Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-27

the sun had conquered the snow
flakes, while the Potomac area had
completely escaped the white crys-
tails.
On Sunday afternoon Mr.. Grouse
jingled the phone. Didn't you like
the play? I wanted to talk 1t over
with you after the final curtain,
found you were gone" Mr.. Grouse
was treasured only weather signals
prompted the early exit.
The Grouse Howard Lindsay anx-
iety was probably due to the fact
that they were protecting the pro-
duction funds OF some % investors,
who delivered from safe deposit
boxes, or maybe the old sock, enough
money to put arsenic and Old
Lace" before the playgoing public
Those % investors have shared in
many q profit melon since the play
opened on Broadway January II
194l. These timid angels" included
one humorist, one actress, one DOGGY
man, two theater treasurers, one
playwright, two actors agents, one
business manager, one theater man.
ager and one reformed critic.
Produced by Hollywood.
Since then Arsenic and Old
Lace" has had touring companies
has been sold to the movies and pro-
duced by Hollywood (but not yet
releaseO, has been presented In
London, Sweden and South America
1t is still running on Broadway. In
Buenos Aires they call 1t "Arsenico
y Encaje Antigua" with Narciso
IbAnez Menta playing the Boris
Karloh role. In Sweden the terror
ization is in the hands of Kilbjorr
Knudsen, with Lars Schmidt the
production sponsor. 1t opened In
London last Wednesday night and
Firth Shepard sent the following
jubilant cable to Lindsay and
Grouse: Delighted to report terrific
reception. Have wonderful cast
Wish you could see it."
arsenic and Old Lace" has beer
in the tin cans which hold completed
Hollywood celluloid since last Spring
It was completed by 1t. Col. Frank
Capra before he joined the Army tt
make training Aims. Ordinarily fea'
lures are released within a few
months after production, but L. &
G. in selling movie rights inserted
. clause which prohibited the picture
circulation. until the stage play hae
run its course. Thus are the in.
vestors' doubloons protected. TIL.
original date for the screen release
was February 8, 1913, since extended
to April 8.
Departs From Formula.
Having seen the mystery thrillel
several times since that first mo-
mentous Saturday matinee. it strikes
one analyst of the drama that rarely
have writer's been able to combin,
essential tragedy with laughter, sc
that the gay mood predominates
One would expect play with whole.
sale murders to be grim and fore.
boding, yet without turning int
farce the authors contrive to have
the pew holders accept it blithely
It also violates an essential rule OF
the stage and screen-an unwritter
rule to be sure-that laughs founded
upon mental affliction, or cripples
| are hard to sustain, since they are
founded upon guilty levity. The
public, In this case, has said other.
wise. so the play must be noted as
an exception.
It ought to be noted here that
the original idea for Arsenic ane
Old Lace" came from Joseph Kessel-
ring. When he completed his script
he turned 1t over to Messrs. Lindsay
and Grouse. These playwright-pro-
ducers reveling in fat dividends from
Life With Father" were casting
about for another success. They
liked the idea in its crude form
set about polishing it so that the
laugh motif would be dominant
They asked Kesselring where he got
his unique plot and he explained:
An Original Idea.
II have a good and gentle grand
mother, of whom am espe.
| cially fond. She being kindly anc
sweet and I being under the in
fiuence, apparently, of q full moon
was stirred to wonder just what In