davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
Playwrights Portrait
By Jay Carmody.

! way to being a sensation and one of
| their first acts was to take the
young playwright aside and talk to
him about selling out his interest.
Beautiful Augmentation.
To this day, 80 years later, Mr..
Rice marvels at his paralyzed sur
prise at the terms. Starting out to
supplement his S15-a-week income
as law clerk, he thought his ears
were betraying him when Conan &
Harris offered 100000 for his share
of the play.
"If they had said $1,000" he
thinks now, IT probably would have
said yes. Thirty thousand, how
ever, was just beyond my compre-
hension. I just said that I would
think it over"
Thirty thousand dollars turned
out to be completely beyond his cal
culations and he never did get
around to doing anything about the
offer. That turned out to be one of
fate's handsomest tricks for before
ON Trial" had completed its long
day in the theater, the playwright
was enriched 500, 000-a sum which
left him free to pursue his play
wright'S career as well as one which
left him with an enormously healthy
respect for the producing firm of
Conan & Harris.
Having pulled dramatic stunt of
! those fiscal proportions, it was vir-
tually inevitable that the author of
tomorrow nights "A New Life" at
the National should be proponent
OF stage trickery.
1t was not merely production ideas
with which Rice found himself in
disagreement as a new playwright
who had made 100000. A further
conviction of his was that the sub
Jects with which dramatists dealt
were not making a noble dramatic
literature. An entirely new set of
ideas needed dramatizing, in his
opinion, and If no one else would
bother, he would undertake the
program himself.
Bother the Customers.
His first discovery was that pro-
ducers did not agree with him, that
while they would go along on pro-
duction novelties, they did not want
to tax the minds of playgoers with
too much thinking Accordingly, for
nine years, Rice wrote primarily for
his own amusement, an odd fate for
an author whose first play had been
SO sensational.
At the end Of those nine fruit
less years, the stubborn Rice was
going right ahead, writing to please
himself and scorning to write for
producers who thought they knew
better than he about the theater.
He might still be unproduced, as a
result, had not the Theater Guild
come along about that time with
Its notions of a better theater lit
erature, the kind which stimulated
thinking as we'll as reflected it.
The guild and Rice first became
associated in an enterprise which
took a healthy sock at the machine
age. THE Adding Machine" was
its first title and it created another
tempest on Broadway, differing in
kind more than in degree.
Thus encouraged, Mr.. Rice went
right on to another idea, the one of
Street Scene" which is one of his
more successful plays with a social
theme.
Those two plays set him definitely
on the side of social significance.
He has been there ever since, as be-
comes playwright who is one of
the four comprising the Play
Wrights' Co.
He is very happy to be there-as
what intelligent playwright would
not be?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
HOLLYWOOD


In the minds of movie fans
throughout the country these busy
movie going nights the question is
repeatedly asked:
Where are the leading men of
Hollywood coming from and who are
they?
The feature flashes on the screen
and out of nowhere appears a
handsome young hero. In many
cases he's a newcomer. He has the
use of both arms and both feet.
Looks in perfect health.
Mrs. Fan, who has a boy in the
service, can't help but wonder. She
turns to Mr.. Fan for enlightenment.
He's puzzled, too, Are the draft
boards giving the movies a break?
Answer to the last question is an
emphatic No" Actually, the real
reason why Hollywood is able to
keep its head above the leading man
situation is that it has been fortu-
nate in having coralled an unex-
pectedly large number of suitable
4-F's.
A lot of these boys, six months
ago, had never seen the face of a
| movie camera before. Today, a
dozen or more are turning in first
rate performances, substituting for
the big-name heroes that have
marched on to war.
These youngsters are taking little
pride in their achievements. Most
of them are embarrassed. Some
have actually asked studio publicity
departments to soft-pedal their
names. They feel just like that
healthy-looking boy down the next
block who drew a At from his
board. It's a tough situation, not
only for the civilian lad, but for the
young movie hero At who parades
the screens of hundreds of theaters
every night.
Let's take a look over some of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05

