The Washington times., 1936-02-17

One loud-mouthed blusterer, re-
Gently chastised by Phil Lampkin,
dared to boast, "You should see
what we do to the Earle shows
on Friday" Now that moment
would have seemed appropriate
to have grabbed that young man
by the Scruff of the neck and
the seat of his pantaloonS, and
deposited him unceremoniously In
the adjoining alley. However, the
theater eSchews any such corporal
punishment, though it might
properly fit the crime.
What distresSes this editor Is
to see these unconventional and
rude manners within the theater
spread to the National and a
performance especially for chill
dren. It was necessary for the
actors to warn the juvenile audi
ence on Saturday morning that
they must desist from sailing
their toy paper airplanes across
the footlightS. Wellbred chill
dren know better and trace
their Grade D conduct to the
fact that they have observed
grown-up roughnecks turni n
liberty into license to do as they
please, and getting away with it.
What's to be done? Some pa.
tient exhibitors feel that the
school andN college authorities
should take a portion Of the study
hour and expound on good con
duct in the theater. That might
help. Nor should it be construed
as q reflection on the entire stu.
dent body, since the vast majority
of boys and girls from our Wash
ington institutions Of learning are
as well behaved in the theater as
their teachers and professors. It
is only a minority, ignorant mood
lums. who inflict their boorish'
ness on those who want entertain
ment without annoyances.
THE ROUGH Way
There is, Of course, the other
way. for shorter and more direct
action. The mild-mannered Mike
Cullen once saw a fellow with a
lace handkerchief in his sleeve de
liberately annoying his seat
neighbors. So Mr.. Cullen invited
him out to the lobby and let him
have one square on the point OF
the Jaw. In so doing he violated
rule No. / for managers, then
fractured rule No. 2 by ejectlng
him, after a warning the punish
ment would be repeated If he
showed up again at his theater,
So far as I know the method OF
chaStiSement worked.
How to deal with obstreperous
youth is not a new problem in
the theater either. I can recall
when amateur night was intro.
duced at the Columbia Theater in
Boston some 80 years ago. The
audience which came on Friday
were permitted a certain leeway
for the hook was brought into
play on the stage when signs OF
disapproval were general. There
happened to be among the regular
attendants at these Friday night
frolicS one Beano Breen, who was
invariably accompanied by his
Kerry Village gang.
Beano would have liked to run
the show from the audience, but
Special officer Harry EdelS, EN-
ployed to preserve semblance CT
order, was a conscientious grey
coat. When he found it necessary
to eject Mr.. Breen he went into
action. After the scuffle, the
staggering and humiliated Beano
challenged the husky Mr.. Edels to
meet him in the professional ring
and there determine which was
the better man. Harry took him
up. They fought eight furious
and bloody rounds at Miah Muir
rays Arena Fight Club and Wher
it was over the Boston Relief Hos
pital ambulance was called to take
away the battered and bruised
Beano. Thereafter the Edels word
was law on Friday nights.
A CLUB MIGHT HELP
Let's hope it will never be neces
sary to station q man with a club
to preserve order within our
movie theaterS. Nor would
check student enthusiasm OF
deny free expression to ordinary
freshman exuberance. The bub
bling spirit of youth is an asset
and is welcomed in the theater
Carter Barron, for instance, with
some Of the Georgia Tech bloom
still in his cheeks, is never hap
pier than when he Is able to en-
tertain collegiates or students al
the Fox.
Down, then, with the moodlum
He may think he's a success be
cause q few around him applaud
his exhibition of ruffianism, but
he can't hear or see the hun
dreds who would like to STAMP
him out like a vagrant cockroach
He isn't worth one of the bitter
tears which Miss Barbara Stan
wyck shed because his wisecrack
spoiled the climax Of her opening
show. He is, in short, a pest and
. nuisance and . Fit gun pos