The Washington times., 1929-12-20
CLEANINGS
AND
SCREENI NGS
b. Andrew r. Kelley

N1l8IlG6 GIOkullhn b4AAA4SA 0AAA
Gilbert Miller management.
Such attractions ordinarily play
the Snubert theaters and &C.
cordingly there was much ex-
element over . switch to the
Granger playhouses.
Il turns out that Mr.. Skinner
win appear In zone Hundred
Years Old" now called Papa
Juan" under his own manage
ment, Mr.. Miller having re-
linuuished his interest In the
play after the New York and
Boston engagements.
All Of which Is preliminary
10 stating that Otis Skinner
has been playing continuously,
On the stage, man and boy,
since 1877. It was on October
10, 1877, that young Mr.. Skin
ner presented the following
letter to william Davidge, jr,
manager Of the Museum In
Philadelphia:
1.-THE bearer, o. A. Skinner,
ESQ, is known to me. His
parents whom I have known In
Hartford, Conn, for several
years are eminently respectable.
Mr.. Skinner has an ambition, q
talent and yearning for the
stage. I have no doubt that he
VIII prove an important acqui-
sition to any theatrical corps
he may join.
(signed) r. r. BARNUM.
And the usual p. 8. can be
added: he got the Job. Open
ing on October 80, 1877, play
Ing Jim, an old negro In Q
play Of the North and South
called. 'Woodleigh..' The rest
Is history.
For those who like to follow
the fortunes of the new plays
after they leave washington it
can be set down that Gertrude
Lawrence in Candle Light" is
on the last fortnight Of the New
York engagement It opened
here September is and began on
Broadway one week later.
Makes me sorry now that I
didn't break Q rule and take the
bet Of an enthusiastic advance
agent who entered Q pleasant
dissent to The Times review
calling It lightweight comedy,
well acted and vei1tured to pre-.
dict 3 solid season On the Big
Street.
And for George Perry Mar
shall and other close students Of
District Of Columbia critical
opinion, this department, scan
ming personal averages since
September, finds it struck out
Of william Faversilam's play
and was misled but not much
by THE AnnorouS Antic."
These first night errors are par
italy offset by two predictions:
eJune Noon had everything
needed for q smashing hit, and
3 guess right for Berkeley
Square"
When Death Takes A Hon.
day" opens Ia New York Christ.
mas night none of the women
who played In It hero will be
found In the cast. The drama
has been made the January Sc
lection Of PlAychoiCe, an organ.
izatiou in which Jane Cowl Ii
active, that endeavors to per-
form for playgoers the same
service provided for readers by
the Book Of the Month Club.
Ienore Sorsby, Q washington
Girl and q graduate Of Trinity
College, who began her stage
career with the old 6arrick
stock company, is one OF the
new members Of the cast.
Old Maa Santa Claus has
begun making the rounds early,
or maybe he begins near the
Hearst Building. At any rate,
o naottled fountain pen and q
pencil and q bundle that makes
3 gurgling sound, marked mot
to be opened until Christmas"
found their way to the editors
desk, yesterday.
Also the first batch Of st.
Nicholas greetings from Mr..
and Mrs. Lee Sorners, Hal
SkeIly, Maurice Kafka, Glen
Gerson, and Q "JoyetEr Noel,
Heureuse aimee" from jack
Connolly, European manager
for Fox MoYietone.
But the best Christmas pres
emit Of all is the news that it
viii not be necessary to write
@Gleanings and Screenings" for
December IS, nor again for
January /.
Paramount has bought the
seasons biggest Broadway hit,
Strictly DiEhonorabIe, and
the present plan is to use 1t as
. talking picture vehicle for
Maurice Cheyalier. The Pres
ton Surges play has no songs
ii it for the French music hall
star, but presumably Adoiph
Zukor's string Of composers will
provide a theme tune and some
other ditties.
Monta Bell is to direct Cheva-
ner's next picture, THE Big
Pond" which is all ready for
production. Paramount is nurs-
ing the idol Of the French
music halls, for his feature,
s"The Love Parade" is the
leader among the 50 pictures
now playing on Broadway.
The eminence Of the name
Shakespeare means very little
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