The Washington times., 1929-01-09
GLEANINGS
-.. AND ...---
SCREENINGS
BY ANDREW r. KELLEY

TIUISJJd, Lne SlHS ing COiuSuA-
enne will HE to CrandalFs
Metropolitan Theater and be
the honor guest at pre-vicw
party sponsored by Mine Host
John J. Payette, with "My
Man" as the screen attraction.
This Warner Brothers special,
due at the Metropolitan within
few weeks, is Miss Brice's
first venture with the talking
movies and her personal success
as a Hollywood star is such
that she has already contracted
for another feature.
"The Command to Love-"
which bows in at Polls next
Sunday night is one play which
has not been able to get by the
English censor.
While it is true that the
drama is bit risque, the
naughtiness is not what irks the
kings blue-pencil keeper. Rather
is 1T the satire on diplomatic
proceedings. Great Britain
thrives as nation through her
diplomacy and the censor OBJ
jected to the mingling of ladies
and politics.
Because of it's diplomatic con-
tent, the embassies have been
invited to attend the opening
performances. Lieut.. Nina Van
Winkle will also be among those
present, although she is not
on the invited list.
"Rain or Shine" the show
starring J Cooks has been
compelled to close temporarily in
Boston while the comedian under
goes treatment for laryngitis.
This is another one of those
cases where ~ pnderstudy can
be found who can explain prop
erly how to initiate four
Hawaiians. There is no second
Joe Cook. He does too many
things beyond the compass of
the ordinary actor.
SO Joe can shake hands with
Eddie Cantor and AL Jolson,
who also have no satisfactory
carbon copies. Ziegfeld had to
close his "Follies" when Eddie
developed pleurisy and Big
Boy ended forever when Al
Jolson became indisposed.
Are the movies killing the
legitimate drama? You can
find many observers who blame
the depression in the speaking
theater on the progress of the
sound films. Yet such an in
formed and intelligent witness
as Will Hays, high pr est of the
cinema, takes an opposite view.
Says Mr.. Hays:
THE stage and screen alike
exist to serve the public. they
are born of the same desire,
inseparable from human nature,
to give expression to feelings
and ideas. Unless they DO
serve in the fulfilment of their
purpose, they will fall by the
wayside. Such is the public's
penalty for neglect. So long as
both serve, so long will both
endure and progress. There is
not now and never should be
conflict between the two forms
of expression. They are both
blood brothers and as such they
will advance together.
and the towns and cities
which possess both should be
thankful for such blessing;
they should do all in their power
to advance and strengthen the
twin arts of the drama.
"Thev should see that one
could not, and certainly one
would not want to. do away
with the other"
Jeanne Eagles, who was
soundly punished by the Actors
Equity for missing performances,
is eager to get back to her
theatrical public. Her Is
months suspension will be up
next fall and already Sam H.
Harris has picked her play. 1t
is by John Cotton, the same
playwright who wrote the
highly successful Eagles hit,
Rain" and is is called "The
Meanwhile, Miss Eagels has
made her vacation from the
stage profitable b" acting for
the films. She has just COM
pleted a sound picture called
"The Letter" and it will be re-
leased within a fortnight. If it
registers-as solidly as Paramount
expects she will make another
Her movie salary is $500
week, a mere $4,000 more than
her guarantee wage as stage
star.
Odd, indeed, is the fact that
Paris should be the first to
glorify Colonel Lindbergh
through the devices of drama.
The Sacha Guitry play, Lind
bergh," is mild success along
zee boulevards, and Producer
A. H. Woods has the American
rights.
Mr.. Woods planned an early
production here, but there is the
obstacle of not exploiting the
famous flier's name to sur
mount. 1t appears he has a
contract with the Guggenheim
Foundation which provides that
he shall not be exploited for
commercial purposes during it's
lifetime.
The foundation, approached
in the matter, has expressed a
disinclination to pass upon the
clause of the contract. The