davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
GLEANlNGS
:AND y:
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW X. KELLEY

Not all of Mr.. Thurston's
magic could make his show,
"The Demon ready for the
Sunday night opening at Polls.
The man who could without
warning pull a live rabbit or a
chicken from Andrew Melons
ulster, was unable to lift drop
curtain on the new drama said
to be full of weird tricks.
The company for "The
Demon" is here and rehearsed
but there are certain mechanical
properties necessary to some un-
usual stage effects which were
not completed.
The department is assured
by Publicist Clifton Aires that
the delayed premiere will occur
tonight without fail.
Playwright Owen Davis from
q back seat in the orchestra
carefully noted the audience re-
action to his latest play Dread"
at the Belasco Theater last
night. =
In a row or two ahead was
Louis J. C'Duke") Fosse also
paying close attention, for Mr..
Fosse was recalling that he was
present on the opening night of
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
PLEASING BILL
ON TAP AT
RIALTO

Joseph Schildkraut, dehonair
and dashing gentleman Of "Show
Boat" fame. comes to the Rialto
in another charming tale of early
river life. Portraying film of the
picturesque river boat days, Schild.
kraut is cast as a professional
gambler. Jack Ashland. Assured
gallant. the handsome fellow phys
his trade on the LabelIe, Fleeing
every likely looking conner aboard
the boat.
The picture is one of the most
entertaining shown here in some
time and it quite evidently found
favor with the capacity crowds
At last evenings performance. 1t
leaves one with a satisfied feeling
such as a pleasant incident in a
days journey creates.
The story is a romantic one
refreshing in it's simplicity. The
winding river, the picturesque
floating palace, the interesting
docks. all lend background and
local color. Darkies grooming their
racial chants and melodies make
excellent music.
The gay Ashland. aided and
ahetted by an adoring accomplice
CCarmelita Gerraghtyl. seeks out
one Mr.. Blackburn (Alec FranciSl.
Meantime he falls in love with
that gentlemans beautiful daugh-
ter, Lucy, charmingly portrayed
by Joan Bennett. In a card game
the older man loses not only his
own money but some investment
funds. entrusted to him. by friends.
The girl plays the gambler to win
and only after he leaves does she
her the game. The ending -
rather tragic, though it leaves one
to determine the outcome as one
wishes. Miss Bennett and Miss
Geraghty are beautiful, by con-
trast the more so. Likewise both
are especially gifted in their re-
spective enactments OF opposite
roles. Alec Francis lends his Gus
tomary dignity to a small charac-
ter bit. The picture. however. is
necessarily Schildkraut's and his
admirable delineation of the role
lacks nothing.
"Washington's Hero" a comedy
sponsored by the Washington
News is the added attraction.
Filmed in this city by local talent.
it is of course interesting. In
cluded in the list OF players are
William Bowie Clark. Mrs. r. u.
Beard, Lawn Thompson. Eunice
Lee Evans, Mary Henry. and S. B.
Valentine.
The Harmony Club. Victor
chorus provides a rousinE inter
lude. introducing some war time
favorites such as Beautiful
Katie" and the like, which are
we'll received. Universal News
reel has a diversified array of
current subjects. notably the
celebration OF Columbus Day in
Mexico and shots of the new
smoke screen recently tested by
our navy in the Pacific. An Os-
waId comedy supplements the
excellent screen bill. The Rialto
orchestra is on hand with an ap-
propriate musical program.
II. K.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
GOOD MYSTERY
FILM PLAY
AT PALACE

