davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1931-11-29

enstein in the shape of Give.
She would, too, probably have ap-
proved of the monster, except for
the strange noises which come
out of him, and which for some
reason are sometimes SO small
and puerile that they sound like
nothing so much as an angereo
bull pup. What undoubtedly
would have surprised her most
would have been to see the re-
ception which the public is ac-
cording this old, old story of the
criminal brain which reused a
giant robot to life and made him
monster of uncomplimentary
proportions.
Strictly speaking, this is by no
means 100 per cent picture. It
gives it's audience the proper
chills and feverS and sends it
home to an unwanted meal, but
according to all the laws of film
faShioning it doesn't hang well
enough on its story prop to burst
into SuperheadlineS. The love af-
fair is a weak little bit which does
nothing save detract-and all the
sequence which has to do with
the wedding, and the little girl
who is drowned, and the young
bride who runs into the monster,
is all weird, but not at all con-
vincing.
AT this point one might recall
n the fact that Mary Woll-
Stonecraft Shelley wrote this
story when she was scarcely 81
years of age. It was undertaken
as a kind of week end frolic in
Switzerland, where she had gone
with her husband and Byron.
Each of them decided to compose
something on the order of the
modern thriller, although the
supernatural was more fashion
able then than the realistic. Mary
Shelley's contribution to this lit
erary game was "FrankenStein, A."
which proved not only popular in
its day, but one of the most noted
of this lady's many interesting
works.
That it's popularity has sur
vived up until now may be wit
messed by the crowds who have
gone to see it at the Rialto. AL
though there was a film tear pro-
moter in town with Mae Marsh
giving a grand performance
in "Over the HILL" and although
one could laugh at that gutteral
mug" Bert Lahr (Still not so
funny as he was in Hold Every
thing"), and at Joe Brown, and
one could have a splendid eve
ming at "Way Back Home" which
the Lunt family enjoyed so much
when they were here, it seems as
though the public prefers to be
frozen into human jelly.
All last week the lines at the
theater rivaled the rush for front
row seats at the National.
Evening star., 1931-11-29


~ scribers to this correspondence
"A expect to learn, through it,
4 a what Prof. William Lyon Phelps
of Yale regards as plays from
which profit may be extracted. His
recommendations have become its most
satisfactory feature, and he himself
would be surprised at the influence they
exert. AS it has been said here before,
DR.. Phelps is the ideal playgoer, if
there is such a thing. Unlike the paid
dramatic critics he is able to protect
his taste from the multitude of riff
raffS and rag-tags that degrade the
theater. Other reviewers sit night after
night in evil companionShip and their
standards, therefore. are lowered. They
are tempted to eXult over a bad play,
simply because it is not so bad as it
might be. DR.. Phelps situation per-
mitS him to be discriminating and to
avoid contamination. While we news
paper critics are forced by duty to sub
ject ourselves to Broadway's weakening
infections he can be wary and aloof,
exposing himself only to the more sa-
lubriouS productions. Issued from the
serene heights of New Haven his oc-
casional bulletins to this column advise
many drama lovers to see what ought
to be seen at the theaters.
But the catalogue, somewhat delayed
is still useful, itemizing as it does a sane
and human scholars adventures among
the Times Square masterpieces. Three
of these succumbed yesterday from lack
of audiences-the Norman Bel Geddes
Hamlet" the Ethel Barrymore School
| for Scandal and Payment Deferred. :"
! The fact that they have vanished from
these parts does not lessen the interest
in DR.. Phelps impression of them, and
here, following and unamended, are his
preferences:
The Barretts of Wimpole Street.
This is the best modern play in New
York.
"Hamlet'-The Norman Bel Geddes
production with Raymond Massey is
so filled with new and original features
that it will make a permanent impress
sion. Every student should see it.
| Grand Hotel"-This is in its last
three weeks. Verbum sap.
Julius Caesar" Hamlet" and "Mer-
chant of Venice"-At the Royale Thea
| ter, by Fritz Leiber and Helen Menken
and other famous stars.
Mourning Becomes Electra" - A
great tragedy by Americas foremost
playwright, magnificently produced and
! acted An unforgettable experience.
Payment Deferred"-An exciting,
original drama, revealing to American
theatergoers a superb English actor,
Charles Laughton.
Streets of New York"-A side-split-
ting reproduction of an ld-fashioned
melodrama.
THE Guest Room"-A thoroughly
amusing comedy.
THE Roof"-Galsworthy's play, ad-
mirably produced and acted, at the
Charles Hopkins Theater.
School for Scandap'-With Ethel
Barrymore.
Readers write in to complain that
| DR.. Phelps confines his notes to eulogy,
never venturing an expostulation, They
say that, although he is a prudent
| playgoer, he must, now and then. run
across sour entertainment. Why, they
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Local Theaters Offer
Splendid Attractions
For the Next Few Weeks
Ziesfeld Follies to Be Followed With Mr. Whis.
tier, The Merchant of Venice, ""The House
Beautiful" and Chauve Souris.
By w. H. Landvoiet.

