Evening star., 1927-12-04
FLASHES

are a bit more than eager whel
seeking newspaper notices for a par
ticular attraction, but in the even
of a news break, which may be o
special interest to the theatergoin'
public, press and publicity depart
mcnts become about as loquaciou
as the proverbial clam. The gag rul
prevails, regardless of the fact tha
the man in the street is aware o
the change and rumors are tiyin,
hither and thither.
Such has been the rule in Wash
ington upon at least two occasion
within the past few weeks Photo
play theater changes have beer
made, and the facts i'll both instance
were known to newspaper men ano
a large percentage of the theater
going public. However, no DEFINITE
word could be obtained from th'
theaters themselves. They awaited
messages from head offices in New
York or Philadelphia. The gag rule
was working with vengeance.
After all. it is John ]. Public and
his family who really support the
theaters. John takes a special IN
terest in his photoplay theater. He
talks over weather conditions with
the doorman; he may question the
box Office girl about her newest con-
quest; he is at home in his own the
ater, and he feels that he should
know everything going on-changes
of policy, etc-in his theater. He is
more interested in such a subject
than whether a new star has one
green eye and one pink. The quicker
the chain moguls open up to the
news and put a soft pedal on a little
of the hokunl. the better John J. and
his family will be pleased.
y X X
THE prediction is made, without
i official announcement, that the
Earle Theater is to offer the prin-
cipal competition to F street houses
in the way of combined vaudeville
and pictures. The Metropolitan,
long one of the favorite frst-run
houses, may become, after few
weeks. a second-run theater, the ad-
mission price being lowered to about
that of the residential theaters."
y y =
tom MIX is going to saddle his
L horse, pack up the old kitbag
and ride away from the Fox studios.
where he has long been identified
with Wild West activities. Toms
contract, which has been running
for the past 10 years, expires in
March, 1923, and he says, through
his business representative, that it
will conclude his work for Mr.. Fox.
The star intends to take vacation
for six months, propably making a
trip to South America, during which
time ''he will make up his mind what
he is going to do in the future"
Tom has always been a favorite
with the younger generation OF the
atergoers, and he has won place
which will make him a much-sought-
after star when he gets ready to sign
another contract. He has been max
ing from to 10 pictures each year,
and his new contract. in all proba-
bility, will cali for about half that
number.
IN speaking of vaudeville, music and
i pictures. it might be we'll to men
tion Paul Ash, the sandy-haired Mid
western jazz maestro, who has just
completed a record in Chicago the
aters. He handled the baton and
fiddle bow for $500 continuous per-
formarces and is credited with at
tracing somewhere near six million
md a half dollars to the box Office
Ash has been master of ceremonies
at FIVE performances daily for
nearly four years, and there is no
getting away from the fact that he
is popular out Chicago-way. The
writer attended one of his perform
ances at the Oriental Theater, in
Chicago, and lost an overcoat in the
scramble for standing room.
Ash is now in New York City, pre-
pairing for a vacation trip through
Europe.
THE newest French war film, "For
L the Peace of the World" is at
tracing considerable attention on
the other side of the Atlantic. Les
Gueules Cassees (The Broken Jaws),
an organization of severely wounded
French ex-service men, has brought
out the picture with the support of
the French ministry of war. Profits
from the exhibition go to the treas
pry of the organization. The picture
IS described as follows:
"The advance of the troops and
the unspeakable tortures of the
trenches, cannon sinking in the mud
and being hauled out by the soldiers,
battles in the air, the fall of an air.
plane, villages shot to pieces, an OPP
Grafton in hospital, fearful views OF
the fallen, and then-most striking
of ala patrol which rises out of
the trenches, crawls up to a German
outpost and returns with prisoners
1t is said that the lives of four
players were lost in the production
of the film, which is being exhibited
to crowded houses.
nOLORES DEL RIO. for the first
~ time in her screen career, has
been assigned to a so-called sophisti-
Gated role in mo Other Woman
She wears the costumes of Paris
of today and portrays the life Of a
woman of social standing. Lou Tel
legen, we'll known to the American
stage, is the director. and the sup
porting cast includes Don Alvarado
Ben Bard and Paulette Duval. Here
tofore, Miss Del Rio has beer cast
in such colorful roles as that OF
Charmaine in what Price Glory?'
and in "The Loves of Carmen" Dur
ing the coming year she will pl' y the
leading parts in two other pictures
MONTE BLUES new picture
i'i Across the Atlantic will be
I:..4aA "a 4ln Aunre ,,rln n;nnonrnG