Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-23

A HE'D, refined and
~ genial critic of the theater,
meditating upon the dulcet
talent which at present az
fiicts the serious Broadway hot
houses" claims that names are
no longer the thing. He suggests,
in his amicable Soto-voce. that
pIaygoerS no longer scream Tor
ciddy "stars"--that, in fact, there
are no stars. And that when the
Winter has swept its flurries OF
phantasies upon the East coast
boards the producers VIII not
have the inclination TO fling. the
names of their chief players high
in the light bulbs of their the
aters.
This seems like fairly violent
truism. Time was when the player
was the thing-the playwright
merely a pawn who was moved
hither and yon to accommodate
the talents OF his particular act
ing mogul. Time was, in truth,
when at the sight of Maude
Adams name, gayly painted on the
skirts Of the theater Mr.. Y or Mrs.
x swelled within their trusses and
darted into the ticket office with
out thought of whether the play
was THE Little Minister" or Ten
Nights in Bar Room" The mere
echo Of such a venerated name as
Miss Ethel Barrymore brought
such signs and EXPLANATIONS OF
delight-even in Denver chimes
that anxious ticket purchasers
stood in circles without the box
ONCE in a dizzy state of expec-
fancy, waiting for those small bits
of pasteboard which stood for
"Oh. by the way-what are we
going to see tonight?" says Mrs. z
at the dinner table. Ethel Barry
more" replies the hostess. In
what?" I'm what? I'm sure ]
dent know. Just Ethel Barry
more" Just Ethel Barrymore!
IF the mother theater, crying
! softly the past season with its
apron over its head, is putting the
names of its stars in It's pocket,
and the coming season will see
bigger and better plays I've trust)
and smaller names, now what, Tor
instance, is daughter -in-laW-tne
cinema-going to do?
There Is little question but that
as one WanderS along the singing
pavements Of Washingto s Broad
way. one is aware of the fact that
the names OF even the most fash
ionable Of the screens Romoes
and Juliets have shrunk. Except
for the dynamic Greta, the pull
sating Norma Shearer and the
velveteen Constance Bennett, the
tide of name advertising has
waned. One ventures, however,
the opinion that Hollywood needs
names much more than Broadway,
since the background against
which it is building is of diInsier
stun than the ancient alleys
which used to sing at the APP
proach Of Mr.. Edwin Booth.
Al MONG the names which one
"A guarantees will fame high
and wide during the coming sea-
son are:
Greta GarbO-Because, say what
you will, she represents the abSo-
lutte enigma of alluring woman
hood;
Ruth Chatterton-Because she
can make even the sturdiest male
cry;
Norma Because. what
between her clothes, her haircut
and the handsome curves of her
back, she never allows one dull
moment;
Sylvia Sidney-Because she is
one of the most capable of the
younger actresses, with a smile
which could melt the Sphynx;
Clark GabIe-Because the ladies
claim that they would rather see
him than eat;
Robert MontgOmery-Ditto.
THOSE who have an even chance
to go under might include:
Gloria SwanS0n-BecauS with
all her ability, she doesn't seem
to be able to get anywhere;
Marion DavieS-Because, after
all, one can't giggle and laugh and
be coy forever;
william Haines-BecauSe his
smile doesn't make the ladies
Squirnl any more;
Peggy Shann0n-BecauSe, al
though she's competent actress,
she hasn't got something that
Clara Bow had; and
Dorothy Mackail-Because, even
If the truth hurts, she's getting a
double chin.
COME of the erstwhile great"
who will be lucky If they have
their names anywhere at all will
perhaps be: