The Washington times., 1935-11-14

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flee warbler walked off the
Best Of 1884
Photoplay's award for the best
picture made in 1884 goes to Bar
retts Of Wimpole Street" It beat
out "It Happened One Night" by
one vote. zone Night Of Love"
was third. Lawrence Tibbett, pet
of the concert crowds and the
Nets Golden Horseshoe is not set
ting the world afire in the movie
houses. They all say he sings
gloriously, but is not easy to look
at for seven reels. 1t may be
that Hollywood is trying to cram
too much high class music like
Pagliacci down the throats of
folks who prefer, I'm In the
Mood For Love" or Cheek to
Cheek" or again there are those
who wouldn't go to the Metropoil-
tan Opera House. even win
passes, though they'd fight tor q
pair to the Roxy. The Great
Walcz" counted up $40, 900 in Phil
adelphia last week and would like
tn have remained. It will take
down a gross of $4,000 in Wash
ington this week. the season
highest. . Mayor McNair, OF Plus
burgh, startled the burghers by
taking a week at the Alvin theater
at $500 and serving as Emcee
SS, ,ey,,e r. seems the mayor
was peeved because the city coun-
Gil wouldn't give that much tor a
water-pollution probe. so ne
earned It on the stage. The SEQUEL
is His Honor was so good he has
been offered 10 weeks OF sVeaoy
work at the same salary.
Jeanette Gets Hot
They say sometimes that
Jeanette Macdonald is a cold
beauty on the screen with a
lovely voice. jeanette, it seems
took the criticism to heart. Any
way she writes-and you may
read her letter l.. full in the
Saturday Hollywood on Parade
section-that in Rose Marie"
she gets hot. That is she sings
est. Louis Blues" and, believe 1t
or not, does a little snake mp
ping. Yeah man. Gus Hill has
rounded up a lot OF veteran
minstrels, added them to most
of the old-timers who were seen
here in Joe Laurie's Memory
Lane act and would like to get
a week in washington. But no
theater is interested so ne Is
negotiating for a rental OF the
Rialto.
Fred Allen Hits
Fred Allen, so they tell me. is
a hit in his first picture, Thanks
a Million" and Daryl Zanuck is
eager to get him for another,
but the comedian puts the radio
first.
To my mind Comic Allen IS
the funniest man now entertain
ing. though his voice is mo.
notonous and he is too fond OF
puns. There is no doubt about
his having the nimbleSt ad LID
mind. He proved it as long ago
as 1921 in Shubert vaudeville
when it was his custom to sit
down in the footlight trough
and jest with the incoming pa
irons and those in the front
rows. Will Rogers was the only
comedian I knew who ever got
away with such impromptu pat
ter.
Allen came to the attention OF
the top hat theater public in the
First Little Show. Since then ne
has been coasting in Prosperity
street. I have heard some first
nighters say they loved Allen up
to 10 o. m. but after that his voice
wore rough on the ear drums.
The same complaint comes from
a portion of his huge radio public,
but his fans far outnumber these
critics.
Personally hate to see radio
acquire these good comedians,
robbing the stage and musical
comedy of a talent that is much
needed. I hate to see it because,
excepting Amos NJ Andy and
Stoopnagle and Bud1, the radio
hasn't developed a comedian
capable Of serving a first class
musical comedy. They contract
the fun makers developed by the
stage and Hollywood, win them
with big salaries, and the road
must be content with four or five
musical comedies a season where
as it once had a score.
Why would it not be a good
idea for radio to try and find
some comedians of its own? For
that matter, why wouldn't it be
a good idea for Major Bowes-if
he is going to persevere with
his Amateur Hour-to become a
comedy Columbus. Let him give
the same encouragement to story
tellers, monologuistS and Joke
teams that he now gives to
croonerS and Shrill coloraturas
who learned how. by playing
phonograph records. He might
discover a Cantor in the bud.
Who can tell?
Prosperity Is Back
1t is Variety's opinion that pros
perity has turned the corner on
Broadway. The theatrical guide
keeps a very close tab on the