George has a trick back and the
draft doctors gave him six months
deferment till they see what hap
pens to it.
In "Lifeboat' it's John Kodiak. a
handsome young Ukrainian from
Hamtrack, Mich, who is under con-
tract to MGM. Johns also AZ
and not boasting about it. He looks
a great deal like Gable and is so
promising that Tallulah Bankhead,
his leading lady, wants him for her
next stage play.
Admittedly Invaluable.
People still ask Kay Kyser why he
goes to the Army camps as sn en-
tertainer instead of a soldier, de-
spite the fact that the Kyser draft
status was fully aired in the Nations
press at the time he reported for his
physical. Not only is Kyser 4-F,
but he's now 38. If folks get too per-
sistent "the old professor" can yank
from his pocket letter from Elmer
Davis stating that he's invaluable
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
Same Assistance
ByFilmPhantoms
Of TwoEpochs
By the Associated Press

HOLLYWOOD.
A previeW of the second version Of
"The Phantom of the Opera,
which stars Nelson Eddy anc
Susanna Foster with Claude Rains
suggests that this new release may
do for present-day Universal what
the old film with Mary Plilbin and
Lon CLANCY did for the Universal
of Carl Laemmle's days.
Some of the best operatic staging
ever done in films provided a Set
ting of music and lavish back
grounds for the singing of Eddy and
Miss Foster. Jane Farrar, niece of
Geraldine Farrar. former operate
star, fills the role of the opera
singer who is killed by the phantom
to make way for his protege, played
by Miss Foster.
For these two young singers,
especially for Susanna Foster, the
film offers a great opportunity.
Studio plans as the result of it are
to put an about campaign behind
Susanna, who has amply indicated
hopes and prophecies for her voice
in this film
Nelson Eddy, seen for the first
time as brunette, is more romanti-
cally effective than in any film role
to date, and Is in top voice. His
tomfooleries with Edgar Barrier,
who plays his rival most effectively,
show more facile approach to act
ing than his more stilted character
tzationS in the past. Nichi Andre,
singer In the Russian opera Sc
quence, Is another newcomer to
films, and outstanding.
Royalties Were Ducked.
Edward Ward who composed the
music and adapted themes from
Tschaikowsky's Fourth Symphony
and from Chopin's works, created
two operas, one French, one Rus
sian, to avoid the expensive rights
to known operas. William Won
Wymetal worked with the mixed
choruses of 100 voices, and Lester
Horton did the dance scenes for the
opera.
Those who remember the old pro-
duction will recognize that the truly
colossal sets of the former are used
in this new version. The story, too,
retains something of the original,
though it is better motivated and
relies more on psychological, less on
physical horror, for the effectual
work of the phantom, played by
Claude Rains In spite of one over
long scene, when he first comes
face to face with his daughter, who
does not know him, Rains delivers
a touching and terrifying perform
ance in his role of an aging musi-
clan whose wrongs overwhelm him
and drive him mad.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
NEW YORK

Any one who hunts sharks knows
that there are good ones and bad
ones, including the boojum which
can make you softly and suddenly
vanish away, and never be met with
again!"
There are also good plays and bad
plays, and Owen Davis THE Shark
Was Boojum," which opened at
the Forty eighth Street Theater this
week, falls in the latter bracket. So
bad that I should not have been
surprised If it quickly encountered
a boojum, which it did yesterday.
About the only connection Mr..
Davis play has with the Lewis Car
roll poem, 1.-THE Hunting of the
Shark" is its title and the reciting
of few of the original lines by one
OF the players. Where Mr.. CAROLS
nonsense is amusing and gay, Mr..
Davis words and plot are dull, in
deed.
AS a matter of fact, the Davis play
is so far removed that it is based
on Richard Shattuck's novel, THE
Shark Was a Boojum" I tried to
find a copy. but had no luck. So I
can only tell you about the play
and be ssrief about 1t.
The action takes place in the New
England Shilly homestead. When
old man Shilly kicked the bucket
(or died as you prefer, he left a
Will giving most of his fortune to
the relative who first produced a
new Shilly baby.
Storks Among Booiums.
The family is gathered about,
squabbling constantly over the Wills
provisions and also searching for a
new will, while the women are in
various stages of approaching
motherhood in the storL race All
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05

