Evening star., 1948-08-27
HOMEGROWN
Going Native
Displays a Lot
Of Talent
By Hdrry Macarthur

By Harry Macarthur
"A SOUTHERN YANKEE" an MGM
picture produced by Paul Jones, directed
by Edward Sedgwick, screenplay by
Frank and Norman Panama. At the
Capitol.
Kurt Devlynn --- Brian Donleyy
Sailysnn Wcatharby Arlene Dahl
Mai. Jack Drumman - George Coulouris
Capt. Steve Lorford ------ Lloyd Cough
Gen Watkins II Minor watson
eo co cioFd Baker chares ATt Pnsf BaFef
Fred Munsey ------ Reed Hadley
Mark Haskins - Arthur Space
Hortense Dobson ------- Joyce Compton
There was hot time in the old
town yesterday. all right, and it
may easily be that some of the heat
was generated by the 1948 edition of
Going Native" on the Capitol
Theater's stage. This ninth annual
revenue, directed by Gene Ford and
populated by talented Washing
tonians, is bangup entertainment.
The local people Mr.. Ford has
gathered together after all those
additions are people of both zest and
talent and he has welded their
various contributions into a fast
moving show.
The accompanying screen feature
is Red Skeletons new comedy "A
Southern Yankee" but it must
necessarily take subordinate po-
sition alongside this lavish display
of local entertaining skill.
Perhaps the happiest thing about
Going Native" and it is some
thing for which both Mr.. Ford and
his cast can be praised. is that it
has nothing at all of the look of
nome talent amateur show. There
seems to have been a great variety
of talent on the loose around here
this year, most of it close enough
to professional caliber that you
scarcely can notice the difference.
What these people lack in expert
ence, they make up for with en-
thusiasm.
The variety of talent displayed in
Going Native" ranges from one of
those athletic balancing turns to
style show of gowns designed by
local students of that art. The
equilibrists maryland University's
William Harris, David Field and
Howard Buckley perform tricks as
difficult as any done by more
seasoned professionals in their line
and do them with precision. They're
fine. The locally designed gowns
are fine, too, and are shown off by
some of the towns prettier girls.
Between these two extremes are
representatives of almost all the
usual forms of present day Vaude-
vile entertainment. Russell jan
dreau sings in the opening sequence
and later on adds quite recogni-
zable impersonation of Barnee, the
Shoreham Hotels popular orchestra
leader. James Spear, with the aid
of pretty Ann Clements, performs
brief session of legerdermain with
polish. Weldon Barr tap dances in
able imitation of Bill Robinson
Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire. A
group of dancers (Alice Brogden,
Grover Boydston, Jean Sonya. Molly
Timms, Buddy Day and Billy Gar
ney) under the direction of Mrs.
C. v. Batoon contributes pair of
colorful Philippine dances. Ted Law
rie sings very we'll a set of the
days popular ballads. Miss de
Graffenried Woolley shows off her
marionettes with fine flair. Bar
bara. Browning displays an ample
talent AS an acrobatic dancer. Kitty
Newmeyer sings and whistles. Rich
ard Walker initiates an Indianapolis
auto srace. Ruth Roberts and Tony
Gin jitterbug with enthusiasm.
Russ Byron tap dances atop
,pedestal.
Going Native" l94S style, is quite
ample proof that a lot of talent
around here has been waiting only
for the proper showcase.
"a Southern Yankee" casts Red
Skelton as -witted st, Louis
beilboy who sets out to capture the
Gray Spider so he can become a
Union intelligence operative. His
adventures LEAD him into the i'm
personation of this Gray Spider,
Confederate spy of reknown, and
into great number of the mishaps
you would expect Mr.. Shelton to