Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-12

pIn,. IN Synu three to be devoted
r;nas iU.oL., to "Toto' and the
Htsnt "ee"o rest Of the time to
Face Value"
There are few actors who have a
bigger following than Ditrichstcin hns
won here. His work last year in THE
Purple Mask" and before that his big
hits in 1.-The Great Lover and his
three year success in the Belasco pro.
duction, ''Thc Concert established
him with local theatregoers as all artist
who can always be depended upon to
bring out everything that there is In
play, ~ , o,...oa
by Achmed Abdullah from the original.
Ditrichstein played It all last season in
New York and opened this year In
Chicago. Hc has since been presenting
it through the Middle West.
His other play, Face Value Is
comedy from the Italian. He tried 1t
out last summer in Atlantic City, Long
Branch, Asbury Park and way sta
tions and put it on with Toto In his
Western tour.
Ditrichstein himself is one Of the few
business men who are good actors or
one of the few good actors who are also
business men, whichever way you want
to put It. His days work isn't con-
fined to the three of four hours he
spends on the other side of the foot
lights. That is only Il part of it.
He has q financial interest in Toto
and consequently has TO be at the thea
ire every morning to go over the prcvi-
Gus days business reports and plan
ahead. He also has considerable in
yestmcnts in other businesses, for he Is
fairly wealthy man, and these re-
Quire q certain amount OF attention
each day.
In addition to this, he is constantly
reading manuscripts of new plays sub"
mitted TO him with view to future
production, either with him as the star
or with his money backing them. Peo-
pie who know Ditrichstein best say
that his working day is really about
fifteen hours long.
QUESTIONING o statement made
~ here a few weeks ago that The
Bat" expected to break Philadelphia's
long run record of twenty -onc weeks.
a correspondent wants to know what
show hung this record up, 1t was
William Hodge in The Man From
Home" by Booth Harrington and
Harry Leon Wilson. 1t played at the
Adclphi some ten or eleven years ago
Tin not sure of the year,, running
for eighteen weeks, then being forced
out for two weeks by another show
which had the house booked, and re-
turning for three weeks.
This run was also made ut the
Adclphi. where 1.-THE Bat is playing
and that engagement. with "Expcri..
encc" and this present run has earned
for the Adelphi the title of The
House of Long Runs in the profess
sion. "Expcrience" played nineteen
weeks. Next week will be the eighth
for "Thc Bat" and it is still crowd
ing 'em in.
THERE rdS a noticeable improvement
4 in the, theatrical business II. Phila-
dclphia this pcck. On Monday "1he
Bat" had the best days sale since its
first 4occk. Monday night mecca.
,rith four openings against 1t, did tho
best nights business it has had and
continued 1t through the ,ceck. Dear
Ne" opcned rerv light, but has been
gradually building up since Tuesday.
"The F0llieS' hasn't stood 'cm up IN
back vet, but business is good. "ln
the Night Watch" has drd,on so rell
that it has been kept here an crtra
trcek. That's encouraging 1chen you
consider that four more sh0pS closed
IN Neto York this ,ceek for lock Of sup
port.
THERE have been many shows like
i Dear Me-" which invariably open
an engagement to very moderate busi-
ness and, before
"Deur Ne" Is they have been in
Winning in city long. reach
Uo Ouiet Woy capacity. There is
10 nothing bou t
Dear Me- that can be ballyhooed IN
advance. 1t Is just quiet. clean,
healthful and satisfying comedy, built
along well. worn lines but spreading its
happy, Pollyanna philosophy by means
OF n story that has proved It's popu-
larity by It's frequent use in various
guises. 1t Is the kind of show that |
borcs the professional theatrcgoers, but
| mingled with the smoking room md !
lobby crowds between the acts and |
heard nothing from them except de- |
lighted enthusiasm. So, IL you aren't |
a professional theatregoer, you'll like
it if you're q crouch, you won't.
Hale Hamilton, co-star and co.
author Of the play. has just co-authcd |
in another called Happy New Year"
His co, In this case, is Viola Brothers
Shore, the short story writer. Tho
play will be put In rehearsal next
month by John Golden, the producer of
Dear Nc"
CAN you imagine any scenic settings
~ more beautifully impressive than
hose "The Follies" brings with 1t each
year? Other shows come here with
dressings quite as expensive, but you'll
Il
les" Is dressed in impressive simplic-
ty; the others will be ornate and
'gingcrbrcGdy.
program which. to those in the busi-
less, explains the whole thing. 1t says
Scenery by Joseph Urban"
In the theatrical and movie worlds
'rban is considered a yeritablc master.
And he Is. He is dcyoting most of his
imc to the movies now, his pOstion ms
production manager in tho Cosmopoitun
studios in New York requiring vir-
ually all OF his time. But he does
tagc stuff for special shows, such as
The Folies.'
After you soc "Thc Follics" and
lotiee the settings 60 to see Urban as
evealed in the movies. There's one of
lis scenic masterpieces here next week
"Enchantmcnt. with Marion Davies
S the star. And. later on, you'll have
chance to see the same star In The
ioung Diana" which, In sets, is
Qually UrbanesQuc, though in diff.
erent style.
1t was Urban who turned popular
lovie taste from the elaborate, fin
lcky, over. decorated stuff to pure.
weeping lines and impressive simple
ty in composition.
A \ INTERFOLATED song has moro I