Evening star., 1935-09-04

Gable ana LOreCIa fOuHB, III Sdii Va
oarbo's Aim at the termination of
its run on F. street.
Immediately after the airplane
crash which took the lives of Rogers
and Wiley Post the movie trade pa
pers were full of profound sentiments
expressed by the producers who made
Rogers pictures. They avowed them
selves determined not to release his
final flickers Immediately in order to
capitalize on the widespread publicity
pursuant to his death. Prearranged
dates would be strictly observed.
Nevertheless, Steamboat Round
the Bend" appeared shortly In sew
eral cities-Baltimore among them
and in view Of the circumstances at
tending its debut here it is to be pre-
sumed that schedules were shifted to
permit early openings in those the
eters, as they we're ordered altered in
Washington. The producers explain
that popular demand for early show
tngs" prompted the move.
Doubtless there are a great many
people who want to see another Rog-
ers film and see it in hurry. We
happen to be amongst them in this
instance, as Steamboat Round the
Bend" Is a story of river life in the
South and we are absolute suckers for
that sort of a yarn. Besides it has
Rogers. Irwin Cobb, Ann Shirley, Eu-
gene Palette and some other people
we like to see in action,
The unfortunate part is that the
producers could not bring themselves
to 60 ahead and release the films at
the earliest possible dates. without
80 many solemn pronouncements
to the contrary. Every one knows
that the business Of making cine
mas is an industry like any other
1t Is not shrewd to offend the public
with poor policies regarding a certain
product-the commodity here being q
Rogers film-but neither is it wise tc
toss of a smoke screen of sentiment
and then proceed along the lines OF
cold, hard business.
In other words, If the public is ach-
ing to see another Rogers picture and
has forced early releases this or last
week, the ache didn't pop up over
night. 1t existed right along and the
producers might just as well have
skipped the palaver and let their balm
fow. For our part, we were awaiting
Steamboat Round the Bend" with
keenest anticipation some time before
Will Rogers died. We still are.
Riding up Fifth avenue in a taxi
one night last Winter, Shirley Ross
told us that she had been offered
Ethel Merman's part in the London
production of Anything Goes" But
she was under contract to M-G-M and
at that time was engaged in a per-
sonal appearance tour of various film
vaudeville houses on the Loew cir
cult. M-G-M would not let her &C
cept the offer. She was ordered to
return to the Coast after her tour
ended, and she was smitten with rage
and depair because of the order.
Recent news has drifted in from
Hollywood about a Western company
Of Anything Goes" which opened at
Ell Captain Theater. The redoubt-
able Mr.. Skolsky reports that George
Murphy In the William Gaxton role
and Shirley Ross in the Ethel Norman
part amazed the audience. They gave
superb performances =. Miss Norman
sat up front applauding Miss Ross. -
There is q moral In that story, no
doubt. A very fine moral
AL Tamarin Of the Belasco advises
us by wire that Washington's foreign
cinema house will open MY Heart Is
Calling" with Jan Kiepura and Marta
Eggerth, on Saturday. AL describes
the forthcoming tenant of his remod-
eled theater as "a musical comedy
with lots of music and loads of COM
edy."
It Is q well known fact that people
who play in Gilbert and Sullivan
operettas usually never cure the habit.
Ordinarily they continue to be pro-
fessional Savoyards unto death. Ac-
cordingly many experts in such mat
ters consider 20 years a mild appren-
ticeship for a mellow "Pinafore" BARI
tone or Patience" soprano. Bess
Davis Schreiner, whose immortal prose
advertises the wares Of Sylvan Theater
productions. informs this department
today that the company for Patience"
next Monday night is grounded in
that true Gilbert and Sullivan tradi-
tion. Anne Yago McGuffey who di-
rected the piece and will sing Lady
Jane besides. has sung in practically
every one of the operettas during her
professional career. jeanette Bittner,
cast In the title role, was the captain s
daughter In "Pinafore" in her high
school days not so long past. Alma