davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1931-04-19

ANY IaugnaDle statements are
NH made by those who acknow-
V ledge themselves to be shrewd
1 i analysts Of the movie fans
mind, but the most thoroughly
asinine of such statements Is this one:
THE great clean-minded public does
not wish to see displays Of crime or
vice, debauchery or lawlessneSs, on the
screen. The public demands sweetly
sentimental stories with q high moral
tone"
Whenever some important film pro-
ducer makes a remark like that, you
may leap to the conclusion that his
company Is about to embark on an am
bilious program of sex or crook dramas.
And when Gen. viii H. Hays says 1t,
as he did recently, you are safe In as
sliming that the movie industry as q
whole is wallowing in an orgy of un-
restrained jazzmania and gang warfare.
The pompous tribute to the purity of
the public's mind is bunk, and those
who utter 1t know ats bunk, and feel
that by proclaiming it they can mask
their true estimate of the negligible
height of popular taste.
The most conspicuous and successful
dramatists, from Aristophanes to
Shakespeare to Ben Hecnt and Charles
Macarthur, have been those with the
tuted authority, legal and theological
as well. And what has forever been
true of the traditional theater Is equally
true of its offspring, the cinema. Dur
ing the past 10 years this established
truth has increased intellectually in
potency.
When the average virtuous patron
Journeys from his modest, unexciting
home and ventures to pay in his money
at box Office ne hopes nat he will
be given in return a look at the more
sensational, mora romantic. more de-
praved phases OF life. The colder his
own existence, the hotter must be his
entertainment If he happens TO be
law-ridden as well as emotionally
starved, then he will applaud most
leudly those plays or pictures which
thumb their noses at the symbols OF
law and order.
zen. HAYS. has pointed out that
- the whole tendency Of the modern
movie is to make the outlaw look unim-
presSive, to slay with the bludgeon Of
ridicule the ominous forces of crime and
immortality. Perhaps this IS true in the
cases of such farces as THE Gang
Buster and Mr.. Lemon of Orange, u
but in most other cases the tendency
seems to be all the other way.
THE Front Page" makes no secret
OF the fact that the mayor and police
force Of a great American city are
knaves and at the same time dim-witS
The heroes of the piece are newspaper
men with complete and devastating
scorn for everything that they should
revere.
Evening star., 1931-04-19
YOUNGEST Cast Ever.

THE youngest cast ever assembled lor
a feature-length motion picture
will be presented in "Skippy," Para
mounts production from the famous
cartoon strip by Percy L. Crosby. the
Juveniles are all under 10, even to the
extras.
Until "skippy" began production the
record for youthful acting talent in q
full-length picture was held by Tom
SAWYER" That production comprised a
cast of children up to the age OF 10.
Many of the minor players were as
' However, in "skippy" ali Of the
Youngsters are still in the grammar
School class. The majority OF them are
around 6 and years Of age, with
few 10 years old. Ninety-nVe cnlloIsn M
under the age Of 10 were assembled lot
the minor parts.
The cast is headed by Jackie Cooper
as Skippy and Robert Coogan as SooKy.
.Jackie is only years old and Robert
Cocgan. younger brother OF JACKIE
Cooean' celebrated his fifth birthday
last December. Other leading child
narts are PLAYED by Mitzi Green, years
of age: Jackie Searl, 8, and Donald
Haines, 9. All three have been In pic
lures for more than two years.
or the entire cast only one Is making
his film debut, Robert Coogan, ageo D.
Evening star., 1931-04-19

University OF Chicago when q vacation
in Hollywood provided an opportunity
for her on the screen, and June McCloy,
who had been at the University Of Mich
igan q year when an offer to appear
in George Whites Scandals won her
over.
Charles Rogers was about to become
naughty senior at the University Of
Kansas when Paramount's Picture
School took him from a journalism
course and his fraternity brothers of
Phi Kappa Psi.
Leon Enrol knew nothing Of collapse
BILE knees when he spent three years
at st. Joseph's College and Sydney Uni
versity, in New South Wales, Australia
A degree from Dartmouth Is among
the possessions Of Charles Starrett.
SkeetS Gallagher started out to be a
civil engineer at Rose Polytechnic In
stitute. but switched to a law course
at Indiana. University before he decided
upon o stage and screen career.
Stuart Erwin was in the throes Of a
sophomore curriculum at the University
Of California when he left school to
become an actor.
Martin Burton put aside his law books
at the University Of Indiana when he
met Ina Claire and received encourage
ment Of the hope TO become an actor.
Phillips Holmes was student at
Princeton when Frank Tuttle, director,
came to film scenes for a college picture
and gave him a part. Holmes immedi-
ately signed picture contract.
Evening star., 1931-04-19
An Old Actors Beliefs.

