The Washington times., 1928-12-22
GLEANIN
AND
SCREE ENINGS
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

the George M. Cohan opinion
on the present status of the
theater.
''What is the matter with the
show business?" he was asked;
"The show business is all
right" he replied. "All we
need is good shows"
That goes double for Wash
ington: Glancing back to mid
September not one legitimate
attraction of solid merit comes
to mind which has failed of
profitable support here. Only
mediocre stuff and the untrie6
product has been Stunned by
the paying patron.
Same goes for pictures. The
good films have crowded the
Hobbies. Indifferent features
suffered. $.
The Broadway producers with
hit attractions on the road have
not found it difficult to attract
full houses. The trouble is,
there are not enough hit at
fractions.
Naive indeed are the press
announcements telling of Al
,Jolson's success in winning the
theme song contest for the next
Dolores Del Rio feature, Evan
Reline." / quote:
"EGwin Carewe, director
producer had all the theme
songs submitted, given a num-
ber. and played over, without
musicians or judges knowing
whose composition was being
heard. They chose Mr.. Jolson's
which was No. 13."
Well, Penelope, / guess after
all, there is a Santa Claus. Or
as George Jessell will probably
yawn, yeah"
A pressing personal invita-
ton is at hand inviting critical
attention to a new Mack SEN
nett short comedy, "The Lions
Roar" first of series OF talk
ing shorts to be made by this
veteran of comic films. 1t is
on view at the Earle Theater.
j. A. Bachman, branch man
ager of Educational Films ex-
presses a belief that it will
mark the beginning of new
era in short subjects.
/ hope so. And I know that
about every motion picture
theater manager in Washington
shares this belief, if what they
tell me about the difficulty
of finding good short comedies
is half the truth. One such
program picker told this oracle
Of truth yesterday he had look
ed over IS comedies at one
session without plucking any
with the desired number of
laughs.
It would seem to be just
punishment for some of these
so-called laugh directors to be
condemned to sit in a theater
for a week at every perform
ance where one of their silly
film bores is part of the pro-
gram. Such a picture as |
saw last week with a group of
children called on to practice
all kinds of malicious devilment,
supposed to be funny. Or the
fellow who picks for a comedy
high-light the spectacle of his
comedians losing their trousers.
Or the unfortunate who has the
usual misadventures with
saby.
But this is not a good day
or season to become peevish.
Instead I'm going to see Mack
Sennett's latest and get some
of the laughs Mr.. Bachman
promises.
There is nothing Richard Ben
nett likes to do better than
toast dramatic critics on the
grill of his sarcasm. Unless
it is to roast the audiences
which fail to come and see him
or his play. +
With "Jarnegan" established
as a mild hit Mr.. Bennett has
been given new contract
which permits him to voice his
opinion on anything and every
thing without incurring man
agerial censure. Reverting then
to his favorite topic he says:
"The actor knows what the
public wants, not managers or
dramatic critics. Who cares
anything about a lot of inane
scribblers and sports writer's
who come to review show?
They don't know anything
about the drama"
plays 5are successes whether
they pa them or not. Look
at my play. When it opened
all thp critics went to gee
Elmer the Great" because it
was written by their confrere,
Ring Lardner, and that great
producer, George NJ Cohan.
They didn't want to see me.
am merely a propagandist."
"Critics are about as much
use as stage hands. No, I'll
take that back. Stage 3iar Is
can ruin show, but critics
can't"
Thumbing over the record
of Richard Benefits flops, the
producers who paid the bills
probably have another idea on
who can ruin a show.
"This is the way that scene
ought to be played, Gene" said
the crotchety Mr.. Bennett at
one of the rehearsals of BE
yond the Horizon" And then
he proceeded to proceed to
change the Eugene O'Neill
e..