davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Dark Clouds in Theater
Affairs Are Now Showing
A Bit of Silver Lining
Although National Is Dark" for Thanksgiving
Week. the "Follies" Are Coming West at
Shubert-Belasco-Adam Skinner En- Route.
By w. H. Landvoist.

resentative, and that her perse-
cution in her own home town was
due to lack of clear understand
to be hoped that this may prove
true. Otherwise our legitimate
theater-we have only two and
one will be "dark"-may smack
strongly of illegitimacy.
4 X
A ND with these few remarks, it
: may be permissible to get
back again to "the Follies" of Mr..
Ziegfeld. Last week we were sad
dened with the deliberate state
ment OF the eminent producer
that the Follies would not go a.
touring, because of the prohibi-
tive expense. Before the ink was
dry upon the paper that con-
veyed the news Mr.. Ziegfeld had
retracted and, probably to atone
for sorrow needleSSly inflicted, he
announced that three cities,
Washington among them, might
be honored. Now comes the news
that Mr.. Ziegfeld'S real purpose
is to take his magnificent pro-
duction on a whirlwind tour
across the country, playing only
one-week stands in the large
cities like Boston, Philadelphia
and Chicago, on its way to the
Pacific Coast, which has not seen
a Ziegfeld FollieS in decade, but
is going to get a glimpse at the
best of them all in Los Angeles,
San Francisco and Seattle, if not
elsewhere. This certainly is a
prodigious enterprise, and al
though it may be burdened with
the dismal cloud of expense, it
seems a sure indication that the
cloud has the silver lining of re-
turning prosperity, and that the
Ziegfeld move is the first sub
Stantial indication in the theater,
at least, that the deadly depres-
sion that has long saddened us
is passing away forever and ever,
it is sincerely to be hoped.
x
PUT the good work is not to end
with the coming of the Fol-
lies. December 7, it is announced,
and with certainty, the great
American artist Whistler is to ap-
pear as a theme in the mimic
world behind the footlights in a
new play by Pauline Hopkins,
Sarah Curry and A. E. Thomas,
the eminent playwright, which
will depict the high lights in the
career of the American painter,
whose early life was spent here
in Washington as a Government
clerk.
And following the Whistler
drama, some time before the
Christmas holidays, will come
Maude Adams and Otis Skinner
in 1.-THE Merchant of Venice u
probably the attraction of SUI
preme interest of the entire year
The name of Maude Adams, in
delibly associated with the eX-
quisite fantasies of Sir James M
Barrie, has been made familiar
even to the present generation
for Miss Adams was the real
Peter Pan of the poet-author of
whimsical creative imagination
And this same Maude Adams
lest you never saw her, was in
her time also an ideal Juliet. She
will bring in her wake the finest
traditions of the American thea
ter. So things do look brighter
don't they?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Flappers Snub Seth Parker.

"SETH PARKER AND HIS JONES'
~ PORT NEIGHBORS," in a spe-
cially created motion picture, Way
Back Home" at R-K-O Keith's Theater,
are said not only to have broken at
tendance records, but, what is looked
upon as remarkable, they have amazed
local theater men by the fact that the
picture does not possess any of those
public batting ingredients that usually
are employed to make up feature pic
lures.
Radio Pictures created the feature
along lines which others emphatically
predicted would not appeal at this
time-namely, as a rural heart-drama
with songs.
That the picture has drawn its audi
ences from every field of life is indi-
Gated by the crowds that enter and
leave the theater. In the audiences,
however, the grown-ups and aged have
predominated-the so-called flapper ele-
ment being in decided minority.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22

IAN assemblage Of beauty, recalling
4 the grandeur of Tennyson's Dream
of Fair Women" will greet the eyes of
The fortunate who attend the Ziegfeld
''Follies" at the National next week.
The occasion is something OF cele-
bration, for it marks the tWenty-thlrd
edition of this famous revue after a
four years absence.
IT myself" said Mr.. Ziegfeld, never
realized the power of the 'Follies' until
I took a transcontinental trip recently
and saw pictures of 'FollieS' girls and
heard the word 'FollieS' from one end
of the Nation to the other. 1t has
somehow become a part of the vocabu-
larry of every American and 1t signifies
beautiful womanhood, the joy Of life,
happiness, laughter and melody. I was
thrilled myself at the consciousness OF
this significance and proud to know
that I had been responsible, in a way,
for giving the world a name that had
so many joyful meanings.
when the 'Follies' first started
emphasized, as the world knows by this
time, the Importance Of youth and
beauty and clarifying the American
girl. Before long the 'Follies' became
an American institution. Those who
have the old programs will find that
it has enlisted the services of the finest
native talent-musical, artistic. literary
and scientific.
Z was the nrst to present Joseph
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
BY PERCY HAMMOND.

