Evening star., 1938-07-07

the Hlent ciuDS Wnefe IL mas peen put
ting certain percentage of the GUS
toners into practically wild dither
OF excitement. Because that Is the
case. arrangements are turning their
hearts and ears to less Strident tones,
putting their feet down upon swing in
. fashion that intimates its demise
yes, even if the first person to protest
such a statement is Barnee of the
Shoreham, who is swings first de-
fender in Washington, even though
his band plays whatever is requested.
The appeal of swing apparently is
to youth, which is to say that it draws
primarily from the group which has
the least money to spend in the places
where swing is played. Greatest an
tipathy toward it is that held by middle
age and the elderly which comprise
the two groups which have the most
and their preference in music, it Is but
logical that night club proprietors
should heed the voice of the latter.
That they are beginning to do so is
evident in their orders to band leaders
to curtail the proportion of wild music
in relation TO that which definitely is
not on the wild side
Washington has figured but slightly
in the trend to date That it may do
so is likelihood which today is un-
supported by any definite statement
on the part Of those who play piper
to the Capitals march toward happy
evening. But what has happened else
where, and is happening on a more
significant scale daily, may easily hap
pen here even though no one in au-
thority is willing to commit himself at
the present moment
If youth would have swing, which is
. logical aspiration indicated by the
virtual delirium created by the ap-
pearances of Benny Goodman and
Gene Krupa at the Earle in recent
months. it will have to demonstrate its
ability to pay for it in those citadels
which are won or lost by the size of
the checks. That would seem to
put the latest musical mode in a pre-
carious position.
X X
r EGARDLESS of any story in Va
riety, most widely circulated or
gan OF the show trade. the Earle is 60
ing right ahead with its vaudeville
policy. So much is made clear in the
following statement from Warner
Bros:
Complete denial of a published
story in Variety. weekly trade paper
covering the amusement field, that
the Earle Theater would eliminate
vaudeville this coming Fall was made
by John j. Payette, general zone man.
ager for Warner Bros theaters in
the Washington territory
There is absolutely no basis of
fact in this story. At no time have
We (Mr. Payette speaking) discussed
with any one the possibility of elm
mating stage shows. Our patrons, We
have found, definitely want stage
shows. As a matter of fact. some
months ago we engaged Harry Anger,
well known producer, to devote all
his time to the booking and staging
of our shows, and patrons reaction to
our policy of presentation has brought
many unsolicited praises. We do not
know where Variety got such informa-
ton, but we do know that We will not
eliminate stage shows"
The Variety story intimated that
q deal was in process of negotiation
which would give to Loew's Capitol
the exclusive privilege of vaudeville
production in Washington in return
for concessions to be made by the
LoeW organization in other cities.
No comment was Forthcoming from
representatives of Loew's in Wash.
1ngton.
X
"HAVING WONDERFUL TIME"
stage hit from which was FASH
Toned the picture which comes to
Keith's tomorrow, retains the spirit of
the original if not the precise letter.
That much is assured in the fact that
Arthur Kober, author of the stage
play, was retained by R-K-O to adapt
the stage production to the picture
version which stars Ginger Rogers and
James Stewart incidentally, there