davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
Children S Laughter.

to the villain, or villains, as the case
may be. Being undaunted by so.
called propr1ety, a child's laughter is
as boisterous as it is spontaneous, and
reacts quickly to the suggestion OF
the next door seat holder.
Laughter for adults is contagious
they say, but for children l believe
1t is infectious.
"On the other hand, we have seen
what apparently were sure-f1re sit
uations for children just fall fat at
showing. 1t is impossible to explain
why. have tried to figure out the
reason but to no avail.
The mind of a child is, after all.
a complex bit of machinery, and the
wlsest of US adults cannot compre-
bend 1t. much as we pretend to. Chill
dren today are eye-minded, rather
than ear-minded. They are learning
faster through the eye than through
the ear, and motion pictures undoubt-
eddy have been responsible In a large
degree for this situation, Conse-
quently we have always endeavored
to maintain our pictures free from
anything that might even border on
the suggestive, or that might posi-
bly, leave an unfavorable impression
on the mind Of single child.
I'VE do not have to protect the
adult mind. but the children are at
the mercy Of those who appeal to
them on the motion picture screen.
They are so overimpressionable that
frequently after one or another pic
ture we receive word from some fond
parent telling us Of an experience
OF their child modelled after some
thing they saw in one Of our pictures
The child mind, however, is still
primitive in some respects. Children
still like to laugh at the difficulties OF
older persons. You can still show a
man slipping on a banana peel and
get big laugh. Or the hot stove,
with its crudities in comedy ma king.
still provokes childish laughter, but
the average youngster comprehends
quickly now the more subtle aspects
of humor. They follow your story
closely, and hours after the picture
Is over can relate to you almost
everything they laughed at, and,
moreover. can tell you why they
laughed"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
The Moving Picture Album
BY ROBERT e. SHERWOOD.

THAT lively and informative jour
nal, Variety, has undertaken to
grade the various film stars accord
ing to their respective values as box
office drawing cards during the sea-
son just past.
At the head of all lists stands the
name Of Harold Lloyd, which comes
as no surprise to those who have
kept their eyes on recent develop
ments in the silent drama. Not since
the golden age of Charlie Chaplin has
any star, man or woman, enjoyed the
incalculable popularity or the incred-
ible prosperity that is Lloyd's.
Chaplin started slipping after he
made THE Kid" five years ago; 1t
was then that Harold Lloyd com
menced his remarkable ascent. He
has continued that climb with almost
no Interruptions, his products along
the way having included such mem
orable comedies as "A Sailor Made
Man." "Grandma's Boy" Safety
Last" Girl Shy" ''The Freshman"
and For Heavens Sake"
Now Lloyd is at the top of the
heap-a position which, be 1t said, he
richly deserves.
Following Harold Lloyd on the
Famous Players-Lasky list are
Douglas MacLean, Thomas Meighan,
Adolphe Menjou, Pola Negri, Rich
ard Dix, Bebe Daniels, Raymond
Griffith, w. c. Fields, Eddie Cantor,
Florence Vidor, Betty Bronson and
Jack Holt, in the order named.
Featured Paramount players who
are coming to the fore are Wallace
Berry, Raymond Hatton and Clara
Bow.
It seems to me, from where / sit,
that Richard Dix should rank higher
in the box office scale-but Variety
figures are undoubtedly more authori-
tative than mine.
** n
The Metro Goldwyn list reveals
the amazing leadership of Lon
CLANCY. who has suddenly developed
strong drawing power as a result of
The Unholy Three" 1.-THE Black
bird" and Tell it to the Marines"
After CLANCY come Norma
Shearer, Marion Davies, John Gill
bert, Lillian Gish, Buster Keaton,
Ramon Navarro, Jackie Coogan and
Mae Murray.
The First National stars are
graded as follows: Colleen Moore,
Norma Talmadge, Richard Barthel-
mess, Milton Stills, Corinne Griffith,
Constance Talmadge, Harry Langdon
and Johnny Hines.
Dolores Costello is ahead Of John
Barrymore on the Warner Brothers
list, with Rim -Tin-Tin Monte Blue,
sgd Chaplin, Patsy Ruth Miller and
Irene Rich following.
In United Artists the grading is:
Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks,
Mary Pickford. the late Rudolph Val
entino, Ronald Colman, Wilma Banky
and w. S. Hart. Next year, this
group will be augmented by Gloria
Swanson, the Talmadge sisters,
John Barrymore and Buster Keaton.
and 1t will be interesting to observe
what revisions in the relative stand
ing will result.
The Cecil De Mile unit is headed by
William Boyd, Leatrice Joy, Rod La
ROGUE and Vera Reynolds.
William Fox's mainstay is still Tom
Mix: Universal's Is Reginald Denny,
and F. B. O.'s is Fred Thomson. The
supremacy Of all three Of these stars
is unquestioned,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
COLUMBIA-"The Black Pirate. +"