mund Breese are "Tol'able David" "Kts-
met" THE Painted Desert" and Holly
wood Gold Diggers."
II have seen films develop from the
crudest attempts at entertainment to
the finished products of today" BreeSe
says. THE first talking pictures made
were far better than the first silent ones,
and the perfecting of the sound produc-
tions is going forward much more rap
idly than that of the silentS.
I'VE need more sophisticated stage
plays made into pictures for some; such
stories as "IIuckleberry Finn" and TON
Sawyer" for children, and musical pic
lures for others Different elements
cannot so easily be combined in pres
ent day pictures as before"
Evening star., 1931-04-19
Twain's Inspiration.

said, "and I can't understand how a
knight Of the sixth century could have
been killed by a bullet"
The phlegmatic attendant smiled.
"Of course, we don't know, SIR" was
his explanation, but 1t is supposed to
have been the work Of vandals in the
time of Oliver Cromwell. They took
the greatest delight in destroying
historic relics. and 1t is probable that
one of his soldiers saw the armor dis
paved in n mrscum and put a bullet
hoe through 1t"
THAT explanation" remarked Twain,
lacks con-i6era be in Imagination"
He thereupcn set about supplying an
explanation for the bullet hole in the
sixth century kn ght's armor, which
eliminated in "A Connecticut Yankee
in King ArthUr's Court The reading
public of 1889 and of the years that
have followed evidently has found the
celebrated humorist's explanation en-
tirely satisfactory.
Evening star., 1931-04-19

A BULLET hole in a suit of amor
= standing in the British Museum
furnished the idea for a world-famous
literary masterpiece.
Although Mark Twain never definite
~ confided to the reading public how
he got the idea for his popular satire,
"a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs
Ccurt." he gave a fairly good clue in
I,iq forcvord. He told in 1t Of visit
ta the British Museum. where, among
co.lcr rc'ics or the past, he saw many
gus CT armcr.
Coa brcs ~turate. dated the sixth
century, 81 labeled the fighting cos
t.lrne Of q sir Sagramor," especially
interested the sightseeing American
write because Of bullet hole right
ever the heart. Twain's curiosity was
stirred and he asked an attendant for
an explanation.
.',rhat armor was worn long before
the invention Of gunpowder," Twain
Evening star., 1931-04-19

inventors scheme to recapture historic
events of the past, and before he kn3wS
1t finds himself strutting through King
Arthur's court, with all its panoply Of
glamour and self-conscious dignity. Re-
fusing to take all this court atmosphere
seriously, he ingratiates himself with the
King by doing some good American
tricks. aweS them with his patent ciga-
rette lighter, strikes them with fear when
he apparently brings on an eclipse of the
sun and then, when the King has made
him boss of the palace, he proceeds to
turn everything upside down by lasSoing
the prime minister in open tournament
and turning the palace gardens into
modern American machine shops capa-
BILE Of turning out anything from saxo-
phones to f1ivvers.
It's all done with a high sense Of hui
NOR, and the result Is both exciting and
funny. William Farnum, staging real
comeback; Myrna 10y, Maureen O'Sul-
Ivan and Frank Albertson are in the
supporting cast. David Butler directed.
On the stage is Fanchcn and Marcos
Seasons" idea, an extravaganza dealing
with climatic subjects, and thought to
be different from other things seen on
''F" street during the past year. Bril-
liant backgrounds, dazzling costumes,
the glow of colorful lighting effects and
the magic of beauty in motion all COM
bine to depict the four seasons with
harmony to eye and ear.
The production features Frank
Melino and Company, including Harriette
Powell and Alfred Melino; Lottie Loder,
Ada Broadbent. Russell and Marcon1,
and the Mack BiSsett Dancers.
RIALTO-"Gentleman Fate"
d %A okk -.
new eminence in his new Metro
Fate" at the Rialto Theater this week,
returning to the romantic and dramatic
type of role Of former successes.
In point Of characterization and
story, however, the new Gilbert picture
is declared as fresh as the motivation.
In it he is a young man, reared to lux
ury, who finds himself q member Of
rum-running, gang-warring family, In
stead Of the society scion he thought
himself. The story is by Ursula Par
rott. author Of THE Divcrcee," and Is
full Of thrills and surprises Leila
Hyams and Anita Page are the two
leading ladies. One is the girl Gilbert
loved. The other Is the one he mar
ried.
Despite the gangland locale, the plot
Is said to present a sort Of psychological
human interest story that teens with
dramatic episodes bordering on the
meiodramatic at times, but 1t always
gets back on the direct track. A swift
climax is reached In q surprising end.
The supporting cast includes Marie
Provost. John MILAN, George Cooper
ard other well known actors.
Otto r. Beck presides at the Rialto
organ, Graham McNamee announces
the Universal Newsreel events, and
selected short reels and comedies round
cut the program
Evening star., 1931-04-19
Actors Do Count.

