Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04

y
TENDER, say. to the middle of
April, constituted the season"
Any one who attempted a theatre
cal venture, except in an outdoor
resort, was termed rather foolish.
Here and there we were given q
stock fare, but even many Of
these plays were presented in the
parks or on the vacant lots. The
movies have changed all this.
About the coolest place in town
these days is in any of the large
picture palaces"
The old-time theaters never in
stalled the cooling systems simply
because there were no cooling
systems to install. If we had been
offered the air-cooled years ago,
it is doubtful whether there
would have been a theatrical
season." Some of the biggest pic
ture successes in New York and
Washington have been exhibited
to record-breaking crowds during
the warmest weather Of the
Summer.
But the old-time stock COM
pany, showing under a tent, has
not entirely disappeared, regard
less of the movies. A recent trip
through the small towns of
Virginia and Maryland convinced
this writer that East Lynne"
'Uncle Toms Cabin" and Rail
road Jack" are Just about as pop
ular as ever before. Tents are
pitched on the vacant lots, hand
bills are distributed, and the stock
company usually stays in one
locality about a week. The actors
double in brass" and give band
concert each evening in front of
the tent; the leading lady renders
a piano solo just before the cur
tain goes up: the leading man
! takes tickets at the door-and the
movies seem to be far away from
the troupers and their patrons.
The drama goes on!
| WHAT are we going to do with
Nv the foreign films? That is,
the Russian pictures and the
| German pictures, many of which
country. Sowkino, the leading
Soviet production unit-according
to word sent out by our own De-
ing sound films, the first picture
of this kind being under way in
Leningrad.
Now, when this picture comes
to the United States, are we to
have it in the original Russian
version, with Russian dialogue. or
is the talk to be turned into Eng
liSh? What would be more out
~
sian peasants talking English?
And yet, do we have to sit through
: a picture with Russian dialogue?
And, if the Russians talk English,
what sort Of English will we hear?
We hereby cast one vote to have
the Russian and German pictures
brought to this country in the
silent state. 1t is also probable
that the Russian and German
picture patron will vote to have
our American films without dia-
logue. How about an East Side
crook story, or THE Broadway
Melody" in Russian?
THE press agent of the Pickford-
Fairbanks studio announces
that Mary and Doug are to ap-
pear in the first all-talking pic
ture which will have a universal
appeal. Of course, the pa. refers
to 1.-THE Tanning of the Shrew,"
, now being produced in Hollywood.
It is said: Shakespeare has been
translated into every language
and familiarity with his plays is
universal. Time and again it has
been proven that speech is only
a small part of the art form
through which drama is trans
lated, and thus an English version
will be enjoyed and understood
by all nations"
Well, maybe-but the CoSSacks
may not fully comprehend Doug's
death-d efying jumps from the
grand piano to the top of the re-
frigerator and all that sort of
thing.
! PARAMOUNT announces that
Mary Eaton, because she
could find with all the desired
!. talent and beauty" has been
selected to play the leading role
in "Glorifying the American
l.
plenty of beautiful girls in Holly
wood, but they were not equipped
to take a dancing and singing
part such as was required in the
forthcoming production.
ERETO FORE Movieland's
heroes have been lauded to
the skies. Now, it develops, there
is hero of the studio who does
not receive press agent notice. He
is the "juicer," or the electrician,
who handles the hundreds of
powerful lights used in the making
of color pictures. The colored
films, by the way, require twice
the ordinary number of lamps,
and the heat they radiate is ter
rife. High up in the rafters of the
airleSS, windowleSS sound stages
sits the "iuicer," and ice water is
sent up by the bucketful. The
electrician leaves his post only
once during the day-at lunch
time. The remainder Of the time
he Is a prisoner in an oven--so
that we may have colorS served
with our movies.
4 ~ y y
7 EVILS STONE, one of the ia;
vorite character actors of the
screen, has been signed to new
long-term contract by Metro
Goldwyn- Mayer. His recent work
in the dialogue pictures has
stamped Stone as leader In this
/ particular work, and he is given
important roles in many of the
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