Douglas Fairbanks in one of the
most thrilling offerings Of his career,
THE Black Pirate" will be the photo
play feature at Loews Columbia
Theater this week. starting this after
noon.
1t was filmed entirely In techni.
color and pictures some Fairbanks
feats of daring never attempted be
fore.
There are but two women in Its
cast-Billie Dove, leadin woman,
whose beauty and distress furnish the
motive for much of the stars amazing
feats, and Tempe Piggott, in a duenna
role. Outstanding character roles are
offered by Donald Crisp, Sam de
Grasse, Anders Randolph and Charles
Stevens, with a host of the most vii
famous pirates that ever stepped
from the pages of a story book.
The Spanish Main in the seven
teenth century is the locale of the
story, which concerns a young noble
man whose ship is scuttled by pirate
band and who joins the pirates to
escape from their island rendezvous
and to exact revenge for the death
of his father. The picture attains its
crescendo in the rescue of beautiful
girl who has been captured by the
pirates and apportioned to the vii
famous second mate. Apparently
her last hope of succor Is gone when
the young nobleman is detected in
double-dealing and made to walk the
plank. Two episodes of the picture
are of special Interest," marvellous
underwater scene in which platoon
of pirates are shown swimming in
ranks under water and rising at a
given signal to board ship; the other,
when Fairbanks. to prove his prowess
as a pirate, rides down the entire
depth of a sail splitting the canvas
with knife and making the ship
helpless as he does SO.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09

| Comparing these various lists, thu
casual observer finds that few definite
| conclusions can be drawn.
In Famous Players the comedian!
appear to be supreme, but the same
rule does not apply to Metro oldwyn
where Lon CLANCY ranks far above
Buster Keaton.
In First National Colleen Moore, q
| Coincidence, is at the top, but Harry
Langdon and Johnny Hines are neal
the bottom.
Another interesting aspect Of the
First National list is that Ben Lyon
generally supposed to be an enor
mously popular star. Is placed among
the feature players" below Lewis
Stone, Anna @. Nilsson, Dorothy Mac
kali and Jack Mulhall.
+ X k*
What Is 1t that makes a box Office
star?
The answer to that one is easy
good pictures That's the secret OF
Harold Lloyd's success, Lon Chaney's
success and every other real success
that has been achieved on the screen.
Sometimes stars will appear over.
night, as a result Of sensational press
agentry or other forms of artificial
stimulation. But they don't last long.
Furthermore, even those stars who
have founded their fame on substan.
tial merit cannot hold their positions
in the public's eye If they don't keep
up the good work.
Richard Barthelmess once told me
hot hoI fof, To-
utterly ruin the greatest star in the
movies. There have been too many
lamentable proofs of this statement to
render it open to argument.
That's an encouraging thought for
the humble movie fan to bear in mind
it is he or she who makes the stars.
and he or she who has the power to
break them.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.-Metro-G old.
wynn has a new story for John Gilbert.
1t is THE Prodigal Son." by Hall
Caine.
'The Rough Riders" has been COM
pleted and will be placed on view
soon.
The latest "epic" on schedule is
concerned with prison life. 1t is
called You Can't Win" and it should
be followed by one about the Chicago
gangsters, entitled rs Eat So?"
The title Of John Barrymore's last
Warner Brothers picture has been
changed from 'Manon Lescaut" to
when a Man Loves" which is all
right, too.
Speaking of titles, there are several
examples of ALTERATION in prepare
ton, including "Tillie the Toiler, >"
Lief the Lucky" and Lilly of the
Laundry"
Copyright 1927
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
WILLIAM COLLIER JR> and
DOROTHY MACkAlLL-
Metropolitan
Public Wants Clean
Films