come the exotic Chauve Souris,
with the jovial Nikita Balieff and
the polished taste of the Moscow
Art Theater; the Mozart Ballet,
devised in terpiSchorean execu-
ton by Boris Romanoff; the
Queen of Spades" an Alexander
Pushkin creation, but with an
English company as a concession
to universal brotherhood, and
other exquisite and fascinating
tidbitS of grace, beauty and music,
which, to tell them all, would be
a task indeed.
so that, seeing only what is in
sight and breathing more
easily to tighten the weight upon
heart and mind, why may it not
be hoped that, even though the
days be degenerate, the theater
is not decadent? Just as even
sturdy old Notre Dame met it's
Singed cat-meaning no disre-
Spect to either the meeter or the
met-So, apparently, Old Man
Depression has been tripped when
he wasn't looking, and there is
every reason for being thankful
and giving thanks as well as look
ing forward to a Christmas sea-
son gay with gladness.
X
NEVERTHELESS, ever and anon
there comes a play, produc-
ton, or call it what you may.
which arouses the combative ele-
ment in gentle humanity and
makes it want to say forceful
things. An old maxim advises
that the least said the soonest
mended, and. perhaps, that may
be true at this time. But when
the offense is great and a fellow
feels mad-if you catch the in
tended meaning of the phrase
he wants to say his say, and what
he says is not apt to be kind or
even elegant.
True, the mighty Shakespeare
tells US that "All the worlds
stage and all the men and wom-
en- merely players" and for that
reason all classes and kinds feel
it is their right to crowd into the
theater, which is merely the re-
Election Of life as it is lived, even
if idealiZed a bit. But there is no
defense to the introduction of
common, low vulgarity upon the
pretense that it is legitimately
dramatic. The liberty of all men
is curbed bit for the sake of
the general welfare, so that the
policeman may act when life gets
too gay in its going offstage.
There is no earthly reason why
the same persuasive methods may
not be utilized to protect the
theater itself against those whose
purpose is, not so much to portray
phases of life in the interest of
theatric art as it is to appeal to
morbid public with the degra-
dation of life and sheer lewdness
for financial reward. Neither the
stage nor the community at large
has anything to gain by such
manifestations, and it is believed
that the laws now on the statute
books are sufficient authority to
compel judicial test of the right
to carry on a debauch under the
pretenSe of dramatic exhibition.
The policeman is provided for
the very purpose Of keeping the
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Who Benny Davis Is.

PENNY DAVIS has made several
- fortunes. Hit songs seem to flow
from him.
Benny Is appearing this week at
Loew's Palace Theater. There is no de-
nying he has an excellent revue. He
has gathered a group of young per-
formers with ability sufficient to carry
any stage show. But more important is
that he himself is Snowman enough to
develop these tyros in the amusement
game and then to sell them to the
public. Benny is the author of such
song hits as "Margie," Carolina Noon
and many others Also he is respon-
Sible for the introduction to the public
Of stars like Helen Kane, Helen Nor
gan, Paul Whiteman, Harry Richman
and Hal LEROY.
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Personal Appearances.

