Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-27

Launched officially with a COM
mand" production last night at the
National Theater with President
Roosevelt in attendance. the 194l
Presidents birthday celebration
moved with livelier tempo today as
welcoming committees prepared to
greet more and more movie stars.
The few Hollywood folk already
in town for the big festivities Thurs
day night were taking things easy,
but theater agents kept the wires
hot gathering information on ar
rivals of additional visitors.
Preston Foster, who has been
around almost long enough now to
pe classed a fixture" deserted the
Capital today for a visit with his
family in Montclair. NJ J. Little
Carolyn Lee, who still is recuper-
ating from an attack of influenza,
remained in bed on advice of ply
sicians and promised TO stay there
most. of the time between now and
the strenuous round of appearances
she has scheduled for Thursday
night.
Hayden to Make Tour.
Stirling Hayden, on his first visit
to the Capital, planned to devote
most of his time today to sight
seeing, sandwiching in an appear
ance at the Mile O. Dimes stand at
Fourteenth street and New York
avenue NV.
OF those yet to arrive, Red Skel-
ton. the perennial master of cere-
monies. is next on deck. He was
scheduled to arrive at Union Station
at 3:35 pm. today.
Autograph hunters sharpened
their pencils for the arrival of
Deanna Durbin tomorrow. Her ar
rival time had not been forwarded
to local agents at noon today. TO
morrow or Wednesday," was the
only word available on the appear
ance of George Raft and Wayne
Morris
Wallace Berry and his 7-year- old
daughter Carol Ann will arrive We'd
nesday, according to latest reports,
and the same applies to Lana Tur-
ner barring upSets in plane sched-
ules from the West Coast
Robert Young and Ann Shirley
are among other stars whose ar
rivals still are question marked.
President Sees Play.
President Roosevelt made one Of
nls rare appearances at the National
last night to see one of the seasons
brighter comedies, Dwight Deere
Wiman's old Acquaintance, star
ring Jane Cowl and Peggy Wood.
In attractin gthe President and
Mrs. Roosevelt as members of the
distinguished audience. which filled
the theater to capacity the play
became the fifth to merit the pres
ence of the President in eight years.
Three of these have been COM
mand performances" the COM
mand performances" being Out
ward Bound" and Life With
Father"
AS usual minimum of ceremony
marked the presence of the Chief
Executive in the rear box of the
left of the theater. The audience.
seated when he arrived. arose, ap-
plauded and stood with the Presi-
dent while the orchestra played the
national anthem The curtain was
lifted and the play was on.
Numerous Curtain Calls.
On the conclusion of the per-
Torrance. during which the cast
took numerous enthusiastic curtain
calls. the Chief Executive departed,
the audience filed out and the BIRTH
day celebration was properly and
traditionally initiated. There were
no curtain speeches.
A crowd waiting in front of the
theater was disappointed at not see
ing the President. 1t was explained
by officials, however, that there was
no deliberate avoidance of the crowd
by the Chief Executive, who always
has been generous in his appear
ances, even in open cars during bad
weather. But in attending any the
alter or hotel, it was explained, ar
rangements are always designed to
make it as comfortable and easy for
the President as possible, both to
enter and to leave a building.
In keeping with the tradition in
itiated in 1899, Miss Cowl, Miss
Wood, Mr.. Wiman, other members
of the company and attaches of the
theater were entertained at a buffet
supper at the White House.
AS a prelude to the command
performance" Mr. Wiman - and
three charming Wiman daughterss
entertained at A cocktail party Il r
visiting New York and local drar