davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-06-06

deprecate another. No insult to the
empire was intended, and 1 think I
should receive bit Of mercy for con-
cedlng that it was struggle between
two British players for the title Of
most distinguished English-speaking
thespian. But when it comes to Mr..
Glelgud there possibly is a bit OF the
jingo about me- For example, 1
still think that John Barrymore was
a far finer Hamlet than Mr.. Gielgud,
and I would bet on Burgess Meredith
IN the role against Mr.. Gielgud, not
In four years time, but right now.
Granted that the Englishman was a
brilliant Hamlet and that he reached
moments of remarkable impressive
ness, 1t still is my belief that he
Is too uneven in his work, too lacking
IN eloquence and too given to mo-
ments wherein he substitutes a per-
sonal hysteria for dramatic power to
be a completely satisfying actor. It
is because Mr.. Evans combines elo-
quence with thoughtfulness in his
Shakespearian playing, while Mr..
Gielgud invariably sacrifices one of
the two qualities in the interest of
the other that I cannot help regard
ing Evans as the better actor.
IT is obviously true that people who
have seen an actor perform the
the same role on different nights
should really not argue about a por-
trayal, because it can vary so from
time to time. Clearly Gielgud was
better at some performances than at
others, and the same is true of Evans,
Tor only in motion picture does
portrayal remain constant, and even
there the projection machine or the
mlcrophone may make for shocking
differences. But Gielgud, despite his
Intelligent approach to his role, is es-
sentially an hysterical actor, which
means that his portrayals vary more
greatly than do those of Evans, whose
carefully thought-out playing remains
on something of level. Thus there
may have been moments in certain
performances when Gielgud reached
heights equal to or greater than those
OF his rival, but such moments were
Evening star., 1937-06-06

A10ttCAs AlOO, IL llC VI 0llC lAoppCIlCU
to be an especially good comedian OF
acrobat or juggler or something, the
mortal, worldly side OF life was well
taken care Of by the Keith-Albee cir
cult. Thus life on the vaudeville stage
or around the music halls was q
thing of beauty and Joy forever
interspersed with negligible intervals
OF starvation, travelling salesman's
neurosis, overwork and long, sweet
dreams in which the actor was able
to beat the stufing out of "cold" au-
diences with an ak handle.
Today the great question before the
hedging artist who contemplates q
career in the four-a-day is why is
vaudeville?" Not "Wither vaudeville?"
Just why. why be vaudevill actor?
Where does it get you, and If so,
when?
Every neophyte tap dancer, magi-
clan, comedian, Japanese nip-up spe-
clallst and muscle bound strong man
in this handsome country must ask
himself those questions a thousand
times a week. Usually he has about
80 idle weeks year in which to prac-
tice, which adds up to a lot of ask
ing. Since We heard the pros and
cons OF the situation discussed for
hours on end by people both in and
out OF show business, it has been
possible to arrive at some fairly rep
resentative conclusions about the prob
lem. The smartest of these consists
OF an iron-bound resolution never
TO attempt to answer any questions
about vaudeville. as theory, a prac-
tice or a disease,
WITHOUT pretending to enunciate
any maxims. however, one might
point out that one Of the most fasci-
mating things about a good vaudeville
performers life in our times is the
complete uncertainty, the totally daft
illogicality Of his career. Aside from
the moderately sure bet that he will be
"at leisure for an uncomfortable
portion Of each calendar year, the
Vaudevillian never knows what comes
next. He may go from town to town
Hopping all over one stage after an
other with sound like seal dropped
from great heights and then find him.
self suddenly whisked away to Holly
wood. great fame and much cash.
For example, jugglers who have
been doing exactly the same routine
for Is years, with maybe enough
variations to avoid driving themselves
completely crazy. are snatched up
overnight and acclaimed as the sensa-
ton of the age. the discovery of the
con. the wizard of OF, the mahout
OF mahouts. Regard the case of one
Stan Kavanaugh, mild-mannered,
miraculously deft little man, who has
grown bald in the service of the high
arts OF jugelery, appearing in this
country. Australia. England, France,
all over the place.
The season after he appeared here
at the Earle Mr.. Kavanaugh turned up
in The Follies' in New York and
people began asking if w. c. Fields
ever really knew much about juggling
Indian clubs and billiard balls. On
the road tour OF the "Follies" some
Evening star., 1937-06-06

