The New York herald., 1922-11-26
BY FRANK VREELAND

such originally-and Miss Painter has
for the last three years-she may feel
she is fulfilling her destiny after all.
The piece has music by George
Jarno. who wrote the score for 1.-THE
Girl and the Kaiser" which was pre-
sented here before the war made such
subjects taboo in the best circles. The
libretto was furnished by Fritz Gruen-
baum, viennese writer, being drawn
from a story by the Hungarian novel
ist Petofi.
Some dispute may arise as to
whether Miss Painter. who arranged
for her new engagement through M.
S. Benthan, Is still under contract to
the Shuberts. From the offices of the
latter comes word that she is, but Miss
Painter declares she was engaged
Who will be the first to contradict a
lady?
When A. L. Erlanger and the shu-
berts first made their cooperative
booking arrangement, to avoid con-
flicts in the smaller cities that would
be disastrous in the present state of
the road, 1t was emphasized by both
sides that the interlocking booking
arrangement would not extend to New
York city. Up 10 a short time ago it
was stated positively that the Shuberts
and their allies would continue to play
In Shubert houses in the metropolis
and Erlanger and his group would
continue In the Erlanger houses. Now,
however, the booking Of Rain" by
Sam H. Harris, hitherto affiliated
with Erlanger in Maxine Elliott's The
ater, a Shubert stronghold. indicates
that the opening wedge has been made
In the way Of cooperative booking in
Manhattan and that these formerly
bitter rivals Will henceforth be closely
identified In the city that was OF yore
their biggest battle-ground. Sto transit
gloria belli!
The theater seems to be in for
downpour OF bootlegging plays, fol-
lowing in the wake OF 1.-THE Bootleg
gers" which promises to expose every
has written a play called "The Rum
Runners" which Is melodratna that
threatens to let the truth be known
about the Canadian border. This piece
was slated to go into rehearsal some
time this week end, and Dickey is
making the production himself, in ad-
dition to backing it with his world of
experience.
"A Clean Town" the latest work OF
the Nugents, which is to come to the
Belmont Theater around December 4.
guarantees to show up small town
where the Mayor is crooked and the
hooch hounds are slippery. Doubtless
there are many more plays OF this
type lurking In the bushes. Possibly
when the grapevine grape trade be-
gins to lag many bootleggers viii turn
playwright and cash IN on their past.
Perhaps Eugene Walter may do his
share toward exposing the Canadian
border in two plays which he has
smuggled back with him from across
the line. Last May he went into the
wilds of the Dominion, hiding in the
underbrush $50 miles north of Mon
treal. the better to concoct plays. With
him he took only his secretary, his
trusty typewriter and his ready smile.
He roughed it through the summer.
and, behold. he turned UP few weeks
ago with two plays ready TO lay at
the feet of New York. A. H. Woods, II
is reported. Will do one piece and
David Belasco will be the benevolent
godfather Of the other. Perhaps next
season the author of 1.-THE Easiest
Way" will again be rampant on the
Manhattan stage after a long silence.
Montague Glass and Jules Eckert
Goodman are reported to be writing
another play. different from the POT
ash and Perlmutter" type, for A. II.
doing SO well and with every prospect
of a warm welcome in Chicago, II is
that Glass and Goodman
are not hurrying the new work to pay
any bills.
Grace Valentine recently. had what
can only be set down as peculiar ex-
perience. play was written for her
several months ago by John Mon
tague, who. by the way. composed in
all its majesty The Narrow Path"
Intended as companion piece for
The Easiest Way when the Walter
play was herding them In years ago
The Narrow Path" was engulfed on
the great white way In a few weeks.
Montague's latest play was called
fF1qnDer Inr " and arrordfpx 20 .ba
author Il dealt with a manicure girl
who became acquainted with several
wealthy men and induced them TO
capitalize her personality with a cash
Investment. In return for the money
they donated to her-with the incest.
,ensor proof Intentions. OF course-she
was TO become gaudy as n peacock. |