The Washington times., 1929-02-07
GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW R. KELLEY

the screen rights to "Manhat-
tan Mary" the George White
musical comedy which stars Ed
Wynn and comes to Polls next
week. The announcement couples
the name of the comedian with
the Hollywood version.
Mr.. Wynn tried his hand at
the pictures about a couple of
years ago and was not, as
they say, so hot. The feature,
unless memory is faulty, was
called Rubber Heels" There
was a story that Actor Wynn
watched it at a pre-view and
then offered to refund all Para
mount had paid him if they
would put the films in a can
and then lose the can. Para
mount officially denied having
heard of such an offer. 1t was
released and generally panned.
The sound screen offers un-
limited possibility for the Wynn
nonsensicalities. DeWolf Hop
per says Ed Wynn is the best
story-teller alive. No mean
praise, for Mr.. Hopper can him
self tell a yarn about as good
as any raconteur. At any rate,
it would seem that the talking
films offer Ed a better chance
to entertain from the screen
than he has enjoyed hitherto.
About a year ago H ellen
Twelvetrees, pretty ingenue,
was talked about on Broadway
as one of the girls bound to go
far as dramatic actress. Then
the movies reached out and soon
she was ticketed for Hollywood
and became a Wampas star.
Her first appearance on local
screens comes Saturday when she
will be seen in ''The Ghost
Talked" an all-talking comedy
produced by the Fox company
and dominating the new pro-
gram at the Fox Theater. 1t
comes preceded by some glowing
notices from the Gold Coast.
Charles Eaton, a Washington
boy and brother of the blond
dancing Mary, also makes his
Washington screen debut in this
film.
The Shuberts believe in pre-
paredness. They have con-
tracted for the wiring Of 35 of
their houses in cities on the cir
cult and will be equipped next
season to light some of the dark
weeks now so common in the
legitimate theater.
Edward Everett Horton, who
gives such an excellent perform
ance in t..-a short Vitaphone talk
ing comedy, "The Eligible Mr..
Bangs" at the Metropolitan
Theater this week, is Holly
woods stock company impre-
sario. He has an easy time bill
ing the best of screen talent,
for many of the stars are anx-
ious to get actual voice expert
ence on the spoken stage. just
at present Lois Wilson is his
leading lady.
Mr.. Ziegfeld has got as far
as announcing that Barbara
Newberry has been selected for
the ingenue role in his musi-
caIized east Is West" He is
still waiting for William An
thony Mcguire to deliver the
completed book.
1t was Thanksgiving week
that Mr.. Ziegfeld decided it
would be a fine thing to open
EAST Is West on the Monday
night Of Mr.. Hoover's inau-
gural and at the National
Theater. Accordingly the date
was pencilled in by the Err
LANCER office, but it now is prac-
tically certain that the Ming
Toy operetta will not be ready
before April, and with an open
ing elsewhere than in Wash
ington.
Metro GoIdwyn is the first
company to complete a film
muscial comedy. It is Broad
way Melody" billed as an all
talking, all-singing, all-dancing
feature and opening at the
Astor Theater New York; to-
morrow night. Charlie King, who
left "Hit the Deck" to 20 to
Hollywood, is the juvenile star,
with Anita Page and Bessie
Love featured. Harry Beau
mont, who directed .Our Dane
ing Daughters" bossed the film
ing.
Stage authors who were'caught
flat-footed with contracts which
made no mention of talking pic
ture rights have become fore
sighted. The Authors League
now has a contract which pro-
v1des that film producers pur-
chasing talking and screening
rights for plays and stories only
have an option on the television
rights. If television material
ICES within 10 years the buyer
OF the authors material has first
rights to purchase, at the mar
/ tara.