The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-09-16
GLEANINGS.
AND.
SCREENINGS
81 ANDREW r. KELLEY

Columbus Of the Warrington
Ad Club, stops at the editors
desk long enough to report that
The Washington Herald, with
George .RothwelI Brown, Mr..
Brisbane and Walter Winchell, is
the best Scent buy any q. m.
AS for the afternoon prints, he
prefers column gosh, I'm
bIushing and can't write It.
1t is Mr.. Columbus sub-rosa
opinion that the theaters make
everything good in their pub
licity and thus there exists no
standard of comparison for the
amusement seeker. Don't worry,
Charles, the regulars have no
difficulty in picking out the
good ones. A press agent de-
MED the use of adiectives would
be like Babe Ruth without
bat. He just couldn't perform
effectively. And, come to think
of it, the Better Business Blu
reau seldom yes, hardly ever
has to bother about theater
advertising.
One of the legal incongruities
of the picture Fast Life" at
the Earle Theater, is that young
Douglas Fairbanks almost sits
in the electric chair, although
the crime which he is supposed
to have committed would never
be first-degree murder in any
State.
When a husband defends his
wife from an attack by mad
dened drunkard, as young Doug
does, / doubt if any jury in the
world would hold him guilty Of
q more serious offense than
Inanslaughter, even if he acct
dentally killed the assailant. In
"Fast Life" the youth is con-
victed and just escapes a legal
"frying."
It struck me that it was just
too bad Doug's pop couldn't
have found. say, a Wilton ].
Lambert, Jimmy O'Shea or a
Bert Emerson and saved the
lad all the agonies of the death
cell.
Author Samuel Shipman says
that Assistant District Attor-
ney Ferdinand Pecora, of New
York, looks over his plays and
movie stories and makes them
proof against such flaws. East
Life" must have been submitted
when Mr.. Pecoras was on his
vacation.
In the Fox Movietone news
this week you can hear William
B. Shearer, the super-propagan-
dist for big Navy who was
denounced by President Hoover,
defend himself against the
charges and proclaim his 100
per cent Ainericanism. He is a
very MISUNDERSTANDING citizen
who gives the impression that
when ne goes after something
ne is aggressively active.
Also in the same news reel is
a two-minute talk by Premier
Ramsay Macdonald, outlining
the principles of disarmament
which he hopes to discuss in
Washington soon with President
Hoover. ~
A Shot of the smiling Mrs.
Coolidge defeating the cruiser
Northampton at the Fore River
yards in Quincy, Mass, COM
pletes a trio of very timely pic
lures that are tribute to news
reel enterprise.
My thanks to Mr.. Arch. Sell
wyn, of New York, who had
Producer Charles B. Cochran, of
49 Old Bond ST., London, for
ward a complete set of press
clippings from the London
dailies on Ian Hay and Stephen
King Halls play "The Middle
Watch"
After scanning the critical APP
praisement there exists not the
slightest doubt that John Bull
found this farce as delightfully."-
pleasing as mutton and ale. All
notices are glowing. The action
concerns the devil-to-pay when
a couple of girls are caught on
q battleship which is ordered
into immediate action. What
the admiral has to say about it
all is indeed hilarious.
"The Middle Watch will have
its first American performance
here under the Selwyn aegis,
the week of October z at the
Belasco Theater.
All Jolson in "Say 1t With
Songs rolled about $4,000
through the Metropolitan Thea
ter ticket windows the first
week. This is whopping good
business considering the picture
had to compete against at least
two days of sizzling weather.
Inc Singing FOoi ola ABOUT
$1,000 more on its first week
but that was without a humidity
handicap. Only Charlie Chaplin
and Harold Lloyd are in AIS
class as single male stars who
can pile up important money
consistently.
Everywhere, you look tonight
at the National Theater will
be a newspaper man or a sob
sister. "The Front Page" has
excited the members Of the
Fourth Estate to the point where
the opening night of the Ma
tional season will be a sort IF
journalistic reunion with tlain