Evening star., 1933-07-26

("Twelve Pound Look'D Barry
more. Oracle Allen, the new
Arliss film, "Voltaire," which
will be with us in another week,
and 1.-The Strangers Return" nothing
is so absorbing the fancy of Washing
tons public as the local revue which
the Loew Fox Theater is sponsoring.
Although the management refuses to
acknowledge any specific title, it is said
In the deep, dark corners of gossip that
the Barron-Gene Ford revue will be
called "Oh Kay, Washington
A further item of fact for the benefit
of those who are planning to enter this
gay and cunning entertainment is that
on next Monday evening at O'Clock at
the Willard those who sincerely believe
that they can grace q stage gllbly ana
attractively will be given chance to
show their all-or some of 1t at any
rate.
1t has been long time since Wash
tngton has been allowed to enter whole
sale into an affair of this kind The
Loew Fox stage is very large and ex-
penslve stage, and up until now the
forces that be have kept it strictly for
expensive artists such as Grace Moore
and Oracle Allen, talent which bounced
straight from Broadway.
To turn this mammoth recreation
parlor over to native sons and daughters
who have sung or danced more or less
unseen, is a tribute to the courage OF
Manager Carter Barron, who believes
that out of this nebulouS group enter
tainment of real value may be derived
Tribute to the courage of Gene Ford
Che writes songs as well as producing
plays should also be manifested, since
he sprang into Washington more or less
at the wink of an eye, and has no idea
what this city has up its sleeve in the
way of local performers.
Mr.. Ford, however, knows his onions.
Apart from his Broadway years of
service (not too many years-he still
plays a good golf game, he has COM
mandeered many an amateur produc-
tion-most notably, Boston's famed
Vincent Club, which functions in the
early Spring, when the blue-bloods are
worn with their Winters whirl. If Mr..
Ford can cope with this club-ladieS
who can claim ancestry straight from
the flood are its only membership.
Ford can cope with anything. We re-
member when Louis SilverS (Al Jolson' S
bine coaching Harvard's Hasty Pudding
Club and Roston's Vincent Club all at
once He would say 'it's bad enough
trying to put the Harvard lads through
their paces-but the Boston dames!
Mr.. Ford. however, was always suaVe
and persuasive and able to handle
Boston Back Bay temperament. He
didn't mind if lady insisted that she
must go to New York to buy her dress
for the chorus number. He didn't mind
ii Minnie x. refused to appear in the
cast because Minnie B. was to appear
there too. He didn't mind if Boston's
best sang off pitch, or Boston's worst
tried to get into the show when she
knew she didn't belong. Week after
week he sat before these ladies and put
them through their paces-"Come now,
Mrs. T., get that knee up little high
er" You're terrible, Mrs. Y-count-
Count-onetWo-t o-three - one-tWo-three."
He funled and fused over them in true
blue-blood manner, allowing his temper
to get no further than a raised eyebrow
But If you have ever seen one Of these
shows, you know In the end how pro-
fessional they can be.
Washingtons talent is less formal
than the Vincent Clubs. Mr. Ford will
not have such time with it. He hes
probably guessed by now that we have
first-rate singers, first-rate ''hoofers"
and some sister acts which should
please the fanciest audience. He knows
that while brother critics may not be
able to turn out the sketches that he
demands, that there are more high
toned scribblers who can probably rip
out the desired words. cat this point,
unhappy washington reviewers are
scratching their heads to try and find
oil q HrnuS fhot Mr.
will give him every cooperation and
that costumes and what not will be
waited from New York. He knows that
Maestro Phil Lampkin is going to write
special music and that there will be
special chorus and production numbers
He knows. in other words, that all will
be plain sailing as soon as he picks the
fortunate entrants next Monday night
Now all we have to do is sit back and
see what Impresario Ford can do with
these boys and girls. We hope the re-
vue will be a knockout-and that its
cast will be exported, en- masse. to
bloom on Broadway-When Broadway
blooms again.
YOU can't keep them away from
L vaudeville these days. The latest is
Wiley Post. 1t is said he will appear
Friday at the Steel Pier, Atlantic City.
He gets $4,000 a week for it. Too bad.
The Piccoli," showing in Baltimore
this week is allowed only about 20
minutes running time. Two vaudeville
acts have been added to 1t. Ptccoli,
we imagine. no like!
Watch for Fran nike Darrow in War
ner Bros wild Boys of the Road;
Paul NUM- in The World Changes;
Ruth Chatterton and George Brent in
Female" and "Footlight Parade" the
third Warner Bros musical.
Dcrothea Weeks first film over here
wi! be Cradle Song" and not White
N-men." according to Paramount.
We are slightly surprised at the sud
den antics of the Gayety.
Frenk La Falce. true Snowman that
he is. is of on his vacation-seelng
what Broadway has to offer Since
Broadway has only four shows TO
tempt him with. Mr.. La Falce Will
proceed to Atlantic City. where he Will
trv first the beach and then the waves.
Washingtonians will be interested to
hear that Senator Huey P. Long has
decided that he doesn't mind his name
being used in connection with the
showing of the forthcoming Warner
film "Kingfish." Not only that, but
Variety saws that He has given per-
mission to use anecdotes and incidents
in his political career in Louisiana and
at Washington" Should make a bang
up picture!