Evening star., 1927-09-20
new FOX THEATER
OPENS NS|NSPLENDOR
President and Mrs. Coolidge
and Brilliant Gathering At
tend CoIorfuI Premiere.

Sparkling in ornate grandeur the
new Fox Theater made It's formal
debut last night to the most distin.
gulshed audience perhaps that ever
rubbed elbows I'm moving picture
playhouse. while outside stood an en-.
vious crowd. alternately glimpsing at
the notables who passed through the
lght-fiooded marquis and trying vain
ly to peer into the gorgeously deco.
rated and flower -bedecked lobby
The President and Mrs. Coolidge,
cabinet members. diplomats. and ap.
parently every member of Congress
In Washington. besides richly gowned
and bejeweled society women and
prominent theatrical producers made
up the major portion of this notable
audience. Then. too. there were
members of the National Press Club.
under whose auspices the opening
was marked. and scores of their in
vited guests.
President Is Greeted.
The dedicatory program-precisely
the same that will be given through
out the week-began with the arrival
of the President and Mrs. Coolidge at
S:40 O'Clock. In the meantime, as the
crowd gathered, Jacques Wallace en-
tertained at the console of the grand
organ.
When the President and his party
entered a fiag-draped box. Wallace
struck up vigorously Hail to the
Chief; the audience applauded and
the new Fox Theater was ready for its
christening. Behind the stage stood
little rotund man. known familiarly
throughout the country as Roxy"
worn from the nervous strain he had
undergone in preparing for the great
event, and somewhat unnerved lest
some of his we'll laid plans would go
awry.
Soft Lights Dim.
The soft lights began to dim slowly
and then went out completely. The
organ sank gracefully into its pit and
from this same low recess rose on its
elevator stand the 50-piece concert
orchestra. The curtains parted and
there stood high above the audience
on the darkened stage Harrison
Brockbank, with spotlights displaying
only his face. 1t was his duty to open
the de luxe performance with an
invocation and he did so with telling
Cranatic effect.
The concert orchestra then started
Victor Herbert's American Fantasy"
Out of the background and drops Of
the stage emerged the shadows of old
Fort Henry with the bay in the fore
ground and the inspiration that
created '"The Star Spangled Banner"
The mixed chorus, headed by the pop.
ular Douglas Stansbury, provided the
musical setting for this artistic spec
tacle and at its conclusion the orches-
ira sank back out of view.
Selections From Kipling.
A short news reel which provoked
an outburst Of laughter when it flashed
pictures of the return of the President
and Mrs. Coolidge to the White House
followed. and then Doug" Stansbury
and male chorus of a score or more
stepped out to sing some of kipling's
"Barrack Room Ballads" And next
came the ballet corps of a dozen or
more beautiful girls, each the person
ification of grace and poise. On the
tips of their toes these dancers glided
to the strains of the enchanting music,
and as a fitting climax to their con-
tribution the vivacious Maria Gam |
barelli (Gamby), the premier danseuse |
of "Roxy's Gang" tripped down from |
an oldfashioned gold tinted music box, |
which she interpreted in her graceful,
characteristic way.
After another effort by the ballet
corps four nimble-footed interpret
ers. depicted scene ION the Bowery,"
and a quartet of male voices quickly
stepped to the side of the stage after
This masterpiece in silhouette and sang
with zest.
Hymns Beautiful Rendition.
One of the outstanding features.
which came next, was beautiful
rendition of ELI, Eli" the inspira-
tional Hebraic hymn, sung by Gladys
Rice and q chorus.
Upon the completion of this number.
the lights in the theater turned to a
soft glow, and Roxy" who had re-
mained out of view throughout the
evening, stepped from behind the gor-
geous drop. Hello, everybody" his
familiar greeting, did not reach the
back part of the big playhouse clearly.
His voice was thin, probably due to
his shouting at the eleventh.hour re-
hearsals. And to express his apprecia-
ton, which he said he could not at
tempt to do verbally. he jumped onto
the orchestra platform, which came
up to meet him, stumbled over several
cellos to the conductors stand and
directed for "Gamby" while she and
her accompanying ballet pirouetted
through an artistic Interpretation of
the "Glow Worm" while hundreds of
f1ref1ies flashed brilliantly in the SOM
Der light. This exquisite piece served
rs a finale to the stage presentation
and provoked intense applause.
roxy" acknowledged it with slight
bow and disappeared under the stage.
The initial cinema production was
William Fox's creation of Harry Carr's
story of paid to Love-" starring
George O'Briep and Virginia Valli.
The picture itself. while completely
overshadowed by the arts ~ of the
SPECIAL NOTICES.
/ WISH TO ANNOUNCE THAT / AM NO
1nneer associated with the ThOmnsnn- -SelhY