as an entertainer and doing his bit
in that fashion.
Sonny Tufts towers over Olivia de
Haviland with his 6-feet-3, broad
shoulders and husky build on the set
of Government Girl" but still he's
At. Says Sonny:
THE Army won't have me. It's
my own fault for ever thinking I
could ski. The last time my draft
board had me in, the headman
wanted to know if by any chance I
was stunt man. seemed to have
two bad knees. broken hand, a
twisted shoulder and a fractured
pelvis, plus an enlarged heart. The
heart comes from rowing at Yale.
The rest of the injuries are from
running into trees while skiing"
Frank Sinatra, crooner- sWooner,
now appearing in Higher and High
err" is all set for the Army. He regis
tered in the first draft, before Pearl
Harbor. When Uncle Sam makes up
his mind to draft fathers, he knows
Franks address-or at least some
one should be able to tell him.
Mickey Rooney, as most every one
remembers, was turned down by
Army doctors because of hyperion
SION He is now appearing in Andy
Hardy's Blond Trouble" and playing
one of his most active roles. !
Accidents Have Figured. +
Van johnson, in his mid-2Ds,
would be in service now, perhaps,
had 1t not been for a near-fatal
accident that befell him a few
months ago. He is playing in two
pictures, "A Guy Named Joe" and
White Cliffs of Dover" The Sc
we're head injuries Van suffered may
keep him in the At listing for some
time.
Another new masculine star rated
AZ because of injuries sustained at
college is Gregory Peck, young stage
(See HEFFERNAN. Page C-9D
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05

In casting the part OF a playwright
in one of his own dramas, Elmer
Rice would not employ an actor who
looked like Elmer Rice He would
know that playwrights did look like
that, stocky, heavy-featured men
with thick spectacles, no more
glamorous than a delicatessen pro-
prietor After all, he has been shaw
ing Elmer Rice for some 40 years
now, an experience which has left
him well informed on the subject of
what one playwright looks like.
In evading that kind of casting
Mr.. Rice would be making one of
his few concessions, and not very
important one, to the public. He
realizes that the customers get play
WrlghtS-who, except for Noel Cow
ard, never look like playwrights-
confused with actors. Let them
keep their illusions and Mr.. Rice
will just go along writing, casting
directing and o-producing plays for
them.
Beyond demonstrating that play
Wrights do not have to look like
the public's fancy of a dramatist
Mr.. Rice is inspiring in another way
His start in the profession was
identical with the start that thou
sands of ambitious writer's are at
tempting at this very moment, or
will be attempting the next one.
The Rice debut occurred 80 years
ago. He was working at the time as
a law clerk in a New York firm. On
paydays he was rewarded with an
envelope containg SIS. The sum
was one which he found f1agrantly
inadequate to his needs, but a job
was a job, especially in 1913. In
view of the inadequacy of the SAL
airy, Mr.. Rice began to brood upon
ways of supplementing it. What, he
asked himself, could he do in his
spare time?
Spare Time at Profit.
The answer eventually turned out
to be something about trying to
write a play, genteel and engaging
sort of occupation upon which a man
might fasten his mind during his
law-clerking hours without having
the employer notice it. The more
he thought of it, the more piqued
Mr.. Rice became. To be sure, he
had had no experience in play
writing, but that was limitation
which confronted even Shakespeare
at one time.
After a proper interval of telling
himself he could do it, Mr.. Rice set
about writing a play. The subject
he found in his daily experience
as a law clerk. Trials. he conclud-
ed, were pretty dramatic things, so
he would write play about a trial.
"On Trial" he called it, with more
direction than inspiration.
"On Trial" turned out to be much
more inspired as to method of mar
ration than as to story content. So
pquant was the method, indeed, that
those canny producers, George M.
Cohan and Sam Harris, decided it
was we'll worth their money and
production genius.
Here was a stunt play and who
was better qualified to handle it
than themselves?
The stunt was simple, or seems
so in the light of subsequent pro-
duction technique. The setting of
the play was law court with trial
in progress and as each witness
walked to the stand to tell his
story, the scene suddenly shifted to
whatever locale the evidence dealt
with-a living room, livery stable,
or whatever.
Producers Conan and Harris were
deeply impressed with the impact of
the production upon the first out
of-toWn audience, at New Haven.
They figured "On Trial" was on its
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
For Every Ten Pints
A Langford Song
BY the Associated press

