The Washington times., 1929-02-08
.GLEANINGS.
AND
SCREENINGS.
By ANDREW R. KELLEY


Believe it or not, but the
Dolores Costello-Conrad Nagel
picture, "The Redeeming Sin,"
beat the Sunday opening bust
ness of AL Jolson in "The Sing
ing Fool" at the Metropolitan
Theater, last Sabbath. An ex.
ira performance made the new
box-office record possible.
Fannie Brice told a not-so-
nice joke about a red necktie
that doubled up some of the Gus
toners at the New York open
ing of "Fioretta." Percy Ham,
mond looked around to see who
was the man behind him almost
apoplectic. in his mirth. And
Percy nearly expired when lc
recognized Will Hays.
So far as this column has been
able to discover in not too La
borious research, Mr.. Hoover is
not a theater-goer. Neverthe-
less, Warner Brothers propose
to try and lure the President
elect into trying the F Street
film product by the presentation
of a solid gold pass for its
theaters.
Nancy Carroll, who will be
exhibiting her screen art in two
first-run features, beginning to-
morrow, is a New York girl,
lie Hiff being her proper sur
name.
She made a hit with the New
York scribblers when she ar
rived from the Gold Coast for
a personal appearance recently
by passing up the elaborate
Plaza Hotel suite which Para
mount had engaged for her as
congenial atmosphere for news
paper interviews. Instead
Nancy made appointments in her
Bronx home, which was notable
for it's lack of De Mile trim
mings.
The Carroll child was picked
from a stock company playing
"Chicago," on the Coast, because
her voice and personality ap-
pealed to a director in the au-
dience. She made good from
the start.
"Scars," a play which had a
sickly week in Washington and
is now in Baltimore, will be
taken off after this week and
rewritten before attempting
New York.
Earl Carroll has spent much
money and used considerable
type to make it known that
Dorothy Knapp is the most
beautiful woman in the world.
However, it depends upon whose
eyes. For instance, St. John
Ervine, the imported Picadilly
critic of the World, said: miss
Dorothy Knapp had only to look
nice. This she did without any
trouble whatever" And of
Fanny: miss Brice is a bril-
liant comedienne and very
handsome woman" This is one
notice Miss Brice will probably
give preferred position in the
scrap-book.
l am glad to report that Mr..
Victor McLaglen, one of this
departments favorite cinema
heroes, is going to become rough
and ready again for screen audi
ences. McLaglen gave an un-
forgettable performance in
"What Price Glory" and there
followed soon after "a Girl In
Every PORT" almost as good.
Then "Hangman's House." and
couple of others in which
McLaglen was just $3.50.
McLaglen will hardly be a
hel, of the talking films until
he can overc me a marked Brit
ish accent, which does not fit
with the characters he plays
best in pantomime. But in
barroom brawl or as a hairy
chested lover who bowls over
the opposition, give me Victor
every time.
All of this as preliminary to
the announcement that in his
next feature, Captain Lash"
he is seen in a stoke hole of an
ocean liner, engage, in some
free-for-alls, and then cracks
through with that million-dollar
smile. II comes to the Fox,
barring changes. the week of
February Is.
A new management announces
the President Theater will re-
open tomorrow with "White
Slave Traffic." a melodramatic
feature film said to be based on
the sensational report of the
League of Nations, anent the
drug evil.
Ben Bard was married yes
terday in Los Angeles to one
of Hollywood's richest women.
She is Ruth Roland, who made
her fortune in California real
estate. In the days when serials
were popular with screen patrons,
Miss Roland was one of the most
intrepid of weekly heroines.
Prudent investment of her sal
arv envelopes pyramided her