The Washington times., 1930-02-13
.GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
BY ANDREW r. KELLEY

sock at Author Jim Tully he
didn't win-as 'Heine Miller
says-the referees nod, but he
didn't lose any friends in Holly
wood. Many Of the screen
stars who have been hoisted on
the Tully harpoon have long
been threatening violence, but
failed to transfer their talk into
action. The Tully scorching Of
Gilbert was written many, many
months ago, and Jack evident
ly has q memory like the ele.
phant.
Ala Nazimova's name was
used as the star of the New
York Guild production of "A
Month In the Country" due to
have a first performance at
the National next month. It
was used inadvertently since
the Guild positively refuses to
accord starring distinction to
any Of its actors-not even to
Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fon.
tame, greatest of box office as
sets.
Nazimova will play the lead
role in the play sure enough.
But the Guild will not permit
her to be billed as star. Eva
LaGalIiene's Civic Repertory
Company has the same ruling,
and it was one of the reasons
why Nazimova walked out on
Eva.
Ray Henderson, one of the
truly brilliant advance agents
Of the theater and the courier
who heralds the coming of
Ethel Barrymore to Washington,
dropped into the editorial sane
tum yesterday to report that
business on the So-called road"
is thriving for real attractions.
The Barrymore tour has met
with sensational success.
ReServing, as Congress says,
the right to object, I doubt
whether the Queen Ethel gross
receipts can be accepted as typi-
cal. AS Manager Ira LaMotte.
now of California. once Sagely
remarked: Barrymore in any.
thing is worth $4,000. What
she does in a week above that
depends on the show" Then
she proceeded to demonstrate
that Mr.. LaMotte was Substan-
TALLY correct by registering at
Lafayette Square $4,000 odd
for "A Royal Fandango," which
turned out to be a royal dud.
Great is Barrymore. She wins
us by a charming sense of
humor which enables her to
laugh and enjoy THE Royal
family" though it none too
gently barbs the Barrymore
clan. She commands our ad-
miration further by the power
possessed by precious few, to
fill Polls.
Beatrice Lille was being
shown over Polls by former
manager Leo Leavitt. They
gazed out into the theater from
the dark stage: my Gawd,"
observed Lady Peel, What a
vawSt auditorium"
Eyes indeed, Lady Peel" re-
piled Mr.. Leavitt, "and a mag
nificent sight if you fill it,"
But much as we love to hear
Ray HenderSon's cheerful re-
ports from theatrical high
ways, travelling with a winner
may have tinged his binoculars
a rosy hue. For he is an ex-
ception among agents. Insofar
as optimism is concerned.
Correll and Gosden, through
their N.B.C. managers definitely
rejected the $4,000 a week
offer, plus wire charges, and
a choice of so per cent of the
gross receipts, to play the
Washington Auditorium the
week of March 10. No reason
was advanced other than the
"Amos n Andy" act was not
suited for such a large hall.
Negotiations with Warner
Brothers for a Washington
appearance at the Earle Theater
have been resumed. They were
broken off when N.B.C. in
sisted that the theater bear a
$2,500 expense involved in the
nightly broadcast to Chicago
station.
Those Washington pilgrims
who plan a journey to Balti-
more next week,-and I am
one-for an evening with
George Bernard Shaw at Ford's
Theater. may be warned that
the first act of The Apple
Cart" lasts for 80 minutes.
The New York Theater Guild
is unable to cut it down for
the simple reason that the
slightest change requires the
o. K. of the Irish playwright
and getting such an o. K. is
not a mater of minutes, or
days, or months. In other
words it's impossible. G.. B. S.
says, Take it as it is or don't
produce it." And they take it
as it is.
1t is Wally Decker, business
manager of Mitzi, coming in
"Sari," who furnishes the latest
retort appropriate.
Stephen Erlanger Cochran
was pondering on what in.
f1uence would be necessary to
put some of the National
PLAYERS subScription blanks in