The Washington times., 1929-12-30
GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENIN
BY Andrew R. Kelley

II negoClaJlonS now unutf
way are successfully completed
the blackface team of Correil
and Gosden. known to radio
fans as Amos n Andy, will
play the last week in January
as the headline attraction at
the Rialto Theater.
The comics are now under
the management of the Ma
tional Broadcasting Company
and are making a tour Of the
Publix theaters. The week
sought for Washington is The
only open date in their book
ings and the engagement. if
played, will be at the highest
salary paid for a single act in
q Washington theater. The
quoted figures are $1,000 net
for Amos m Andy with the
theater bearing the expense of
their nightly broadcast over the
N. B. c. network, estimated at
about $2,50O.
In 1927 the Correll and Cos
den act played the Pantages cirs
cult at $400 a week. Popularity
achieved over the radio has in
creased their salary by leaps
and bounds until today they
are rated the highest paid team
in the amusement world. $780,
900 a year is the radio pay.
William Haines in Navy
Blues" Is set to break box-office
records at Loew'S Palace, pro-
viding the volume Of business
enjoyed over Saturday and Sun
day continues. Greta Garbo. in
"The Kiss" holds the high mark
IN receipts, having surpassed
the figure achieved earlier by
smart William in "WeSt Point" "
Incidentally censors from the
Navy Department looked over
'Navy Blues" to make sure the
film cut-up pulled no monkey
business in the official uniform
that might reflect on the. SER
vice. The Haines picture won
an o. K. without deletionS.
All along F Street the week
end reports were CHEEKY. "Show
Of Shows" at the Met has had
lockout audiences since open
Ing, although the length of the
feature will operate against new
records. Ronald Colman in
Condemned" enjoyed unusual
prosperity at the Columbia and
''5ot For Paris" at the Fox is
In for q bumper week. All of
which means that the pre-C Christ
mas slump was, as usual. but
temporary.
When Ramon NoVarro's new
picture, "Devil-May-Care," comes
along you will not only hear
dialogue written by Clifford
Brooke, but also witness the
film debut of the former direc-
tor Of the National Players.
Under crosS-examination Mr..
Brooke has confessed that the
Clifford Bruce of 'Devil-May-
Care''-a small parts played
by none other than himself. It
was not from false modesty
that he used a fictitious name,
but because the part was so
small.
Like the comedian who yearns
TO be Hamlet, Mr.. Brooke is a
director who loves to act. A
couple of seasons back he
coaxed the youthful impre-
sario Stephen Erlanger Cochran
to permit him to act the star
role In "Quinnys" with the sup
port of the National Players.
He got his wish, but I still
think Mr.. Brooke is a fine
director.
The Horace Heidi Califor-
mans Band at the Fox Theater
this week is the. same crack out
fit which won the juicy con-
tract to play for the society
gamblers at Monte Carlo. The
musicians complete their Fox
bookings and sail for the other
side to begin an eight-Week
booking, February 8.
The Broadway practice Of
taking in a show before begin
ming the New Year whoopee in
the hotels and night clubs has
resulted in a box office boost
for all Of the hits Tuesday
night. Bitter Sweet, Sketch
Book" and Sweet Adeline" 60
from $3.50 to S1i without the
spectators gouge: Sons OF
Guns" and Fifty Million
Freachmen" hop from $3.50 TO
$40; Whites Scandals from
$3.50 to $3.50, the Little Show
from $3.50 to $7.70 and most
Of the. straight dramatic plays
will exact $3.50 instead Of the
usual $40. Even the Palace
Theater, RK-O ace. house, will
hop the top admission to $40.
the highest price yet exacted
for a vaudeville performance.
Most of the Broadway film
cathedrals will be content with
the holiday scale, which is
$1.50 top.
The National Theater Is
looking forward to a new box
office record when Florenz
ZierfeId nnnns the Ed WYNN