The Washington times., 1930-03-28
MASK AND WIG
MINES ARE
COMING
By ANDREW. r. KELLEY

~ Although Broadway finds 1t
u hard to believe there are definite
signs that the Erlanger interests
will have some sort of working
6 agreement with the Messrs. Shu-
: bert beginning next season. Va
riety reports negotiations under
way.
While the late A. L. Erlanger
was running things he was not
: on speaking terms with the Shu-
bert moguls. Although there was
q dearth Of attractions the Err
LANCER stages we're closed to ]. j.
; and Lees shows and vice-versa.
What Is now reported Is that
some working agreement between
the rival interests that will cut
down the number of dark weeks
f. in the regular season is under
= way. In practice it would mean
; that Shubert attractions would
play Erlanger houses in cities
wher j. j. and Lee were without
desirable theaterS and Erlanger
booked productions would go into
Shubert temples. A profit Shar-
ing arrangement would probably
be part Of the agreement.
: Such an agreement would
2 mean an end to competition by
which producing managers have
profited. The New York Theater
!" Guild, for instance, found Lee
Shubert firm when it came to
discussing terms and when the
breach over an extra 5 per cent
80 reached a crisis, the guild hoped
g" to the rival office and got what
i 1t desired. On the other hand
- Gilbert Miller diSpleased with his
Erlanger treatment promptly
hoped over to the Shuberts. So
- did George White. There was
= always the opposition bidding for
attractions.
Insofar as 193O-31 is concerned
the present outlook for Washing
ton Is no Shubert theaters in a
city where once they had three.
Unless j. j. and Lee acquire
playhouse don't be surprised if
,Shubert attractions are found
splaying the National.
= Good news comes in the Bess
Davis Schreiner bulletin announc-
~ ing that the Mask and Wig show
will come to Washington for one
night. The date is April II. the
musical comedy, y.iohn Faust,
Phi. d." and the place, Belasco
Theater.
The Wiggers from the Univer-
}sity of Pennsylvania are far and
away the best of the college
mines. For many years they
played a one-night engagement
.in Washington and then, for
some reason which I have never
= understood, the District was
scratched off the touring is5.
- Philadelphia gets the Mask and
q Wig show for a week. It draws
nore patronage than the Follies,
the high mark for a weeks en-
gagement at the Forest Theater
in the Sleepy City being $4,000,
That gives a good idea of what
Philadelphia thinks of the II. of
P. actors. When a student makes
the Mask and Wig he struts
around and says, like Brudder
Amos, "Ain't dat sumpfin." The
most distinguished ex-Wigger now
gracing the professional boards
is Ed Wynn.
When Jimmy Hughes, Poll
treasurer, finished counting up
Wednesday advance receipts he
announced rather proudly to
Manager T. D. Bonneville more
money had passed through the
box office window than in any
! single day in the theater's history.
r The attraction which Is draw
: ing the long lines is Journeys
End" the much discussed war
play by r. C. Sheriff and a new
record for gross receipts for
non-musical play in Washington
Is in sight.
WITT not the slightest desire
to minimize the great talent of
George Arliss, I think Warner
Brothers was doubly fortunate in
having three hit plays available
for that star. "Disreali". was a
box office winner long before the
talkies began to talk. THE Green
GODDESS" was another Arliss hit
and "Old English" which he will
soon start to make for cameras
and microphones never had a
losing week in the legitimate
theater.
: Accor lingly Mr.. Arliss was we'll
fortified when he took his Holly
wood test. He had plays which
had proven their mettle and they
were at his command. To tailor
play or a story for George
Arliss is far from a cinch and
that may be one reason why he
is returning to the boards in
September. He will probably
try to find another stage success
and then make it for w. B.
AS Hamlet says. "The plays the
thing" and it goes double for
Hollywood. Ina Cla'r would not
be selling back her contract and
returning to Broadway if she had
found the right movie drama.
1.-The Awful Truth" was never
Elnuch as a play and 1t was poorer
1as movie. Just suppose that
*Pathe had been able to cast Ina
Claire In her successful Last of
Mrs. Cheney" Would she not
have been as good as Norma
Shearer in the role? And how
about Lenore Uric as "Kiki."
Would she not have registered as