davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
Zola's Pagan Frankness.

THE Film Arts Guild, which has its
outlet in Washington at the Little
Theater, on Ninth street. is exhibiting
from week to week rare type Of silent
motion picture. In fact, the motto OF
the house, 1.-THE Home Of the Silent Pic
ture," Is notice to the world Of the type
of its picture entertainment.
There Is. however. another feature OF
its entertainment which Is being frank
ly declared in advance, that no chance
patron may be misled and especially, on
occasions, It plainly suggests that the
picture it is presenting Is not entertain
ment for the young and unsophisticated.
But in thus frankly notifying Its possible
patronage in advance 1t Is making
equally clear that 1t Is catering to the
sophisticated, not to the depraved taste
of entertainment seekers.
Readers of Emile Zola's famous novels
are we'll aware of their style and con-
tent. One of these novels. Mana" Is
the basis of the picture that is being
shown at the Little Theater this week.
When Mana" first apperaed in the
pages of lie Voltaire, q Partisan daily,
the response was sensational to a de-
gree and protests were received by the
editor from individuals who professed
to be shocked at what they termed
Zola's pagan franknesS." In London the
publishers OF the first English edition
were brought to trial for publishing such
literature and for quite a while lola S
name was anathema In England. On
the continent, however, Mana" was
a tremendous success.
Yet, 1t Is contended, lola was essen
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
Direct Sound Control.

p EMOTE control, already known as
IN a radio process, will be used in an
adaptation to talking picture reproduce
ton at the premiere Of RCA's version
of "Rio Rita" at the Earl Carroll
Theater in New York next Thursday
evening. BY means of the new devel-
opment fingertip control of sound
volume during the showing Of the pic
ture will be possible, direct regulation
to be made by listener stationed at all
times In the rear of the house.
The old method of using push
button signals to the operator in the
projection booth. who made the advised
gradations in volume in the booth, will
be superseded by the new device. The
system is made possible by a special
motor connection from the auditorium
dial to the volume control knobs in the
projection room. Careful supervision
has always been necessary in the repro
duction Of sound pictures In the theaters
and RCA feels that the new method Of
direct control will be helpful In avoid
ing the pitfalls which often cause
blasting" or tnaudibility.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

told of how the idea for the civic
theater grew in her mind and was
realized eventually in the actual theater
established In Detroit.
You know, of course" said Miss
Bonstelle, that all over Europe every
town has its 'stadt-theater,' as they call
them in Germany. There are the pro-
vincial theaters just as there are pro-
vinclal opera houses, where people of
all classes can see and hear the great
classics given over and over. so that
they may become really familiar with
these works. It is the sort of thing
that makes for real cultural back
ground. In Europe the whole attitude
Is different. too, from what 1t is in this
country. You know people here. for
instance-in fact, we all do-who go
once to hear q certain play or opera
and then, when that same work comes
here again, say, oh, no, I'm not going
to see that; already have seen it.
Such people don't realize that 1t is
impossible TO get the real values Of a
good play or opera without hearing 1t
many times. With q civic guidance to
provide such entertainment for them
by good professional performers who
can get the best out of their roles the
public would change their attitude in
seeing thing more than once It is a
very real need for the American
theater and have found out by my
experiment Of several years standing
now In Detroit that my theory Is cor
rect. Thousands Of people In that city
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

are behind my endeavor with practical
assistance. Many of them have only
small financial pledges behind the
theater, but that Is what makes its civic
aspect so truly significant. In time l
hope that similar civic theaters NAV
be spread all over the United States and
that they will receive the national
recognition that would mark the highest
standard in cultural ethics for our
country"
Miss Bonstelle is known as "the star
lady" for she has definitely had a hand
In training and making" many of the
leading stage celebrities of today. A
representative group of these who are
internationally famous would include
Mary Pickford, Alice Brady and Kath-
crime Cornell.
The latest effort that Miss Bonstele
has made successful Is her production
OF Dion Boucicault's dramatic MASTER
piece Of the "mauve decade" entitled
After Dark, or Neither Maid, Wife or
Widow This play has run into its
second dozen of weeks, playing to
packed houses in Detroit. 1t is the
same work that was initially revived by
Christopher Morley at the now famous
Hoboken playhouse. Miss Bonstelle's
production is to 60 on tour later this
Fall and 1t is understood that Wash
ington is included in the list of cities
to be visited. In the meantime the
Detroit Civic Theater reopens its door
Tor the new season october !.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
Bennett Brillancy.

