davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
No Such Animal.
As White Elephant,
Says Siam Expert

There's no such thing as a
white elephant
So says Mrs. Florence Meehan.
expert on Siam and things ORR
entail.
The discussion arose when
Mrs. Meehan was aiding Cecil B.
DeMille in his delineation OF
Siamese scenes for Fools Para
disc" his latest Paramount pic
tUre, which begins its second
week at Loew's Columbia today.
Some one suggested that ST.
amese sacred white elephants
should appear In a parade scene.
Il have one for you" said the
expert. and she had a huge beast
led forward which to the I'M
practiced eye looked just like a
regular gray elephant.
That's not a white elephant"
said Mr.. DeMille.
This elephant" replied Mrs.
Meehan. lis a white elephant ac-
cording to Siamese standards.
You'll notice it has an albino
eye-very unusual in an ele-
plant-and white spots on the
ears. That's what makes IL
white and. therefore, sacred in
the eyes of the Siamese. The
King of Siam has twelve of them
in his royal stables. and they are
more carefully tended than the
average millionaire's baby.
Anybody who expects to see
"a huge white shape loom up
when white elephants are men
toned is doomed to disappoint-
ment. Strictly speaking. there is
no such thing as a white ele-
plant"
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
Shaw's Garrulity Marked
In Back to Methuselah"
Stage Producers Powerless to Condense Mar
rative, Owing to Novelist's Refusal to
Permit Condensation.

The Thester Guilds experiment
Of presenting George Bernard
Shaw's Back to Methuselah" in
three successive sets OF perform
ances at the Garrick is about the
most interesting yet undertaken by
any organization of the thester, and
in some respects it also is about the
most difficult. asserts Louis V. De-
foe in a recent article in the New
York World. The fact that it Is
not a project likely to appeal
strongly to the stages larger pub
lie in no way lessons the glory that
will be reelected upon the Guild for
il, accomplishment. the complete
artistic success of which now seems
to be assured. One OF the dramatic
reviewers has called it a stunt in
showmanship, and such it precise
~ is. though in this cast the show
manship is of the highest order and
il is displayed under conditions tina.
are to the last degree novel.
In approaching their complicated
task, which involves risks that no
strictly commercial theater would
be likely to incur. the Guilds di-
rectors and stage managers must
have been aware of the dissdvan-
tages under which they would be
compelled to work. Back to Me-
thuselsh," as IL stands in the
volume of 800 closely printed pages,
fnE fhA
trilogy Of performances into which.
OF necessity, il had to be divided.
Even the most devout readers OF
what Shaw calls his Bible for Crea-
tive Evolution felt the oppression
OF his incorrigible garrulity. Nine
out of ten, however prejudiced in
his favor they may be, who see its
stage performance, will acknowl-
edge its stretches OF dizziness IL they
are competent to pass sound critical
judgment regarding il. This sin OF
RESPONSIVENESS is not less forgivable
in a Shaw play than in any other.
1t is unacceptable in theStwo plays
already performed and IL will be
even more apparent in the other
three plays that are to come.
The Guilds oficials must be
aware how much better the erect
OF the play would be II by a mer-
ciless use of the blue pencil they
were permitted to do away with
Shaw's uncomfortable propensity to
talk. Surely they must have prohted
by the precedent OF "Heartbreak
House" the first act of which
proved so exhaustipg. But they are
helpless. although the remedy must
to them be SO obvious. The con-
ditions which Shaw dictates for the
production Of his plays are abso-
lutte. He is the most dictatorial OF
dramstists. He can AFFORD TO be.
for unreasonableness is a part Of
his stock in trade. Not a single
word of the sscrosanct contents of
his plays will he permit to be cut
or altered: on this basis alone his
producers may take or leave them.
my sands are running out; the eX-
uberance of 1901 has aged into the
gsrrulity of 1890" he writes In the
preface to Back to Methuselah,"
another 100 pages in which he re-
views the whole Geld OF controversy
in the theme OF Evolution. But he
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
Actor Sees the Emergence
Of Real American Drama
Playwriting Is Slowly Becoming Visible
In the Theater.

