Evening star., 1953-01-24


restored to its erStwhile prestigeS
on February 10 with the showing
Of Hans Christian Andersen"
The Technicolor musical fam
taSy is the production of Samuel
Goldwyn, starring Danny Kaye,
and now in the 10th week Of
It's phenomenal New York run.
It was chosen with the intent
to give the theater, redeemed
from a longtime policy Of rou-
tine westerns, action thrillers,
and move-overS, an impressive
launching upon its new policy.
The decision to convert the
second Warner downtown house
follows by several months the.
switch to a similar policy in the
case Of Loew's Columbia theater.
In It's first weeks operation on
the new plan, the Columbia
scared from a modest place in
the local boxof1ce standing into
WaShington's most popular cine
ma center. This was attributable,
of course, to the caliber Of the
opening attraction, ''The Shows
of Kilimanjaro," starring Greg
ory Peck, Susan Hayward and
Ava Gardner.
The Columbia'S first Grade-A
attraction ran 10 weeks and has
since been followed by a four
weeks run of "Stars and Stripes
Forever"
The Metropolitan, built by the
late Harry Crandall in 1918, was
the first theater to present a
talking motion picture, "The
Jazz Singer" in Washington. It
also once featured outstanding
stage productions and was the
springboard from which Bands
man Fred Waring leaped to fame
shortly after his graduation from
Penn State University. Waring
and his first band played virtu-
ally a full season at the theater
In that period.
The Metropolitan seats 1.460
patrons.
DANCE MONTH: Add II more
top-fiight dance performances to
the February list.
Eight of these will be given by
Jose Greco and his Spanish
Dance company at the Shubert,
the week of Feb. 8. The other
three will be by the New York
City Ballet, headed by Maria
Tallchief, which are scheduled
for Saturday and Sunday, Febru-
ary IA and Is, at Constitution
Hall.
Together with the Martha
Graham concert, with the Balti-
more Symphony Orchestra, Feb
ruary 5 and the Slavenska-
Franklin company appearance
February 8, this will make Febru-
ary's first fortnight just about
the busiest dance period in
Washington's history. The Sla-
vei1ska and Graham concerts
both are scheduled for Constitu-
ton Hall in the American Uni
versity series.
Greco. whose appearance here
at the Shubert was one Of the
sensations Of the season. no
longer carries the word ballet"
In his company's billing.
FAST WORK: Newsreel COM |
panies covering the inaugural
ceremonies earlier this week |
wasted no time In getting the
results Of their work on local
screens. Sam Roth, head Of the
Roth theater chain, which in
cludes the Plaza locally. boasts Of
being the first with the city's hail
to President Dwight D. EiSen-
hover and its farewell to Harry
S. Truman. The Aims went on
the screen Of the Plaza on Tues
day night.
The Warner, Ambassador and
Metropolitan theaters offered
their inaugural films the follow
ing day.
Hk
RELIGIOUS FILM: IT Beheld
His Glory" new production of
Cathedral Films, will be shown
to an audience Of clergy and
church school teachers here at
Calvary Baptist church on Feb
ruary 8 at $40 pm. The same
film will be shown to faculty and
students Of Virginia Seminary
In Alexandria.
The role Of Christ in the f1lm,
first new production Of its kind
in IL years by Cathedral, is
played by Robert Wilson, son of |