Ghosts walk and spirits talk at
the Palace this week in the mys-
terry shocker, THE Thirteenth
Chair" adapted from the stage
success.
Written before the days when
strangling became the vogue as
the modus operandi in murders,
Bayard Veiller's tale has enough
horror and spookery to appease
the most jaded appetltes.
Thirteen persons are seated in
a circle with hands joined. The
lights are turned out. Ghostly
voices are heard. Someone asks
who killed Arthur So and So.
A terrifying shrek. And when
the lights are turned on, the oc-
cupant of the thirteenth chair,
one Wales, is dead on the floor,
a knife wound in his back, but
no knife.
1t is plainly evident to all, as
well. as the inspector from Scot
land Yard, who has come to Cal
cutta to solve the original mHf-
der. that the same person COM
mitted both crimes, the second to
prevent the expose OF the FIRST.
This reviewer finds it interest
ing to come into a mystery pic
ture near the close, to see the de-
nouement first and then later,
upon witnessing the beginning OF
the film, watch the culprits ac-
tions. The popular mystery tale
method, of course, Is to thro"
suspicion on various persons,
finally pinning the crime on some
unsuspected person. The Th1r-
teenth Chair is more logical than
the general run of such films.
The guilty party can easily be de-
tected by the astute mystery fan.
The film Is we'll directed and
perfectly cast. Margaret Wych-
erlv as the medium is simply
splendid. Bella Lugosi, with a
slightly foreign accent makes an
unusual detective. Conrad NRgel,
hero of many trailers. and Leila
Hymans, gorgeous blonde, sup
plv the love interest admirably.
The Palace stage presentation
{ this week hits the high spots sew
eral times:
Those responsible are: The King
Brothers. buck and wing dancers
extraordinary; Irene Taylor, blues
singer, and Berdie Dean, dancer,
Harry Savoy provides comedy Of
kind and our good friend, Al
Evans, sings number called
Paradise Lost" that gets over.
Hearst Metrotone News com.
pletes the program.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
ACTION RULES
FEATURE AT
EARLE

"The Isle of Lost Ships" fur.
nishes an interesting theme for
one of the finest action pictures
done thus far in sound. And its
current screening at the Earle
brings to the Capital new story
to ponder over.
A shipwreck, in which beau.
tiful girl is saved from drowning
by an alleged criminal. gives the
initial punch of melodrama to the
vehicle. The escaped convict, with
his captor, a Dragging New York
detective, and the girl are the
only ones left on the wrecked
vessel.
For days they float around on
the derelict until finally the cur
rent carries them to the island
of lost ships. There they are
made to abide by the law of
seafaring gang of men, the leader
of whom chooses to make the girl
his wife.
Her defiance causes a row, and
in a fight that follows her res
curer-conVict comes out the victor.
The leader of the gang proposes,
however, that she marry the con-
Wet and a ceremony is performed.
Dissatisfied members of the gang
then conspire with them to leave
the island on derelict submarine.
The accomplishment of this leads
the young couple and their fol-
lowers back to a land of freedom
and happiness.
The principals in the cast in
clude Virginia Valli, Jason Ro-
hards. Robert O'Connor and Noah
Beery, all of whom turn in splen-
did characterizations.
The Earle trimmings include
two Nitaphone numbers. one of
which. The Court of Injustice"
is a one-act comedy. The other
features Dave Appolon and his
eight Russian artists. An orches-
tration honoring Thomas Edison
and the newsreel round out the
program
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
FOX CLICKS ON
STAGE AND
SCREEN