of stepping into the shoes of George
AIDE. They hold up to genial ridI-
Guile our business fetishes. our ir-
responsible sentimentalities. Like
AIDE, they are causing us to laugh
at ourselves and the seriousness of
many of our pretenslons. Glare
Hummer has given us whimsical
representations OF the naive and
wholesome American girl in sucn
plays as Good Gracious, Annabelle.'
and A Successful Calamity and
has followed these with The Noun
tain Man, a love story with =
laugh, in which the leading char
acter is the sincere and picturesque
American mountaineer.
Zoe Atkins and Eugene O'Neill
go in for more serious plays, but
their works are typically American
In atmosphere, in characterization
and in the vitality and crispness of
dialogue. Their dramas are Of the
realities that transcend mere real
ism. They hold up the other end
of the scales, showing American
life to have Its share of pathos and
tragedy.
I'm such hands as these it can
scarcely be denied that the Ameri-
can theater is taking a place of its
own, quite comparable TO the best
in the European theater. 1t is strik-
ing out for itself. uninfiuenced by
European traditions. :. 1t is making
a name for itself because il is eT-
pressing truth-truth made vivid
by a humorous or philosophic or
understanding temperament"
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
GOOD HUMOR VITAL
TO FILM DIRECTION,
ROSEN DECLARES.
Don't be a crouch!

ltoIl DS a
Keep everybody happy by radiat-
ing happiness and good humor
yourself.
These propositions constitute rule
number one in the directorial code
of Philip f. Rosen, who directed
Wallace Reid in his new Paramount
picture. The Worlds Champion.
which comes to Loew's Palace to-
day.
Il have learned the value of
keeping everybody in good humor
when directing pictures" declared
MIR. Rosen. Il used to be a crouch.
But il was not loHg before il &C.
CURED TO me that the gloom which
1 dissipated was affecting the tenn
peraments OF everyone with whom
/ worked. and acting as a damper
upon their efforts.
so l changed my system. / sup
planted my frown with a smile and
Immediately 1 began to notice the
difference in actual results. BY
keeping my company in good
humor, ! find that they put forth
their best efforts, and do so will
ingly. Now, IL find anyone out of
humor on the set, I try to find out
wn2t is the matter, ana clear up
the trouble, because I realize that
bad humor is infectious
Before becoming a director. Mr..
Rosen was for eight years a camera
man, ard Is, by his past achieve
ments, a good example OF the argu-
ment that cameramen make good
film directors. He was the founder
and organizer of the American So
ciety OF Cinematographers and for
two years held the office OF presi-
dent of the organization. Mr.. Rosen
began as, q cameraman back In the
pioneer days. working first at the
old Edison Studio in New York. He
will be recalled as the man who
photographed The Miracle Man"
II was from such directors as
George Loane Tucker, who directed
TINT nni able nrndIIcfinn
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
Next Weeks Shows.

NATIoNAL-"Mr PIN Passes
BY" by A, A. Mime; cast In
cludes Laura Hope Crews, Dud-
ley Digges, Ersk1ne Sanford.
Alison Bradshaw. Augusta Havi-
land and Madeleine Barr.
GARRICK-olga Petrova In
The White Peacock" with Leon
Gordon. Z. L. Fernandez. NAL
colin Fassett, George Thfops,
Charles Brokaw. Judson Lang
will. Ludmilla Toretzka, Doris
Carpenter and Letha Walters.
u. y. KEITH's-Marion Har-
,ris, Grant Mitchell and Company,
Williams and wolfus. FlorenEe
Tempest and Bobby Watson, ID.
ID. H." the Stanleys, Leon Var
yara. Mons. Adolphus and Com
panS.
COsMos-Earl Csvanaugh In
Last NiSht"; The Carnival
of Venice it'll Mile. Donatella;
Holman Brothers in comedy; the
Four Hickey Girls; Roger Gray
and Eulalie Young, In "The
Tranic Cop: the Abbotts In
Her Birthday: Hoot Gibson in
Heading West and The Big
Idea"
sTRAND-The Royal Pekin
, Troupes Rose and Deil;-Lew TIL
ford. ventriioquaI comedian;
Ward and King, in My Girl:
Bebe Daniels, in Nancy From
Nowhere"
RIALTO-Marion Davies in
The Brides Play"
GAY ETY-Barney Gerard's
New Show" with Hawiey and
Saxton; vaudeville. and q NOV
ing picture program.
cor UMBI A-"Turn TO the
|. Right Rex Migrants produce
ton for Metro Of the play by
winchell Smith and John z.
Hazard. featuring Alice Terry
and Jack MHhall.
PALACE-Mabel Eormand in
Mack Sennett's dramatic con-
csption, Molly o."
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12