EEP the stars on the screen. They
belong there, not doing stage
turns at personal appearances SC
thinks Warner Baxter.
That sort of thing simply slaughters
Illusion and a star needs illusion. It
was the same with the stars in the sky
When people began staring at them
through telescopes it didn't take them
long to degenerate from poetry to as
tronomy"
Mr.. Baxter had been chatting with
Ralph Bellamy, Alexander kirkland
and group of other players between
scene shots for his latest Fox picture,
Surrender" now at the Fox Theater,
when some one had the misfortune 10
bring up the subject of personal ap-
pearances by movie celebrities.
Baxter has rather strong views on
the subject and he got right into ac-
ton, and there are many who will agree
with him.
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Tempus Forgets, Talent Ditto

Tempus Forgets, Talent Ditto
THE turnover of talent in motion
pictures is one of the amazing
things about the industry.
When Dolores Costello returned to
pictures at the Warner Bros. studios
after two-year vacation, she found in
her supporting cast only one familiar
name and face. In that brief space Of
time the whole roster of supporting
players popular with the studio and the
public had undergone such a change
that the only player who had ever be-
fore appeared in a Costello picture was
left, and he the well known H. B. War
ner.
Warren William, who plays opposite
Miss Costello in Expensive Women, "
was brought directly from a Broadway
stage production, but Anthony Bushell,
young English actor OF growing prom
inence, and Joe Donahue, brother Of the
late Jack Donahue, are entirely new to
the screen since Miss Costello left It,.
Mae Madison and Polly Walters are
also new since Second Choice" the
last Costello picture.
The technical production crews, how
ever, from producer to script clerk and
from property man to wardrobe de-
signer, nearly the entire crew, are made
up of men and women who worked with
Miss Costello before her retirement and
while she was rising from bit roles Sto
Stardom.
Evening star., 1931-11-29

q ITTING pretty upon the safe
and solid acreage of our
~ theatrical airport and toss
ing for the nonce vague anG
vapory notions of other things to
the four winds of heaven, which
have blown our plane to a better
1nooring, there seem to be reasons
for trying to forget the past and
to hopefully look to the future
now knocking at our door.
1t would be almost unpardon-
able to imagine for an instant
that any reader of the public press
needs to be told that the Ziegfeld
Follies in full bloom, will be
found at the National Theater to-
morrow evening. 1t would be cold
,blooded Supererogation to think
that there is even one soul
among the 621, ,059 inhabitants of
our metropolitan area"-670, SIS,
to be in accord with the survey
of our Board of Trade-who
doesn't know already that this
edition of the FollieS, as presented
by Mr.. ziegfeld, is "the concen-
trated glorification of the women
of the world" the first assem-
bled by the old master in five
years." or "the most magnificent
musical show of the ages" as set
forth in the advance notices. And
all this being true as printed, is
there any need to say more?
"A WEEK hence-December 7
we shall have another of
those interesting historical char
acter plays in Mr.. Whistler" 4"
which, it is said, provides a
glimpse theatriCally at the great
American painter James Abbott
McNeill Whistler. 1t is produc-
tion of the same producers that
gave the stage THE Green Pas
lures" And eight days later, the
incompatible Maude Adams, with
the no less incompatible Otis
Skinner, will arrive in The Mer-
chant of Venice" to add to "the
ordinary run of the mine" at the
National.
OVER at the Belasco Theater,
dominated, more or less,
by those mysterious twins,
MesSrS. Lee and J. ]. Shubert,
they tell us that musical COM
pilation known as Marching BY"
"a refurbished and retitled pro-
duction of Arms and the Maid"
was destined to appear this very
week, but-as often happens-it
was cancelled. A week later and
opening more piously, perhaps,
on Monday, December 7, we shall
have Crosby Cages production
of Charming Pollock's "The House
Beautiful" with novelty all its
own, which should protect 1t from
the charge of the modern taste
as being a last years birds nest,
for "The House Beautiful" how
ever it may be regarded by the
younger generation, comes her
aided as noble in its purpose and
hopeful in its ideals. This is a
Professional Players protege,
which in itself is a recommended
ton.
Close behind 1t, on December IA,
rs at present announced, will
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Playwright and Play Doctor.
E. THOMAS, whose name appea