TINE recent dramas give lessons to
young heroineS who are in love
with heroes of position higher
L than their own. The result of
this tutelege is confusing, since
the least worthy of the illustrated eX-
amples is the most successful in her
conflict with romance. The sweet lady
herself into pond hard by Elsinore,
and the brilliant night-club star of
Brief Moment" finds herself hooked,
however, impermanently, to an odious
youth who doesn't understand her. Only
the Earl Carroll girl in THE Social
Register" overcomes the perplexities of
her situation. At the ending she is hap
PLY married to Sidney Blackmer, as in
deed she ought to be since she is Miss
Lenore Uric.
It may be wrong to say that Patsy
Shaw in 1.-THE Social Register" is not as
praise -meriting as Abby Fame in Brief
Moment" Abby Fame miss Francine
Larr1more), you may recall, is rather
casual in her contacts" which range
| from a rich polo-player Gouis Calhern) !,
with the habits of an alcoholic python,
to an imposing bootlegger paul Har-
vey), who reminds you of sentimental
Big Brown Bear. AS Alexander Wooll-
| colt insists throughout the play, she is
a dangerous mink, frigid, irresolute and
clever. Not at all maiden suited to
matrimony, she can be estimated as lit
tie, If any, better than Miss Ulrics loose
Patsy.
Miss Uric in "The Social Register" is,
in the argot of drama criticism, a good
natured slob. Employed by Mr.. Carroll
| in the "Vanities." she appeals to his
large and enthusiastic audience. Reared
in a street carnival, the daughter OF a
drunken acrobat, and ver-persuaded by
a ham actor, she still retains a gypsy
flavor. She loves stray dogs and stray
saxophone players, and the more miser-
able they are the greater her affection.
Charlie Breene of the New York Breenes,
being q good deal of mutt himself,
therefore succumbs to her charitable
charms, and despite the burlesque oppo-
sition of his snobbish family, pursues
her with matrimonial ambitions. How
moving Is the crisis, contrived by the
authors, Miss Anita LooS and John
Emersonl Miss Uric, worried because
a double crossing horn-tooter says he
has q cough, goes to his room with him
and there rubs his chest with healing
embrocations. She is discovered in the
frame-up by Mr.. Blackmer, who furious
ly denounces her as unfit to be a Breene
and bids her to be gone until the
middle of the last act. Throughout the
play Miss Uric is excessively though eff
fectively a stacy gamin, feeling that
she Is but q Showwoman in a show
Miss LooS and Mr.. Emerson know more
about that sort of life than I do; but
still think they have the fault of most
dramatiSts. BY stressing and exaggera,-
ton they make interesting facts stupidity
artificial.
Louder. Elease1-Anothez hxaaer;eal
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Ten ''Best-Play" Selections.
U'THE BARRETTS OF W1MPOLE

'" 4 Tie BARRIE ID Or W4M1 OAAE
- STREET." by Rudolf Besier,
which stars Katharine Cornell; Eliza
beth, the Queen" by Maxwell Anderson,
which featured Alfred Lunt and Lynn
Fontanne; Grand Hotel" by Vicki
Baum; "As Husbands Co." by Rachel
Crothers: "Once in a Lifetime" by
George. S. Kaufman and Moss Hart;
Green Grow the Lilacs," by Lynn
Riggs; Tomorrow and Tomorrow" by
Philip Barry: Overture" by William
Bolitho; give Star Final" by Louis
Weitzenkorn, and "Alison's House. by
Susan Glaspell are the 10 plays selected
by Burns Mantle for his year book for
the theatrical season Of 1930-31. They
are given, however, not In the order
mentioned.
That nine months brought to Broad
way these, among other plays, is offered
as sufficient evidence that the present.
day stage is not entirely moribund. Only
two of these dramas are by alien au-
thors. In the number of performances
given, 1t is explained, these productions
were matched by "Once in a Lifetime, "
than which nothing could be more
native.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22