why Mr.. Scnnett has been featuring
three and sometimes four com3dy pur-
veyors in one picture.
Andy Clyde, Harry Gribbon and Mar
jorie Beebe are his favorite trio. In
"Cowcatcher's Daughter" and "The
Ghost Parade" Clyde, Gr:bbon and
Beebe work together for the best laugh
results, and, not stopping at such ex-
pensiye casting, Mr.; Sennett also IN
cludes In o prominent role the handsome
and popular Frankie Eastman.
tions NAV be added TO the screen, the
iTnuortance of capable actors and
actresses viii never be diminished" Mr..
Sennett+ concludes.
Evening star., 1931-04-19

MACK sENNETT explodes the theory
1NA that the plays the thing"
He says that a comedy may be q
screan a riot. even an explosion OF
laughs. on paper, but unless it Is per-
formed by people who know how-real
comedians. who have a true under
standing Of the nuances OF wit and
humor-it falls nat as pancake.
II don't believe this Is TO be quite as
true Of drama" Mr.. Sennett aoos, Teno
that Is yhy casting a comedy Is one
Of the biggest Jobs in Hollywood"
The comedy producer says, further,
that four people getting ten laughs
epiece are funnier than one person
9pGnGang forty laughs. which explains
Evening star., 1931-04-19

Saturday.
1T Pays to Advertise" Paramount's
screen version of the noted play, will be
presented at the Earle Theater begin
ming Saturday, with a cast including
Norman Foster and Carole Lombard in
the leading roles.
Ten Nights in Bar Room" is sched-
uled for the Metropolitan beginning
Saturday.
R-K-O Keith's announces Bachelor
Apartments" with Irene Dunno, Lowell
Sherman, Mae Murray, Norman Kerry
and Ivan Lebedof in the cast, starting
Friday morning.
Evening star., 1931-04-19

Jure recently had
a run at the Ma
tional Theater as
a road show"
Harry Carey and
Edwina Booth are
the players who
are outstanding in
this drama of the
African jungle.
William H a in g
latest Metro-Gold-
wyn-Mayer pic
ture, "a Tailor
Made Man." with
Dorothy Jordan
a nd Marjorie
Rambeau in sup
porting roles. will
be shown at Loew's
Palace starting the
new week next
Evening star., 1931-04-19

1Ae@CNA3 &ANAAAASA AAA -
travesty on King
Arthur's time, this
new talk!e version
is said to preserve
all the wit and hi
larity Of the original
story, plus Will.
Rogers own gags"
a nd undermining
props" In a sense,
the story brackets
the twentieth CEN
tury with a period
400 years earlier,
and yet it is all
done In the spirit
of the present day.
Rogers, a radio
salesman, gets mix
pd I'm with q CroY1k
Evening star., 1931-04-19

OTUNE MOON" a comedy romance
from the famous stage play. Is the
current screen attraction at Warmers s
Earle Theater this week. This picture
Is said to contain more laughs per min
ute than the miles per hour allowed by
the speed laws. Jack Oakie, the star.
Is aided by Frances Dee, a newcomer
Wynne Gihscn and June MacCloy.
Evening star., 1931-04-19
On the Horizon

U'TRADER HORN" is announced as
the next attraction at Loew's Co
lumbia, to follow Ruth Chattertons
new picture, "Unfaithful." This pie
Evening star., 1931-04-19

Eleanor Boardman has been signed
to a long-term contract by Paramount.
She will have the feminine lead op-
posite Paul Lukas in Women Love
Once" from a screen play by Zoe Atkins
Evening star., 1931-04-19

David Wark Grifith may produce the
Edgar Wallace story, "On the Spot" for
United Artists.
Evening star., 1931-04-19
Fox--"A Connecticut Yankee"

