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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 1922)
Best Pictures of Week Are Former Stage Hits ‘“The Hottentot,” “Enter Madame” and “The Sin Flood” All Present Features of Unusual Interest in Construction and Plot. They Will Be at Omaha Theaters This Week. At least three of the photoplays in Omaha this week get away from the regular cut-and-dried brand, they are “The Hottentot” at the Rialto, “Enter Madame” at the Em press and “The Sin Flood” at the Sun. And curiously enough all three are screen versions of successful plays. I For two years \\ illie t oilier in t ne.! Hottentot" kept his audiences laugh ing, and the play is strengthened in the movies, because tHe race track scene can be actually portrayed. "Killer Madame," written and acted by Hilda Varesi, is an even more re cent stage hit, having run over a year in New York and months in t'hicago. Arthur Hopkins produced the "He luge,” a powerful drama, In 1917, and now It has come to the screen under the title "The Kin Flood All three can boast of unusual plot and unexpected situations. "The Kin ; Flood" is the only really serious one- ! of the three. Hottentot at Kialto. It took five men to handle 'The Hottentot," the beautiful thorough , bred which plays the title role In Thornes H. jnoe’s comedy drama at j the Rialto this week. The picture j tells tho story of Sara Harrington, a [ daring yachtsman but afraid of horses, who gets in deep waters after ho ac cidentally rescues a girl in a runaway j accident and who finally has to ride In a dangerous steeplei-ha.se or admit himself a coward to “Peggy,” with j whom ho has fallen in love. The horse which he rides lias numerous casual j lies to its credit, but "8am" manages to rido him to victory in a thrilling j race. The horse which plays tlies part of "The Hottentot" took its role so scri | ously that MacKean was thrown st-v eral times before the race scenes wore i oinpleted, while one groom was kicked 90 times and claimed that ho resem bled a patchwork Quilt moro than a human being. The race is a dramatic climax which comes after hilarious com edy lias been caused by the absurd situations In which the sou-going yachtsman gets himself. Douglas Muel.ean plays the part of Sain and ; Madge Bellamy is the Peggy. “Enter Madame*’ at Empress. In a screen version of “Kilter Ma dame." tlie stago success Clara Kim i ball Young will next appear in at the j Kmpresa all week. A fittingly elaborate produolion lias been given this adaptation of the play by Hilda Varosi and Dolly Byrne, it | is understood. The story concerns that part of the life of I.iso Della Robbia, a grand op era star, which follows her discovery that her husband, whom she loves j for all her neglect of him imposed by . her career, is desirous of divorcing ( her. Klliott Dexter will he. seen as the : husband and Louise Dresser as the other corner of the triangle. The plnv abounds in clever situn lions, and madame's temperament keeps tilings humming. • * * “The Sin Flood' at Sun. Adversity has been used to point a moral and adorn a tale in “Tho Sin Flood,” coming to the Sun this week. In this excellent adaptation of the Swedish play by Henning Berger, the 11 characters are made to reveal their ugliest traits: and then, under tho spell of an Impending doom, the evil in their hearts disappears. On , this common ground, all the, characters unite in a universal broth erhood. Then it is discovered that the death which threatened them is an illusion. Gradually, they return to their normal selfishness—all but three, who have learned the lesson of humanity and go forth again into : the world with a new understanding. Helene Chadwick, Richard Dix and lames Kirkwood are members of a 1 • Irong cast. • • • “Young Rajah” at Strand. It seems a far cry from imperson ating the avatar, or descendant of some raciel dlety, to participating in a Harvard boat race—but such is the transition required of Rudolph Valentino, star of "The Young Ra jah," which will he on view at the Strand this week. In vision scenes he is presented ns Krishna and Ar .ittna, in the highly decorative and fanciful attire of those characters of ancient Hindu literature, while in tho main story he is a popular young uni versity man. an athlete and student. In reality he is a rajah who for cer tain reasons Is left with farming peo ple in Americt to he raised and edit rated. The story embodies a delight ful romance and Wanda Hawley in terprets the feminine role. The idea of the plot was taken