The Washington times., 1930-03-27
'DEATH'TAKEN
FOR MOVIES
BYSCHENCK

gave It's first performance at Cne
the Belasco Theater has been
acquired by the movies. Joseph
M. Schenck has bought the play
for United Artists and plans to
star Chester Morris in the role
played on the stage by Philip
Merivale.
The chances are good that the
title will be changed, and the
text probably, for Death" is a
grim story to give movie audi
enceS. Actor Merivale has been
denied a chance to act for the
movies since the Shuberts have
exercise. an option which binds
him to these producers for at
least another season. Fox Pic
lures made Merivale :. fine offer,
planning to develop him along
the. lines Warner Brothers pur-
sues with George Arliss. When
he. mentioned the movie offer
the MesSrs. Shubert exercised the
option.
About a fortnight ago I prom
iSed the radio public that if the
collective New York critical opir-
ion was favorable for the New
York Theater Guild production, "A
Month in the Country" frank ad-
mission would be made that this
departments unfavorable fin ding
on the TurgeneV play was
minority verdict.
AS near as it can be computed
without an adding machine, the
New York consensus is so per
cent for a "A Month in the
Country" Richard Lockridge, Of
the Sun, is the only commentator
to rave, although many of the
Broadway critics found words to
commend. The minority has de-
cided opinions ranging from the
F. P. A. generally tedious" to
the Winchell ballot which labeled
it "a bore" Robert Littell, Of the
World, in a second guess, asks
What the so-and-so is the matter
with the play selection group Of
the Guild?"
Clifford Brooke, who arrived
here to direct the National Play
ers, will have an interest in two
openings next Monday night. He
will be here to supervise the first
performance of the E Street
troupe. but he will also be giving
stray thought on how things
are going at the Little Theater, in
New York. On that night House
Afire," a new Brooke-directed COM
edy, by Mann Page, opens on
Broadway with Claiborne Foster
playing the lead.
Ina Claire, who, for one reason
or another, hasn't made much of
splash in the movies, will sever
her business relations with Pathe
at the expiration of her contract
five weeks from now. This de-
cision has come about through
mutual agreement between the
Broadway star and the film COM
pany. Miss Claire'S next picture
for Pathe was to have been Philip
Barry's Holiday" but this has
been abandoned on the grounds
that there is not sufficient time
between now and the termination
Of the contract to complete the
production.
Marie Bowman, erstwhile Wash
1ngton girl, is back in the show
business and made her debut as
a singer on Monday night in
new Shubert musical show,
Three Little Girls"
1t opened at the Shubert The
ater in Newark, will go to Brook
lyn and then for a long run in
New York city. It's a Viennese
operetta.
Marie is the sister of the IA
nous Patsy" Bowman, ballerina
at the Roxy Theater, and was
for several years in George
Whites Scandals with her sister.
She left the stage about two
years ago; but the lure of the
footlights proved too strong for
the comely mannikin.
1T, really Begins to look as
though Washington's music-loverG
might return to town next
autumn to find the Capital with
its own symphony orchestra in
the newly National
Symphony which was recruited in
January from the best musicians
Of the various theater orchestras
Of the city.
The National Symphony has al
ready given two concerts that
were enthusiastically attended
and is now planning a third at
Constitution Hall on April 3,
which Hans Kinder, the famous
concert 'cellist, will again conduct.
incidentally, Kinder has ap-
parently passed all other candi-
dates for the post of conductor
of the new orchestra, when, as
and if formed on an endowment
basis. Selected to conduct the
second concert on the 14th Of
March, Kinder Immediately
scored with the musicians and
the public alike and plans to
have another conductor handle
the. third concert were promptly
cancelled so all and Sundry might
have another opportunity to hear
ana see Mr.. Kinder interpret a
score.
During the summer, Frank J.
Frost, president of the Symphony,
and Speaker Longworth of the
House of Representatives, who