The Washington times., 1929-01-16
'GLEANINGSI
AND

Ry ANpREW 3. KELLEY

has been acquired by the emf
nent David Belasco and as
signed one of the choice plun1s
in Nina" But let him tell
about it:
eve rehearsed eight weeks,
and | was cast in an important
role. Shortly after opening Mr..
Al. e. Arson was taken i'll and
was obliged to resign. Mr..
Belasco and Miss Lenore Uric
gave me the part Magister,
the master mind of hell. He
is q magnificent part - never
leaves the stage from the start
to the finish of the play, and
dominates the entire action; In
fact, a star part.
ut is the highest priced dra-
matte attraction in New York
$3.50 orchestra seat. We are
playing to $4,000 to $4,000 a
week.
"My one regret is that this
great opportunity has come
through the misfortune of a
fellow player"
It was one hour after mid
night before a select group left
the Fox Theater this morning
after witnessing the invitation
screening Of In Old Arizona"
The film is unique in that it is
the first attempte to take a
dialogue feature out of doors.
The speaking voices all reg
lister satisfactorily but what will
impress the movie fans most
are three superlative perform
ances contributed by Edmund
Lowe, Warner Baxter and
Dorothy Burgess. Baxter is
cast as a desert bandit and
offers, what consider, the
greatest Characterization ever
given to the screen by this
talented player. A more APP
pealing role-that Of an Army
sergeant-falls to Edmund Lowe
and he is bound to be talked
about after his achievement
through voice and acting in this
feature.
Dorothy Burgress, TO me one
of the Fox newcomers, gives
crackerjack performance
throughout. There are some
magnificent camera shots of the
great outdoors and the picture
rates high for its comedy inter-
ludes. You may imagine / liked
it. / did. Put it down as
worth seeing when it arrives
in the near future.
Colonel Lindhergh put his foot
down on the proposal that the
Sacra Guitry play, @Lindbergh"
be given in the United States.
Leaving Producer A. H. Woods
with the American rights to the
drama and no place to play it.
He could, of course, revise the
name of the play and its central
character but that appears to be
folly. The theme Of the story
concerns a young couple whose
romance develops rough going,
but who patch it up and marry
through mutual enthusiasm en-
gendered by the overseas flight
of the super airman.
One of this departments close
followers drops in to say that
the death of Frank Van Hoven,
the mad magician, should merit
more than the brief line or two
in the foreign cables. agree.
Frank Van Hoven was well
known to every patron of vaude-
vile. His norsensical magic
act is best recalled for its feat
Of picking out some eager
youngster and having him stand
on the stage embracing a large
cake of ice until his hands re-
belled. Van Hoven started his
career as q straight legerde-
main artist and when he found
his tricks excited no unusual
comment, decided to burlesque
them and become q comedy act.
His revised act leaped at once
into the headline class.
His death OCCURRED suddenly
in Birmingham, England, last
week. Harry Van Hoven, a
brother of the magician, is con-
nected with Baltimore theatrical
enterprises.
n 57
1t seems strange that a talent
for creating laughter such as
Harry Langdon possesses should
no longer be in demand around
the Hollywood lots.
Only two years ago those who
keep abreast of the studio pro-
duct were predicting that this
baggy painted comedian would
soon give Charlie Chaplin q real
race for popularity. Today the
Roach studios are ahead Of pro-
duction and closed temporarily.
Harry Langdon is among those
let out. And nobody seems to
want his services. So he is
going back to vaudeville, whence
he came to be a camera star.
was one Of those who
glimpsed wonderful future for
Langdon in the films. Having
been amused by his comedic
art in many q two-a-day house,
he appeared to be well equipped
for the pantomimic demands.
When I saw Tramp, Tramp,
Tramp the prediction seemed