davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
Joe e. BrOWn Was
Rookie With Yankees

The circus tent and baseball
diamond were stepping stones
which led Joe E. Brown to the
stage and finally to the motion
picture screen.
Brown first appeared before the
public at the age of nine years
as a member of the Five Marvellous
Ashtons, circus acrobats and
aerialiStS, and he remained with
this troupe for five years, appear
ing not only in circuses but also
in parks and fairs.
When he was II years old,
Brown began his career as pro.
fessional baseball player, joining
the st. Paul, Mimi, team. He
played with various bush league
teams for several years, and
eventually landed with the New
York Yankees, where he sat on
the bench for several weeks-and
then went into vaudeville. As a
member of the team of Precose
and Brown he played variety
circuits for four years, after which
he entered the ranks of musical
comedy and revue. playing i'm
portant comedy roles in such pro-
duction as ''Listen Lester" Jim
Jam Jems." Greenwich Village
Follies." Betty Lee" Captain
Jinks" and "TWinkly Twinkle"
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
$1,000 OFFER
FOR VALLEE
In D. C.
By ANDREW n. KELLEY


Rudy CMe and Hoover) vallee
holds the distinction Of being
offered the top price for an en-
tertainer to appear in Washing
ton. It is $1,000 for one night
and the new shnreham Hotel adj
joining the Million Dollar Bridge
has submitted the figure in the
hope Of Turing Vallee and his
band for the opening ceremonies
due within q fortnight.
Rudy will probably turn it
down. For one reason because
he is contracted for the Para
mount Theater in Brooklyn that
week and filling the local date
would mean an airplane trip
which would land him here to
open q program at midnight. His
managers are opposed to flying
In the moonlight.
Vallee's personal cut on q re-
cent six weeks transforming
trip with his band was $4,000
which. is Just about twice as
much as the Philadelphia OrcheS-
ira earns over full season.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
SummervilIe Week

Good short film comedies are
as scarce and as precious as good
plays but the Rialto Theater has
had the fortune to nab one for
its reopening program. They call
it "Parlez VouS" and good de-
scription Of the tabloid comedy
is, 8 miniature "Cock-Eyed
WorId.','
A soker.faced comic called Slim
Sumn1erville plays the role Of
an army bugler who generally
outwits the top sergeant eddie
Gribbon) in the battle to win
the favor Of the fair ones. The
finish has been swiped bodily from
one of the Broadway revueS but
then the stage steals a-plenty
from Hollywood. I recommend
"Parlez Vous" as q swell laugh
capsule. It is the first of Sc
ries Of. shorts with the same
actors, the second being due soon
and called We, We, Marie"
Incidentally Slim Summerville
seems to be in demand. He is
in the Ria1to feature, Little Ac.
cident," is the star Of the short
comedy, and then appears again
in the trailer announcing thN
coming Of "All Quiet on the
Western Front" And to make
1t a real ''SunlYnervflle Week"
for washington he plays role
in The Spoilers" Which opens
today at Keith's.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
PLAY
TO RE-LIGHT
BELASCO

Broken Dishes" the Broad
way comedy success in which
Donald Meek has the leading role,
will usher In the season at the
Shubert-Belasco Theater on Sun.
day night, September %.
The play is by Martin Flavin
regarded by critics as one of the
leading playwrightS of the coun-
try and the author Of Children
of the Moon" and THE Criminal
Code" Broken Dishes" the
only comedy which this author
has written, has established him
as having a real flair for laugh
provoking situations and comic
Characterization. The piece ran
for the better part Of last sea-
son on Broadway and has proven
Flavin's most successful stage
work.
Donald Meek gives an inimit-
able performance as Cyrus Bump
sted, who believes that a mans
place is in the home and who
bows humbly for years before
his czarlike wife. But when
their beautiful young daughter
falls in love and the mother for
bids the wedding. Cyrus, stim-
ulated somewhat by his first drink
Of hard cider, asserts his man
hood and dares for the first
time in his life to oppose the
will Of his better half. The scene
in which the young couple are
married by a deaf old clergyman
during the absence Of the mother
at picture show, marks real
high-Spot in hilarity, and at the
same time is genuinely moving.
Bette Davis, q young ingenue
who has shown remarkable prom
ise during her brief stage career.
plays the daughter. Marion Ge-
ring who staged as well as pro-
duced Broken Dishes" has Sc
lected for the supporting cast an
odd assortment of types who
add to the merriment by their
very appearances as well as by
their comic lines.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20