"'THREE LIVE GHOSTS" is based
on the famous comedy-drama
success Of the New York and London
stage Directed by Thornton Freeland,
the picture features a notable cast, in
Guiding Beryl Mercer, Charles Nc
Naughton. Claud Allister, Robert Mont
gomery, Hilda Vaughn. Joan Bennett,
Shayle Gardner. Harry Stubs, Jack
Cooper, Jocelyn Lee, Nancy Price and
Tenen HoltZ.
Joan Bennett. its attractive feminine
lead, who Is but 10. literally stepped
from the classroom of finishing school
in Paris to play the feminine lead In
-"Jarnegan" opposite her distinguished
father, Richard Bennett. on the New
York stage
Her mother, Adrienne Morrison, is
an actress of distinction, so 1t seemed
quite natural that Miss Bennett should
decide on the stage as a career. Miss
Bennett Is a sister of Constance Ben
nett and Barbara Bennett, stage and
screen favorites.
When talking pictures became an es-
tablished fact and thus revolutionized
motion picture making Miss Bennett,
having completed her New York stage
engagement, came to Hollywood 10 ap-
pear in Three Live Ghosts"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
One Thing After Another.

7 TFE in the picture studio is not the
grand glorious feeling for the
richly-paid and highly pampered screen
star that it used to be.
Just as the little lady had begun to
Toll in luxury and to acquire tempera-
ment that would do honor to the most
pampered operate star of theatrical
history. somebody sprung sound upon
her, and her life has not been over
happy since.
AS If the difficulties of acquiring
rich. melodious voice and a technique
in enunciation that she had never
thought worth considering in her really
palmy days were not enough. somebody
else is springing color production on her.
The modern girl in her widest fights
OF imagination would not be likely to
compass the woe which that means
She will 60 to see Gold Diggers of
Broadway" and run wild about its
beauties, but she will never for an in
slant comprehend what it cost the girls
In that show TO produce their beauty.
Why? Because In making this pic
ployed what Is known as a new natural
tone makeup which differs from that
used for the ordinary picture, and even
from that used with what Is known as
panchromatic film. It is almost i'm
possible for a novice to explain it, but
an idea In part may be gained by know
ing that deep orange lip rouge and a
slightly lighter shade for the cheeks is
employed to get the natural flesh tones.
Also the dark shading formerly used
around the eyes to accentuate and
beautify them must of all things, not
be used under the new process, because
the color negative Is extremely sensi-
tive to dark fermentation. That's what
an expert says.
And that is why the screen girls are
not as happy as they were.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
Ushered to Fame.

THOSE persons who have been awed
= or amused or inundated by the
grandeur of the ushers' uniforms in
several of the local theaters should be
beguiled by the story Of Roscoe Harms
and how he started his career as an
actor.
He was attending a certain military
academy, it seems. and at the flag end
Of one month when his spending
money was all gone felt high-pressured
impulse to treat himself to theatrical
performance. Not having the where
witllal, he merely removed the insignia
from the collar of his dress uniform
and found, quite naturally, that he was
then arrayed like any other spic-and-
span usher. Mastering his dignity
(who. in his normal status, can be as
dignified as a respondent usher at his
post Of duty?), he passed the ticket
taker without question. And enjoyed
the show.
Some inspiration from the perform
ance may have crystallized his ambi-
tons. but, be that as 1t may, Harms
took up the study of what is often re-
ferred to as dramatic art" on leaving
the academy and has been on the stage
ever since
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
Iii Hard on Clothes.

