The Washington times., 1929-06-11
.GLEANINGSI
SCREENINGS
AND
D. ANnRRaN B. KRl.LHR

A nice little letter from Wes-
ley Eddy, Of the Penn Theater,
Pittsburgh, in which he desires
to express kindest regards to
his Palace friends and says he
has been cheered in the smoky
city job by correspondence from
his Washington followers. The
master of ceremonies is looking
forward to the return engage
ment, although it is tentatively
some weeks ahead.
The Catholic Daughters Of
America and friends filled every
chair within the National The
ater last night. Tonight the
Quota Club has q benefit per-
formance Of "Girl Of the Golden
West"
Ethel Barrymore Colt, the IT.
year-old daughter of Queen
Ethel, announces she will pick
up the torch and carry on the
tradition Of Americas greatest
acting family. With q nice new
diploma from Notre Dame Acad-
emy, Rose Valley, Pa, in her
hand, she spoke as follows when
oueried about the future:
"At last L have made up my
mind to 60 on the stage. | de-
cided only this year. For a
long time I didn't know what |
was going to do. AZ . matter
of fact, / think it was only spite
that made me hold out against
it 50 long. My family and my
friends, of course, expected me
to follow in the footsteps OF all
my relatives and I just got too
obstinate. I'm a very obstinate
person. But suddenly / realized
the theater was the only thing
in the world ! could ever follow
with happiness. 1t won't be
next year, as | expect to 60. to
Europe and study languages,
but it will be the year after
When | saw eight big stage
hands swinging on the bars
of trapezes Saturday morning l
wondered whether the Palace
Theater had a new acrobatic
act which utilized the union
men back of the footlights.
They were making ready for
the new unit revue show due to
ring up at 1890 p. M, and this,
l learned, was part of the
scenery test which makes it safe
for show girls. The eight men
dangIed on the iron bars, put
ting their full weight and then
some on the overhead supports.
Since the apparatus stood the
pressure without groaning or
collapsing it was officially
passed as safe for the six girls
who swing on the bars during
the show.
The price Of my curiosity, or
interest, was a big black smudge
on the .camel'S-hair top coat,
collected from q well-greased
prop. Thus does an editor sacri-
flee that his public may get
the. news.
Russell J. Birdwell, only a
few short months ago, was the
motion picture critic of the New
York Telegram. He got a bit
peeved over film producers wont
to ask, "What does he know
about pictures?" whenever his
reviews were unfavorable. So
he quit the job and bought
himself an amateur motion pic
ture camera. Then he directed
an amateur movie called "Street
Corners" to show what he knew
about making features. Win
field Sheehan, of the Fox forces,
saw his first effort and imme-
diately signed him. His first
talking picture and premier pro-
fessional effort has been turned
over to the producers and will
be Immediately released. It is
a talker called Masquerade"
and has Leila Hyams as its
star.
The war between the Actors
Equity Association and the mo-
tion picture producers has be-
gun in a small way. Six Equity
actors were approached last
week to sign for the movies.
They insisted upon the Equity
contract calling for 4S hours
work . week. They didn't get
them and are still on Broad
way. Equity withholds their
names for q possible roll Of
honor when the fighting really
begins.
treasurer WlIllam h0f0y, r.,
of the Belasco Theater, gets his
sheepskin from George Wash
ington University this week and
will no longer glimpse the world
in working hours through a
box-office window.
Morton Downey, whom you
may hear singing and talking
in Mothers Boy" the Pathe
feature at the Rialto Theater
this week, claims he loses money
by making pictures. He has an
interest in the Club Casanova in
New York and gets $1,750 a
week salary for singing there
nightly. In addition he has
lucrative contracts for canning
his voice ON the disc records
and is q radio favorite who
draws down imposing wages.
N Nnm@ nAaA AE