Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02

Hughes, Marc Connolly and 1nez
Haynes Irwin.
It is proposed that the organi-
Zation make a test case OF par
ticular sound motion picture which
the cenSorS have scrambled, and
the picture will be selected at a
later date. Here are some of the
ways the censorship rules are
employed:
In New York State, it is against
the law to picture grating po-
liceman or politician. In other
States this may go through. In
the recent picture, Smart Money"
one scene was eliminated in New
York; it passed in the District Of
Columbia. 1t is estimated that
many thousand lines of gang
talk" have been deleted from
recent pictures, especially when
these lines refer to shooting
Scrapes. In THE Public Enemy
James Cagney pushed a grape
fruit into the face of his sweet
heart. This scene was eliminated
in several States; in others, it
passed the cenSorS without trou-
BILE. In Kansas, it is against the
censorship rules to show scenes
containing whisky bottles; kisses
on the neck are barred in Mary
land; bootleggerS and gigoloS in
Pennsylvania. Chicago has barred
number of the gangster pictures;
Ohio barred scenes of prison riots.
The new organization to combat
the cenSorS will be known as the
National Council on Freedom
From Censorship.
1.-THE Mary Pickford of China"
known in her own country
as Butterfly WI, is to come to
America next season as the result
of a contract recently signed.
However, she is not to be en-
ployed by a Hollywood company,
her salary coming from the Star
Motion Picture Co. of Shanghai.
Several Of the pictures, with some
of the scenes many in this coun-
try, will be in color, and the idea
is to give them a worldwide dis
tribution. This is the first time
Chinese company has entered the
field as a serious competitor, and
to see real Chinese star.
NOBLE MERRICK, The Star
Az correspondent in Hollywood.
writes that a general houSeclean-
ing will be in order this Fall, and
she sends on a statement from
Jesse LaSky, as follows: Business
conditions have brought about a
demand for family pictures
Thousands of families have been
forced to do away with their
servants because of the present
financial stringency. In homes
where there are no maids to leave
the children with at nights, the
fathers and mothers are forced to
take them to the talking pictures
or remain indoors perpetually
themselves. It is up to the theater
to present attractions suitable for
both these widely diverging
groups"
Mr.. Lasky'S statement is a
rather roundabout way of saying
that the public is demanding a
different type of picture, but 1t
will do for the occasion. Temper
ing entertainment to suitable
program for young and old, is an
exceedingly difficult job, but 1t
may work out all right.
SHORT FLASHES: Smiling
Through" Norma Shearer's
next picture, will be a bit anti
quated, for it has been movie
material for several years. But
it will certainly be relief from
the type of pictures she has been
appearing in for some time.
Sidney Lust has installed West
ern Electric sound equipment in
his Hippodrome and Leader The
aterS. Both houses had been
equipped for sound, but the
change will allow the handling of
any sort of picture.
Now that Chicago exhibitors are
granted permission to show The
Public Enemy" it is expected that
the film will break records in the
Windy City. While it was barred,
the ballyhoo went on, with the
result that there has been a wild
scramble to view the film.
Frederic Marsh may play the
leading role in the English movie
production of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr..
Hyde" Paramount owns the
American rights.
Laura Hope Crews, well known
to the stage, has completed her
work of fitting Gloria Swanson,
Carole Lombard, Joan Marsh and
others Of the Goldwyn staff for
talking pictures. She went to
Hollywood on contract soon after
the sound films became estab-
liShed.
Joan Bennett has signed a con-
tract with Goldwyn, but it has not
been decided whether she will be
starred alone or with such players
as Ronald Colman, Eddie Cantor
or Douglas Fairbanks.
Dorothy Jordan and Wallace
Berry have been signed for the
naval aviation drama, Hell
Divers"
Peggy Shannon is to replace
Sylvia Sidney in the leading role
of Working Girl" This allows
Miss Sidney TO go 10 work In the
leading role of Ladies of the Big
House" Paramount has also as
signed Francis Dee to the feminine
lead in Rich Mans Folly" Lucille
Laverne to "Twenty-four Hours"
Marjorie King, who has a minor
role in the Greta Carlo picture,
1.-The Fall and Rise of Susan
Lenox," won instant favor with
Metro Goldwyn Mayer off1cials,
and she has been assigned a good
part in Boarding School," She
went to Hollywood from the New
York stage.
Edna May Oliver has an impor-