The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-19

|
list of stage attractions for the
week at the local theaters it re
minds me of old Home Week.
In 1896 I played on the bill
in Worcester, Mass. With Red Skel
ton. In the same year with Bert
Frohman at the Yacht Club, New
York city. In 1928 with Clifford
and Marion at Houston, Texas;
in 1929 with AlphonSe Berget at
Kansas City; in 1888 at the Pal
ladium in London with Buster
Shaver, Olive and George.
"P. S. I happened to have known
Red Shelton when he was playing
! the smaller time, think that the
little lady who assists Red in his
act deserves lot of credit for the
comedians success. During those
lean days Red was mighty blue
and the little lady kept encourag-
ing him all the time. Sir, the
little girl in question happens to
be rir Red, for the past six years.
Four cheers for Edna Skelton."
FROM ARTHUR TRACY c"THE
STREET SINGER') at Pinewood
Studios, liver Heath, Bucks, Eng
land: May I extend, through your
widely read column, my greetings
to friends in Washington and vi
cinity. 1 have been over here for
more than two years. Are you
surprised? Or had you heard? My
first English picture, 'Limelght.'
has broken quite few box office
records. You will see it in America
as 'Backstage.'
MY second Is The Street
Singer and I am about to finish
my third at this British National
studio. Then the music halls and
back home. Probably the Earle or
the Capitol, in which event 1 will
certainly drop in to say 'cheerio.'
He Liked Topper"
About twice a year Oscar Doob
/ of Loew's, Inc, puts his typewriter
in his lap (the machine I meanO
and turns critic for a day for these
pages. Here is his latest on what
the wellinformed editor should
know:
Dear Andy Kelley:
It's damned hot to be writing
letters. Or reading them! But
must blow off some steam
about Topper" This is one of
those pictures for which 1 re-
serve my Once-in-a-lOng-while let
ter to you.
! We screened Topper" (by Hal
Roach out of M-G-MD yesterday.
Maybe I'm screwy-but in my
opinion, this is one of the most
unusual pictures I've seen in
years. 1t is a novelty that
SHOULD rock and rib any the
aterful of people in the world.
To me it is funnier than "a Day
at the Races" but in an entirely
different way. Connie Bennett
gives a grand performance (sayS
critic DOObD and Cary Grant
who might have spoiled the pic
ture) handles his role just right.
Roland Young is every hem
pecked husband. Here's a pic
ture with pink panties, shower
baths, cocktails, blond "angels"
and house detectives-but it's all
done so neatly that it must have
made Will Hays laugh, instead
of frOwn.
Yet-(and here's why I'm writ
ing) we feel that Topper" is
one of the toughest pictures
we've had to sell since "SequOia"
and "Prizefighter and the Lady"
Once it gets started, it should
sail in high-but how to get it
started.
The cast names are great
but not great enough to pull the
kind of business the picture
merits. The story is one long,
deep-dOwn laugh-yet we can't
say much about it in advance.
If we talk about ThOrne Smiths
story of ghosts, supernatural
frOlic Of near-angels. spirit sweet
hearts, etc-the dear public will
shy away: ghosts are bOx-0ffice
poison. Even you critics may not
believe us when we tell you Hal
Roach, erstwhiIe twO.reeIer, has
turned out a SmackarO0!
500! I am writing Ray Bell
to grab a print of Topper" and
heat or no heat, drag you to q
screening and let you Judge the
picture for yourself and maybe
help him sell it. Usually, we are
afraid Of private screenings for
comedy pictures. which really
should have laughing crowds.
But this time, desperately, we'll
take the chance that even a
handful of people will register
the Topper" reaction that I
got.
Sir-I tende1ly put Topper"
in your hands.
Cordially,
OSCAR A. DOOB.
- tkSz