The Washington times., 1929-10-12
GLEANINGS
:AND
SCREENINGS !
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

Howard Thurston will make
his debut as playwright on
Sunday night, October 20, at
Polls.
He has written a mystery
play that is said to be the last
word in thrills. 1t is called
The Demon" and ghosts con-
Jured up in the mysterious
way of the magician stalk the
audience. Thurston is out with
his own magic show and does
not appear in his play, al
though he will be present here
to witness the premiere.
One of the Philadelphia thea
ter managers with an abundance
of spare time, since his amuse-
ment house is closed by the
musician trouble in Philadelphia,
watched the thoroughbreds run
at Laurel yesterday and be-
tween gallops discussed with the
editor the labor situation inso-
far gas the threat of a back
stage strike, October 20, which
will close all the Erlanger and
Shubert theaters.
"Bet all you can beg, borrow
or steal that this is bluff
that will be called" he said.
Mr.. Weber can't get the stage
hands out in New York, Wash
ington or in any other city
unless he wants to plunge their
union into suits that will cost
millions. He can't get the
Actors Equity members to quit
productions for they have an
ironclad agreement with man.
ayers and also with the A. F.
of L. that actors are not bound
to strike in sympathy with
other organized workers in the
theater. Besides, President
Frank Gilmore of Equity was
left high and dry to fight alone
on the coast this summer, and
how do you suppose he feels
about a lack of support when
the Hollywood producers had
AlS UdSh az dAIlSI VIC wall
This is a Philadelphia fight
and you can bet your sweet life
that musicians, stage hands and
every other employe of the thea
ter outside of that jurisdiction
intend to keep it in Philadelphia.
This talk about a general strike
Is pure propaganda. l look for
settlement of the difficulty
very soon and it will be made on
concessions which the working
musicians of Philadelphia were
ready to make but which Presi-
dent Weber arrogantly tore up
in a mistaken belief he could
force theater owners to yield
to the original demands"
I submit this as just one
opinion on a burning dispute and
as testimony that you can pick
up something besides N. G..
tickets at the Laurel track.
Recent observations in this
column anent the quality of act
ing provided by Ann Harding is
paris Bound draw a vigorous
minority report in neatly
typed communication which has
reached the editors desk, While
/ disagree almost entirely with
everything the writer sets forth
| would be tempted to give it
printed prominence were it
signed. Why anybody who takes
the trouble to write such an in
telligent letter should send it
unsigned it puzzling. This edi-
tor will respect those who wish
to hide their identity behind
pseudonym in the event Of pub
lication, but append a signature
and an address merely as mat
ter of good faith
1t takes all kinds to make up
this busy world, and most of
them get to the movies regu-
larly. Some like William
Haines. Some like features, as
"The Cohens and the Kellys."
Some like Ann Harding and
pictures of the type of "Last
of Mrs. Cheney" and paris
Bound" Critics Of the notion
picture programs have their
similar affections and predu-
jices.
To dissent from critics
opinion is always in order. Ny
personal preference among New
York critics is for the scholarly
Richard Watts, although seldom
do I agree with him on his
entertainment appraisals. He
Is, in my judgment, too much
inclined to turn up his nose if
the mass appeal is for some
thing less than high in literary
quality. The high-brow stuff
he raves about in well-turned
phrases. But he Is generally
readable.
Occasionally, I get letters
which boldly declare the Mon
day or Tuesday reviews, with
the editors by-line, are hope-
lsssiy wrong as bill Of particu-
hrs. Others come to Tighten
40 burden Of the daily chore
Ax fatifying the expressed
attcaI Judgment Pro and
9osS ] love to get them.
0oidmns thrive on controversies,
and 80 do critics. If / can stir