Fairbanks selected my clothes rst
around from tho fact that he insists
that j dress plainly, simply ana un.
Electrically. But a. I aIways dIdy
you see he is not entItied 70 the
credit he gets for that's he-'
Mary" said Doug, de yod re-
member what Mark Twain said was
his highest ameitien In life"
NO." replied Mary, but that.
your usual way OF lodging me.
We'll. what was Mr., rwain's great
est ambition In llfer"
TO throw q raw egg into a re-
volung electric fan In . public
restaurant"
-wAs,sysr But that in you,
"A man just passed up Fifth ave-
nue. with long vhiskers. and ]
never see such an ornament that
I do net want TO set e on are. Nov
Freud would say"
oh. my favorits hobby" cross
wired Mary. 7 have three-verk.
my brother Jack and Good Cheer.
Maybe Good Cheer 10 my real hob
by. Laugh at Poliyanna ~ you
WILL believe In her. as I believe
In every part have ever played.
Satirize Keep Smiling all Who will
1t keeps the world sane.
7 love old people ~ web a.
young-and I do all can in my
little way to keep them cheerful
and smiling. You see, I am a very
simple. ordinary woman. ana
haven't anything Of that cosmic
stun in my makeup. Einstein-"
'Issy or the other nuIHsnce:-
asked Doug.
ssNo ,n,~,,.S Me-. .. -
care anything about those Elm
Did you know that am going
to direct Jack. my Brother. in his
next p1cture?'
''MeEaphone-and all that asked
Doug. smiling the smile OF male
credulity.
'Megaphone and everything"
shouted Mary. elappinE her hams
in childish glee. Il shall he ~
rector Mary Pickford-wsit and
see"
And then from gay TO grave:
I would not act a role that
did not believe indie not love
I am literally the parts PLAY
They are parts OF myself. PLAY
only one role-that Is Mary PicH
ford. ] believe that Is the secrc;
OF my art-of all art. An artist
life and an artists work should b.
Complementary. II an actors roll
is not part and prrcel Of himself
or herself it will not get over J
have succeeded because I have pur
heart and soul into my creations
what I am not personally csnnor
depict. Nor would the public stand
for IL. And they are right.
Fame2-I never think OF r.
Maybe that's the reason it's so bus,
with me. OF course, enjoy beins
famous. but il is the most incon-
venient thing-sometimes- the
world"
How to be happy although ia
mous-there's an essay for you IN
terjected Doug.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
Mary Says That Pollyanna
Is Her Real Patron Saint
To Keep the World Smiling and in Go6d Cheer
Is Her Real Work, Says Film Star,
interviewed in New York.

