Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-12
ACTORS BENEFIT
PROCRAMP PRAISED
Stars of Many Fields Take
Part in Gala Perform
anCe Here.

There's something hard to define or
place a finger on, yet very much In
evidence, in all benefits for the Actors
Fund Of America. These benefits are
a link which binds those who love the
stage with the stage itself ana It's
myriad Intangible intricacies. Ac-
cordingly, when benefit performance
Is staged, such as was presented at
the National Theater Yesterday after,
noon, not only Is the audience in a
| warm and sympathetic mood. but
there is something Of zeSt. and inter
est and sincerity. in the part of all
those who present the offering. Those
who come realize that the box -of1ce
income goes to folks who need II most;
those who play PERFORM With the
knowledge that they are making a
sacrifice Of their talents, time ana
energy for the more unfortunate men
and women of the stage and their
families. This spirit pervaded the en-
tire performance Yesterday afternoon.
John e. Hazard. specialist AT ad
lib tests and quips, served as a com
mittee Of one on Introduction. He
first presented the Hotel Maytiower
Orchestra. under the direction of
w. Spencer Tupman. Alice Tupman
and Ruth Bennett provided special
ties for this number.
Wells and West, the dancing sailors,
seen here recently in musical comedy
fields. came hack through the cour-
tesy Of keith's, with girl named Nir-
ginia.
Elsie Janis Does Bit.
Then Elsie Janis dropped in TO say
Hello" despite a bad cold, and that
smiling perennial little girl Of eternal
Summers, Edna Wallace Hopper. trip
ped on to talk with her friends short
time.
George Ada was down'in the orchss-
ira and arose and bowed when John
Z. Hazard made him do SO.
Clyde North wrote three skits which
went over with a real punch. Jack
Roseleigh. Desiree Stempel and Reed
Hamilton, through the courtesy OF the
What Price Glory" company and
Polls. put on the first one, I'm the
Dark" which ended with an o. Henry
twist. The second The Threshold. -
probably was the most appropriate
thing OF the entire bill. II comprised
the story of an actor who scores big
success, fails to realize it; becomes con-
WINGED of failure through an adverse
and ill-prepared criticism. and ends his
life just rs a manager Is entering TO
offer him the wealth which his 80
years of effort has been directed at.
Ef1e Shannon, Nick Long and Jack
Carlyle played it masterfully. Keane
Waters directed it; Charles Park acted
as assistant stage manager and the
What Price Glory?" company also
contributed this little gem.
Clyde North appeared in person in
his third, Framed" together with
James A. Devine and Edward F.. Nc
nn6prUnrfd
through the courtesy Of the same com
pany.
Ruth ChAtterton Appears.
Chatterton and Minor Watson In The
Conflict" by Vincent Lawrence. a de
lightful little two-person-cast drama
on domestic life.
Joe Jackson was there. He's the
same old Joe of the trick bicycle and
| trick clothes and trick face and trick
smile.
Others who appeared We're the
Swanee Syncopators, directed by Al
Kamons, with Dorothy Day doing spe:
cialties. through the courtesy of Meyer
Davis; Mildred Watkins. Esther
Cutchin, Henry Smith -Gregor and
Nate Lewis, all as courtesy of the
Crandall Saturday Nighters: Mile. cha
belska. Russian dancer. through the
courtesy of the Washington commit
tee of the Russian Relief Fund and
NJ, Alexander Gavrilov; Catherine Dale
Owen, in a monologue. through the
courtesy OF David Belasco. who really
deserves much more mention than
this; Nance O'Neill. through the cour-
tesy of Carl Reed and the National
Theater, and last. but not least. Daniel
Frohman, president of the fund, who
! delivered an appropriate short but
pithy address of thanks.