DORIS LLOYD other one OF the
outstanding figures in the world
of letters, show in "Old English, 7"
now current at the Metropolitan
theater, the sort Of mastery and
complete achievement that leaves
even a playgoing veteran with q
feeling somewhat akin to awe.
There is not the faintest smell
of grease-paint in "Old English, "
hardly touch even of what we
know as good theater." The
study of old Heythorp, drawn
with a caliper-like accuracy that
even Dickens achieved none too
often in his unfolding Of nine
teenth century Britain, is worked
out by Arliss with q deadly GER
tainty that meets the auStere and
clear intellectual requirements Of
GalsWorthy more than half way.
In other words, we think "Old
English" superior to the other
ArliSs masterWork. "DiSraeli.,"
and to 1.-THE Green Goddess in
the same goemetrical ratio as
Galsworthy is a dramatist SUI
perior to Louis N. Parker and
William Archer. There is no
story to speak of-hardly more
than fragment of colorful
life--and not even the climax
has much of the stuff Of real
punch in it. But we believe that
this sort of thing, character
study Illuminated by the highest
craft of which the world Of lit
erature and the stage is capable,
seems to say almost audibly that
nothing is beyond the scope OF
Hollywood when done by the
right people.
The supporting cast, including
Doris Lloyd as the widow of the
grand old sinners" illegitimate
son, Betty Lawford as his favored
granddaughter, Leon Janney as
Jock" and Ivan Simpson in a
familiar character part, is up to
the exactly requirements of the
piece. The direction by Alfred e.
Green is skillful and subtle; 1t is
veritably the Winthrop AmeS'
stage production transferred to
the screen with no sign Of
blemiSh.
The supplemental bill at the
Metropolitan includes another
inimitable Mickey Mouse comedy,
q skit called THE Legacy" and
the newsreel.-A. M. J.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
MILTON SILLS
STARS In FOX
FEATURE

Milton Sills gives his Wash
ington friends his greatest motion
picture characterization on the
screen at the Fox Theater this
week, in the role of wolf Lar
sen, from the pages of Jack Lon
don'S "The Sea Wolf"
THE Sea Wolf" has been done
in the films before. in pantomime,
with Hobart Bosworth in the
pivotal role. Dialogue, mainly
well edited, adds color and depth
to the character of Larsen, the
moody. british sea captain who
took his NietZSche and his whisky
straight.
Sills interprets this part with in
sight and artistry. He gives to
the lines and the action exactly
the proper shading to bring out
the contradictory forces in the
personality of Londons mis-
anthrOpic mariner.
Larsen sets sail from Japan In
his sealing ship, The Ghost"
bringing him a girl of question
able past and a young man who
has touched bottom in the troub
louS seas of his life. It is the
struggle of these two waits against
Larsen's vaunted mastery that
charges the story with suspense
until its close.
The picture Of life aboard '"The
Ghost" is brutal in the extreme
Except for a few weak sentimen.
tai passages between the boy and
the girl, it is stark record of con.
flict, both mental and physical.
Jane Keith and Raymond Hack
EFT have the parts of the lovers,
Their performances are possibly
sufficient for pictures in general.
but decidedly far behind the DIV.
manic presentation of Sills and a
splendid character actor named
John Rogers. Mitchell Harris and
Nat Pendleton are also in the cast.
The Sea Wolf" is hairy
cheSted picture, and Sills utters
word for word the hard philosophy
which London put into the mouth
OF Larsen. The scenes aboard shin
are worthy of praise.
Eddie Peabody and his trained
banjo are holding their fans
through the final week of Eddie'S
appearance, and the same NAV
be said for the pleasant organist
and song leader, Bob West, who
celebrated the Fox's third birth
day with the audience.
Fanchon and Marcos Changes
stage presentation brings Doc
Baker, amazing lightning change
artist; Art sHadley. high-speed
cartoonist. in novel number;
Waller and Dyer, in comedy
oddity: Muriel Gardner, person
able and clever dancer, and a
group of pretty ladies who won
prizes in a recent New York
beauty contest.
A Talkartoon, titled "Barnacle
Bill" produced its share of mirth.
and the Fox Movietone News
closes the show. !. M.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
'HARPO' MARX
IS A REAL
MUSICIAN

