The Washington times., 1928-05-08

AOSO WIN AtdNC AOAGOWOA sAAS
National Players will learn with
sorrow Of the passing of Percy
Campbell Winter. only last sea-
son he offered q splendid per-
Torrance in the Frank Bacon
role Of "Lightnin' Bill Jones" In
"Lightnin'::" In other less import
ant character roles with the Cliff
ford Brooke company he gave his
best and was one of the really
beloved veteran trOupers Of Wash
ington stock history. In earlier
and more vigorous days he di-
rected and played with other
companies here. Mr.. Winter was
a son of the noted dramatic
citic, william Winter. He was
SIS. years old and had been on the
stage since he was seven. A SON
and q daughter survive him.
~ think you are all wrong
when you criticise William Haines
for being too fresh. DID you see
his other pictures before 9TH
Smart Set" writes a feminine
Haines admirer who signs Evelyn
Phelps" on her perfumed station
cry.
The answer is Of course we
saw the earlier Haines screen eff
forts and It doesn't change our
opinion a particle. In "slide.
Kelly, Slide," Haines played the
part Of swell headed bush
league ball player. The fact that
he had the arrogance and cOnceit
knocked out of him by contact
with hard boiled big 1eaguers took
the edge off his youthful impertt-
hence. Again in Spring Fever"
which ] saw on the stage as
"Kellyss Vacation" HaineS was
an overbearing character in the
lead role. Totally different from
Vincent Lawrence's character in
the play and trimmed up with
swagger insofence by the Holly
wood writer's.
I try hard to like Mr.. Haines
but when he gives a. nice new
car fender dent, or pushes
parked auto in front Of fire
plug. 1t takes more than the
rescue Of a polo pony from flames
or winning the big game, for me
to forget that he is the fellow
who. was so darned fresh in the
earlier SEQUENCES OF the picture.
In other words ] think Mr.. Haines
has enough talent to be given
more appealing and less stereo-
typed roles.
Washington weather, after all,
has its peculiarities. On Saturday
afternoon I was wondering why
Larry Beatus had not turned on
his cooling system at Loew's Pal
ace. On Monday forenoon /
heard T. D. Bonneville, of Polls.
debating with his engineer wheth-
er a ton of anthracite should be
tossed into the furnace to make
the Jane Cowl audience comfort
able last night. From Florida to
Nome in 4S hours.
William Fox has made a pic.
ture, 1.-THE Escape" which is now
decorating the screen Of the Roxy
Theater. 1t Is not. however, John
Galsworthy's Escape" This lat
ter is, the play which Leslie How
ard brings to the Belasco next
week.
Fred Stone, so Broadway hears,
will sit back and spend his divi-
dends next season. In the new
Stone show, Dorothy will be
starred and a younger daughter
will make her debut.
Marion Davies next picture will
be "der Cardboard Lover"
screen dramatization of the play
which brought Jeanne Eagles
plenty Of enconiums and likewise
plenty of grief. 1t ought to make
a fine role for Miss Davies, who
has made gigantic strides since
the powers that direct her pic
lures have definitely decided she
is at her best in comedies. Lau.
rette Taylor was the first stage
star to offer Her Cardboard
Lover. She appeared in the play
when 1t premiered in Washing
ton and was so hopelessly mis-.
cast that the opus was with
drawn until A. H Woods hit
upon the happy idea of casting
Jeanne Eagles in the lead. Les.
lie Howard shared with Miss
Eagles in the honors of the play
on the opening night in New
York and subsequently was glad
to withdraw when something like
jealousy developed. Just as soon
as Towards Washington engage
ment in history is ended he will
take the boat for London where
he is scheduled to open Her
Cardboard Lover" over there.