from the hook "Amos Judd.” * * • World Screens “Pawned. Melodrama prevails at the world this week in “Pawned." A young American temporarily stranded in the South Sea Isles, makes a bargain with tlie wealthy proprietor of a string of gambling casinos throughout the world to conduct a secret investiga tion for him. He leaves the orient after an exciting fight and lands in New York to fulfill his mission. There lie encounters a beautiful young girl, daughter of an old pawn broker, whose trade is helped by the gambling casinos. He falls in love with the girl, and she with him. The girl Is being annoyed by a young physician, a drug addict, who want* to marry her and immediately begins plotting ugains the man for whom the gill is showing a fondness. The story ends wtih the spectacular defeat of the a drug addict, w ho wants to marry her after” of the young couple. • * * Northern Drama at Moon. "The Man From Hell's River’* opened at the Moon yesterday for a four-day run. Eva Novak and Wal lace Beery are the leading members of the cast. It is adapted from Mr. Cut-wood's novel. "The God of Her People.’’ It has Its locale In Northwest Canada and revolves around the self-sacrifice of a girl to spare her father, and the romance between her and s. Mountle. The third conspicuous highlight is the introduction of the wolf-dog, Rin Tin. Attractions of the It eek Itialto—"The Hottentot Sun—"The Sin Flood." Strand—"The Young Rajah." Empress—- Enter Madame." Moon—Saturday to Wednesday, The Man from Hell River;" Wed nesday to Saturday. "Wolf Law ." \\ orld—"Pawned." the husklo who arts as pildt of the officer's dog team. This canine proves to the satisfaction of all how devotion and kindness can encourage a lasting friendship which stops at nothing to save a life. "Wolf Law." featuring Frank Mayo will begin on Wednesday. The storj dates back to 1 s70. and "Wolf Law” is just exactly what was established in a rough mountain com munity by one “Samson” Render, who ruled mountaineers with violence which outclassed theirs. He ruled with a firm hand for evil, killing anyone unfortunate enough to dis agree with him. and never allowing accidental vistors to leave the place to tell the tale. Sylvia Breamer Is the leading lady. Soap Hubble Ball Baffles Director— But Not Long When Barry Pain wrote "The Oc tave of Claudius." the story from which "A Blind Bargain” was made, ho never thought that it could be cleaned up the way the producer (lid the job. It all happened like this: Barry Pain thought out a unique kind of ball, something that had nev er been seen in a book or a maga zine before. Now the movies have represented all kinds of costume balls, jazz Included, but they struck a snag —temporarily—when they learned all the fancy details Barry Pain bad put into his own private little ball. The scene demanded that, as part of thd entertainment, a half dozen barefoot dancers, gowned in flyaway nothings, sport about for the guests amid a shower of soap bubbles. Here's the how of it: The floor in the renter of the. hall room In which the dancers were to appear was cut out, and in place of a hardwood floor appeared a zinc square with hundreds of air holes in it. This zinc flooring was really the roof of a huge gas tank beneath the stage. On top of the zinc mud sllng ers smeared a few tons of soap and water. This was prepared in huge vats from several barrels of washing soap. The next step was to harness a gas engine t" the tank and blow air through the soapy mixture spread over the zinc, air cooled dance floor. Kesult: Thousands of irridescent soap bubles bouncing about in the air. All about the edgo of the zinc floor mountains of snap suds were banked. When everything was ready the director called: "Bring on the fair ies” and on they came. They rose out of the banks of suds, high kicked, smiled, pretended to enjoy earning tlieir salaries. It was the first time fairies had ever danced amid flying soap hubbies for the delight of screen audiences. Suburban Programs Hamilton—"The Fare Between.” Victoria—"Forever.” Brand—“A Woman’s Side." MoVics/ w cfy'a- , c< Jerry a /Heorr ■ a *"* . .