Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13
Flashes From the Screen
By c. e. Nelson.

procedure, but it has proved to be
winner at the box Office. "DiS-
raeli," flying in the face of all
movie ideas and customs, was &
favorite with the people who pay
for their entertainment.
So, because he has not been
given the sort of roles he likes,
Mr.. Rathbone will be seen on the
stage again this Winter. This is
his present plan, and the loss of
the movies will be gain for the
stage, because he Is a capable
actor.
COMEDY has come to the front
as one of the best bets of the
producers. Looking back over the
years records, one finds that the
-Four Marx Brothers were second
among the box Office attractions
of the Paramount studio. And
there is no getting away from the
fact that Marie DRESSER and
Polly Moran have made decided
hits with their comedy work. Eddie
Cantor has signed a contract to
do IL short subjects, and these
will be started as soon as
"Whoopee" is completed. (Be-
tween pictures Cantor writes
short comedies, which he sells to
various producers) Ed Wynn, who
did not make much Of success
in the silent pictures is to be
starred in a full-length comedy.
In like manner, Leon Enroll was
a flop in the silents, but his
sound work has been especially
good. Jack Oakie came to the
front in the sound pictures. Others
who have forged to the front in
comedies are Ned Sparks, Laurel
and Hardy, Louise Fazenda, Benny
Rubin, Ken Murray and Irene
Dunn. Bert Wheeler and Robert
WoolSey, rather new to the
screen, have gained a large fol-
lowing, and Buster Keaton-he of
the dead pan"-iS said to be
making his funniest picture, For
ward March," Hollywood is
turning to comedy.
X ~
THERE Is considerable worry
over statements that children
are drifting away from the pho
toplay palaces. With the passing
of the Wild Westerns, the young
sterS seemed to lose interest in
the proceedings. They were not
at all thrilled with the parlor,
bed room and bath comedies,
and the prison stories leave them
cold. Their cash was missing
when the box Office receipts were
counted each night. A warning
has been issued by the powers
that be in the industry. The
children must be brought back!
So in an effort to get the
youngsters to pay more attention
to movie affairs, tom Sawyer"
and "Huckleberry Finn" those
classics of boyhQod, are to be
filmed in grand style. This will
be the first move to draw the
youth of the Nation back to the
movie theater. 1t will be sort of
Pied Piper scheme, but it may
work out. It is announced that
young Mr.. Coogan-once known
to the screen world as Jackie
will return and play the role of
Tom Sawyer. And what a Tom
young Jackie should make!
WORD arrives that a Vienna
W company is planning world
wide distribution of opera pic
lures. There will be no feeling of
rest among producers until screen
opera is given a trial. They
should not forget that nine
tenths of opera success depends
upon the social atmosphere.
Opera without the glitter Of dia-
monds Gand rhinestones) would
not be opera. A large gathering
of ermine and mink coats can do
more toward the success of an
opera than the highest note Of an
overstuffed tenor. Where will the
movie producers get all this "at-
mosphere" for their screen show
ings?
Short Flashes.
MONTA BELL, once a Washing
tonian, has signed with the
Universal company to direct Lupe
Velez in East Is West" It is an
nounced that a certain amount of
music will be incorporated in the
production. Bell was forced to
give up motion picture work some
time ago on account of his health,
but he is reported much improved.
Richard Barthelmess announces
that he favorS war stories. He
says: War is the most awful and
tremendous of human conflicts.
Therefore it is no wonder that it
offers more varied and more pow
erful dramatic opportunities than
any other single phase Of human
existence. War embraces so many
human emotions. There is love
in it, and hatred and friendship.
There Is sacrifice and suffering
and self1ShnesS. There is peace
and tumult in it, and action and
spectacle. Every member Of every
family is involved in its huge and
monstrouS drama, Dick makes
this announcement with the re-
lease Of "The Dawn Patrol" in
which he plays the leading role.
A public relations agent" of
First National Pictures sends me
an itemized list of the food con-
suhed by movie stars in the Hol-
lywood restaurants - so many
pounds of beef, so many heads Of
lettuce, etc. The list would not
make good reading, so I am turn
ing it over to the Department of
Agriculture for its reference file.
Dorothy Peterson, known to the
stage for her work in "Dracula. !"
Subway Express" and other late
plays, Is the newest recruit for
featured role in HOLLYWOOD, She