rare and far apart. 1t is my belief
too, that, while certain number OF
individual mannerisms are necessary
for = distinguished actor and make
the difference between a personality
worth watching and colorless one, it
Is possible for an actor to have so
many Of them that they tend to stand
between him and role. I suspect Mr..
Gielgud Of having just few too many
Of these mannerisms, while Mr.. Evans
has just enough Of them to make for
interest, but not for distraction OF at
tention from the playwright's purpose.
IT Is, by the way, impossible for me
to imagine Evans giving as bad a
performance in anything as once saw
Gielgud give in London. It was in a
play called Musical Chairs" which
was heralded by the English reviewers
with vast enthusiasm and was pro-
claimed by Mr.. James Agate the great
est first play by an English playwright
in 40 years. 1t is my incidental sus-
picion that in his statement Mr.. Agate
went into ecstasies that make my COM
parison with six Gielguds seem the
most modest Of declarations His was,
in fact, a proclamation somewhat
equivalent to belief that Lionel At
will was worth six Maurice Evanses.
For Musical Chairs" was really
pretty dreadful, confused pseudo
Chekovian drama OF about the esthetic
stature Of one OF Mr.. Vergil Geddes'
lesser efforts. Anyway, in it Mr. Giel-
gud played an overweight young man
given to piano playing and love max
ing, and he managed the role with all
the dramati><ervor Of Jimmy Durante
cross-examining himself in Red, Hot
and Blue" I found him less than
sensational, too, in the dramatization
of The Good Companions, although
he was certainly excellent in Richard
OF Bordeaux" It seems to me, how
ever, that in none Of these roles was
he as good as Mr.. Evans in "St. Joan"
and "St. Helena" let alone king
Richard H."
Evening star., 1937-06-06

Paul. One is Paul Draper, the
dancer, who started hoong because
the New York Times did not appre-
clate his third-string music reviews
and cut them into ribbons, very
narrow ribbons. Mr.. Draper was q
wonderful mop in couple of places
abroad before he had any kind Of
success at all, and when he returned
to his country somebody very quickly
found out that he was good. Before
ne knew 1t clever musical show
mad made headliner OF him. He
tried vaudeville. Maybe you can re-
member the first time he came to
Washington, not so long ago, an agile,
natural dancer, with a routine that
left his audience practically gasping
with boredom. But he could dance,
and he learned to please audiences.
Then he made picture. 1t was none
too good, and he said so.
Now he is rated tops amc..g supper
club entertainers in New York, being
awarded the Grand Palm by the mag
azlne Stage in its ratings for 1867.
Well under 80 years OF age, a COM
parative novice in show business, he
already is in the big-money divisions,
probably some day will be rated as one
OF the great dancers of this generation.
How he got that way in a flash, while
others pine at the doors OF fame for
years, he frankly does not know. 1t Is
source OF wonder to him. and, you
bet you, an equal source Of delight.
The second Paul is also a dancer.
His name is Paul Haakon. He Is as
young as Draper, vaulted into the
limelight almost as inexplicably. Thor
oughly trained as ballet artist, he
might still have been one of the young
men Of the chorus had he not ap-
peared in production with Nine.
JeritZa.
THE third Paul resembles Robert
Montgomery, is wondrou3
smooth monologuist, skillful on skates,
and ingratiating anywhere His last
name is Gerrits. Again it is a pleasure
to brag upon the fact that Mr.. G. was
the subject of enthusiastic eulogies
in this department long before people
began screaming their heads of about
him at the st. Regis in New York this
year. But, for that matter, even the
films saw and liked Mr. GerriS before
New York caught on. They took him
out West for six months and made q
series of approximately lOs screen
tests (hls estimate) TO discover why
any one who so distinctly resembled
Robert Montgomery of1-stage did not
look at all like him when photo
graphed. After six months the camera
men and producers had arrived at no
conclusion whatsoever, so they dropped
Mr.. Gerrits' option. The next time
they want to own it the price prob
ably will be about doubled but they
will never. never complain about pay
ing big money for find"
Evening star., 1937-06-06
New Theater's Satire .