81 was in vaudeville for quite a while,
as well as in musical shows. The last
few years have made extensive tours
OF the country in Diamond Liz and
Sex know all about sleeper jumps
and split-weeks, even one-night stands.
I have grumhled about dressing rooms.
stagehands and orchestra leaders who
wouldn't follow cues well: in other
words, have been typical trouper.
That's the training I brought with
me to the legitimate theater. When 7
write a play I bear in mind what 1
learned In vaudeville, not always con-
Sciously, but instinctively. the play
must keep moving, the attention of the
audience must be held constantly-no
dull moments-that's what I try for.
If the play begins to sag in some part
I put something lively in it to wake
it up.
my first thought, frankly, is the box
ONCE. don't want to be one Of those
dramatists that the critics praise, but
whom the public won't patronize. I'm
not interested in art, but only in CIV
ing the people what they want"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22

w YHY movie actors should
M not make personal ap-
v Y pearances:
In the first place, they
don't want to;
Second, they haven't been
trained for the stage;
Third, they don't know what to
do on the stage;
Fourth, not one of them ever
yet has been able to be half SO
good as he or she is on. the screen
begging Polly Moran's pardon.
She has had long stage expert
ence;
Fifth, they always come in the
middle of one of the stage
shows" which means that they
have to sing, skip or dance;
Sixth, they always do some
thing they haven't done in pic
lures. If they're tragic, they want
to be funny; if they're funny
they want to be tragic,
Seventh, they're scared to
death of footlightS;
Eighth, they always say the
same thing (again begging Miss
Moran's PARDON;
Ninth, they're either fatter,
thinner, thicker or broader than
you hoped they would be;
And, finally, their only real rea-
son for appearing at all is be-
cause they haven't anything else
to do at the moment.
r \ Xxx
THESE dire reflections have
been reached after wrestling
with an urge to smother such
thoughts. And yet, after the re-
cent appearance of certain stars,
why not come out and say 1t?
Movie stars want to be acting
before the camera in Hollywood.
They do not enjoy tramping
around the country being stared
at like inmates of a zoo, rushing
out on the stage, grinning, Shak-
ing hands mentally with the audi
ence, grinning some more, sing
ing Cor is it Singing?) tapping one
foot and then the other in imi-
tation of a dance, and then
bowling themselves gracefully or
clumSily into an exit. Have you
ever seen one of them come off
the stage? They look as though
they'd been on a three-day mara
thon. You can almost hear them
say after each performance:
well, thank goodness, that's
over" They rush into their
dressing rooms and, in a state of
Semi-collapSe, ask TREMENDOUSLY,
do you think that was all right?"
At which you, of course, try to
nod enthusiastically and the
"star" knows that you're lying.
It isn't, of course, the actors
fault. They are shunted out of
Hollywood in carloads when there
is a minutes lull in the studios.
Take the case of William Haines.
He admitted that he'd be delight
ed to get back to the Coast again.
Why wouldn't he be? Out in
Hollywood they treat movie stars
like humans. AS soon as they
come East they become curios.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Lessons for Heroines
In New YOrk's Dramas
Lenore Uric in New Play. The Social Register.
The Season Fails to Produce Broadway
Hi" STORY of the Movies.

expose of Hollywood with most Of its
characters maniacs or moronS. In it
Lee Tracy, once of Broadway" and 1.-The
Front Page" screams, shrieks and walks
on his ears in an industrious effort to
be amusing in dull and delirious farce
comedy.
Hot Money"-All and more about
the racket of stock promotion and the
sale of worthless securities to unwary
investors by rascals and financiers. A
mess, both as drama and propaganda,
saved from utter uselesSness by Leo
Donnelly's alive and vibrant impersona-
ton of a half-square con-man. Mr.
Donnelly writes: IF George Kaufman
had written Hot Money" all you
critics would have gushed, as you did
over "Once in a Lifetime" and June
Moon" Well, Leo, whether you can
understand it or not, Mr.. Kaufman
would have made 1t better play"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Quits New York Forever7

