Evening star., 1937-11-24

lllted their voices IN song, M-G-MS"
accounting department dragged out a
lot Of extra treasure chests. And none
Of the extras ever went back empty.
So Miss Macdonald, with the help
of Eddy. has contributed lot in her
time to making M-G-M feel like
Croesus. But, believe it or not, the
feeling was not so keen that the COM
pany has not dared to change the
formula OF those successful pictures
considerably.
In THE Firefy" which comes to
the Palace tomorrow. Miss Macdonald
is not merely singer but also a
dancer. When this department saw
the picture in Hollywood, it was
startled by the effect Of the soprano
lady's Heretofore unrevealed talent.
Maybe she is no Harriet Hoctor, and
even less a Pavlowa, but you shall
have no complaint to make with her
dancing in the role Of the lovely
Madrid spy, adventures, and enter
tainer. Miss Macdonald can dance.
Her dancing. however, is not the
only change in the formula for sue
cessful operettas. Mr.. Eddy is nowhere
about the broad premises upon which
action Of The Firefly" takes place.
His stalwart baritone has been re-
placed by the tenor voice of Allan
Jones. 1t did not require courage
exactly to substitute Jones for Eddy,
for popular as the latter has been,
the former made huge protits and
something like history in "Show Boat"
with Irene Dunno (now the comedi-
enne) and was not far behind in his
vocal partnership with Grace Moore.
Incidentally by way Of making the
cycle of change complete. Eddy also
dances in his next picture, "Rosalie,"
tale of West Point told by that bril-
liant marine, w. S. Van Dyke.
If M-G-M can permit these things
to happen. why can't it be nice and
let Miss Garbo out Of the heartbreak
cycle? Please, NOM, release the
lady no matter how fine she has been
In bitter Illustration.
X * X
A LOT Of the towns better dinner
tables tonight will buzz with ex-
citement about First Lady" the new
Warner Brothers film based upon the
stage play in which Washington saw
Jane Cowl last spring An audience
composed exclusively Of women who
move in the exclusive set are seeing q
pre-view of the new picture this after
noon at.tle Ambassador Theater. Cab
met wives to whom the picture should
prove especially interesting since it
is about cabinet wives. headed the
list of invited guests. Since the plot
is broad enough. too, to include con-
gressional figures. diplomats and those
in executive positions. members Of
these groups also sent their wives as
emissaries.
Kay Francis plays the lead in the
picture. 1t comes to the Earle on De-
cember 3, when Vincent Lopez also
comes to the Earle.
First Lady" in case you haven't
heard 1t before. has nothing to do
with ladies actually in the White
House. 1t is the story Of the smartly
fought battle between two less highly
placed women who would like very
much to maneuver their way into the |
house at 1900 Pennsylvania avenue.
An exclusively masculine drama de-
partment didn't have spy to send
out on the picture, but maybe Johnny |
Payette will screen it sometime be-
tween now and December 3.
X
CHARLES GEORGE. author OF ITO |
Be Continued" turns out to be an
old Hagerstown (Md) boy almost as
soon as you start interviewing him.
He was an actor for 20 years before
he decided to take up play writing
Sherling Oliver who has the best
Virginia accent in the George play.
ought to have :. He went to school
for three years in Virginia, where his
native Alabama accent became what
he calls "just corrupted enough" to
make him feel at home in his present
part Another reason for liking
Luella Gear is that when you broad
cast with her she pats you on the back
when Won pet the jittarS And sovs