The Washington times., 1929-08-17
SCREENINGS
:AND:
GLEA NINGS'
By ANDREW X. KELLEY

BY ANDREW X. KELLEY
Joseph P.unkett, the $4,000
a year operating head of all
Keith theaters was in town yes
terday looking over the Fifteenth
and G Street house and making
up his mind about it's future.
This afternon he will confer in
New York with President Hiram
Brown, of the R-K-O in a ses-
sion which will decide when the
theater will relight, and the
policy.
While I was trying to get close
to this news / discovered that
one of the structural iron work.
ers on the adjoining Garfinkle
frame work is better at stopping
hot ones with his bucket than
Goose Goslin. And the fellow at
the forge, who does the chuck
ing throws more strikes than
Garland Braxton.
James Carrier, of the Uni
versal forces, who speaks for
Carl Laemmle in the confer
ences with the local musicians
over a new contract for the
Rialto Theater, Pullmaned down
from New York for another
parley with the union officials.
You see 'em and hear 'em
and now, by gum, you're going
to smell 'em. When the Holly
wood Revue of Metro-G -Goldwyn
opened at the Aster Theater in
New York there came a mo-
ment in the screen musical when
"Orange Blossom Time" was
unreeled as the big celluloid
number. Immediately the audi
torium was permeated with the
pungent odor of citrus fruit
pumped into the air waves by
the cooling system. Shades of
Nedick and old man Dikeman
but the movies are progressing.
When "The Cock Eyed World"
plays the Fox Theater, John
Irving Fisher takes a lay-off.
The feature runs one hour and
25 minutes so there is no time
available for an extensive stage
show.
Just as I am beginning to
believe that radio offers real
opposition to the theaters-such
as last night tune in for a
swell piano player offering.
"Ain't Misbehavin' from "Hot
Chocolates, . who is followed
Immediately by d dolefuI voice
discussing bright's disease, slug
gish liver and the remedies for
hardening arteries. Is this a
clinic or amusement? Thank
heavens for the tune-off button
on the radio set.
Norborne Robinson, Munsey
Building editor, who loves an
Irish story such as his lamented
friend Frank Fogarty could tell,
observes there's not good
chronicler of Celtic wit on the
stage today. Only terrible imi-
tations. AS for the radio Irish
comedians he recommends first
degree with no mercy. Reluct-
antly I agree he's right.
The boss of the Stanley
Crandall telephone switchboard
sees. every movie in town every
week and is sorry the first-run
houses don't change programs
twice in seven days. Also she
reads this column every day and
sometimes agrees with it.
Ernest Lubitsch, eminent
Hollywood director, sends a per-
sonal letter of thanks to the
editor for his vote nominating
the German megaphone wielder
among the 10 best in the world.
Don't mention it, Ernest. Just
give us another like "The Pa
triot."
Rudy Vallee and his band can
be seen on the Earle Theater
screen this week and also heard
via Vitaphone. Look him over
girls and write, don't telephone,
why the fair ones of New York
consider him the last word in
the dictionary.
Bill Sweets-who used to be
just a real good radio editor
on The Washington Times-will
pay an incomes tax on $4,000
or thereabouts for writing and
directing radio programs in
1929. He's a star continuity
writer for the microphone and
rates as much as the highly
paid Hollywood experts.
Mark Hellinger, who knocks
the movies right and left in his
New York Daily News column,
has been picked to write the
Paul Whiteman story for the
fillums, according to the latest
Hollywood dope. The 30O-pound
orchestra leader turned down
cold three yarns, all of which
had him a celluloid Romeo. He
wants the romance of his rise
IN the music world featured.
Meanwhile Universal was stuck
$4,000 a week awaiting the
right screen tale. Now he is