WILSON BENGE has worn out %
dress suits playing his particular
speciality on the stage and in the
movies. The speciality is that of butler
roles, and it seems reasonable to dub
him ''the best known butler in the
world" if the title interests him at all.
Benge is an Englishman by birth, and
for 20 years was known on the London
stage. His Interpretation of butler
parts brought him into demand by
movie producers, and by now he has
butlered IN millions of feet of celluloid.
He donned his twenty-fourth dress
suit for This Thing Called Love-"
which stars Edmund Lowe and Con-
stance Bennett
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

CRYPTIC report IN variety re-
~ veals the interesting news that
"A In mansion in Beverly Hills
Il u Calf. there dwells a man who
knows all that there Is to know
about the art of movie scenario writing.
It seems that this astounding genius
has compiled q series Of infallible
charts, developed from careful study OF
all the great hits and all the great flops
that have ever been produced on the
screen. These charts are said to be as
exact and as scientific as any of Presi-
dent Hoover's governmental yardstacks.
Whenever one Of the Hollywood au-
thors has story and Is doubtful Of its
box ONCE value, he can take 1t to the
master mind, who begins to function
after his palm has been crossed with
the sum Of $1,000.
AS soon as this money has been paid
and rung up on the cash register, the
great man takes the manuscript, steps
behind the velvet curtain and goes into
his trance. II the story happens to deal
with the theme of mother-love, the
master mind hauls out the charts that
he has based on analyses of "Over the
HILL" 1.-THE Old Nest" Where Is My
Wandering Boy?" and similar notable
triumphs Of the past. He compares the
story under consideration with the per-
4CSo SAAuAO 01A0 AlOOCo ally UlSCLCpdLlClSS
When he returns to the consulting
room, he may bring with him an en-
couraglng report, such as your story
Is perfect except for one consideration;
you describe your juvenile hero as hav-
ing neatly brushed hair; this must be
revised. In mother-love drama, the
hair Of the Juvenile hero must always
be curly and trousled."
Or the master mind may announce
fatty. Il regret to report that your
story disagrees with the chart In every
particular. 1t is 100 per cent original
and, therefore, worthless. Here Is your
manuscript and also your hat. Good
afternoon!"
Fortunately, the mysterious wizard of
Beverly Hills doesn't have to render I'M
satisfactory verdicts very often. His
patrons quickly learn not to bother him
with original ideas.
X
TT Is probable that some Of you who
= happen to be reading this column
will want to know the name and adj
dres of the master mind, so that you
can send him your own scenarios for
analysis, inclosing with each of them a
certified check for one grand.
Please don't write and ask me- be-
cause my only answer is. IT haven't the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
De-cricketing Crickets.

A NEW hazard has developed for the
makers of sound pictures in the
open air; it's not airplanes, automobiles,
birds, or squeaking shoes. It's crickets,
nothing less--not the domesticated va
riety that chirps blithely on the hearth.
but the loud-legged variety that infests
parade grounds and stubble fields and
such as that.
Playing back some sequences taken at
Fort Riley, Kans., for His First Com
mand," with william Boyd, sound engi-
neers listened intently to what came
from the mike" Underneath all the
conversation, the tramp Of marching
feet and the blaring Of a band there
was q sharp rattle like that of many
machine guns Some chronological ex-
pert on the staff finally isolated the dis
turbance as having been caused by
crickets. and investigation proved the
fact. The noisy little insects use their
hind legs like the bow of a bass fiddle
and charm their lady friends with these
strident lays.
To take the crick out of the crickets
officers at the fort obligingly directed
a gas attack against the raspy-legged
little chaps and, according to Boyd,
they cried themselves to death.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
The Hollywood Revue"

Jack Benny, vaudeville star. acts as
master of ceremonies and introduces
Conrad Nagel as a singer. Anita Page
shares the act with Conrad. and
Charles King Of Broadway Melody
fame again croons lyrical ballads. Stan
Laurel and Oliver Hardy join the show
as magicians and the Brox Sisters
again burst into song. Gus Edwards
sings one of his original numbers with
an appropriate chorus.
Joan Crawford does a neat song and
dance turn with The FOUNDERS lending
tuneful background. The Alber-
tina Rasch Ballet appears in techni-
color scene and the Natova company
Haines and Buster Keaton add merri-
ment with featured skits and Gwen Lee
is included in the elaborate cast of fun
makers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

THE greatest cast Of celebrities ever
assembled on any stage or before
any motion picture camera, 1t is
claimed, Is to be seen In The Holly
wood Review" Metro Goldwyn- Mayors
big special musical extravaganza. which
Is soon to be shown in Washington.
Marion Davies makes her bow as a
song-and dance commedienne in the
revue as Tommy Atkins on Parade"
with a male ensemble Of Shooters as
dancing bodyguard.
Norma Shearer and John Gilbert CO.
star in q modernized Romeo and
Juliet" skit and Bessie Love again
wins honors With her inimitable clown
ing and acrobatic dancing as well as
in participating in novel song num-
berS with Polly Moran and Marie Dres-
sler and Cliff (Ukulele Ike) Edwards
Karl Dane and George K. Arthur also
lend voice to the festive film.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
The Moying picture cAlbnm
By Robert e. Sherwood.