"The Girl From Havana" now
playing the Fox. is breezy, fast
moving story OF a jewel theft in
Los Angeles and takes US on A
delightful trip through the
Panama Canal and into the Cuban
capital. where the guilty ones are
arrested, leaving us free to take
a turn about the beautiful city
of the sea.
Plenty of action. authentic
shots of the canal and the
famous MORO Castle that guards
Havana Harbor, nice little love
interest gives this feature film
the requirements for pleasant en-
tertainment, ana offers an evenly
balanced vehicle for the talents
of two clear-VOiCed. much-in-
earnest youngsters, Lola Lane and
Paul Page, who do right by
their roles and who promise
enough to bear watching. The
minor characters are interpreted
by such familiar players as Ken
meth Thompson, Natalie Moore
head and Joseph Girard. with
Warren Hy:ner taking care of
the humorous situations.
Mr.. John Irving Fisher pre-.
sides over another of the Fanchon-
Marco ideas this one called
Indian Summer and iustifyine
the name in the colorful setting
and the light effects. In the
spotlight are Muriel Stryker.
dancer; Betty Lou Webb, who
gives a male impersonation;
Chief Eagle Feather, very good
at tap dancing; Gaines Brothers.
tumblers de luxe; Victor Valente.
Of pleasing voice; Lillian Price,
Georgie's little sister, who does
a Fanny Brice, and Mcdonald and
Dayton, Whose loH comedy antics
annoyed rather than amused.
The Sunkist Ensemble, in gor.
geous headdress. is nicely timed
and execute difficult routine with
precision.
Mr.. BrusiIoff directs both the
stage band and the concert or.
chestra, the latter giving a verv
beautiful rendition of Offenbach's
"Orpheus" as the overture with
Mr.. Henry Sokolov pIaying the
violin intermezzo.
Fox Moviatone news with
flashes of the Notre Dame. Navv
game in Baltimore, closes the
program.-K. Y.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
NEW DRAMABY
OWEN DAVIS
AT BELASCO
BY ANDREW r. KELLEY


lbsenesque is this latest play ny
Owen Davis, Dread" which
opened at the Belasco Theater last
night.
In the sitting room of the In
gram home in the country, Play
wright Davis sets drab drama
founded upon the psychology of
fear. 1t illustrates how the haunt
ing memory Of a death bed curse
can remain 10 taunt and terrify
the living. How the torture OF a
guilty conscience can become an
obsession which leads to self &C.
struction.
You might gather from this
cameo summary that Dread" is
a gloomy play. Such a surmise
is we'll founded for in three acts
somewhat meaSer in dramatic
action seldom is there opportunity
except for a grim laugh. The
opening night audience, sad to
report. relieved it's tenseness by
laughing at the wrong time.
The story of Dread" in plot
content is relatively thin when
spread over a theater evening.
Mary Ingram is engaged TO Perry
Crocker. although the latter is
secretly in love with her sister,
Marion. Perry and Marion decide
to tell Mary Of the situation which
threatens misunderstanding end
she takes the humiliation calmly.
Later she learns that Perry is al
ready married but before she has
an opportunity to warn Marion. a
heart attack removes her from the
scene. In her dying moments she
grasps her faithless lover by the
wrist and tells him she will strive
somehow to prevent his marriage
to her sister. So ends act One,
the best of the play. In the re-
naming two acts Perry is ior-
mented by the memory of the
threat while the retrospect of other
thorny chapters in checkered
career arise to plague him. 1t
ends tragicalIy with suicide
which left me completely unmoved.
Producer Sam Harris has pro.
vided rich setting designed by
Joe Meilziner and conscientious
cast. Spencer Tracy is the
harassed Perry Crocker Of
Dread" an unappealing char
acter that even his energetic will
lingness could not make convinc-
ing. The lovely Mad2e Evans IS
the Marion and Frank Shannon,
Helen Mack, Marie Haynes. Ed.
win Stanley, Miriam Doyle and
George Meeker play the other
roles. A special word for Kath-
leen Comegys who seized a few
comedy crumbs and moulded them
INTO moments that won indivi.
dual acclaim.
At this same theater three
weeks ago Producer Sam Harris
unveiled June Moon" which
has since developed into the big
gest of Broadway hits. I should
honestly love to report that Mr..
Harris had made a dramatic two
bagger but the Owen Davis play
offers little chance for such
hone
The Washington times., 1929-10-21


