Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1928-12-20


ment in their honor than the dinner.
quietly given. quietly rccounted in
the newspapers than the entertain
ment Of Mrs. Whitelaw Reid. So Il
was that when Prince George landed
for brief evening before sailing for
England, Il was quietly told that he
dined with Mrs. Whitelaw Reid. an
extraordinary and delightful person.
age in the current history Of New
York life.
& Now Commissioncr WhAlen
And while all the folderol Of enter
tainment is going on uptown there is
in the language Of the Bowery, "hcll.
topay" downtown The murder. as you
may have read OF the incredible Roth
stein. gunner, dealer IN drugs. dia
monds and general crookedness. has
finally brought 70 a crisis the amazing
condition Of New York's police. Dap
per little Mayor Walker Of the smart
tailoring and glib tongue has been An
" shocked out Of his morning sleep
into action. That speakeasies flour
ish in every block, that thuggery and
its attendant sale Of drugs goes on
openly. that the police department Is
riddled with graft and corruption has
long been known but New York suf
fered without action Now something
+ has been done. Commissioner War
rem under the fire of various civic
bodies and the energetic Trades Of
New Iork's first Congresswoman.
Mrs. Ruth Pratt. has fallen both from
office and from grace. In his place
( mir. Walker has chosen Grover A.
Whalen. head Of the great wanamak.
er stores. and far famed rs the ofiic-
/ ial welcomer Of notabilities from Lind
berg and Queen Marie Go Gertrude
i Ederle and various Ambassadors. Mr.,
Whalen has taken the job and every
New Yorker who has the city's best
interests at heart prays for his sue
cess. The mess which has Co clean up
is Augean and Gargantuan.
Miss Williams and Holiday"
Philip Barry has long been cur ia
vorite playwright, not because he is a
successful one. but We like his plays,
though frequently they are box Of
fee failures. Mr.. Barry wrote you
and T. and he wrote white Wings"
and a charming bit that Laurette Tay-
+ Tor acted called, I'm Garden" all Of
them delightful failures Last year
he wrote an excellent play which was
great success, paris Bound" beauti-
fully produced by Arthur Hopkins
+ and excellently acted by superla-
lively good company. Among those
present in the east was one Miss Hope
Williams, recruited from society and
long and honorable service in that
ancient and exclusive organization.
+ the Amateur Comedy Club Mr. Bar
rs gave Miss Williams the kind Of a
role that every actress on Broadway
j with comedy talents would have sold
her soul TO play. She appeared brief
f ly, spoke many glib and iaughable
+ wise cracks, was good TO look upon
and was more modern in manner than
the year after next Her success with
the critics and the public WIS very
great. Therefore, Mr. Barry decided
to try il again and this season he gave
Miss Williams a full length role that
has sent her 60 stardom in a piece en-
titled Holiday" Great is the praise
of the critics and huge are the re-
ceipts al the box office and Mr.. Barry
has again hit the bulls eye. Forth
with we wedged ourselves into the
Plymouth Theater all expectant and
near u o'clock we went away wishing
Mr. Barry hadn't done IT, Miss Viii
liams, in long starring role, calling
for a display of the gamut of emo
tions. reveals herself as a dali and
limited actress. Her emotional capa-
city is that Of boy Of fourteen. Her
vocal equipment is pitful. Her
acting ability bears the stamp Of CON
sei0us amateurism. She speaks the
pert lines which Mr. Barry has given
her 10 the delight Of an audience that
awaits such lines. But We bumbly
whisper that We think Miss Williams
is really only an accessory comedy
actress. that several in the east are
far more able thespians and that ia
Holiday" Mr.. Barry has written "a
very, very poor play that win make
him "a great deal Of money.
T.. VI.