THE New Theater Group, until now
associated with more serious ef-
forts, delves into the lighter side Of
life to emerge with the comic social
satire, Help Yourself" to be staged
at Pierce Hall the last week OF this
month.
This will be the second opportunity
Washingtonians will have to witness
a w. P. A. play, the first having been
1T Can't Happen Here" produced by
the Washington Civic Theater and the
New Theater Group.
Help Yourself" was presented last
season on Broadway by the Federal
Theater.
Evening star., 1937-06-06


however, is that we can't even praise
them without drawing down their
scornful fire. For example, I have
felt called upon from time to time
to say fairly enthusiastic words about
the acting of the English Maurice
Evans. I had half suspected that my
admiration for Mr.. Evans was a
fairly handsome gesture of interna-
tional amity. Yet, to my consterna-
ton, I find that the New York CORE
spondent of the London Times, in
stead of complimenting me for my
sapience and amia bility, has only con-
tempt for my enthusiasm, calling
my praise excessive" and my tenn
perament "eXcitable"
Permit me to quote from his dig
nified but biting remarks. After pro-
claiming that in their attitude to-
ward Mr.. Evans portrayal of King
Richard II "the more excitable critics
disregarded all bounds" he says gent
ly that this observer lied the ex-
clamatlons, avowing on the morning
after the opening that Mr.. Evans
was now beyond doubt the leading
actor of the English-speaking stage.
This same enthusiast, after thinking
matters over for a week or so and
1ndulglng in mathematical calcula-
tions OF some obscurity, came forth
with the determination that Mr..
Evans was worth exactly six of Mr..
John Gielgud as Shakespearean
actor. 1t is the correspondents be-
lief that it Is our lack of Familiarity
with the play which made us so over
rate the stars performance in it, and
he concludes: "Mr Evans is GER
tainly brilliant and versatile actor
and his Richard Is memorably per-
formed; for the rest, it may be a good
thing to wait at least until he has
done Hamlet in New York. It NAV be
we shall then find him worth only
i've Of Mr.. Gielgud."
IT STILL is my contention that six
Is the proper number, and I in
sist on.it, even without seeing Mr..
Evans play Hamlet. Before going into
that, however, it might be the polite
thing. internationally speaking, for
me to express my sorrow that in
praising one English actor I had to
Evening star., 1937-06-06


followers of the cinema disapprove
Producers have right to give their
favorite and most expensive films a
ride with the carriage trade if they
see fit. This department has been
willing always to concede that, save
on one occasion. That was when it
began to look as If Captains Cour-
ageous' would never get to WASH
ington-at least not until next Au-
tumn. Ever since it was screened
here at pair of semi-private affairs,
1t seemed to be too good a picture
to be kept out of town because of
obstacles to road showing it during
the warmer months.
Without even knowing how we felt
about it, M-G-M has fixed all that
After exhibiting the picture in sew
eral other large centers of popula-
ton at luxury prices (Which it was
WORTH, it has finally decided to
bring it here at no increase over the
usual rates. 1t opens at the Palace
on June l8, which gives Washington
movie enthusiasts break they would
not have had had Summer here
been more like that on the rock-bound
coast of Maine.
IT is difficult to say just where
Captains Courageous" will end
up on the 10 best films of 1887. Some
OF the more astute observers of the
cinema cannot see how it possibly
can be lower than first. Surely they
know all about The Good Earth
Lost Horizon" and still others yet
to come before December brings the
first snow and all the usual traffic
complications. But they still get
starry-eyed about the deep, poignant
ly dramatic film transcription of the
Kipling story which you call "hokum"
II you like to regard yourself as a
brittle person
That M-G-M finally decided not to
bother road showing the picture here
looks like one of the better pieces of
luck the National Capital has had in
an entertainment way this season.
SINGERS may stand on their own
feet before sound cameras these
days, but they do not always de-
pend upon their own vocal chords.
That they do not has generated quite
q volume of dugeon (high, of course)
among those whose notes spring from
their own equipment. HollyWood's s
next organization as a result may be
a crooners' union, formed for the
avowed purpose of keeping, say, Jimmy
Cagney, from singing with the voice
OF, say, Richard Crooks. So far
As any one knows, there is not the
slightest likelihood that either Crooks
or Cagney ever would be involved in
such an arrangement. We mentioned
Evening star., 1937-06-06
Madeleine's Next.

MADELEINE CARROLL and Fran
els Lederer will shortly appear
as q new starring team in Columbia S
new production, Thanks for Moth
ing" Miss Carroll, who has been
spending a brief vacation in New
York, left last week for the coast.
Evening star., 1937-06-06
Talent Scouts Find Stars
Galore in Old Blind SPOT
Vaudeville Fairly Bristling With Genius
Once Passed Up by Those Securing Earth
for New Faces and Tricks.
By Robert B. PHILLIPS. Jr.

old
when he died and his
equivalent billing
dekck to whoever happens be the
NJ. Cohan
This vaudeville immortality simple
Evening star., 1937-06-06
Capital to See Epochal
Film at Popular Prices
"Captains Courageous Removal From Road
Show List Will Bring 1t Here Within Next
Two Weeks-Film Singers Are Sad.
Bv Jaw CarmOdv.