AS boy, Chico Marx, Of the
Four Marx Brothers. was a much
cleverer musician than his brother
Harpo.
Chico could take any old tin
pan piano and make 1t talk, sing
or weep. Harpo could pick out
only a couple of tunes.
But the two boys loked as much
alike as twins. So Chico would
so around and get a job on the
strength of his playing. Then next
day Harpo would show UP and
pound away on his limited roper.
toire until he was kicked out. He
never lasted more than two days
but by that time Chico would have
several more jobs lined up.
Harpo finally became tired OF this
adventurous life and set himself
to learn, without lessons, how to
play an old harp left to him by
his grandmother. His technique
was terrible and his tuning was
worse, but somehow he began to
draw music from the strings. No
Mark Brothers show Is complete
nowadays unless Harpo strums q
half dozen tunes on his $4,000
instrument.
These two favorites of Cocoa
nuts" together with Groucho and
zeppo, display their musical and
comedy gifts along new lines in
Animal Crackers" Paramount
talking perturbation of their ia,
nous play, and the screen top.
notcher. now at Loew's Columbia.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20


portance Of the occasion, as you
have not fully recovered from the
effects Of the night before, when
you receive letter from q
maternity hospital, requesting
your presence.
Douglas Fairbanks, jr., Is cast
as the young man in the case,
and it would, indeed, be difficult
to find a man more suited for the
part. He ranges in emotions
from a carefree lad to a serious,
thoughtful father. Roscoe Karns,
as his pal and advisor, also shows
to advantage.
Anita Page plays the part of
his estranged wife, the mother
Of the baby, with Sally Blaine
seen for a short time as his
fiancee, and Zasu Pitts, in the
role Of Monica, the maid, whom
he is willing to marry If it will
insure his keeping the infant.
Slim Summerville makes a gal
liant comeback, being accorded
some fine chances as a nervous
father, as well as the leading
man in a comedy, "Parlez Vous,"
and a prominent part in the
trailer Of "All Quiet on the West
ern Front"
Besides the comedy, organ selec.
tions and a Graham McNamee-
Universal Newsrell wind UP q bill
which augers well for the future
of the Ninth Street movie house.
D. q.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
AU-An1eric0n Team
PLGUS IN Earle Film

James Hall and IL "all.Ameri-
cam gridiron stars, chosen from
among the greatest football
talent in the country, are seen in
action on the field. The blonde
ana charming Joan Bennett por-
trays the feminine lead and
proves to be the magnet which
draws the football stars to her
Alma Matters campus. william
Wellman directed Maybe It's
Love" which Is adapted from
Mark Canfield's stage play. Jo-
seph Jackson did the scenario.
Several brand new college
songs and other tuneful melodies
are heard In the production.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
George ArLiss Has
Woman. As MANAGER

A woman holds the unique posi-
ton of being dramatic advisor
and manager for George Arliss.
She is Maude Howell, q native
Californian, graduate Of Leland
Stanford University and a mem
Der of the Delta Gamma sorority.
For 10 years she has been asso-
ciated with the eminent actor in
all of his stage and Vitapnone
productions, including "Disraeli," :"
"The Green Goddess" and "Old
English" at Warner Brothers
Metropolitan Theater.
Mr.. Arliss considers "Old Eng
lish" the crowning characterize
ton Of his career. Alfred e.
Green directed.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
80 Mutual ShOLUs Are
On BurLesQue Wheel

The 193O-31 season of Mutual
burlesque and vaudeville is now
in full swing. Thirty-nine com-
panies and theaters (including
the Gayety on Ninth st. locally
constitute the wheel.
Approximately 1000 persons
are employed, and the cost of
maintaining these shows is about
$4,000, 900 for the season of. 40
weeks! In assembling this sea-
sons shows, unusual efforts have
been put forth. Whatever it has
been possible to do to improve
burlesque has been done.
That these efforts will greatly
improve the quality of burlesque
has been demonstrated at the
Gayety and elsewhere, where the
fans have signified their ap.
proval in no uncertain fashion.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
Talk Music Peace