FOX--"A Connecticut Yankee.
~HIVALROUS days and hilarious
knights provide the background
for "A Connecticut Yankee in
~ King Arthur's Court" Will
Rogers latest starring picture,
now at the Fox. Written by Mark
Twain, and bristling with his own in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
From the Front Row
Reviews and News of Washington Theaters

drabbest evenings in the annals of
the theater.
Mr.. Buchanan, who knitted this de-
pressing yarn together, must have
taken deep breath before he began
to pore over a dictionary of slang
and to whip out an endless amount
of "shut-ups!" for characters who
didn't mind what they said and then
turn them loose on Davy Jones
locker with instructions to scream
and swear when they had nothing
better to do. The result is that In
the big moments" the people con-
cerned might better be screaming
Mother Goose rhymes at each other
instead of the brutalities that would
curdle the ink to print.
Apart from the torrent of abuses
that echo around all this, and q
minimum of milk and honey (the
hero does give up dope for the sake
OF the gal in the end), the author
has contrived a ship which heaves
and groans and lungeS about like a
cork with the help of the back
drop and Is about the best of the
evenings entertainment.
The actors, except for Miss Larri-
more and Charles Starrett, are not
distinguished for anything beyond
their slang vocabulary. Mr.. Starrett
seemed especially at his ease and to
know what it was all about-and so
did Miss Larrimore, whose powers,
however. are pretty much submerged,
especially when one thinks of her
not so long ago as the delightful
heroine of Let Us Be Gay"
E. de s. M.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
CHURCHES Plan
CHEST ACTIVITY
Special Services win Be Con-
Quoted Throughout City
January IS.

The Sunday after next will be "Com-
munity Chest Sunday" and members Of
Washington churches viii hear not only
special sermons by their pastors, but
speeches by representatives Of the char
tiles group.
January IS, the day before the Com
munity Chest campaign begins. was des-
ignated at a meeting held yesterday in
Calvary Baptist Church. Eighth and H
streets. The plans decided upon include
the distribution of descriptive leaflets
to all churchgoers, the printing Of ex-
planatory material in church calendars
and bulletins and the placing of posters
on bulletin boards and in church lob
bies.
Churches Pledge Cooperation.
Pastors of all the various Protestant
churches in the District of Columbia
pledged their whole-hearted co-opera-
ton in the charities groups drive.
This cooperation, Right Rev. William
F. Mcdowell. senior bishop of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, who pre-
sided in the absence of Bishop James
E. Freeman. chairman of the Commun-
ity Chest Committee on Church Coop
Grafton, declared, enables us TO put a
new emphasis on the significance of
the truth of God in the world"
Church in Action.
"The Community Chest is the church
in action" Rev. Robert W. Brook, pas
tor of Lincoln Temple, said. 1T is our
ideals being made practical. 1t is a
community enterprise in which all of
us may have part, irrespective of any
accidental station in life. 1t represents
deeds rather than beliefs. It takes
brotherhood out of the realms of theory
and pieces it on practical, voluntary
basis"
Other speakers were Rev. Arson
Phelps Stokes, cannon of the Washing
ton Cathedral; Rev. Allen A. Stockdale,
pastor of the First Congregational
Church; Rev. Homer j. Councillor as
sistant minister of the church in which
the meeting was held, and Elwood
Street, director of the charities group.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
URGE S|X-DAY WEEK
FOR JAIL GUARDS
Citizens Would Vest Commits
SionerS With Power to
Execute Plan.

A resolution urging the adoption of a
bill by the Senate which would vest the
District Commissioners with the author
ity to establish six-day week for
guards Of the District Jail was unani-
mously passed last night by the Con-
greSs Heights Citizens Association,
meeting in the Congress Heights Bap-
fist Church, Ester street and Brothers
place. In adopting this resolution the
association was following similar &C
ton passed recently by the Federation
Of Citizens Associations.
The establishment of the proposed
plan would mean the employment of
four additional guards to supplement-
the present force, the cost of which
would be negligible, declared Lewis
Galbman, secretary Of the association.
Work conditions to which the guards
are subject were deplored by Mr.. Galb-
man.
The movement has received the rec
commentator of Maj w. G. Peake,
superintendent Of the jail and OF the
Board of Public Welfare. Senator Cap
per has also lent his support to the
effort.
j. C. Ritter of the Southeast Wash
ington Citizens Association stressed the
need of increased contributions TO the
Community Chest, which will soon start
its drive for funds, in speech before
the association. The unemployment
problem. he pointed out, was acute, and
a certain measure of relief could be
afforded by the Community Chest II
the increased quota for which 1t has
asked could be made.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
DEATH OF DOCTORS
| PUZZLES OFFICIALS
Suicide and Murder Ad-
vanced as Theory by At
PENDANTS at School in Chile.
~ the Associated Press.