| faintest idea" II knew the master
minds identity, should hasten Il
consult him myself. He might be any
one of a dozen different people: viii
Hays, Charlie Ross ex-President Cool
idge, Wexford Beaten, King Victor En-
manuel, Willard Huntington Wright
Mrs Ella Boole, H. L. Mencken, what's
his-name who slowed away on that
French transatlantic airplane, or even
Lon CLANCY.
There's one thing certain: The
master mind actually and unquestion-
ably exists. Furthermore, his influence
on the literary output Of Hollywood Is
simply tremendous. His advice, how
ever expensive, Is eagerly solicited and
his commands are obeyed.
The stories that we see on the screen
prove this, conclusively.
THE master mind probably hasn't had
= time as yet to concoct any charts
that will be Of value to those who write
dialogue for the screen. There will
have to be greater number of sure
fire models before he can create any
really scientific formulate.
However, there has been q beginning.
Even an observer less sapient than the
master mind could take all the dialogue
in THE Singing Fool" 1.-THE Rainbow
Man." 1.-THE Melody Man" and Say It
With Songs" place 1t In q chemical re-
tort and bring 1t gently to a boil. and
discover that it all comes down to the
one line, Though friends forsake me,
I still have you, Sonny Boy"
Or you can put THE Broadway
Melody" ION With the Show" Broad
way" and THE Dance of Life" to the
same test. and the result will be.
Listen, baby-one of these days you
and me is going to be up In lights"
THOSE who are calling most loudly
for more and better art on the
screen and demanding that Hollywood
initiate Moscow are wasting their time
and their lungs.
There is only one thing for such up
lifters to do If they really want their
ideals to be realized. They should stop
talking and stop writing and journey
at once to Beverly Hills, Calf On ar
irving there they should disguise them
selves as scenario writers, 60 at once
to the home of the master mind, shoot
him dead. and then dissolve his collec-
ton of charts. graphs. formulate and
rubber stamps In some reliable. high
powered acid.
This would seem to be the only hope
for the screen.
Copyright. 1927
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
Foot Baldwin Sound.

I TNDER the title of "Gridiron Glory,
Grantland Rice is producing a short
picture for Pathe that will reproduce
foot ball thrills, college songs and music
and snappy talk by Rice himself on
the fine points of the amateur sport
which OF all others draws the greatest
public attention.
Which reminds us that in the old
silent films showing foot ball games
there always seemed to be something
lacking. 1t was the rhythmic cheering
OF the college partisans, the blare Of
the undergraduate bands and the ex-
cited cries of the spectators, all of
which combined to create an emotional
atmosphere which was lost in the films
Rices Spotlight picture will supply the
missing ingredients, the producers feel.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
First American Civic Theater
Established by Woman Directo,

From out the maelstrom Of things
theatrical that has existed for several
seasons now has come a decidedly new
development, a white hope of the
theater. and it has come In the Middle
West. Since road shows have been cut
down, both stock companies and little
in number and widened their purposes
This newest endeavor to have found
firm footing, however, is different It
Is the Civic Theater Of Detroit, Mich,
and Jessie Bonstelle, whose name is
known in theatrical circles all over the
world. Is its director Miss Bonstelle is
noted both as q talented actress and as
a director of ability
In a recent interview Miss Bonstelle
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

