Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-26
By Casper Names
Aslisious News Editor Of The Star

There is something awesome
about seeing the life Of person
you knew woven into the context
Of moving picture.
Most biographical films center
around personalities who are
known to the public. But these
public figures are only newspaper
headlines to most of us.
That is what made the preyiew
showing yesterday Of "a Man
Called Peter" at the Palace
Theater unusual.
Probably rs per cent Of the
crowd that filled the theater had
talked with, broken bread with
and even had heard Peter Mar
shall deliver his sermons in New
York Avenue Presbyterian
Church. The part Of the pic
ture dealing with Washington
a major part it seemed to this
viewer-therefore had q special
significance and reality for the
audience few films possess.
The picture obviously pleased
most Of the gathering. for a spon-
taneous burst of applause fol-
lowed the closing scene. From
the general reaction, the film
should do well as a crowd puller.
Despite the fact that it lasts two
hours, at no time does the story
drag. The problems of Peter and
Mrs. Marshall become of absorb
Ing interest to all present.
The choice of Richard Todd as
Peter Marshall and Jean Peters
. as Catherine Marshall was a
happy one. if the remarks of the
audience were to be accepted as
indicative of general reaction.
Ministers in Audience
There were probably more
ministers and their wives in the
audience yesterday than could
be found at one time at any
moving picture showing in the
history Of Washington.
DR.. Carl Heath Kopf, presi-
dent of the Washington Fedora
ton of Churches and minister of
First Congregational Church,
used the Circumstance for q bit
OF geod-natured ribbing.
Before the picture went on,
DR.. kopf took the stage to thank
Twentieth Century-Fox Film
Corp. for their courtesy. Then,
observing the large number of
ministers present, he asked.
Have you finished your sermons
for Sunday? II so. you may
enjoy the picture. If not, your
congregation may have some
questions Sunday to ask about a
poor sermon"
Remembers Lincoln Shooting
A Maryland farmer who was |
IN the theater when Booth shot |
Lincoln will celebrate his 95th |
birthday on Monday. He is
Samuel j. Seymour whose pastor |
is the Rev. H. S. Coffey, minister |
OF Mount Olivet Methodist |
Church.
Mr.. Seymour still wildly re- |
members that tragic occasion
I was only 5 years old" he
SAID yesterday. My godmother. |
Mrs. George r. Goldsborough. /
took me to the theater We came
by stage coach from near Easton /
Md, to Baltimore, and then by |
coach from Baltimore to Wash |
ington."
The nongenarian recalled how |
ne sat in the balcony directly
opposite Lincoln's box. His ac-
count of the shooting differs in
one detail from the usual histor-
lcal story.
When the intermission came. /
Lincoln got up." Mr.. Seymour
said. Mrs. Goldsborough told
me. Look. he is about to saw
something I think he was
standing, not sitting. when he
was shot"
The aftermath was hectic, he
recalled. Mr.. Seymour remem-
bered thinking someone-Boo.h
as he later learned-fell rather
than jumped on the stage.
There was lots of excite
ment." he added. People were
hollering and screaming and
crying" I
He was taken out by Mrs.