Evening star., 1936-03-20

-beens and warehouse scenery. The
heroine, meant to be l6, was 60. The
hero had played with De Wolfe Hopper
IN his youth. And Cinderella was q
hatchet-faced Broadway gsmin, tooth
less, grim and a little grimy.
Clara Tree Major has revolutionized
these things. Realizing that children
are often smarter than their parents,
she has put the best available in her
productions. Robin Hood appeared
this year younger by far than George
Arliss. And the National has bristled
with talent, fun and good humor.
Now comes the report from Miss
Major that since the plays have been
30 popular it might be well to give two
performances of each play at the Ma
tional instead Of one. How about It?
Furthermore "the theater is espe-
cially anxious to have an expression
of its Washington audiences prefer
ences as to plays for the new season.
Lists should be sent to Miss Young at
532 Seventeenth street-and remember
the six plays should be balanced: They
should include one fairy story or le-
gend. at least one should be of partic-
ular interest to boys, and one should
show something of the customs and
dress of another country. Also il
should be kept in mind that plays with
unknown titles are impractical, nc
matter how beautifully they might be
done.
Books suggested to date are Mrs
Wigs of the Cabbage Patch" Snow
white and the Seven Dwarfs," Kip
ling's kim" and his Puck of Pook's
Hill; Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm, u
Mother Carey's Chickens" Toby Ty-
Ter, or Ten Weeks With a Circus" -;
MARY Poppins," Master Skylark, Vi
Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Lost
Prince" and Sarah Crewe"; PIN
occhio," Sleeping Beauty" "At the
Back of the North Wind" and THE
Bastahle Children; Swiss Family
Robinson" an Arthurian legend, a
''Tanglewood Tale" The Nuremberg
Stove" another version Of Robin
Hood" The Little Lame Prince, E"
Jack and the Beanstalk," "Rosered
and Snowwhite, "Old Curiosity Shop.
nicholas Nickelby," Last of the Mo-
hicans." one of the Alger books, I'm
der Two Flags" and Bonnie Prince
Charlie"
Pick out your favorite six and send
them to Miss Young.
NOW it's John Barrymore who will
play Napoleon. Metro Goldwyn.
Mayer is assembling its best writers
on "Nappi" so that Mr. Barrymore
will have a yarn worthy Of such a
subject. In the meantime whatever
became of Edward G. Robinson's and
Paul Munis and Fredric March's Ma
poleon? All three of these talented
youths, plus a halfscore more. have
at one time or another been slated for
this role.
Well, March is doing Anthony Ad-
verse" so we suppose that will keep
him busy for another hundred years
or so. They say, incidentally. that the
Warmers script of that book Is one
of the miracles of the modern motion
picture.
X X = X
TOMORROW Phil Lampkin will be
four years old-as far as his
guest" conducting at the Fox is con-
cerned. -Four years ago young Mr..
Lampkin came to the theater, fresh
from other triupmhs, but compare
lively unknown to the thousands, nay
millions, who must by now have lis
tened to his overtures. Phil then was
siddier with his baton, given more to
feverish thumb gestures at the piccolo
player, more spectacular in the way he
whipped crescendos out Of the air
and roared pianissimo into the sur
prised ears of his music makers.
Today he is mellowed and matured
While he still ties himself in knots
In order to reach certain Wagnerian
blasts, he has learned to control that
thumb and is generally considered to
be very capable music master in
deed.
Phil probably will not appear to-
morrow in the pit with a birthday
cake and candles. But give him
hand any way and watch for that
well-known grin which has fought its
way VIGOROUSLY through many bars
Of Shubert, Schumann, Victor Her.
bert and Arthur Godfrey (the old So
and-so).
THE Actors and Writer'S Guild of
Hollywood is acquiring more and
more prestige. Its monthly awards to
actors and writers are eagerly await
ed and to have been honored by this
group is a certain indication of future
promotion.
This month the acting honor went
70 Charlie Chaplin for his work in
Modern Times" (Which opens tomor-
row at the Palace and the best writ
ing job was accredited to Charles
Kenyon and Delmar Dawes for the
screen play based on The Petrifed
Forest"
Writers out Hollywood way are
beginning to get their due. It's about
time. The guild has been eminent
In recognizing their work
And Bob Montgomery has done a
whale of a job putting the Actors
Guild on its feet. It's an interesting
organization and one which deserves