BY the Associated Press. N
HOLLYWOOD. IS
While Frances Langford was on an
entertainment tour of England. they
had her actually singing-not for
her Supper-but for blood!
AT a blood bank rally, she sang
song every time 10 donors stepped
up and gave pint of blood.
7 got so exhausted" the actress
wrote her studio, "but I helped en-
rich the blood bank by 40 pints"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
Ginger Demonstrates
Belief in Realism
BY the Associated Press

HOLLYWOOD.
1t was the homemaker's side of
Ginger Rogers nature that helped
out q bit in getting true-to-life
touch into the set of her current
film, Tender Comrade."
Scenes show the tiny middle
class cottage in which Ginger and
her screen husband, Robert Ryan,
live over a period of 10 months.
Ginger insisted on changing
around the furniture in the room
three times to show the lapse of
time
ANY girl would change her fur
niture at least three times during
such period" she said.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
Nationalities Do Not
Resemble Themselves
By the Associated Press.

by tne Associated Press.
HOLLYWOOD.
If It's odd, unusual or incongru-
Gus, the movies will go for it!
In Hostages" Director Frank
Iuttle cast players of Is different
nationalities, but for weeks couldn't
find an actor who was a Czech.
When he did, the Czech, Steven
Geray, wasn't signed to play a
Czech, but German Gestapo
agent, because Tuttle thought he
looked more like a Nazi than the
German originally selected for that
role.
And whom did they get to play
the Czech? A Mexican, Arturo de
Cordovai
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
Blues by Scott

Hazel Scott, one of the Nations
most popular entertainers, and q
recognized interpreter of George
Gershwin music, has been signed
by Warner Bros. to do a featured
speciality in Rhapsody in Blue
film musical biography of the com
poser
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
No More Menthol,
No More Tears
BY the Associated Press.

HOLLYWOOD.
Actresses are either going to
have to provide their own tears for
crying scenes or the scenarists will
have to get pathos some other way.
War shortages of menthol, used
to blow into the eyes of film beau
ties before they 60 into those tear
full close-ups, put the girls strictly
on their fearful own.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-05
Assorted Oddrnents
About the Denizens
81 the Associated Press.

HOLLYWOOD.
Joe Kinds has been stand-in for
Actor Jimmy Gleason for 10 years, a
record. In his next picture, Bing
Crosby plays priest, first religious
role he's ever had. William Dema-
rest has appeared in every picture
directed by Preston Sturges. Since
Earl Carol of the girly-girly show
business has become a gentleman
farmer, he has posted sign over
his ranch gate reading: Through
these portals pass the worlds most
beautiful squash"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-21

standard SIS weekly fee or whatever part of it
they can afford.
Under trained teachers, the children are
more than merely out of mischief: they are
learning through actual experience the fun
damentals of democratic living - to work
and play together, to settle their own dis
putes, to recognize the rights of their fellows
and their own responsibilities And they are
having fun while they learn. They get proper
rest and wholesome food - and the tempe1a-
mental adjustment many so sorely need.
LITTLE Jennie, for example, was nervous
child who used to cry all day at home, dis
turbing the sleep of her father who worked on
the night shift at the arms plant. Before long
this fitful rest began to tell on the man; he
was spelling materials, setting the stage for
a serious accident. Just about the time his
foreman told him he'd have to snap out of it,
or else, the New Haven nursery opened and
Jennie was enrolled.
Things are different now for both Jennie
and her dad He gets decent sleep and goes
to work feeling fit And Jennie is 50 busy now
at the nursery school she doesn't have time
for crying.
Much of the nursery's work is volunteer.
Volunteers painted the walls, made sheets,
built furniture and play equipment. Red Cross
canteen workers help with meals and KIP.
The Visiting Nurses Association, the local
Trade School, the Girl Scouts, the Family
Society, high-school home economics students
and other groups pitch in.
There are now some l 900 nursery schools,
financed by Federal Works Agency funds,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-21

