Evening star., 1940-06-03

laughed when Cagney sat down in
studio reception rooms waiting to
see man about job. Even before
he became an actor, so to speak, no
one could see him as an actor. And,
after he became one, due largely to
bad casting, his early notices were
festooned with iciclish adjectives. As
one of the f1ttest-his fits of anger
being among the most notable in
Hollywood-he, too, managed to sur
vive.
AS one of the troopers who
stormed the public with the idea
of Ann Sheridan's oomph, Mr.. j.
looks back upon the campaign with
the admission that it had its dark
hours of defeat Studio publicists
might swoon in their imagery of
what Miss Sheridan could do to
audiences and critics, but audiences
and critics betrayed them by doing
nothing of the kind. Realistically,
Mr.. j. admits that calling Miss
Sheridan lovely ball of smolder-
ing fire did not make her recog-
nizable as fairish sort of per-
former until her comparatively re-
cent ut All Came True" and the
more recent "Torrid Zone"
Mr.. j. moves on from Miss Sheri-
dan through number of other
players to point out that criticism
from their bosses, the public and
the paid critics never has been fatal
II the player had anything to ex-
press.
Its first season of operation under
tWo-man board-literally one
woman and one man-at an end,
the Theater Guild has paused to
take stock. Moreover, it has found
the pause highly refreshing, in sharp
contrast to those which have marked
the backward looks over some other
recent seasons.
With what would amount to
chortle in less refined quarters, the
Guild summarizes that things have
been just fine since Theresa Hell
burn and Lawrence Langner be-
came administrators in charge of
selecting the groups productions.
First play chosen after they took
over was THE Philadelphia Story"
by Philip Barry and with Kath-
arine Hepburn. That was followed
by William Saroyan's double prize
winner, The Time of Your Life;
Hemingway's Fifth Column" Rob-
ert Sherwood's enormously success
full There Shall Be No Night" and
Saroyan's Loves Old Sweet Song"
Not since it was engaged with the
works of Eugene O'Neill and George
Bernard Shaw has the guild had
such chortle- worthy season.
Washington, incidentally, will see
THE Time of Your Life" and THE
Fifth Column" the first with
Eddie Bowling and Julie Hayden.
when the plays are sent touring in
the autumn. Road plans for both
are quite elaborate.
r 4
Managing director not produc-
ton manager. is Harry Anger's title
in the Warner organization now
Reward 1t is for the good work he
has done Fred Thomas re-
mains as manager OF the Earle.
where M. D. Anger's stage shows
are produced Catholic Univer-
sity's Speech and Drama Depart
ment will provide the special guests
at today's special screening Of
Brother Orchid" First stage
adaptation of Richard Connell's
humorous tale was that done by
Father Gilbert Hartke. directing
c. U. cast in the script adapted by
Leo Brady. Junior in the school J.. . :.
That amiable feud between Organ
ist Art Brown and Conductor Sam
Jack Kaufman at the Capitol Thea
ter has inspired Manager Gene Ford
to toss off song, a paraphrase of
the one about Messrs. Gallagher and
Sheean Sparty Donate, who
does the orchestrations of the
Rhythm Rockets routines. contrib
uted the music "The Flag
Speaks" timely two-reel account Of
the origin and history of the Stars
and Stripes, will be a feature of the
Palaces bill starting Friday.