance will not be affected by the strike,
Thurston the magician, will commence
an indefinite engagement at the Globe
Theatre tomorrow night. Mr.. Thur
ston is not a member of either the
Actors Equity Association or the Pro-
| ducing Managers Association, but in
view Of the chaotic condition in the
atricals he sought and was granted
immunity from interference from both
sides during his engagement in New
York.
Thurston's appearance win be the
first performan CO OF its kind on
broadway In a quarter OF a century.
Not since Hermann played a supple
mentary season annually at Daly's
Theatre has magician attempted to
give a full evenings entertainment,
and with practically all the New York
theatres closed Thurston's engagement
should prove to be not only a great
novelty for the present generation of
theatregoers but should also prove
profitable to both the magician and the
theatre manager.
Thurston carries three times as
much paraphernalia as did the great
est Of the old time magicians, his COM
pany numbers twenty-six people, who
assist him in presenting a programme
composed mostly of splritualistic mys-
teries. One OF the most prominent is
called Ghosts. or Do the Spirits Re
turn2" Other big features are "The
Vampire" "Gravitation Defied,'
Every Woman's WISH" "The Mira
cle." spirit Painting" and Birds In
the Air."
Although this is the great mytholo-
gtst's first appearance before a Broad
way audience. for years Thurston was
associated with Kellar, and succeeded
the latter upon his retirement from the
The sun., 1919-08-24

in old Mexico and she speaks Spanish
fuently, having learned that tongue
long before she could talk English
She has studied art quite seriously
and has shown considerable talent in
water color landscape. She began her
stage experience with Gus Edward,
in vaudeville and then had two sea-
sons with stock company In 10,
Angeles. In New York she has ap-
peared with Flo Flo" and Canary
Cottage"
The sun., 1919-08-24

night. with Mr.. Ifadley conducting
For Friday night the management is
negotiating with Victor Herbert TO con-
duct popular programme, Max
Rosen, violinist. has been reengaged
for Saturday night. as has also Cantor
Bernard Wolff. For the final Sunday
night concert Marie Rappold will be
the soloist. and the orchestra will give
a Tschaikowsky-w Wagner programme.
On Labor Day the first and only natl
nee concert Of the season win be given,
and the same night the farewell pro-
gramme will be heard.
The sun., 1919-08-24

thousands of -S.IaTs nightly, were
placed in the relief fund of the Actors
Equity Association. Earle Boothe,
chairman of the entertainment COM
mittee. said:
THE unprecedented success of these
performances has astonished even the
committed. The house was sold out
nightly and our greatest difficulty was
in fghting the spectators. The en-
thusiasm of the artists made the per-
formance far above the average OF
even an all star cast"
The sun., 1919-08-24
IN VAUDEVILLE.

Irene Bordoni will return to
the American stage tomorrow
afternoon at the New Brighton
Theatre, with Lieut.. Gitz Rice.
Mile. Bordoni passed the sum-
mer' in Paris. There are many
new frocks from the Rue de la
Paix, and some new songs by
Lieut.. Gitz Rice. Billie Shaw
formerly of Seabury and Shaw,
will be seen in a new dancing
sketch, and Dorothy Toye, one of
the few women singers who can
indulge with impunity in duets
with herself will try that on for
the pleasure of the audience.
Robins, the amusing musical
mimic, the Three Rubes, Frank
Mullen and the Flying Martins
will also be on the long pro-
graname.
The United States Giee Club
delighted Palace audiences so
much last week that II will be
heard again this week, while Ted
Lewis and his jazz band will pro-
vide music of another type.
Charles Grapewin will show his
new sketch "Jed's Vacation" and
Whitney and Burt will again re-
veal their unique hunor.
Anna Wheaton and Harry
Carroll. singing and dancing: J.
Roseman Johnson and his Jazz
band, Ryan and Healy and Hugh
Herbert are some of the acts TO
be enjoyed at the Riverside Thea
tire this week.
In order to keep up the high
standard which il established at
the beginning of the season, the
Columbia Theatre will this week
be occupied by the "Step Lively
Girls" which are said to com
pose one of the most entertain
ing burlesque companies of the
series.
The sun., 1919-08-24
ALL STAR BILL FOR EQUITY.