A E. THOMAS, whose name appears
with those of Pauline Hopkins
and Sarah Curry in connection with the
authorship of "Mr. Whistler" which
comes to the National Theater next
week, has, with perhaps two or three
exceptions, written more plays than any
living contemporary
Mr.. Thomas was born in Chester,
Mass, and is graduate of Brown Uni
versity. Experience in his early life
prepared him for his vocation as a
dramatist. He was first a journalist
and eventually became a newspaper
critic. For some years he was on the
stan OF various New York paperS-the
Herald Tribune, Times, Sun and Post
The list Of Mr.. Thomas plays is SO
long as to forbid their enumeration
here, but among them must be men
toned Just Suppose" THE Matinee
Hero" Come Out of the Kitchen -
What the Doctor Ordered" and THE
French Doll"
Evening star., 1931-11-29

IN "Frankenstein" Colin Give
proves himself a major screen
/ actor. One of Britain's noted
loans to this hemisphere, his
Shrewd methods of being likable
and ugly at the same time are
worthy of much consideration.
The fact that he makes the role
of the doctor stand out at all in
this film is a great tribute to his
ability, since the OF davil mons
ter is pictorially the object upon
which most of ones Mortified
thoughts are glued, and the doc
tor comes in only as a sort of
mechanical manipulation.
Mr.. Give continues the list of
unhandSome heroeS-Such as Mr..
Gable-who are so in favor at the
moment. Although his features
do not stick to the straight and
narrow, they are unhandSome
only as to classic Greek modes
and would fare very we'll any,
where, setting off dark evening
dress or golf homespunS. Give,
for instance, whose mouth says
Slightly at one corner, is said to
be continuing that excitement
among the weaker sex which
Gable put the match to not so long
ago. Since he strobe theoretically
through Journeys End" one lady
in particular claims not to have
gone to a single film, vowing that
she would wait for his return.
She went, the other day, to the
Rialto, after a cinema starvation
of more than a year, and found
the same croWdS-in fact, more
crowds-and her idol, Mr.. Give,
to reward her for her patience.
James Whale, the director of
"FrankenStein' and also a great
friend of Mr.. Give, has lighted"
the latter in an unusual manner.
He has taken the camera and
caught the British actor very
many times off his guard, pictur-
ing him to disadvantage rather
than otherwise.
This all goes to prove that the
public no longer wants gentlemen
with straight noses and regular
features. The pretty boys of yes
terday have had their fling. Give
the public a humanity possible
face and a voice which is rem
iniscent of the parlor at home
rather than the theater in it's
Hippodrome days, and the actors
heydey is almost assured.
What is particularly outstand-
ing among these Britishers as far
as their acting is concerned land
Arthur WOntner in last weeks
Sherlock Holmes" proved the
same) is their ease and natural
ness. AS Sherlock Holmes, for in
stance, Wontner scarcely moved
further than into a chair or out
of one. Yet when he talked
slowly and distinctly he was worth
listening to and one didn't feel
that f1dgeting restlessness which
is often so evident in some of
the more local celebrities. Give,
too, doesn't jump before the cam
era. He acts to himself rather
than to the lens. When he is
meant to be hysterical and emo
tional he doesn't burst into the
very teeth of the camera. He has
something about him which un-
doubtedly must be called good
acting"
MRS. PERCY BYSSHE SHELL
N LEY (the second, the author
of this tale of woe and nightmare
and mechanical blundering,
would probably have been pleased
at the film replica of her Frank
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Touchdown" Celebrities.

r ICHARD AHLEN'S 1oot DAN eXpeII-
ences at st. Thomas College, in the
Middle West, were made good use Of as
a coach in Touchdown" the Paramount
picture of the great American pasttme,
now current at Loews Palace Theater.
Howard Jones, famous throughout
America as the coach Of the Univer-
sity of Southern California foot ball
team, was one Of the technical assist.
ants to Norman Mcleod, who directed
Tom Lieb. former assistant to the i'm
mortal Rockne of Notre Dame, was the
other assistant technician on the film.
Touchdown" takes its audience from
the grand stand to the; players bench.
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Shows Mexican Life.