TALLY a moralist, and his "L'Assomoir, -
dealing with the evils Of the dram shops
of Paris, was actually utilized by Lon
don temperance society as propaganda
to further its cause.
Mana" the theatrical press agent
states. Is one of the great examples Of
naturalistic fiction; 1t strips the .demi-
mondaine of every vestige Of romantic
glamour and various members of lola 8
family aided in the preparation Of its
script and in the supervision Of the
story's film production.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
In Capital Theaters.
Continued From First Page. }

|
photograph star, the Grooming trou-
badour."
The cast Is famous, with Nancy We'll
ford and Conway Tearle in the leading
roles, and others including such favor
ties of stage and screen as Ann Pen
nington, Broadway's dancing darling;
Winnie Lightner, the "tomboy' of
musical comedy; Lilyan Tashman, the
blonde beauty from the "Follies"; AL
bert Gran, Helen Foster, william Bake
well, Nick Lucas, Lee Moran, Nicely
Edwards, Julia Swayne Gordon and
Armand Kaliz.
| FOX-May McAvoy in "N0 Defense"
! A romance of bridge building in the
West, mo Defense" Is the screen fea-
ture at the Fox Theater this week in
which May McAvoy and Monte Blue
are co-starred. The picture was direct
ed by Lloyd Bacon, who has been a
guiding genius in the making of AL
have done q mighty fine job.
AS an added screen feature. william
Fox is presenting A. Conon Doyle, famed
British author who created Sherlock
Holmes" In a Fox Movietone appear
ance. This also is special" In its
particular sphere.
On the stage Is offered the third Of
JOY" which stars Arthur Pat West
who has been featured player in Zieg-
fields Midnight Frolic" and his IA
nous "Follies," with Paradise Alley"
Our Nell" and in Good News" 9th
ers In this Idea" are the Paige sisters,
Scotty Western, Dolly Kramer and the
Emperors of Harmony. with the Sun
kist Beauties. John Irving Fisher will
be featured in a stage oddly which
will include piano solo. The Fox Or
chestra will offer the Leoncavallo "Pag-
liacci" overture and Fox MoVietone
News will complete the program.
RIALTO-"Tonighta at H."
Tonight at H." owen Davis play of
philandering husbands and wives. which
was a sensational success on Broadway,
has been made into an all-talking pic
ture and is the feature at the Rialto
this week. What thrills in Tonight at
IL" is the treatment Of the theme,
dealing with the tangled lives OF cheat
ing husbands.
A wife finds note written by her
husband. She accuses one Of three
friends-of an affair with her husband.
The son of one and the daughter Of
another is enmeshed in the circum-
stantial plot that looks serious for the
happiness Of the married couples until
the amusing end Of the story.
Featured in Tonight at IL" are
Madge Bellamy. Robert Ellis, Margaret
Livingston. Vera Reynolds and George
Lewis. Others in the large cast are
Norman Trevor, Hallam Cooley, Mary
Doran, Madeline Seymour, Josephine
Brown and Don Douglas. The picture
was made for Universal under the di-
rection of Harry Pollard, who handled
the megaphone for the screen version
Of Show Boat
A short-reel comedy and sound nov
elites will supplement the feature pic
ture.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
COLUMBIA-Nancy Carroll In
THE Dance Of Life.o

1.-THE Dance of Life" continues to
bring forth tears and laughter at
Loew's Columbia for its second week
The Paramount talking. dancing, sing
ing production features Hal Skelly Of
the original play version of the story,
"Burlesque," and the popular Nancy
Carroll
The picture opens with a petty quar-
rel in tab show In tank town. The
argument ends In Skid, the comedian,
leaving the show. In the deserted sta
argument started. Both are jobless. In
looking through a theatrical publica-
ton they see an advertisement for a
comedian Skid is urged by the girl to
apply. and he agrees, If she will join
him in an act. They send a wire. and
practice a routine in the station. are
accepted for the job and make good,
especially Skid. Skid, however. has lit
tie ambition, and Is inclined to drink.
Nevertheless. under the girls influence,
he is steered right. Finally they marry,
and shortly after Skid is offered a con-
tract with a Broadway production. The
girl forces him to go. In the rush Of
later events he forgets her. and finally
she Is ready to leave him for a wealthy
man who desires to marry her. In the
meantime Skid slips because Of drink
and worry about his wife. He is fired.
and his friends desert him. The girl,
however, comes to save him from him
self. and to do their old routine in the
burlesque show.
The picture has sequences in natural
colors, and in addition to the beef
trust" burlesque chorus a chorus of 80
girls appear in the "Follies" sequences.
There are six new song hits as we'll as
new dance routines and some lavish
sets.
Ukulele Ike, Cliff Edwards, is pre-
sented In Metro Movietone act. The
Fox Movietone News and the M-G-M
International News round out the pro-
gram.