4 RECENT Nationwide canvass of
a. theater owners engaged in show
ing motion pictures points out con.
clusively that the type of film which
appeals most directly to the public, as
evidenced by attendance at theaters,
is the clean, wholesome and genuinely
native American prod let.
The box office reports compiled by
men who cater f1rsthand to the de.
mands of the public, and sponsored by
Exhibitors Herald, large motion
picture trade magazine, revealed the
fact that heading the list was THE
Keeper of the Bees" an F. B. o. pro.
duction, made from the story by
Americas beloved woman novelist,
Gene Stratton Porter.
OF 104 motion pictures selected as
having appealed most widely to movie
goers, this film received the greatest
number Of votes, 1877. The nearest ap-
proach to this record was The
Cohens and the kelleys," with 16a.
The census was taken for the produc-
ton year 1925, up to the end of No
vember.
The simplicity. the purity, the dra.
matte and entertainment value of
THE Keeper the Bees" are given
as the causes of the census result.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09

"TN some respects" says Harold
Lloyd, the noted screen comedian
audiences comprised largely of chill
dren offer us our best test of what is
funny in a picture.
Youngsters today, like their par
ents, have become picture wise They
Will not laugh at anything that is
funny on the face of it, and it is eX-
tremely surprising how they will an
alyze what we call gags the funny
bits of business with which we calcu-
late to obtain laughs. We refer, of
course, to the youngsters who have
reached the reasoning age, for it Is,
after all, with this group that we
largely have to deal.
Children up to years old, we
might say, are like savages. But when
they begin to reason that puts a diff
ferent color on the situation.
THE child mind is very impression.
able. Without attempting to be at all
scientific about the matter, l have fol
lowed with keen interest a child's re-
action to a tense and then a succeed
ing laughing moment in one Of our
pictures. 1t was at a pre-view showing
of The Freshman which in England
was called College Days
II picked as my subject a boy who
appeared about years old, His
knowledge Of foot ball was apparently
we'll grounded, for American young
sters are up on this game about as
well as they are on base ball, the ma
tional pastime. Toward the end Of
this picture, in which l made the win
ming score, the action did become ex-
ceedingly tense for children who were
at all familiar with foot ball. This
little fellow became so wrapped up in
the action that he began biting his
nails, squirming in his chair, and
finally arose to his feet, no longer
able to contain himself. He let out
scream, Come on Harold! which re-
sounded all over the house. He actu-
ally seemed to be pushing me across
the goal line.
Finally 81 men piled on me, and
1t was question whether had scored
the winning points when the final
whistle blew AS the boys unraveled
themselves I lifted my face from the
goal line, smeared with chalk but hav-
ing scored the deciding touchdown.
This youngster just howled with glee.
/ was afraid he couldn't restrain him
self He gave way completely in his
elation. The nervous strain had van
ished and in its place came the mental
relief, which is the thing that really
permits adults to give themselves up
to laughter And the same reactions
probably were experienced by many
other children in the audience.
Children demand action. They
crave that fast moving type of COM
edy as exemplified, by the foot ball
finish in College Days the chase
sequence which concluded Girl Shy
and the rapid-f1re type Of action we
tried to incorporate in For Heavens
Sake
Children are spontaneous in their
reaction to comedy, relish the un-
expected, and are always for any
thing the hero may do in a hui
morous as well as a dramatic way
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
Balkan Girls Ahutter

SOFIA, January s @.-Balkan
girls are all afiutter over a motion
picture beauty contest. 1t is a new
wrinkle to the women of Bulgaria
and other central European States,
and there are many thousands COM
peting for the ultimate prize of be-
ing declared the Beauty of the Bal
kans" and going into the movies.
An American company Is conduct
ing the contest along time -honored
lines in ten countries. In this part
of the world, however, nothing like
1t has been seen and girls who never
had their pictures taken before are
patronizinge the village cameraman,
who often IL. many miles awaYa
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
CHILDREN'S SATURDAY
PROGRAMS.