You can get even money on E
Street that the st. Louis Cardi-
mails will win the National League
pennant and that the musicians
controversy in Washington will
be settled without a walkout.
The talked about compromise,
which might bring peace, is 18
men in the Fox Theater pit, 16
in the Palace, and organists in
the downtown, first-run picture
houses. The Rialto, which opened
yesterday, is paying for nine musi.
clans, but is using only the
organist. These musicians are
scheduled to be dropped by next
Friday.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
Wilson Line Boat to
PLY Potomac in 1881

The steamboat service on the
Potomac inaugurated this year
by the Wilson Line proved most
successful from every point Of
view. This service consisted in
trips to Chapel Point and in
moonlight dance trips, both Of
which seemed to appeal to the
people Of Washington, the boat
often taking as many as 1000
passengers.
The satisfactory results of this
initial experiment have con-
vinced officials of the Wilson
Line. Inc. that there is q real
place for the boat here and
plans are now being made for
next year. It is expected that the
city of washington" will be
put in operation again on Decora-
ton Day.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
LenOre Uric Starred
In MODieS for Fox

Lenore Uric, star of Pagan
Lady" opening the new theatrical
season at the National Theater on
Monday evening, has just re-
turned from the West Coast,
where she made several pictures
for Fox and Warner Brothers.
Among the outstanding films in
which she appeared were Frozen
Justice" South Sea Rose" and
Tiger Rose" The latter picture
was the screen version of her
stage success Of the same name,
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
GOOD NEWS IS
STAGE-FILM
MERGER

Blending stage and screen direc
torial technique makes a happy
medium of expression in the film
ing of a musical comedy, accord
ing to Nick Grinde. codirector oi
Good News" which is now. al
Loew's Palace.
When Metro -Go Goldwyn-Mayer pro
duced the perturbation Of the
stage success, they assigned
Grinde, who had no stage expert
ence, and Edgar MacGregor, who
had no motion picture experience
to direct.
"MacGregor produced the orig
inal show on Broadway as well
as 81 other hits and he knew
all there was to know about stag
ing the action, music and dia-
logue," explained Grinde recently.
"On the other hand, knew cam
era angles, lighting and the tech
nical side of making talking pic
lures.
"Our first problem tc be tackled
was this: Were we 70 make a
motion picture of musical COM
edy or try to make q musical
comedy into a motion picture?
MacGregor and I agreed to at
tempt neither. Good News was
distinctly a musical comedy. We
would bring it to the screen just
as it was on the stage, except
we would give it the freedom OF
the talking screen plus the ac-
tion, sets, intimacy and pictorial
values Of the camera.
"As the picture grew, / could
see a tremendous advantage OF
stage and screen tech
nioues. The camera and micro
phone get more out Of the ac-
ton and dialogue since neither
of the screen nor
broadness of the stage are EN-
phasized."
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
Milton SiIIs Insured

Warner Brothers had the late
Milton Sills under contract and
also had him insured for $780,
900. The star was placed under a
policy by First National four
years ago through Albert Ruben,
OF Mitchell May, Inc. Later a
transfer was effected, making
Warner Brothers the direct bene-
ficiary.
Richard Barthelmess is said to
be insured the same way, but for
$500, 900.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
This and That

Z y 5ss
The Belasco's new steel curtain
Is installed and is in working order
for the reopening, September 28.
Gloria Swanson's latest picture
"What a Widow" is booked tC
open at Loew's Columbia. Octo-
Der 4.
Leo Leavitt, former manager at
Polls, has taken out one of the
road show companies of "Hell'S
Angels" and is hoping the pic
ture will play washington around
the New Year.
Kathryn Givney. who is re-
called as one of the few years
ago favorites of the National
Players, makes her talking pic
ture debut in Follow Thru, ;"
which will be seen on r Street
within a few weeks.
Universal Pictures has practi-
cally completed a national cigar.
cite tie-up by which coupons good
for admissions to the ~" the
aters will be distributed with the
fags.
Norman Clark. dramatic editor
of the Baltimore News, is the
author Of one Of the hit skits in
the Second Little Show.
Earl Carroll spent $4,000 to
produce "Vanities'-some of it
Erlahger money-and viii have 1t
paid for by Christmas. He gets
$1,000 q week salary besides his
share Of the profits
The Washington times., 1930-09-20

t h q t juStifieS
the bystander
in baSking in
t h e reflected
glory of that
traduced inSti.
tuition, the the
ater.
T hese two
artists, one only
now com n 6
into the full
ness of recogni-
ton as perhaps
the g re a t es t
character actor
of the age, the
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
About old English

