The Washington times., 1929-12-11

Which, OAAS ANGAo 20 NAASAAS
misleading some new business
cards will soon read, Lee and
j. j. Shubert, Motion Picture
Producers and Exhibitors"
AS this is written j. j. Shut
bert Is on a train Hollywood
bound to complete, it is said,
the necessary details for the
entry of the nations greatest
theatrical producers into the
film industry.
For sorle months there was
continuous gossip about the
alliance If the MesSrs. Shubert
with PRthe Pictures. Other
reported Ieals have had them
allied with Radio Keith Orpheurn
and in a merger Of so-called
indspendGnt producers. The
latest advices are that the firm
Of Lee and j. j. will go it
alone.
The sl.uberts control the
rights 10 hundreds OF play
available for the talkies. In
their files are also the produc-
ton rights for as many more
musical comedies and operettas.
They control through booking
arrangements huge chain OF
legitimate 4heaters. Not all Of
these playhouseS are ideally
adapted for the movies but
many of them are, They have
contracts with hundreds OF
actors, stage and dancing direc-
tors, artisans and technicians.
Under The circumstances the
entry Of the Shubert firm into
the thriving business of max
Ing movies seems quite logical.
At any rate Mr.. Shubert is on
his way west and Broadway
whispers are that an official
announcement of the producers
plans will be forthcoming very
soon.
Photoplay'S gold medal award
for the hest picture made in
1923 goes to the William Fox
production of -Four Sons" It
was directed by John Ford.
More than 100000 movie fans
voted on a list Of so best
features and -Four Sons" re-
ceived the most ballots.
The 1927 medal went to the
Fox production Of Seventh
Heaven" a Frank Borzage pro-
duction which ca tapulted
Charlie Farrell and Janet Gay
nor to the top rung of the
Hollywood ladder. Previous
winners were 1925, Beau
Geste"; 1925, 1.-THE Big Pa.
rade''; 1924, abraham Lin,
coin; 1923, 1.-THE Covered
Wagon: 1922, robin Hood;
1921, "Tol'able David" and
1920, "Humoresque."
Margaret Mann was the star
of -Four Sons" She played
the role of Grandma Bernie.
It was the simple. moving story
of a German mother who saw
her four boys march to war.
The scenario was made from
short fiction by Miss /. A. r.
Wylie, called Grandma Bernie
Learns Her Letters"
With all Of Washington's
legitimate theaterS going dark
on Saturday night, it looks
like dreary holidays for first
nighters. 1880 win be six days
old before the National Thea
ter relights after the departure
of "VanitieS." Then comes
william Gillette in the revival
Of sherlock Holmes
Mr.. Gillette has been doing
whopping business at the New
Amsterdam Theater in he
Conan Doyle drama. When he
signed his contract with George
c. Tyler and A. l.. Erlanger it
stipulated that, hot or cold,
success or failure, he would not
work the week before Christ
mas. It is an old Gillette Gus
tom to repair to his Connecti-
cut estate and burn the yule
log for seven days. The first
week clicked for $4,000 and
last week was capacity plus
/. 1900 standees. Obviou~ly the
prospect of closing down in the
face U1 such business was sad.
EventuahvaMr. Gillette agreed
to make the rising young firm
Of Tyler and Erlanger a Christ
mas present by giving the usual
eight performances the week
before Santa Claus arrives.
-hen the two weeks in Pl1ila-
delphia were Cancelled to keep
Holmes" on Broadway, and SO
the New York run becomes six
weeks instead Of three. Mr..
Gillette comes direct to e Street
after the New York engage
ment and Stephen Dillingham;
Cochran expects q sell-out house
for the January opening.
T. D. Bonneville, Polls man
ager, reports that the success
full reyivals of musical comedy
and operetta hits of the past
which have been one of the
pleasant surprises of an off
season. viii all play the Avenue
theater beginning in January.
They viii include 1.-THE Merry
Widow. = Robin Hood" "Choco-
late Soldier" Prince Of Pill.
sen" and others which make
their debut at the Al Jolson
Tbeater.