On the day that Princess Mary be-
came, the bride Of who-Was-It-Any-
how I met another Princess Mary
who lately became the bride Of Sir
Douglas Leap-o'er-the-Moon says
BenjaPin De casseres in the New
York Times.
While trafhe was being held up In
London as Princess Mary went TO
and from court-at almost that very
hour In New York City trafic was
also held up while Princess Mary
Pickford went to and from court.
But this little Mary Nas carried
into court on the beamy shoulders OF
her Sir Douglas Lesp-O'er-the-Moon
while the overseas Princess Mary
merely walked or rode.
Sapphires poured into the lap OF
England's Princess Mary. while was
quite content to look into those two
sapphire circles which our Princess
Mary calls her eyes while her ex-
pressive and childih mouth spun for
me the above aphorism as We speeded
south in a Limousine from the Ritz
20 the Federal Court.
A curious contrast that couple were
as they sat before me In that car.
masculine. quivering with vitality.
ooxing the vital West from every
feature: wrapped in a great shaggy
fur coat which gave him the appear
ance of Nordic Prince viking
freebooter. BY his side q small. child
ish-faced creature with hair spun by
some Nern of the beams OF the sun
and tropic moon-mist: q fairy-like
thing with elm blue eyes and q
smile like the smile on the lips Of
Da vinei's Mona Lisa - eniEmatic
and child-wise.
could see. in my minds eye-New
York whirled by. but Il was so far
away Sir Douglas in some feet
ing past time dressed in bear skins
riding his horse furiously under some
castle wall. reaching down and seiz-
ing this frail golden haired girl with
his huge paw. lifting her into his
arms and riding away into the Happy
Hills of all true lovers.
said to-or as much.
oh, thai when-you-were -tadpole-
and-I-was-a-hsh-in the-paleoIooic-
time-eh?" said Doug And We all
laughed-mainly at the sentimental
boobishness OF the interviewer
rs II true" asked, that Mr..
Fairbanks selects your clothes?''
Doug looked esoterically at the
roof OF the car. Mary rippled out a
laugh j felt as though I had opened
my mouth and put my foot in II.
NO" said Mary. "of course not
How did ever such an absurd thing
enter your head? As a matter OF
fact, ! select his clothes. for"
only my ties, dear, not my
clothes" came from Doug. half plain
lively.
Ties. then" conceded Mary, in
order probably TO keep peace in the
family. He buys-when loose-the
most extraordinary ties that were
ever conceived in a cubist's brain.
That Is, he did until ! gave them all
to Bill Hart and bought him a lot
that were subdued.
Il suppose that story that Mr..
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
RlALTO.
9TH, Lnsf TrniI. .

INC Last ITOh.
Yearly every reader of American
fSeioR has read stories by Zane
Coy. Even the few who have not
auleast know him by reputation as
thu past master Of tales of daring
ana adventure dealing with life in
the wilder regions of the great
West. The announcement. there
fore, that THE Last Trail. one of
HIS most celebrated novels, has been
adapted for the screen by William
Fox and scheduled for presentation
arMoore's Rialto Theater all week.
beginning today. will probably be
RECEIVED with interest and anticipa-
tion by thousands. The direction
otsthe picture was in the hands of
Emmett ]. Flynn. whose notable
work on a Connecticut Yankee"
ptsced his name in the very front
rank Of screen directors.
The story Of The Last Trail is
built upon the operations Of lone
bandit. known as the Night Hawk =
ItFcantains intensely dramatic sit
uStions. threaded by. a love romance
UNUSUAL in its development The
great climax at the close of the
story involves the criminal break
ing of a big dam on the mountain
and the consequent flooding and de-
struction Of a village far below.
The making Of these scenes, for
which both village and dam were
constructed. is said to have been
q task involving large expenditure
ofstime. labor and money.
The production carries an all-star
cast Of recognized merit headed by
Maurice Flynn and Eva Novak. with
Rosemary Theby. the statuesaue,
WHO will be remembered as the
wicked but fascinating queen in
a Connecticut Yankee" wallace
Beery. Charles X. French. Francis
Mcdonald. Harry SPRINGER. and
.Harry DunkinsOn.
The program OF subsidiary at
fractions includes the latest Sewell
Ford "Torchy' comedy. featuring
,Jahnny Hines and entitled Orange
Blossoms" Fox News. overture,
-Pagliacci," and encore, Mother"
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
ALFRED LATELL.
LEADS DOGS LIFE
IN THE THEATER