Sylvanus Heythorp, old rogue,
willy, irraScible. a gourmand, a
bon vivant, a man proud of his
independence and of England
that gave him birth-such is the
character George Arliss portrays
in "Old English" the Warner
Bros. and Vitaphone picture, now
at Warner Bros. Metropolitan
The Washington times., 1930-09-20


amused, and to
say that they
were a m US e d
would be put
ting it mildly .
La hs were
prompted long
after 1t seemed
as though the
supply was used
up. Pic t u r e
yourself as a
happy go lucky
youth on the
m or ng Of
your marriage.
Y ou hardly
trnaliza AIna i'm.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
AL Lyons Coming

Handsome AL Lyons is slated as
the next master of ceremonies at
the Fox. He is closing a long and
successful engagement at the Fox
in Detroit this week.
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
LAUGH DRAMA
RE-LIGHTS
RIALTO

The Rialto Theater, after being
closed for the summer, opened its
doors last night to q full house,
with q picture wen worth waiting
for. "The Little Accident"
people came expecting to be
The Washington times., 1930-09-20
ARLISS OFFERS
A SUPERB
PORTRAIT

The fusion of the talents Of
George Arliss and John Galswor-
thy brings forth results once more
The Washington times., 1930-09-20

Give the family house they. can call
their own you will flnd Y easy "
make yOur seIeetiOR from the keal
ESfafa far sale columns in tOday's Gas
aIfled Ads.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-25

calculating look. After a moment he
changed his mind. Struggling his
shoulders in capitulation, he went
swiftly out into the hall, and we could
hear him calling down the rear stairs
FOR the butler.
"If the sergeant finds the shoe up
stairs" Vance observed to Markham,
sit will be fairly conclusive evidence
that the doctor didn't wear his tennis
shoes this morning; for we know that
he did not return to his bed room after
descending to his study before break
fast"
Markham looked perplexed.
Then who brought the other shoe
from his room this morning? And how
did it get in the waste basket? And
how did it become bloodstained?
Surely the murderer wore the shoe
that Heath found here.
"Oh, yes-there can be no doubt
of that" Vance nodded gravely. And
my theory is that the murderer wore
only the one tennis shoe and left the
other upstairs"
Markham clicked his tongue with
annoyance.
Such a theory doesn't make sense .
Forgive me, Markham, for dis
agreeing with you," Vance returned
dulcetly. But I think 1t makes more
sense than the clues on which you're
SO trustfully counting to convict the
doctor"
Heath burst into the room at this
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-25

hibit the doctors neckwear." Vance
spoke with calm assurance. 1T merely
mentioned the four-in-hand en- pas
SAINT"
He brushed the spilled papers of the
waste basket back and forth with his
foot.
at am rather anxious to know where
the doctors other tennis shoe is. I
have feelin' its whereabouts might
tell US something"
"Well, it amt in the basket" de-
clared Heath. "If it had been I'd have
found it,"
"Ahl But, sergeant, why wasn't it
in the basket? That's a point worth
considerin', don't y know"
Maybe 1t didn't have any blood on
1t. And that being the case, there
wasn't any use in hiding it."
But, my world 1t strikes me that
the blameless left shoe is hidden even
better than was the incriminatin' right
had made q fairly thorough search of
the study for the missing tennis shoe)
Its certainly not round here"
Markham, for the first time since we
quilted the museum, showed signs of
interest
"I see your point, Vance," he con-
coded reluctantly. 1.-The telltale shoe
was hidden here in the study, and the
other one has disappeared. I
admit that's rather odd. What's your
explanation?
"Oh, I sayi Let's locate the shoe be-
fore we indulge in speculation. :"
Vance then addressed himself to Heath.
Sergeant, If you should get Brush to
conduct you to DR.. Bliss bedchamber,
I'm rather inclined TO think you'll find
the missing shoe there. You remember
the doctor said he wore his tennis shoes
upstairs last night and came down this
morning in his house slippers"
"Huhl" Heath secuted the sugges-
ton. Then he gave Vance a sharp,