"The Trespasser" Is a celluloid
narrative of love and sacrifice
Overflowing In dramatic appeal.
Heart interest In an abundance
with series OF emotional eli.
makes that stir sympathy and
win tears while they keep your
eyes transfixed to the screen.
Each little milestone of tragedy
in the career Of Marion Donnell
effectively serves to move, the
story forward to happy and
logical conclusion.
In THE Trespasser," Gloria
Swanson lives the role of Marion
Donnell a stenographer in the
office of a Chicago corporation
lawyer. a girl of character and
spirit destined by fate to be lifted
out of a prosaic existence and
plunged into life that encom'
passes the loftiest heights and
btterest depths in our mortal
scheme of things. She msrries
the son Of a socially prominent
and fabulously wealthy magnate
who refuses to accept her as
worthy OF the family. 1ndig.
nantly she demands that her hus.
band choose whether it shall be
her or his family and financial
heritage. He leaves Marion and
after an annulment is effected,
marres q girl more in harmony
with parental ideas. Thereafter
comes motherhood, poverty, sick
ness, misunderstanding, ses-
sion of profane love, riches but
unhappiness and finally a turn OF
the whael which promises
smoother and happier journey. A
tight little story. told and acted
in pictures. that holds you from
start to finish
Gloria Swanson has never been
better. Her speaking voice is
marvelously effective and when
the action calls for trying emo
tional scenes the talent of a great
actress serves well in making
them moments that linger. Another
pleasant surprise for the Swanson
followers is a singing voice which
requires no apology. A pleasing
soprano, heard at it's best in Love
Your Magic Voice is Everywhere
the Goulding theme song. Gloria
mas a fndDte 10 hbH "dibi 'bO
of costly creations and display
them becomingly which will not
disappoint those who expect this
as Swanson essential.
The cast which assists Miss
Swanson deserves laurel. There
is Robert Ames in the hest work
he has yet given to the screen"
William Holden. veteran from
the legitimate whose playing of the
pround and snohbish father was
superb: Purnell Pratt. Kay Ham
mond. Blanche Frederici. Marcella
Corday and Henry Walthall, all
congenially fitted to the assigned
tasks. Little Wally Albright, the
baby actor who played Jackie"
iniects the Irresistible appeal and
charm OF childhood.
THE Trespasser" has been
caught by the microphones so that
it's smooth flow of we'll written
dialogue emerges from the sound
boxes clear and distinct. Director
Goulding has kept his thought OF
pictorial value we'll in mind, to the
end that the story has animated
action and shuns the mobility OF
stage technique in the delivery Of
needed dialogue. A few DAYS ago
T ventured the opinion that 1.-The
Trespa sser" was the finest thing
Gloria Swanson had ever given to
the screen. That stills tells the
whole story.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
THRILLS PILED
UP In MET"
FEATHERS

The redemption of a coward in
the Sudan campaign Of the Brit.
ish army, way back in the Ele-
CANT Eighties, Is the theme of
THE Four Feathers" on the
screen at the Metropolitan.
But the story becomes relatively
unimportant when the film shows
the wild and woolly Fuzzy. Wuz-
zies" of the desert, herd OF hip
poptami diving down steep
bank into the Nile and a gang OF
monkeys swimming the river after
a friail bridge breaks and tosses
them into the water.
These rank among the best wild
animal pictures ever made, and
were filmed by Cooper and Schoed.
sack. the makers of Chang" The
story, however, bears the Holly
wood stamp. Adapted from the
novel by A. F.. w. Mason, it has
been compared to Beau Geste."
but the similarity ceases in the
locale.
Richard Arlen gains stature as
a film actor in the role of the
young man who was brought up to
be a general, like his father and
grandpa and lot of earlier Faver-
sham males. The principle of
courage was so thoroughly lrilled
into him that he began to think
he didn't have any.
He was a lieutenant in the
III 20 rAnniNsnI
that his regiment probably would
be ordered to the Sudan, TO put
down a revolt in the desert. He
didn't want his uncertain valOr
put to the test, and he wanted 10
stay home and marry childhood
playmate, Ethne, daughter Of a
colonel. Fay Wray does this part.
Dicks fellow-officers-W William
Powell Give Brook. and Thao.
dore Won EltZ--discover their com.
panion's reason for resigning from
the army. Each sends him
white feather, branding him
coward. Ethne also hands him
one. His father learned Of It, is
sadly stricken and suggests his
son try suicide as a way out. And
with these kind words. the old
man dies Of a broken heart.
But Arlen now has a motive to
prove his courage. He hangs on
the outskirts of the army in the
Sudan and, through sheeer pluck.
succeeds in rescuing from death
and slavery each of the men who
gave him the white feather. Then
he returns home TO get the girl.
The story is told smoothly. with
plenty of thrills on the Sudane
front. Two scenes are rather
badly bungled, but for the most
part the film attains a high order
of excellence. The acting, phOtoe-
raphy and direction, to say moth.
ing of good local color, are all
above par.
The Four Feathers" more
over, can he recommended to chill
dren, as well as adults. 1t is
pure adventure. and the love in.
terest doesn't matter two pins.
Charlie Grapewin and Anna
Chance are featured in a really
good talking comedy, and we
hope to see more like it. The
newsreel and organ recessional
complete the bill r
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
When Feature Is
Shown on Screen