OLLYWOOD
- distinction a
Of
sell at thrice the
usual prices
opening paragraph
Evening star., 1937-06-06
Today S Film Schedules

EARLE-"Kid Galahad," at 2:35,
SOS, 7:35 and 1905 pm. Stage
shows at 2, 425, 6:55 and $50
pm.
CAPITOL-"Night Must Fall" at
2. 4:25, 7:05 and Gas pm.
Stage shows at 3::55, $50 and
$40 pm.
KEITH'S-"There Goes My Girl"
at 2:40, 425, $40, 8 and GAS
pm.
PALACE-"This Is My Affair"
at 2:30, 45O, ITO and $50
pm.
METROPOLITAN - Her Hus-
band Lies" at 2, 3:55, $50, 7:5O
and $50 pm.
COLUMBIA Cafe Metropole,"
at 2, 4, 5:55, 7;55 and s:55
pm.
BELASCO-"Ecstasy," at 2:30,
AIS, sos, 7:55 and $40 pm.
TRANS-LUX-NeWs and shorts.
Show runs l hour and Is min
utes, continuous from 2 pm.
LITTLE-"Cavalcade," at 2:30,
4:55. 1920 and GAS pm.
Abraham Lincoln" at
2, 4;55 and $40 pm.
Evening star., 1937-06-06
Evans-Gielgud Clash
Shown Among Critics
By Richard Watts. ir.

HERE is no pleasing the English If scod them
defects that hyy and hetatngy
or their political ideals they
at
hardly
natonalsm, particularly unfavorable remarks
Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-13
ROOSEVELTS SON
FLATLY DENIES TAX
REDUCTION SCHEME

dent of Havemeyer, Inc, New York;
Robert A. and Frank D. Stranahan,
Cleveland; and William s. Paley,
president of Columbia broadcasting
system.
The presidents son appeared
without advance notice before the
committee to refute charges made
last week by Rep. Hamilton Fish r.,
N. Y, that he had been interested
IN foreign personal holding COM
panies for the purpose of reducing
his income tax payments.
Il want to state that neither now
nor at any time have I had any
connection with foreign personal
holding companies" Roosevelt told
the committee.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-13

/ and Arkansas during the past three
weeks, he said.
They are not legally entitled to
county or state help because they
are not California residents. most
Of them having been in the state
only four to six months, Robertson
explained.
Robertson made two survey trips
through the valley. He said typhoid
has broken out in three of the val
ley counties and a high percentage
of tuberculosis prevails among this
particular group.
"They are living in appalling con-
ditions. Many are out in the broil-
ing sun without shelter of any kind
There are already records OF
persons who have died from in
sufficient nutrition; also records OF
deaths from exposure.
"A particularly serious situation
exists in the vicinity of Wasco and
Shafter where approximately 1000
of these people are concentrated.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-13

- ldolel Was Ciooo-CAdiiiiiiiii6 IL ~
H. Van Eman, who had testified
that he treated the girl upon whom,
the state charges, DR.. Luckett later
performed an abortion. Iasigi ask
ed several questions dealing with
primary details of pregnancy. Dar-
win H. Wolford, prosecuting attor-
ney, objected several times.
Finally Wolford objected to an
other question on the usual legal
grounds, adding that Iasigi was
merely attempting to waste time.
[asigi retorted that DR.. Van Eman
had been introduced as an expert
witness, and I'VE Certainly have the
right to determine his qualifica-
tions."
Hot Ret0rt
IF he were not qualified" Judge
Thompson declared, "he would moi
be practicing medicine in Califor-
nia." The objection was upheld.
Iasigi returned to the attack on
DR.. Van Eman with several more
questions along the same line. VOL
ford objected again, on grounds
that the questions were incompe-
tent, irrelevant, immaterial, beyond
the scope of direct examination, and
that counsel is only trying to show
off his knowledge" before the jury.
THAT is the worst thing I've ever
heard a distrirt attorney say"
shouted Iasigi He cited the re-
mark, for the record, as error.
The objection, however, was up
held again.
Iasigi argued again that he was
only trying to determine the quail
ificationS of the witness.
1.-The court will not have this
case delayed further" Judge
Thompson remarked, adding that
questions asked by Iasigi dealt with
matters of elementary or even rudi-
mentary" knowledge to a doctor.
DR.. Van Eman was dismissed
without further questions.
Witnesses called Monday morn
ing, when the Luckett trial conven-
ed after a four-day recess, includ-
ad Dr Van Eman who trpatpd the
girl before she went to another
doctor; DR.. M. C. Garfield, to whom
she went after leaving DR.. Van
Continued on Page 8; Col. A.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-13
Scouts Who Made
Jaunt to Capital
Return July Is

