Evening star., 1932-06-19
National Theater Group
Makes a Splendid Record
Average Theatergoer Knows Little of the Difficult
ties in Providing Spring and Summer Stock.
Manager Has Year-Around Job.

So far as caliber goes. Mr. Cochran
need take his hat of to no manager
in the country when a comparison Of
plays and players. performances and
production enters the discussion. This
company, assembled year after year,
stacks up now as the star company
of the country for Spring and Summer
service. From the ranks Of the orig
inal company sprang many Broadway
stars. So that. in theatrical circles it
is considered an honor to affix sig
nature to a contract of the National
Players. No company to appear in
Washington in repertoire is better bal
anced than the outfit now occupying
the boards of the National Theater
Players. Donald Woods is rated one
ers has made her reputation. Kathryn
Givney excelS in two mediums. the
stage and the screen. Ona Munson
has three to her credic-musical COM
edy, movies and stage. Owen Davis,
jr., who just departed, and Freddie
Sherman have no peers as juveniles.
Mrs. Addie Hibbard leads American
character women. Raymond Bramley,
Burke Clarke, Forrest Orr. Karl Neil
sen and John Kline. coming in some
times as a substitute player, make a
good combination.
The selection OF these players was
left to no haphazard chance Mr..
Cochran, like the celebrated scouts"
of base ball. goes all over the country
for his material. The length of time
1t takes to gather together a company
is something the public little realizes.
For instance. Mr.. Cochran went all
the way to Houston, Tex, to see the
work Of Donald Woods. Then he
signed this young man to a contract.
Likewise, when the washington man
ager first heard of Leona Powers he
making sure she was to be his leading
woman. Kathryn Givney had to be
coaxed back from the West Coast and
Ona Munson, with big movie contracts
staring her in the face, had to be
convinced that special training under
the beneficial stage direction of Cliff
ford Brooke would carry her a long
way in the films. These are the
things that make the National Theater
Players troupe outstanding.
Running through the record. one
finds Minor Watson, the first lead
ing man, afterward starred on Broad
way IN "A Wise Child" and featured
performer with Alfred Lunt and Lynn
Fontanne in Reunion in Vienna;
Roger Pryor. rated by Percy Ham,
mond as one Of the ten best players
in America. for his work in the lead
role OF Blessed Event; Stanley
Ridges. starred in many Broadway
hits; Leneta Lane, playing leads on
Broadway: Nancy Sheridan, in "Cy.
nara; Romaine Callander, featured
player with Belasco's Nina" and in
the original cast of Grand Hotel:
Roberta Beatty, leading woman for
William Gillette in Sherlock Holmes"
revival: Helen Wallace, with George
M. Cohan in his last play, Conf
dental Service: Mary Loane. In
Courage" and leading lady for Glenn
Hunter in Peter Flies High; Daphne
Warren Wilson, in the original Bird
in Hand" company: John Warburtoli,
with Bird in Hand" and now in the
motion pictures; Edward Arnold. fea-.
tured in "The Nervous Wreck" and
with many Theater Guild productions,
now playing lead part in "Whistling
In the Dark" the Broadway hit.
On Saturday night the eighth sea-
son OF the National Thea:er Players
comes to end in blaze of glory. After
that the general public will forget
about the plays and players until the
next season rolls around; but not Mr.
Cochran. Not long after the regular
theater season gets into swing he will
begin figuring out plans for the ninth
Spr1ng and summex seaion Qk his