RIALTO-Joseph Schildkraut in
The Mississippi Gambler" AT
II. 2. 4. s. 8 and 10 pm.
COLUMBIA-Gloria Swanson in
"The Trespasser." At llO5 1907,
3I3, 5:9, 7:25 and 9:3l p. m.
FOX-"The Girl from Havana"
At 12:4O, 2:4O, ass, 1858 and 1OI1>
pm.
METROPOLITAN "Four
Feat thers" with William Powell
and Richard Arlen. At 11.4O, 1877,
$40, S:S7, 1877 and s:S7 pm.
EARLE-"The Isle Of Lost
Ships At 1871, 1:S4, 3:37. 5:31.
1874 ard 9:37 D. m.
PALACE-'The Thtrteer:h
Chair A. 1910, 2:37, sis. 7:3s
and s:5G pm.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
GREAT is GLORIA IN
HER FIRST TALKIE
Rz ANDREW r. KELLEY

Gloria Swansons debut in talking pictures is little short
of triumph and The Trespasser" WILL in my judgement
go down in film history of the major achievements
of a great
Any record of the factors which make the first feature
which Gloria Swanson sings and talks from the
such magnificent must accord Edmund Gouldng
several chapters for he wrote the story, picked with
inspired knowledge the players who interpret it with fine
understanding, directed its production with the hand Of
a and topped his contribution with theme song
oP ,oIoJ;o
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
Ratio Is Orator

Orangello Ratio. manager of
loves Palace broke forth as an
orator last week, when he pre-
sented in behalf of the entire
organization in Washington, sew
eral gifts to Mr.. and Mrs. M. J.
Cullen who were recently mar
ried. 1t is said to have reached
the same heights, that Tommy
Trundale's speech attained when
he made the presentation in be-
half of the back stage crew at
the Palace. However, Angie who
has been studying Mussolini's
type of oratory for the past few
months may have given a more
fiery address.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
ThurstOn Debuts AS
Author and Playwright

Thurston. for 25 years the out
standing magician OF the world,
has, within the last year, become
a writer. a playwright and a pro-
ducer. His autobiograph phy, "My
Life in Magic" has just been is
sued and his mystery play. The
Demon" will have its premiere at
Polls.
AS a theatrical magnate it Is
Mr.. Thurston intention to pro-
duce at least two plays a season
in addition TO carrying on with
his own magic show.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
Notable Cast

Brock Pemberton has enlisted
the services of A superior Broad
way cast for his production of
Seven Year Love" by John D.
Haggart which plays at the Ma
tional Theater the week of Octo-
ber 2Sth. The players include
Catherine Willard. Edwin Mean
der. Frank Elliott, Guido Nadzo.
Walter Petric. Theresa Maxwell
Conover. Carlotta Irwin, Audrey
Ridgwell, Horace Pollock. julie
Sutton, Kirk Ames. John Robb.
Natalie Boisclair and others.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
Stone Scenario