More than 20 boys who left here
last month for the National jam
boree of Boy Scouts of America at
Washington will arrive by train In
San Bernardino at 6 am. Thurs
day, July Is, and will disembark
from a bus at the Imperial county
court house at about IL am. the
same day.
News of the impending return Of
the boys was received by DR.. N. E,
Dupont in a telegram sent from st.
Louis by Bob Amstead, scoutmaster
In charge of the Imperial county
delegation Amstead was also plac-
ed in charge of other boys from
southern California counties be-
cause the Imperial county delega-
ton was larger than that from any
county In the southland except Los
Angeles.
The returning Boy Scouts will be
met at the station in San Bernar-
dino Thursday by Hugh Wilcox.
scout executive for the Imperial
Yuma council, with a bus borrowed
from Camp Irvine. The Brawley
contingent will leave the Gus at
Brawley, boys from Ell Centre and
Calexico areas will leave 1t at the
court house here. and Holtyille ana
Yuma youngsters Will disembark
at Holtville.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-13
WEATHER PUTS
HALT TO HUNT
FOR AvIATORS
Low Visibility Forces All
Planes Down in
South Seas

HONOLULU, July 13.
(UP) = The search for
Amelia Earhart and Freder-
ick j.. Noonan, her navigator,
who disappeared in the Pa
cific ocean July 2, on a $500 mile
flight from New Guinea to. How
land Island, entered the mop up
stage today but with a possibility
that weather conditions would pre-
vent an aerial hunt from starting
The carrier Lexington, with her
81 planes and more than 300 fliers.
moved into the search area yes-
terday afternoon but low clouds
cut down visibility and prevented
the filters from getting into the air.
If the weather clears today, how
ever, it is expected that all of the
planes will join in the search, pro-
badly starting at dawn, or about
Gam. (PST). The search will be
started south and west of Howland
lSiailu, WIN Strlp ABOUT 60 miles
wide and 900 miles long to be COW
cred before the Navy admits the
hunt is hopeless. The hunt will take
about four days.
The coast guard cutter Itasca and
the Minesweeper Swan already
were en- route toward the Gilbert
Islands, west of Howland, where an
other phase of the widespread
search will be undertaken. Some
observers believe that if Miss Ear
hart landed on the water the cur
rents may have carried the plane
toward the group of British owned
islands, Three destroyers which ac-
companied the Lexington from San
Diego also are in the search.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-13
Japanese Troops
Pour nfo China
Battle Grounds
AT A GLANCE

PEIPING-Heavy fighting in
progress near city. The 29th
Chinese route army resumes bat
tie positions from which it had
withdrawn, claiming Japan has
violated truce.
TIENTSIN-Hundred japanese
war planes fly into China from
ManchukuO. Thousands Of Japa-
nese troops pour across border,
some of them apparently from
the japanese home army.
TOKYO-War office COM
munique issued, denOuncing
treatment of japanese as worse
than that which precipitated the
invasion of ManchukuO. Japa-
nese sentiment apparently IA
vors "disciplining" China.
WASHINGTON-Way cleared
for international consultation on
China after Hull warns Japa-
nese and Chinese ambassadors
of danger.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-13

SCUM OF Cne walls OF UnlS ancient
capital, while other columns ad-
yanced on the strategic area around
the iron bridge of the Peiping-
HankoW railway across the Yung-
ting river and on scattered Chinese
concentrations nearer the southeast
walls of Peiping.
Chinese said that more than 90
600 japanese soldiers had reached
Fengtai, an important town on the
Peiping-Tientsin railway Is miles
southeast of Peiping. 1t is the ter
minus of a pranch line which con-
meets the Peiping- HankoW and the
Peiping- Tientsin railways.
Japanese have built a crude air.
field at Fengtai, the Chinese said,
and have unloaded stores of gaso-
line. More than SO bombers have
landed at the field.
The immediate object of the first
Japanese column was believed to
be the rescue of number of Japa-
nese military transport trucks, load
ed with reinforcementS from Ku-
peikow, one of the passes in the
Great Wall to the north of Peiping
which has been occupied by the
Japanese since the warfare of 1888