RIr1LE Freddie Vincent won't 60 cold and
hungry and lonesome any more. And
IL his mother, busy at the munitions plant.
can keep her mind on her work.
That day last fall was nightmare. All
morning she had worried about Freddie and
his chest cold. Was Ida, the little nelghbor-
hood girl she had hired, keeping him IN bed
and covered? Was Freddie eating all right tor
Ida? Would Ida remember to call the doctor
if Freddie's cold got worse?
Then, when she could get to the telephone
after lunch - and Ida didn't answer = Mrs
Vincent was frantic In the three hours till
quitting time she had more rejects charged
against her than in the whole previous month
When the distraught Mrs. Vincent got
home that night, she found Freddie standing
I'D in his crib in the dark bedroom - cold and
hungry and frightened. And Ida - she had
run next door for minute to talk to her
girl friend.
Those harried days are over for Fred
dies mother. And for thousands like
her whose vital war jobs separate them
from their children all day, creating a
serious nationwide problem.
For little Freddie - and as other children
from two to five years old - are now spend
ing their days in the first wartime nursery
school organized under the Lanham Act.
Situated on quiet residential street in New
Haven, Conn. it is open from 600 am. to
$50 pm, and soon may operate around the
clock with a total enrolment of 80 chill
dren.
Most of the tots are brought in by their
mothers on their way to work, picked up by
them on the way home. All parents pay the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-21

Her youngster may stay in a nursery sponsored
by the US. government as war measure. Here
Is how one town does il how yours can, too
by Eloise Dawson
The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-12-09
PIONEER OF TROY PASSES

Joe Regenburger, a longtime res
ident Of Troy. died at St Joseph's
Hospital, Spokane, Nov. 30. Funeral
services were held in the st. Alloy
sia's Church and interment was in
the Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane.
Mr. Regenburger was born in I'll
rol, Australia, in 1852 and at the
time of his death was 81 years and
IL months old. He came to America
as young man of twenty, making
his first home in Colorado from
where he moved to Troy in 1894 He
is survived by a son, Albert Reg
ensburger of Ogden, Utah, and a
daughter, Mrs. Anna c. Nelson OF
Troy, and three grandchildren. His
wife passed away three years ago
Mr. Regenburger was a kindly old
man and liked by many.
The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-12-09
CHARTER MEMBERS HONORED
BY REBEKAH LODGE

Last Monday evening was char
ter night at the Medorah Rebekah
lodge. Mr.. and Mrs VIM. Kemp
and Mrs. S. N. Plummer are the
only charter members left who still
reside in Libby. Mrs. Plummer was
present and fine program was
given by the noble grand, assisted
by her officers
The following members were
elected for the ensuing year: leila
Ramlo, noble grand; Mildred Buck,
vice grand; Audrey Daggett, record
ing secretary; Grace Miller. finan-
cial secretary; Louella Blanchard,
treasurer.
Scores were totaled for the at
tendance contest and it was found
that the side headed by Mrs. Ruth
VanderWood was the winners and
they are to have charge of the
Christmas program which will be
held at the next regular meeting.
The losing side will give $50 din
ner on December 10th to the win
ners
Following lodge, lunch was served
in the dining room. Mrs. Plmmer,
the honor guest, and Mrs. ]. w. Bar
rett, Mrs. Cora Lee Paddock and
Mrs. leila Ramlo were seated at a
special table which was beautifully
decorated and had as its center
piece a huge anniversary cake,
which was cut by Mrs. Plummer.
The hostesses were: Mrs. Sam
Ratekin, Miss Inez Ratekin, Mrs
Otto Greip, Miss Mildred Buck,
Mrs. Anna Foster, Mrs. Jessie Fag-
erberg, Mrs. George Bryant and
Mrs. Everett Dunn