John Stone, as years go, is a vet
eran on the Fox lot. where he has
been functioning for several years
as scenarist, his latest being
THE Girl From Havana" now at
the Fox. Stone spent many weeks
in Havana, on shipboard, prepaT-
ing this particular story which
stars Lola Lane and Paul Page.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
First Nighters

Observed at the opening per-
formance of Dread" last night
at the BelascO Theater: Play
wright Owen Davis, Producer
Sam Harris, Mr.. and Mrs.
Louis J. F0sse. Russell Kelly,
Milton j. Kr0nheim, Mrs. NJ.
j. Hazel Jennings) Cullen, Mr..
and Mrs. James b. Hughes,
Victor KiraIy, Glenn GersOn,
Miss Louise Graves. MIR. and
Mrs. Porter Holmes, Eliot
Steckman, Mr.. and Mrs. Al
Sigmund and Jerome Gleisner.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
Fox Veteran

Seven years with the Fox pro,
ducing organization is the record
rung up by Benjamin Stoloff,
who directed The Girl From
Havana" with Lola Lane and
Paul Page now at the Fox
Theater. The current pisture is
stolotfs thirtieth directoraaR effort.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21

Irene and Mary" Paris" and
Love" the last of these a
Gilbert -Garbo item.
Director .Goulding made six
months study of sound technique
before he attempted to make
an audible feature. One of the
things which l liked in "The
Trespasser" was his unwilling
ness to trick audiences into a
belief that Gloria Swanson
plays the piano. Gloria sits
down to sing but before she does
you see her insert a roll in the
player-piano for her accompani-
ment. 1t is just a tiny thing
but, as Director Goulding rea-
soned it out, audiences can con-
centrate on the Swanson voice
without being worried over
whether she was actually play
ing while she sang.
The Washington times., 1929-10-21
GAYETY'S BILL
WINS WORDS
OF MERIT

Naughty Nifties." fine bur
lesque show. held the attention
and won the appreciation of two
large crowds at the Gayety The
ater yesterday. Featuring George
(Buttons) Fares and Helen Morgan,
the program also offers a number
of clever players who help might
lily in making the bill one of the
best Of the year.
Buttons" Fares is a comedian
who never rests on his laurels.
Always bringing us something new
and entertaining, he boasts some
good material this year and makes
good in most effective style. Miss
Morsan's strong point is dancing
and she does it with much grace.
"A Modern Bmebeard and cover
The Hills to Utah" are the hits Of
the bill. Combining laugh com
pelling humor. good songs and
pretty dances, they made big hit
with the crowds. Bert Marks,
Cora Starke, Lou Harris, Peggy
Delmar, Gladys Gilbert, Joe West.
and Frank Mckay are responsible
for much entertainment in these
numbers.
The members of the chorus float
in here and there on the wing
of song and proceed to demon
strate punches of pep.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-05-29

appeared to be a well timed bear raid, is one of the most striking cases in point.
 One of the stories going around Wall Street is that the managers of the pool sent out 100000 tele- grams pulling" the stocks a few days before they broke.
 The actual loss, if any, in the Advance -Rumely operation is said to be small compared with those sustained by few pools in the copper stocks. When copper start ed it's rapid rise to the high price of 24 cents a pound, and higher prices were talked of, pools were organized hastily in several leading copper stocks
 Several operators, and perhaps thousands of small investors, be- came loaded with copper stocks. The speculative craze extended even to copper companies which had not produced ton of metal, but whose claims had received alleged recog- milton from mining engineers.
 Instead of climbing above "A cents a pound, the price began to slip and finally dropped to Is cents pound, with some of the leading producers curtailing their output 10 per cent in an effort to stabilize the price around that level.
 The prices of stocks melted rap idly under the liquidation of disap- pointed spectators and the market losses in that group alone undoubt- edly ran into many millions.