Barking as a profession may be
more or less remunerative around n
circus or country fair, but to resort to
it as a means for stage livelihood
Is another question. Alfred Latell,
who Is recognized as the greatest
of all animalsimpersonato and who
Is featured in the Shubert vaudeville
program at the Belasco this week.
earns a good living growing and
barking like a well-bred dog.
Strangely enough Latch in his foot
light career has played animal parts
exclusively. An expert at pantomime.
he has appeared in all parts of the
world with his talents and features
concealed beneath the hide OF some
'four-footed beast. His stage life
began as a canine in Babes in the
Wood" and has been one of continual
activity since that time, twenty years
ago.
Il have walked on all fours and
barked around the world" relates Mr..
Latell. have been a dog in English
pantomime, in Australian travesty. in
India concert halls and in South
African garden fetes. I have never
appeared except under the hide OF
some animal" T.
IN AHericd MT. Latell mas APP
peared with Harry Ladders company.
with Maid Adams in Peter Pam" the
Wizard of o." Babes In Toyland."
The Conan Revue of 1916" "Zieg-
fields Follies," THE Blue Bird" and
numerous other productions. In order
to keep In the atmosphere" of dog
dom, MIR. Latch decorates his dress
ing-room with hundreds of photo-
graphs, drawings and sketches of
dogs. including old bones and dog
biscuits which he has acquired
while leading a dogs life in various
uarfs of the world 20.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12

IA native drama. rejecting Amer
lean life, its manners and modes. its
intellectual. political and social
character, Is gradually taking form
in the republic. 1t may be satiri-
cal, IL may convey a blend Of whole
some sentiment and light comedy
1t may even have its tragic notes,
but, in all events, 1t is here"
Such Is the opinion OF Sidney
Blackmer. appearing In The Noun
tain Man" the Clare Hummer play
which was given its Garrlck pre-
miere in Washington recently. Mr..
BIackmer believes that despite the
considerable foreign representation
on the stage this season American
drama was never in healthier or
more progressive state.
George AIDE might be called the
pioneer OF native social satire said
Mr.. Blackmer. He caught the spirit
of American political life and trans
terred it humorously to the theater
in The County Chairman. He did
the same thing for the college life
of the Middle West in The College
Widow Just as il seemed as II ne
we're gbing to depict our modes and
manners in "A succession OF plays
alQlnS US III utNtlOpiIS NuC AMY
to laugh at ourselves, he stopped
short. other keen observers, with
the gift of expressing their obser-
vations. have been at work, how
ever. and today we have group or
writer's who can dramatize our
shortcomings, our hopes and aspi-
rations. our manner OF living. with
out becoming maudlin or sophie
moric.
Take the works OF Eugene
O'Neili. Zoe Atkins. Clare Kumper.
Frank Craven, Marc Connolly and
George Kauffman-to name a few.
They reflect America humorously,
pungently and. in the case OF
O'Neill, poignantly. No finer exam
Pile of native comedy, in which there
is an underlying serious note, has
ever been written than The First
Year" In ITO the Ladies'" Con-
nelly and Kaufman show symptoms
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
CRANDALL'S.
VornId Tdlmdd0e On SPoppy,