A complete change of programme.
which adds to the Actors Equity Asso-
citation performance at the Lexington
Theatre new stars and even
more novel acts. was announced for
next week by Earle Boothe, chairman
of the entertainment committee, last
night. This aggregation of theatrical
The sun., 1919-08-24

cepts the proposal OF another. In
volved in the structure of the plot is
the theft of the young mans opera by
his rival. "Heartsease" Is based on the
play of the same name written by
Charles Klein and was directed by.
Harry Beaumont. In the cast are
Helene Chadwick. Mary Warren. Alec
q. Francis, Sydney Ainsworth and
Kate Lester. The comedy is a SUI
shine, "Her First Kiss" and the Rialto
Magazine includes a Judge Rumhau-
SER cartoon.
A bsIief in signs and omens fur
nishes the greater part in the comedy
Nobody Home" in which Dorothy
Gish will be seen at the Rivoli. Writ
ten by. Lois Zellner. 1t was directed
by Elmer Clifton. The company sup
porting Miss Gish includes such we'll
known players as George Fawcett,
Ralph Graves, Raymond Cannon,
Vinan Montrose, Rudolph Valentine
and Emily Chichester. The central
figure In Nobody Home" is Frances
wadsworth, an extremely superstitious
girl. who is consulted by her friend
with regard TO the latter's love af-
fair. Referring to the almanac, Frances
discovers that Venus is in the
ascendant and suggests an elopement.
A special feature of the programme
win be a Mutt and JEFF" cartoon,
Sound Your A." The scenario was
written by Max Name. the drummer
of the Rivoli orchestra. There viii
nlso be Christie comedy. Dangerous
Nan McGrew," and the Rivoli Pic
torial.
-Checkers." the racing melodrama,
will reach the motion picture screen
Tomorrow night, when William Fox
viii present it as big special produc-
ton accompanied by a symphony or
chestra and with full stage effects at
the Central Theatre. An impressive
cast of stage and screen stars headed
by Thomas j. Carrigan as Checkers
and Jean Acker as Pert BdrIotp, will
be seen in this film presentation of
Henry NJ. Blossom, Jr.'s famous stage
success. Checkers" in its present
cinematographic form is said to be
a remarkable achievement. When the
famous play was assigned TO Richard
Stanton. the director, for production
he was given carte blanche. The re-
suit was that the entire resources OF
the vast Fox organization were con-
centrated on Checkers" for more
than three months. and the net cost
Of the picture totalled $4,000. But
every cent of this expenditure shows
OH the screen. A New Jersey railroad
was Communicated for the scenes
showing the thrilling wreck. and the
The sun., 1919-08-24

Babette Busey. the blond Howard
Chandler Christy model in the Green
wich Village Follies at the Nora Bayes
Theatre, Is a Kansas City girl whose
features have probably decorated
more magazine covers than any other
models in the country. She has posed
for everything from the well known
soap advertisement in all the subways
and elevated trains which shows her
smiling countenance and beautiful
shoulders peering above a porcelain
bathtub to the equally recognizable
fourth Liberty loan posters of her as
Liberty, which recently were visible
from one end Of the city to the other,
In addition to posing for Christy
drawings and pastels. Miss Busey has
found lucrative employment at the
studios of Charles Dana Gibson, J.
Fraser. Harrison Fisher Neysa Nc
Mein and other artists. She has al
ways followed the two professions
simultaneously, doubling her salary
during all her stage engagements by
posing in the mornings and afternoons
other than matinee days.
Although born in Kansas City. Miss
Babette spent great deal Of her time
The sun., 1919-08-24
aqgKk23he Show Shop in he,Sun\meptimezaaa ezaaabb

Cort. Clifton Crawford. Murray Sis
ters, Houdini. Burr Mcintosh, Harry
Won Tilzer. Bernard Granville, Charles
*. Harris, George Wilson, John Hem
shaw. Willis sweatnam. Bert Williams,
w. $. Rising and over 100 others. Sale
OF seats will open Monday morning at
the Manhattan Opera House. There
will be no war tax. On account of the
great length OF the programme the
performance will commence at 1880.
The sun., 1919-08-24

AZ THE RiNOC
Auditorium stock. Spokane; Pickwick
stock. San Diego. CAL; Mozart Theatre
stock. Elmira, N. Y. and with T.
Daniel Frawley's company In Seattle
and Portland. Then the movies
lured him. and he has been In them
ever since.
A T the Manhattan Opera House
~ on Sunday next the big tribute
by the profession OF which
Barney Fagan has been a shining
light for fifty years will take place.
Among the stars to appear on that
night in his honor are Nora Bayes,
Raymond Hitchcock, William Collier,
Eddie Leonard, Mcintyre and Heath,
Ned Wayburn and fifty Follies girls,
Mile. Nitta 10. Sam Bernard, Andrew
Mack. Irving Berlin. Louis Mann. John
The sun., 1919-08-24

ALLEN HOlUBAR
DIRECTOR OF
THE RIGHT TO HAPPINESS"
AT THE PARK THEATRE
stage fourteen years ago. To-day he
has what is virtually a monopoly in
his particular field OF endeavor.