•'V'f jC&an. i ':t/ L sPi'c/ra roi &*'/? SV/v Laugh Lines From the Picture ft arid The prevailing notion llmt motion picture companies fairly exude wealth and are ready to throw il away evi dently was believed by one Havana barber. A dressing room was wanted for Richard Barthelmcss while doing a street scene in “The Bright Shawl The property man went tip to a ton sorial artist who prided himself on his knowledge of Knglish which ho boasted be had acquired in the Unit ed States, and asked permission to use a back room for the young star. “Oil, yes,” smiled the barber. “Be glad to let him have the room.” “We will pay for it.” said the prop erty man. “We will only want it about an hour. ITow much do you want?” “Not much," nonchalantly replied the barber. “Fifty dollars Bull Montana rejoiced when he learned that Metro, for whom he ap pears in comedies produced by Hunt Stromborg, had acquired the distrib uting lights to the marvelous Tech nicolor process for filming in natural colors, which created a sensation upon its first exhibition, in the photoplay, “The Toll of tho Sea." “If Hunt will let me wear some of my neckties in a picture and he'll use the Teehni on dem, I'll knock dem all dead," he said. "As far ns knocking 'em dead Is concerned," remarked Mr. Stromberg, "a scenario writer who can sell me a story which has you wearing one of your neckties is wasting his time. He could write plots for cemeteries.” Malcolm McGregor, one of Viola Dana's three leading men in her new est picture, “Noise in Newboro," tells a mean yarn. “A miserly gentleman woke up one morning.” related Mr. McGregor, “and discovered his wife dead. So lie went into the hall and leaning over the railing above Hie stairs, called to the cook below “ ‘Cook just one egg this morning, Mary'.” Malcolm McGregor, who lias one of tho leading mala roles in “All the Brothers Were Valiant,” Ben Ames Photoplay at P Bfl |B ft P A A Big Time Vaude .2. 2:30. 5. 7:30 P M P If E d d V‘"e "* ’ :4°* 4> and 10 P. M. Bb IvB I ■■ ■■ BP BP 6:40 and 9 P. M. 11 to 11 CONTINUOUS SHOWS IN ROTATION 11 to 11 We with you a Bright and Protperout New Year and offer a vividly beautiful play of love and life in the theater, with Clara Kimball Young in the delightful role of an Italian opera itar. 4 DAYS ONLY — STARTING TODAY “Poor Gerald”— sighed the prjmt donaa, thinking of her husband-^ “he works so hard.” At that moment he was working hard for a dirorca, uara Kimball Young ' A HARRY CARSON PRODUCTION From the New York stage hit by Gilda Varcsi and Dolly Byrne “Songs and Scenes" With Olga Boehm and Harold Maxwell An Artist ic Offering of Vistas of Melody LE HOEN & DU PREECE —in— “RAMONA ACRES” VERNON “The Man Who Put the ‘Trill’ in Ventriloquism” BENNETT & LEE —in— Vaudeville Etiquette FOX NEWS MACK SENNETT COMEDY “Astray from the Steerage" Sutton’s Sensational Empress Orchestra, playing “Queen of the Orient" By Maurice Terr JANE DAVIS at the Hope-Jones Organ PRICES Matinee .10c to 40c Night .10c to 50c For Reserved Seat Tickets Phone JA ckson 1416 A-baro/y>/e. Js<r?/(??r /v rro & xJi7st<y<2 //at$/j<?y - S~rAssi/vc> Scz'/'Z/f &ol><?r/s • VSOAJt,C> - Williams’ powerful sea story, was ex plaining to Billy Dove, who enacts l liy chief feminine role, the peculiari ties of whales. ’’Whales have very poor eyesight, hut. are unusually sensitive to sound," said Mr. McGregor. ‘ They couldn’t see a Follies girl in the first row. but they can hear the revovling propellor of a steamship at a distance of 12 miles.” “That's the biggest fish story 1 ever heard,” declared Aliss Dove. You mean a whale of a fish story,” said Air. AleGregor. Somebody brought a copy of “The Book of Etiquet” into the Fox stu dio and Director JcjO; Ford gathered the company around him while a set was being prepared and read aloud from it to the amusement of the crowd. Henry B. Walthall, the famous screen star, then told a yarn. “Speak ing of etiquet.” ho said, “one of my favorite stories is tiiat of the man who was tilling a friend that he had taken his best girl to a restaurant the other night. ‘And we had one of them fresh waiters,’ lie said, 'and I was surprised the way he spoke to my girl she didn't bust him one In the eye'.” _ JP* ’£hpbcSS Clara *vmia“V*V Katherine McDonald denies with nil emphasis befitting a lnil.v known ns the "American Beauty" that she is about to marry, She says she isn't and certainly she ought to know, i Katherine is working in "Refuge." Special New Year's Attraction MIDNIGHT SHOW TONIGHT, 11 P. M. m TO D A Y—TO M O R ROW—TUESD AY JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD’S MAN FROM M m. „ ILS I Addptptl From "GOD o*» HER PEOPLE* StAr And Director— IRVING CUMMING fupporbed by EVA NOVAK-WAILACE BEERY MOON COMEDY CHARLES MURRAY In “Faint Heart” | MOON INTERNATIONAL WEEKLY | Coming: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday FRANK MAYO In “The Wolf Law” Began as Family Black Sheep, Finishes as Star Comedian, Stunt Actor "I was