ONCE New Yorker, always a New
Yorker. There's something about
the big town, with is roaring subways,
its towering skyscrapers and its blazing
rfalto, that gets under the skin and into
the blood. Many natives leave the
metropolis every year to seek wealth,
health and happiness In other cities,
but almost as many return-glad to be
back.
One New Yorker, who Is not going
back, however, is James Dunn, star of
bad Girl" now repeating in the Fox
drama, lover the Hill"
Dunn says he has left the village on
the Hudson for good. There are too
MANY things in California that appeal
to him. Perpetual sunshine, all-year-
round golf, IL months of swimming and
water sports are a few of the Western
delights that are making Dunn forget
New York.
And then, also, he has mighty good
Job in the talkies.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22

w WASHINGTON will receive
M it's first real jolt of
v realization that all is
not what it might be in
the theater in the announce
ment that, for the first time in
its history, the National Theater
will be dark during Thanksgiving
week. This theater, time out of
mind, as the ancientS say, has
prided itself upon its reputation
as "the House of First-claSS At
fractions" The management ex-
plains that it intends to retain
that distinction and that, rather
than exploit one of the many
metropolitan flops that are seek
ing a home during these days of
uncertainty, it prefers to wrap it's
mantle about it and sink to pleas
ant dreams, at least for a week.
A week hence it is going to need
its full fiux of hght-giving juice
to celebrate the coming of the
Ziegfeld FollieS, an attraction in
its present construction, it is said,
which deserves a temple all it's
own. Florenz Ziegfeld has achieved
fame in his day and generation
in many ways and for many not
able things. Chief among them,
beyond question, is that of win
ming for a life-mate charming
Billy Burke, once really all Wash
ington'S very own. At the time,
it is true, it was felt that Miss
Burke deserved even a better fate;
but the years between have rec
onciled us more than a little. Mr..
Ziegfeld has not only been a good
husband, but he has also been
very good to Washington in let
ting us enjoy his glorif1ed spec
tacleS of femininity. which, with
all their glory, have ever retained
merit as entertainment of re-
spectability, always beautiful, al
ways melodiouS, always d@.-nt-
ful-and never, never the least
bit slow in their tempo and what
ever else you may please to call
it. AS a fast precedes the feast
in a spiritual sense, it may not be
so dreadful to have to wait a
week for what the Ziegfeld gods
promise will follow.
X X X
THE legitimate theater in the
= National Capital will expert
ence something like a thrill dur
ing the current week, thanks to
Messrs. Lee and j. J. Shubert,
in the coming of Miss Mae West
and her production, 1.-The Con-
slant Sinner" provided, of course,
the metropolitan press and Po-
lice Department have not erred in
ungracious comment and unbe-
coming harShnesS. Miss West
the advance notices frankly ad-
nit, is devoted to the exploitation
of unglorif1ed femininity, her his
trionic artistry being given over
largely to picturing "the hard
boiled, super sophisticated, wise
cracking woman of easy morals
Not so pleasant Not at all likely
to arouse comfortable feelings OF
anticipation. Miss West has been
most persistent in her conviction
that her dramatic type of female
has a place in the theater. She
wrote book to establish the fact
and the play she is to present is
understood to be a dramatization
of her book. PerhapS-Such
things have been known-Miss
West has been caused to be mis-
judged by too jealous press rep
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Like an Aladdin Palace.

UTHE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL" Crosby
Cages production of Charming
Pollock's romantic drama. announced
for the Belasco Theater Monday, De-
cember z, under the auspices Of the
Professional Players. both In its stag
ing and lighting is declared unusual
in the annals of the theater.
Scene follows scene without the aid
of the lowered curtain, scenic changes
made in total darkness, noiselessly and
without lost motion, much as scene was
melted into scene in the old silent
movies.
THE House Beautiful" comes bit by
bit out of the darkness, like an Alad-
din palace of the Arabian Nights,
with the audience noting step by STEP
its growth in form and beauty.
This novelty In itself has attracted
much comment,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Reviving Sherlock Holmes.

ENGLAND, the home land of his
creator, is planning to present
Sherlock Holmes in series of new all
talking photoplays. The first of which,
Sherlock Holmes Fatal Hour" based
on two short stories, as being shown at
the Metropolitan Theater.
Arthur Wontner, who has been
starred on Broadway as well as on the
English stage, is the new Sherlock
Holmes, and the supporting cast In the
first picture shown here, though little
known for the most part In this ccuTl.
try, includes some Of Great Britatna
distinguished stage players.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Stage and Screen Attractions This Week

Stage and Screen ATTRACTIONS his Week
sHUBERT Constant Sinner" Opens tomorrow
evening.
GAYETYEslding" Billy Watson Show (burlesque). This
afternoon.
NATURALIZATION Holmes "Italy." This afternoon.
ON THE SCREEN
RIALTo- "Frankensten" This afternoon and evening
Boy Makes Good This afternoon and evening
PAIACE-"Flying High" This afternoon and evening
Hour This afternoon and evening.
COLUMBIA-"The Guardsman This afternoon and evening
evening.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22