wv" to u"tttSo 7" WY
Norma Taln<adge viii be pictured
for the 1hrst three days of the cur
rent week, beginning this afternoon
at ., at Crahdalrs Theater in Selz-
hicks splendid perturbation Of Gym
thia StocUey's widely read novel,
Poppy" In which she portrays the
title role. As q companion attrac-
ton. lending the bill the entertain
ment value of a genuine double
feature program, will be shown
Buster Keaton's latest and most
amusing two-reel, comedy. The
Palefaee."
Poppy" relates the highly dra-
matic story of a 14-year-old orphan
WHO !fbHs away from the home Of
her aunt where she has been cruel
ly treated and hnSlly drifts into .
series of absorbing adventures in
South Africa, where she is rescued
from a variety of difficulties by Sir
Evelyn Carson The pivotal char
acter of. the story Is such as to af-
fCrd Miss Talmadge one of her most
fruitful opportunities, and the
supporting cast includes. among
other distinguished artists. Eugene
O'Brien and Frederick Perry. Mr..
Keaton's comedy is a scream from
beginning to end in its clever re-
lstion- of the adventures of young
naturalist who, is adopted into a
tribe, of Indians after they have
found it impossible to burn him At
the stake while he was clad in an
asbestos suit.
On Wednesday and Thursday the
chief offering of the bill at Gram
da1rs will be Pola Negri's brilliant
starring vehicle. Vendetta" q
skillfully devised and masterfully
executed screen version of Marie
Corelli's famous romance Of Corsica
and the Riviera Negri in this sub
ject Is supported by Emil Jannings,
Harry Ledtke and others. Lloyd
Hamilton will be the associate star
of the bill in his latest comedy hit.
Rolling Stones" For the last two
days of the week another double
feature bill is scheduled with Ses-
sue Hayakawa the principal star In
his new vehicle. Five Days to
Live" and Louise Fazenda. the
secondary. in Country Chickens"
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
PALACE.
>WaIEacs Reid in sThs Worlds
ChnTuoio,t -

Wditace Reid IN "Ths Worlds
Champion
Wallace Reid win begin a weeks
engagement this afternoon as the
featured screen star OF the program
at1 Loew's Palace in Philip E.
Rosen's screen production for Para
MOUNT Of The Worlds Champion"
based on the noted George NJ Conan
stage success. The Champion" by
A-E Thomas and Thomas Louden,
which was given its stage premiere
I'M this city several months ago and
which later achieved a brilliant and
successful New York engagement.
MI Reid. in the role made famous
on the stage by Grant Mitchell. Is
supported by Lois Wilson and a
cast of distinction that includes
Henry Miller. jr.. Lionel Belmore.
Helen Dunbar. Guy oliver. W. J.
FerEuson and many others.
The Worlds Champion" reveals
Mr.. Reid in the role of William
Burroughs. the son of a nobility
wdrshipping British commoner. The
son falls in love with a lady Of the
nobuity. for which he is roundly
rsted, by his father. For this, the
yonrg man leaves home goes to
America and returns in seven years
as the middleweight champion Of
the world In the meantime II is
revealed that William has studied
LAM and become an American. Lady
Elizabeth. whom he still loves. nnds
new interest in the young man
ard when a rival invites William
info the garden William goes out
and trims him The nobility.
arazed to discover that he Is the
lightweight champion. ionizes him
and IL is then that he learns that
Ltdy Elizabeth loves him too.
The featured attraction will be
supplemented by a notable array Of
ADDED screen and musical attrac-
tionS. including the latest Al st.
John comedy. a Studio Rube; the
latest showings of the Pathe news
views. a new reel of the Literary
DlTest's every-populsr Topics" and
a Splendid symphonic overture by
-tbe Palace Symphony Orchestra I'M
DE- the direction of Mr.. Thomas
Joseph Cannon.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12
Gayety Expands
Bill to Include
Films and "Vaude"

Beginning tomorrow, the Gay
ETY. makes its debut to Wash
ington as a picture theater in
combination with high ella d
burlesque and vaudeville.
In order that the initial per-
Torrance will be an suspicious
one, Manager Jarboe has secured
a Selznick production, "A Wide
open Town" starring Conway
Tearle, as the feature sttrac-
ton.
The story. written by Earl
Mitchell. has to do with the re-
fnement in the >caldron Of ad-
versity of a youngster born in an
unhappy environment. Support
ing Tearle will be Fare Binney.
The comedy will be The
Ring" with that greatest of
great 0omedians-Charlie Chap
lain. Rounding out the program
will be exclusive. news pictures
and a dramatic story with
punch. dealing with the adven-
lures Of ,twentleth-ce de-
tective, based on the actual
feats of william J. Flynn. inter-
nationally known detective.