The Washington herald., 1920-07-25
Looking Into the Lobbies
By EARLE DORSEY.

to roast a play like the Scandals
and receive catty notes half a year
later solely because he mentions.
in an unguarded moment, that Flo
Ziegfeld still runs the greatest
burlesque show on earth? Who
were we to tell Lou that the first
ifth-rate actor he pans may loudly
demand that he return to his base
hits? We repeat. Who are we?
A II. well! They all learn In course
"A of time and once In a while YOU
feel cheered as some pet prophecy
comes to pass. Take that matter Of
the Scandals" for instance. George
White scared himself to death with
his first Ziegfeld imitation over a
year ago. and he was absolutely be-
fuddled with amazement when IL
paid him a fourth of a million
dollars.
Instantly, George reached a con-
clusion that Ziegfeld was a back
number. was slipping, had lost his
grip and that any snappy youngster
with bundle of change and lots of
nerve could tie poor old Ziegfeld
to a hitching post and forget about
him. So George got out his second
Scandals" and they proved to be
simply bigger, more gorgeous and
possibly more vulgar edition than
the first. Into New York he strolIs
with his venture and Ziegfeld being
off duty at the time, White began
to clean up.
Well, Ziegfeld finally grew an
noyed and built his 1920 "Follies"
They opened II in New York a week
or so ago and all one hears in the
musical extravaganza field is Zieg-
field, Ziegfeld, Ziegfeld. The old
cunning, the fine Italian hand of
the extravaganza master is seen in
the new "Follies." White attains
the stupendous; ziegfeld counters
with the magnificent. White stages
a number to shock; Ziegfeld makes
them gasp with daring beauty.
Some day, George may learn that
something more than youthful en-
thusiasm and s250,O00 are needed to
excel Ziegfeld in the field of the
spectacular girl-and- show
White has the s250,000, plus youth
full enthusiasm plus Ann Penning-
ton; Ziegfeld has more than s25o,000,
plenty OF sophistication and the wise
cunning that sets the rest at naught.
ETTING back to the home ield.
~ the season of 1s20-21 is bud
ding fast. Another fifteen days will
see a visible sprucing up for
autumn. Already the Belasco an
nounces a premiere of new Hatton
comedy called The Checkerboard."
The vague bulletin from the Belasco
leads to the impression that the
Hattons may be about to do play.
THE Checkerboard," the bulletin
says, affords an opportunity for mu-
sical advertisements. Is 1t to be
musical play? Time will tell, Of
course.
Mr.. Jarboe of the Gayety an
nounces that his theater will open
on Saturday night August 7. with
The Social Maids" as the burlesque
attraction. Mr.. Jarhoe must have
his share of attention, so there you
are. Since Willie Fowler called up
to tell us about the new seat he was
fixing for US at the National, not
peep has been heard of the plans
of that theater. However. theren
be something agitating soon, lay
to 1t!
THE photoplay still holds sway
1 as the chief entertainment me-
dunn hereabout, for all the plans of
this and that. Polls offers Doris
Kenyon in a picture called The
Great White Trail" The Belssco
repeats with a second week of The
Garden of Allah" while Keith's. the
Strand and the Cosmos offer their
usual vaudeville specialties.
The Metropolitan's offer of THE
Slim Princess" the George AIDE
classic, leads one to definite
speculation into what the makers
of pictures have done or have not
done with this eminent bit of writ
ing. The Rialto brings up-to-date
a delayed offering of Chambers
The Fighting Chance" and the
Palace, not to be outdone, places its
trust in star of the intense
popularity of Miss Billie Burke in a
production called Away Goes
Prudence"
A niftick lineup, as Able might