WASHINGTON will reentative that her
w its first real jolt cuEon IN ner own nome Town was
irm -, 1850
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22

.HE recent dramas give lessons to
young heroines who are in love
with heroes of a position higher
l than their own. The result OF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22

w YHY movie actors should
Nv not make personal ap-
pearanceS:
Nogales international. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1926-1979, 1931-12-23
PANCHO ELIAS AT
SHOW

LOS ANGELES, Dec. %. - The
Mexican delegation attending the
Great Western Live Stock Show and
Rodeo through the graciousness of
Seno. Francisco Elias was a ges-
ture Of friendship to the Show and
to Los Angeles as show place. It
is reasonable ito assume that this
recognition will develop tangible re-
suits from time to time. It develop
ed in the conference with these
delegates, that the increased duty
on livestock from Mexico has had a
depressing effect upon the industry
of that country, with a tendency to
defer the purchase of new types
and blood lines so necessary to
perpetuate their flocks and hers;
and many Of the leading cownen
fully recognize that that policy is
unwise, leading to unsatisfactory
results.
Mexico is looking forward to the
purchace of hogs, favoring the heavy
type of lard hog. There is an album
dance of feed in that country which
can profitabIy be used for pork
supplies now purchased extensively
in other countries
Eastern markets indicate gen.
eral lowering of price levels on prac-
tically all classes of livestock dur
ing the past two weeks. In checking
over available slaughter figures we
find that during the month of No
vember this year as compared with
same period a year ago, the total
slaughter of all kinds of animals at
reporting points increased approx
irnately 1000 head. The increase
in species is as follows: Cattle 5000,
Calves $4,000, Hogs 100000, Lambs
100000. This is quite an increase to
absorb under eristing conditions Of
sIackened consumer demand.
For the eleven months Of this
year compared with the same period
OF year ago there was an increase
in laughter at the same points Of
o million lambs and 10000 calves,
Nogales international. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1926-1979, 1931-12-23
BRITISH SEND
NATION GIFTS

LONDON, Dec. % (U.P) = Gifts
ranging from thousands Of dollars
to old sets of false teeth have been
received by the Treasury from pa
triotic Britishers desiring to help the
nation through her financial crisis.
Ever since Ramsey Macdonald es-
tablished his National Government
these free-will offerings have been
steadily pouring in.
The money gifts already received
include government stock to be can
cened. war savings certificates and
cash donations ranging from thous-
ends of dollars to few cents. There
have been so many gifts that a spe-
cial realization sale is to be held
at the famous Christies' auction
looms in January. Miscellaneous
articles of jewelry including gold
chains. brooches, pearl necklaces,
many of them treasured heirlooms,
and even sets of false teeth with
gold fittings will be sold.
A large number of men and wo-
men receiving old age, or disable
ment pensions have notified the
Treasury that they would not draw
Nogales international. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1926-1979, 1931-12-23
Notice 70
The Public

In order that employees of the
NOgaIes international may join
with the public in general in
observing holiday on Christ
mas and New Years Day, the
next two Saturday issues of this
paper will be advanced a day,
and will be published on Friday
Dec. Is and Friday January 1, re-
,pectiveIy.
These issues will be made
ready for the press on Thursday
night, and distributed early on
Friday morning, thus enabling
every per-on connected with this
pape' to enjoy two full holidays.
This arrangement does not af-
feet cur Wednesday issue. After
the holidays The international
will be published on the usual
days.
Ou Il; annual holiday greet
ingS editicn Will be distributed
Friday morning. Watch fO2 it!
Nogales international. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1926-1979, 1931-12-23
Bids Opened For
Pauing Grand Ave.

Bids for the paving Of Grand ave-
nue. from the end Of the present
pavement at Banks Bridge north
to the city limits we're opened by
the board of aldermen Of the city
of Nogales Monday night. Only two
contractors submitted bids and each
for a different type of pavement.
Schmidt & Hitchcock, of Phoenix,
bidding on -Bithulithic
and L. c. Lashmet, VINO has had a
sub-contract on the construction of
the new Nogales-Tucson highway,
bid on concrete pavement.
The price bid for black paving
was $22,894.S1 while the concrete
pavement figure was $23,32726. A
total area approximately 8.29393
square yards is to be paved. The
contract will be awarded following
a fifteen day period required by
law for consideration.