WI>HE CHAMP" Metro-G Goldwyn-
Mayors vivid drama, now at
Loew's Columbia Theater, is a Frances
Marion story Of life on the Mexican
border, and pictures many scenes on
Mexican locales. through courtesy OF
the Lower California government.
The inside" Of the fight racket, the
Caliente races, actually filmed at the
Mexican track: the great gambling halls
Of the American Monte Carlo and other
striking intimate details are said to give
unique interest TO the picture, many
having never before been shown on the
screen.
Evening star., 1931-11-29

peace, as it is sometimes crudely
put, and in this instance it would
be keeping the peace by prevent
ing the theft from society of that
which can never be returned
when once filched, its good name
and sense Of decency. No argu-
ment for the freedom of litera-
ture or the art of the stage can
be found to justify this crime.
Evening star., 1931-11-29
Stage and Screen Attractions This Week

NATTONAL-Ziegfed "Follies." Opens evening.
GAYETY-"TallyHo Girls" (burlesque. This afternoon
evening.
BURTON HOLMES-"The Colonial Exposition" and Paris
afternoon.
ON THE SCREEN.
PALACE-"TouchdoWn." This afternoon and evening"
EARLE-"The Cheat" This afternoon and evening.
FOX-"Surrender" This afternoon and evening
COLUMBIA-"The Champ" This afternoon and evening
METROPOLITAN Expensive Women" This afternoon and
evening.
RIALTO-"Frankensten." This afternoon evening.
Evening star., 1931-11-29
A Professor Contributes
List of Worth While Plays
William Lyon Phelps of Yale Sends in His Annual
Catalog for the Guidance of Theate~soers Who
Are Unfamiliar With the New York Situation.
By Percy Hammond.

A T every holiday season sub
" scribers to this correspondence
~ expect to learn, through it.,
a what Prof. William Lyon Phelps
Evening star., 1931-11-29
"Frankenstein" Freezes
The Audience and Shows
Some Fine Cinema Work
Thriller Brings Another Unhandsome Hero, Un-
usual Direction and Story Which Is Bit Weak.
An Old Tale Has Remarkable Revival.
By E. de S. Melcher.

Frankensten" Colin Give enstein the shape Cl
proves himself major screen She would probably
Milford chronicle., 1931-05-15
DRAWBRIDGE

