The Washington times., 1929-06-01
GLEANINGS1
SCREENINGS
AND
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

was printed q baHoC designed
to lure from regular patrons
of the motion picture theaters
some definite expression as to
their likes and dislikes for the
Hollywood product as exhibited
in our first-run amusement
marts.
Most of those who took the
time and trouble to reply have
positive opinions on the subject
and supplemented the (X)
marks on the ballot with terse
comment on the industry's out
put. In another column today
the test ballot is printed again
and it will hten be my agree
able duty to count and tabulate
the result for an expectant
public.
This much may be divulged
now without extended explana-
tion and analysis. The or
chestra in the pit and as visi-
BILE and melodious unit Of the
program has a big lead over the
unseen but proficient musical
synchronizers for the film fea-
lures. In other words pit music
is preferred to screen music by
a substantial majority voting in
/ this unofficial, but hope rep
resentative, canvass. Trailing
also in popular favor are the
pictures which run for while
silent and then blurt forth into
! sound dialogue. But more of
this anon and some figures for
those who care to study them
and perhaps draw their own con-
clusions.
The final curtain call has
been answered by one of the
fine old veterans Of the Wash
ington lobbies--a man who
gloried in the hey-days of the
legitimate drama, who mourned
with it's producers and managers
in the drab days of poor sea-
sons, but who never found any
thing to touch the thrill of a
real opening night or the pleas
ure Of an active contact with the
theater and its people.
It is Manager L. Stoddard
Taylor, of the Shubert-Belasco
Theater, who calls my attention
to the sudden passing of Mr..
L. P. Wilcox, for some months
connected with the executive
staff of his theater. The day
before his untimely summons he
was about the theater able to
attend to his regular duties. A
heart attack during the night
ended a long theatrical career.
Mr.. Wilcox was one of the
veteran company managers and
advance agents of the profess
sion. He, it was, who conducted
Jeanne Eagels the length and
breadth of the land in her highly
successful tours with "Rain."
Before that agent'~r for the
Barrymores, Lou Iellegen, the
Morris Gest companies and with
practically all Of the great pro-
ducing managers of Broadway.
He knew every one-night stand,
all the little ins and outs of
management, the business of
selling his stars to the theater
public. i
When his health failed and he
was forbidden the rigors of
travel, Mr.. Wilcox could in
variably be found in the lobbies
or offices of the Washington
legitimate theaters. He carried
fine scorn for the movies. l
was accustomed to see him,
with his inevitable pipe, on
opening nights, eager to discuss
the merits of the play between
acts or the latest bit of Broad
way news.
"Boy, I like to read your
stuff" he said to me one night
last winter. ~ see in the back
ground a man who loves the
theater and only those who love
it should write about it." Some
how I cherish that unsolicited
tribute from one who held sacred
the traditions of the stage,
found comfort and joy in it's
illusions, congenial companion
ship among its workers.
A sister, Mrs. A. w. Thorn,
who comes from well-known
Illinois family, is the immediate
surviving relative. Funeral
services were conducted by New
Jerusalem lodge of Masons and
interment was at Fort Lincoln
Cemetery. Peace to his ashes.
Fort Myer and Uncle Sam's
cavalry are to be glorified by
the movies. The Marine Corps,
West Point and Annapolis have
provided the background and
atmosphere for features in
which William Boyd has been
the uniformed hero and now the
camera will be focused on the
mounted soldiery. Pathe will
send a company to the Army
post across the Highway Bridge
to film "Boots and Sabers,"
with Alan Hale and Robert
Armstrong as chief support for
Bill Boyd, Carol Lombard will
be the girl the boys will fight
over.
Memorial Day, with it's sum-
mer temperature and sunny
skies hit the movie box-offices
a lusty wallop. A balmy Sun
day afternoon was disastrous
blow also to any hopes of high
.