The Washington times., 1929-03-06
.GLEANINGS.
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW R. KELLEY

Loew's, Inc, by William Fox
affect Washington? Every
body's asking it, with the best
answer only time can tell. 1t
gives the Fox interests three
theaters on F Street, the CO.
lumbia, Palace and, of course,
the house de luxe in the Ma
tional Press Building.
The consolidation leaves Para
mount Pictures and United Art
lists without a first-run down
town theater in which their pro-
duct can demand first call. The
Stanley theaters use Warner
Brothers and First National
films as preferred features, with
Paramount, Pathe and an occa-
sional independent as bookings
warrant. Loew's uses Metro
Goldwyn and United Artists, as
preferred and also first run
Paramounts when and if avail
able. The Fox uses its own
product, Warner Brothers and
an occasional independent. Mr..
Fox announces that the two
units, Fox and Loew, will be
operated separately, as in the
past, for a time at least.
Naturally the talk that Para
mount will build its own theater
IN Washington has been revived.
The informed insist that Adolph
Zukor will never be content to
play a second fiddle, though he
has yielded first place in finan-
cial resources within the indus
try to the new giant of the
movies-William Fox.
Judge Charles S. Hatfield, of
the United States Court of Gus
toms Appeals has consented to
be the arbiter in the dispute
between the National Theater
and the Musicians Union.
1t is Bill Odlin who jingles
the phone to impart the news
that "Redskin," the Richard Dix
feature at the Earle, was writ
ten by Elizabeth Pickett, for
merly attached to the American
Red Cross Washington head
quarters. She became interested
in films during the war through
the activity of the relief agency
in spreading it's message via the
screen. With the armistice, she
signed with Fox pictures and
has since been continuously in
demand as q Hollywood writer.
Miss Pickett is still an active
member of the Washington Vas
sar Club.
1t seems to be unanimous
among patrons of the Colum.
bia that Ruth Chatterton has
arrived as movie star in "The
Doctors Secret" First cast OPP
posite Emil Jannings in "Sins
of the Father" Miss Chatterton
did not set Hollywood ablaze
for new found talent. But
given the opportunity to talk,
and act too, she takes about all
the honors. H. B. Warner re-
veals a half-cracked voice and
plenty of evidence he is no
juvenile.
Miss Chatterton's reward for
exceptional work is the leading
role in 1.-THE Constant Wife,"
the Somerset Vaughan play in
which Ethel Barrymore toured
the country for two seasons.
Give Brook will be the husband
and Paul Lukas, the lover.
Singularly enough, Ruth Chat
terton comes to the front in
the movies after a long period
of hard luck on the stage. She
never succeeded in the quest
for a successful footlight role
after her professional separa-
tion from the late Henry Mil
Ter. When her English hus-
band, Ralph Forbes, made an
instant success of the camera
acting, Miss Chatterton went to
the Coast. There she acted in
Henry Duffy companies until
the chance came to play leads
for Paramount.
When Grant Withers, who
does the voice doubling for
Richard Barthelmess in Weary
River" read the glowing no.
tices and got a contract for disc
recording, he felt pretty good.
So good he demanded a raise
from Warner Brothers. He
Didn't get the raise, but he did
get the air.
Some few years ago | had
the pleasure of being the party
of the second part in the first
interview granted in America
by Flora LIE Breton, then
known as the English Mary
Pickford. She was a strikingly
pretty daughter of John Bull,
with such an exceptional talent
for dancing the late Henry Saw
age brought her to America as
a musical comedy star. Her
first attempt, Lass o. Laugh
ter" offered at the National
here, was a sad flop. Every
thing else she tried in musical
comedy went the wrong way.
Reduced in resources she was
finally compelled to take a job
in a Tiller girl chorus.
Last week, at B. F. Keith's