Mrs. Ella Lank of Lewes visited
her son, Raymond Lank and family
during the past week.
Greensbury Brittingham and chill
dren entertained the formers bro
ther from Denton, Md, and Ralph
Brittingham of near Milton on Sun
day.
+ Margaret and Wilson Fisher, also
Dorothy DickersOn are ON the sick
list at this writing.
Virginia Reed spent Sunday with
/ her grandparents, Mr.. and Mrs. Da-
vid H. Reed, ST..
Mr.. and Mrs. David Clendaniel en-
tertained the latter's brother and
other relatives on Sunday last.
Robert Lockerman spent last week
with his grandparents, Mr.. and Mrs.
/ Thomas Mitchell.
Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Johnson enter
tanned on Wednesday last, Mr.. and
Mrs c. A. Davidson and Emma Da-
wilson.
The Ladies' Aid Society of Zion
7 NJ. E. Church will meet at the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Johnson on
Wednesday evening, May 20. Cakes,
pies and especially your presence
will be appreciated.
r. B. Zacharias and Thomas
Lockerman of Greensboro, Md, call
ed on Samuel LOckerman on Friday.
Donald Steen who has been on the
sick list is now able to be out again.
Mrs. Clarence DickersOn was lead
er of the prayer service at Zion
Church on Tuesday evening. This
service is held every Tuesday eve
ming. Show your loyalty by your
presence.
Mrs. Sarah Lockerman entertained
on Saturday evening Mr.. and Mrs.
Maurice A. Frazier, Jr., and son
Henry of Dover, Horace LOckerman
of Wilmington and Samuel Locker
man of near here.
ROdell Card had supper with Mr..
and Mrs. VIM. Mitchell at Rehoboth
on Sunday evening.
James Moore spent the weekend
in Milford.
Mrs. Amanda Reed, Mrs. ElwOod
0ASfCiAoOAl anu Nils'o Mai htGu Cdll-
ed on Mr.. and Mrs. Leroy King ON
Monday.
The condition of Mrs. Thomas
Campbell remains unchanged at this
writing.
Francis Leverage of Milton spent
the weekend with her grandpar-
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Reed Leverage. |
Mrs. Amanda Reed has purchased /
a new Chevrolet coach.
Services at Zion Church Sunday,
May II: Sunday school $3.50 a. m.
Raymond Lank, superintendent
Class services 1890 a. M. Leighton
l.. LOckermOn, leader. EpwOrth |
League services 1880 p. m. Mrs. Ell
wood Stevenson, leader. All well
come!
Milford chronicle., 1931-05-15

the ensuing year. The following
were elected: President, Virgins
Short; vice president, Janis Glen
daniel; treasurer, Kathleen Walls
secretary, Edna Mae Vadakin as
sistant secretary, Mabel Donovan
publicity chairman, Ruth Morrison
pianist, Mrs. Kathryn Fitzgerald
assistant pianist, Kathleen Walls
Refreshments were served. Meeting
adjourned to meet with Ruth Nor
risOn Tuesday evening, June =.
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Bernard and
daughter Mia of Berwyn, Pa, spent
last Thursday with Mr.. and Mrs
Wesley Townsend.
VIM. Rau and wife, Mrs. Mary Rau
and daughters, Mary and Helen OF
Germantown and Mrs. Eliza ponO-
van were guests of Mr.. and Mrs.
John Donovan on Sunday.
Earl Jewell and family of Lin
wood, Pa, Nelson Abbott and wife
of Wilmington, Chester Birmingham
and wife of Lewes visited their par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Vadakin on
Sunday.
Wilbur Adams and wife of Belle
fOnte and Burt Hendricks and wife
of Frederick spent Sunday with
their parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph
Messick.
Howard Beideman and wife, Cecil
Beideman and family and Roland
Beideman and wife of Philadelphia
spent the weekend with relatives.
VIM. COlegrOve and family of Will
mington spent the weekend with
her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. J. l..
Clendaniel.
The regular business and social
meeting of the WOmen's Christian
Temperance Union will be held at
the home of Mrs. Winnie Harder on
Tuesday afternoon, May 10. Text
word prayer" A good attendance
is urged.
We are glad to note the condition
of Mrs. Ora TraylOr who is under
treatment at the Marshall Hospital
is improving.
Sherman Transue and family of
YeadOn, Pa, are spending some time
with her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. VIM.
Truitt.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Donovan enter
tanned few friends at a party on
Saturday evening in honor of Mr..
DOnoVan's birthday. Among the
guests were Arthur Walls and fam
lily, VIM. Peterson and wife, Elbert
Jones and family, Harry Hunt and
family and Harvey Swain and fam
lily.
The Ladies' Aid will meet with
Mrs. Jay Abbott Friday evening,
May 18th. The committee is: Mrs.
Pilton, Mrs. Morris, Mrs. Clendaniel.
A full attendance is desired.
An entertainment will be held in
Lincoln school house, Wednesday
evening, May 20, 1881, at 1880 p. m.
Program as follows: Music; play,
Akin Her Father" Negro sketch;
instrumental music, songs and reci-
.ations; play, That's What They
All Say; music. Come out and