The selected program for children,
Saturday morning. January Is, at
the Tivoli Theater is featured by
when Knighthood Was in Flower"
with Marion Davies in the title role.
Many will recall the beauty and
popularity of this costume of the
period. It's length requires starting
promptly at 1915 am.
At the Chevy Chase Theater, Har-
old Lloyd in THE Freshman" an
Our Gang Comedy and Aesop Fable
make an all comedy bill, always
popular with the boys and girls, and
usually enjoyed by grownups.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
PALACE-'Kid Boots" Jazz Week


Loew's Palace Theater this week.
beginning this afternoon. will present
it's second Jazz week" program in
connection with Eddie Cantor's screen
production of Kid Boots" from the
musical play by William Anthony Nc
CURE and Otto Harbach, featuring
Eddie Cantor, with Billie Dove. Clara
Bow, Lawrence Gray and a group Of
Ziegfeld girls, as produced under the
personal direction Of Mr.. Ziegfeld bv
Director Frank futile.
Eddie appears as a tailor's helpSc
rescued from the clutches of an irate
customer by young millionaire whose
chOrus-girl wife is trying to inValidate
his suit for annulment. In a spirit of
gratitude the tailor's helper attaches
himself to his reSCuer and is the
means Of thwarting the designs of
the chorus girl. but not until he has
nearly ruined his own chances with
his sweetheart.
In the stage program Will he the
Colgate Collegians' Isle of Blues"
Orchestra, syncopationists described
as post graduates of melody in har-
mony capers on musical campus:
Robert Stickney, late of the Charles
3. Cochran Revue, in London, who
will offer the novelty of the Charleston
danced on stills; Sammy Lewis. the
jazz-mad dancer, a brother OF Goldae
Ahern. and Sonia Meroff. described as
blue, blue singer from red, red
Russia" and the Palace Orchestra,
Thomas J. Cannon, conductor. in
Jazz Through the Ages" stagsI ;oy
Colby Hartman, with Helen Nesnne
of Gus Edwards School I'm a Charles
ton number; also the Palace Maya
zine. Topics of the Day. an Aesop's
Fable and Dick Leibert's Organlogue.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09

Henry's amusing story OF Babes IL
the Jungle" the Metropolitan World
Survey and a musical program bV
the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
under Daniel Breeskin will be added
attractions.
The concert overture will comprise
selections from Rudolph Friml's op.
eretta. THE Vagabond King" and ths
interpretative score for Just Another
Blonde" will have two recurrent
themes. a Friml composition, "WeTi
Have a Kingdom from THE Wild
Rose" and Dear OH Pal of Mine"
the ballad by Lieut.. Gitz Rice. The
exit number Will be Hugs and
Kisses" from Earl Carrolls Van.
tiles ="
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
Photoplays This Week
SILENT DRAMA ATTRACTIONS.

COLUMBIA-"The Black Pirate This afternoon evening
RIALTO-"The Popular Sin" This afternoon and
INTERCOLLEGIATE Another Blonde'Van
afternoon and evening
PALACE-"Kid Boo-Jazz Week This afternoon and evening
TIVOLI-Everybodys Acting" This afternoon and evening
AMBASSADORJust Another Blonde This afternoon
ming.
WARDMAN PARK-"Chaned" This afternoon and evening
CENTRALer Honor the Governor This Afternoon and evening
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
Crandall's January
Films.

CRANDALL'S Metropolitan Thea
~ ter announces an interesting list
of photoplay attractions for the cur
rent month. Following First Nation
ais production of Just Another
Blonde" will be presented. the week
of the 10th, First Nationals produc-
ton of THE Silent Lover" adapted
from Lajos Bros novel of The
Legionnaire," with Milton Stills as it's
star; the week of January %. the
William Fox production of Summer
Bachelors" with Madge Bellanly and
Allan Forrest. and the week of Janu-
airy 80, the First National production.
White Black Sheep" in which
Richard Barthelmess is the star and
Patsy Ruth Miller is featured.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
WARDMAN PARK-"Chained."

Beginning today. for the entire
week, the Motion Picture Guild will
present the premiere showing Of
Ufa's latest masterpiece. Chained"
a study in psychology, based on the
life of the sculptor Rodin. from the
novel by Herman Bang. Benjamin
Christensen, noted director of sew
eral recent American photoplays,
takes the part of Rodin, the sculptor
whose love for a young companion
is the theme of the picture.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
Next Week s Photoplays.