SANTIAGO DE CHILE, January 49,
The tragic deaths of DR.. Cora Mayer,
Chile's leading woman physician, and
Or. Alfredo de Maria, government n.y.
giene chief, puzzled the authorities to-
day. DR.. Maria shot DR.. Mayer and
himself.
Attendants at the public Nurses
School, where the shooting took place,
declared that the two had been in love,
and advanced the theory that, separated
by DR.. de Maria'S marriage to an
other woman, they had determined to
die together. DR.. Mayer was 35 and
unmarried.
Others also conversant with the lives
of the two practitioners expressed be-
lief that the crime was motivated by
professional jealousy for which death of
both seemed the only solution to the
inpetuous hygiene official.
School attendants said DR.. de Maria
walked into the Office of DR.. Mayer,
who was chief of the school, and en-
gagged in low conversation with her.
Two. shots rang out Attendants rushed
to find both dead DR.. de Maria APP
parently had plSSd a pistol at DR..
Mayors forehead and then had turned
the gun on himself.
Both had been on health missions to
the United States and Europe. DR..
Mayer was a leader in children's medt-
cal work and was clasSed by some as
the greatest of all Spanish American
woman physicians. DR.. de Maria was
a medical professor in the University
of Chile and acting chief of hygiene
/. for the national government.
Both were natives of Chile. She was
Of German extraction and he Of Italian.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
Emusic and Musicians
Reviews and News of Capitals Programs

ness was brought into the singing by
the rendition of "a Brownies Dance"
by Dargomijsky.
Attention must be called to the
exceptionally fine bass singing of
G. N. Kedrof, who is able to take
some lower than low notes with good
tonal quality and who also furnished
the personality for the four in his
expressions and the evident JOY of
singing.
The quartet sang five encores, in
which was included THE Volga
Boatman." The gradual shading of
the singing of the boatmen as they
tug at the boats along the river and
the fading of their song as they dis
appear into the distance was SUI
perbly expressed in the singing of all
members of the quartet.
One feels that a more appropriate
number than the melodious waltz
of Flowers" from the baHet. 1.-THE
Sleeping Beauty" from the pen of
that master Russian composer,
Tschaikowsky, could not have been
selected to bring to an end a de-
lightfully arranged program. The
work of the quartet in rendering this
was magnificent, tenor and baritone
alternating in leading in the flowing
melody of this beautiful waltz.
j. N H.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
NAVAL COMMITTEE
/. TO ASK S74,O3O,ODO
Sum to Be Recommended as
Step to Bring Service Up
to Treaty Strength.

Chairman Britten of the House Naval
Committee expects to present q modi-
fed naval construction program to the
House this session in bill authorizing
$74, 10000 as the first step to bring
the service up to London treaty
strength. Proposals pending before
Congress would authorize $l72, 900
for the work.
The other recommendations include
one before the House Appropriations
Committee to set aside $50 1905 al
ready authorized for 10 destroyers and
one des roger leader. The Navy also
has asked authority to eXpend $780,
100000 for undermining three battle
ships.
In laying the administrations pro-
gram before the committee, Secretary
Adams recommended $50, 635 900 for
new construction. Britten predicted his
group would cut that amount by $l6,-
COS, 900, the sum requested for 6-incll
gun vessel.
Items in the $74,O3O, 900 bill which
Britten predicted his committee would
approve include an aircraft carrier to
cost $27, $50, 900; a 20,780,000 flying
deck cruiser unlike any other ship now
afloat and four submarines to cost $4,-
400, 900 each.
In addition, Britten said the bill will
carry 100000 for 1870 airplanes and
SO, 000, 900 for experimentation with sub
marine and surface craft engines.
Included in the authorization for the
aircraft carrier would be money to pro-
vide ia airplanes, SO would be pro-
vided for the cruiser carrier.
The Naval Committee prepared to
end its hearings soon on the bill. At
the same time an appropriations sub
committee began taking testimony on
the Navy annual supply bill, which
carried $380,000,000 for the current
year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
KedrOff Quartet
In Splendid Recital.

TINE icy air of the steppes and
the soft stiffness of the Rus
sian Summer moon were
i brought into the atmosphere
of the Central Community
Center in the presentation of the
Kedrof Quartet by the Community
Institute last night.
The audience was highly appre-
ciative Of the all-Russian program
and showed that appreciation in the
applause.
The program, arranged in four
parts, opened with group of Rus
sian folk songs, two of which wSre
harmonized by N. N. Kedroff, bari
tone of the quartet and formerly
professor at the Imperial Conserva-
tory at Petrograd. Singing with the
true temperament of the Russian,
the quartet seemed to put their
hearts into their work. The singing
of the tenor was commendable, es-
pecially in that he sang some excel
lent high notes, even though labor
ing under slight cold.
The second part of the program
was devoted to art songs, containing
two written for and dedicated to the
Kedrof quartet by Cesar Cut. Light