COLUMBIA-Lillian Gish in
THE Scarlet Letter"
EXTRAORDINARY ilton
Stills in THE Silent Lover"
RIALTO-Vilma Banky and
Ronald Colman in The Night
of Love"
PALACE Mae Murray in
"ValenCia."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09

Karl Volmuller. author Of THE
Miracle" the Max Reinhardt play. is
aiding Douglas Fairbanks in research
work for THE Brotherhood Of Man"
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-07-22

4 rich. rare and racy local
flavor all its own attaches to
the latest version OF the orr
gin OF the names OF Kill Devil
Hill and Kitty Hawk. as gwen
by w. J. Tate, veteran light
keeper Of the Carolina coast
who lives at Coinjock. Currl-
tuck County. The naming OF
these unique spots, date so far
back into Indian lore and the
davs OF beachcombing that
they are legends, but they
carry a plausible ring that
makes them doubly interesting.
1T was maybe more than Il hun
dred years or more ago that the hill
from which the WrightS flew the
worlds first suCesSfuul airplane
got its name said Capt. Tate who
was n visitor here This week. This
famous spot waS long noted for
the number of luckle>S ships that
Continued on Page Four
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-07-22

DO YOU reckon the Democrats are
going to nominate and elect Al
Smith PreSident:" asked the Soda
Jcrker of the Bank Clerk.
They may nominate him, but
they'll never elect him. replied the
Bank Clerk.
Then you dtn't think he can
overcome the prohibition vote ana
the anti-Roman Catholic sentiment
thruout the country" said the Soda
Jerker.
1T isn't that" said the Bank
Clerk. The Democratic party owes
too much 70 the Catholic vote of the
country to knife Smith on account
of his religion. The Democratic
PARTY of Cleveland and Wilson ana
.JoSephuS Daniels has always been
the Roman Catholic party In the
United States and would have been
as dead as PopuliSm years ago but
for Tammany and the Roman Cath
Ollie vote. One Of the va@arleS
of politics is that after keeping a
political party alive for decades
the Catholics get themselves slap
ped when they think they ought to
he recognized.
! But if Smith is nominated. most
of the religious opposition TO him
will resolve itself into lot of pulpit
noise and when the votes are count
Ell it will he found that he has car
ripd the Solid South. This will be
assured by putting a Southern man
on the tail end of the ticket. There
is already a strong boom for Moody
of Texas for the vice presidency.
The prohibition vote need not
be seriously feared. In spite OF
their vast numbers, the moonshln-
ers and bootleggers are a hopeless
minority: they would be the chief
opponents of a wet candidate, De-
cause they want prohibition just
as il is: to return the country TO
ANYTHING approXimating I'M honset
degree Of wetneSS would destroy
their business and deprive them OF
millions of dollars of illicit protits'
A large majority of the electorate
would vote for wet candidate.
Governor Smith has neither tne
| Prohibitionist nor Protestant vote
: TO fear. They are both one and the
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-07-22
CHOWAN BRIDGE
MONEY MAKER
AT VERY START
And Movement Is Already Un-
der Way To Make 1t Toll
Free Forever

At the present rate OF tolls and
traffic over Chowan River
Bridge since its opening on
July lst. the bridge will Pay
for itself in Is years. With the
increase in traffic that will
come with the paving of the
approaches the bridge would
pav for itself in five years.
For the first II days in July
with the appr; aches to the bridge
on both sides of the river unc2m-
pleted. an average Cf 165 cars i day
rolled over the bridge. parin" Il toll
of a dollar each. The bridge cost
SJ42.12S. The sinking fund provld-
ING for interest Oh and retirement
of the bridge bonds calls for sta
day An average of 16o cars Il
day nets the State a surplus of Sloo
n day on the bridge. And the traf-
fic has only begun.
Tolls will he reduced. Another
session of the General Assembly
may eliminate them altogether. 1t
was necessary TO make it toll
bridge to start. in order to get II
built at all. But now that II Is
built movement is already under
way to make it toll free at an early
date.
Chowan River Bridge is Il per
manent structure. 1t is built ON
prr,ass, steel reinforced concrefe
nilincS that may he expected to en-
dure forever. The material used In
the construction of the bridge re-
uuired oh freight cars to move,
which if combined into one train
would have made Il train eight and
a half miles long. according to SGme
(Continued on Page Four