a black ahep in our family,'' says Victor Moore, comedian, who comes to the Orpheum theater this week in his familiar bit of hoakum, entitled "Change Your Act. or Back to the Woods." "I might have been a black sheep then," he says, "bpt I’m a gray one now. I’ve been on the stage 30 years and I've played a lot of comedy parts, but I stick to my present vaudeville act. or the name of the act, because it offers so many opportunities for new comedy business, and. to my way of thinking, It's the best comedy role 1 ever had." Mr. Moore says lie made his first stage appearance at the age of 15. in an amateur stock company, "it wasn’t so good,” lie admits, "and 1 went to Boston and got a job.” First lie worked as a clerk in a bag factory, quit that to work in a rail road office, believing lie could get passes to go back and forth from home to deliver his own laundry, and when he tired of this travel, he an swered an ad for a "tall man to act as super in ‘Bahcs in the "Woods.’ "I shall never forget tlie morning I applied." Mr. Moore says. "1 was shorter than now, hut I stood on a paving stone in the alley behind the theater, and that stone proved the foundation upon which I was to build my theatrical career. T was ac cepted hv the stage manager veiling to me in the back row: 'Hoy, you! You can report for work.' "They advertised for tall men, be cause the suits of armor for supers were all of great length. When I got into one thrown at me, my face was in the region of the breast-plate, but I slid tho helmet down and got away with it. I was paid $3.50 a week, and had to give 50 cents to t lie stage man ager who hired me. That meant noth ing, however, because ! felt I was on the stage and would some day be an actor. I learned to sing while with that company, or I conquered stage fright, I should say. and shortly aft rewards I went in vaudeville at 11am mcrstetu's in New York, and George Cohan saw me. * "The rest of my career is pretty veil known, ! suppose. I was the type Mr. Cohan wanted for the Kid Burns character lie fhen was writing In 'Forty five Minutes'." Victor Moore was playing the same act he is bringing to the Orpheuin theater this week, when lie was dis covered by George M. Cohan and en gaged for Cohan's "Forty-1'ive Min* ■ From Broadway." He played the principal role. Kid Burns, for many seasons. At the conclusion of that run. Mr. Cohan had another play for Moore called "The Talk of New York," In which the same character predominated. Then he appeared In Shorty McCabe.1' "Happiest Time of, My Idle,” "See You Later," and other plays. While appearing in the "Hap piest Time" piece, lie met Miss Lit tlefield. a member of the same com pany, and Moore sues that was the happiest time in his life, for she has been Mrs. Moore ever since. Tourneur Seeks Old Ships. Maurice Tourneur lias gono to Son Francisco to make the initial prepara tion for a most ambitious production on "The Isle of 1 lend Ships." which, with a fleet of vessels, will he filmed in the famous kelp beds off San Juan Capistrano. Tourneur is Reeking ma terial for the construction or re habilitation of vagrant and long idle ships, some of which came around the Horn during the mining davs and wore abandoned by their crews, drunk with stories of wealth awaiting on land Tlo se ships have been rotting in the tidewater of the great bay and their hulks will provide Mr. Tourneur with suggestions for tho manufacture of vessels to plant in the Pacific kelp beds which arc similar lo those of the Sargossa sea. the Atlantic locale of the storm. Such vessels as have not been moved even by the tides of 50 years, but which will stand tho transportation, will he I towed to their licit resting place on ihe expansive hi -aim of the Pacific ,u id the vast tangles of floating kelp to provide reality for the picture. Movies Become Magnet for Big Tourist Hotel That the drawing power of the movie* cun I** commercialized liu* just been demonstrated by Mi*1 Charles Jeffras. social director for southern California's biggest hotel the Ambassador. Mr*. Jeffras obtained photographs of celluloid luminaries and from these had floral pie< ■ * made representing the players. These she used for oeh ter pieces on the tables In the popular Coconnut Grove cafe, run in con* junction with the hotel. Motion picture stars have formed the habit of going to the Grove every Tuesday night, which has been a great attraction for the tourists and incidentally a notable source of reve nue for the hotel. On the night that Mrs. Jeffras’ decorations appeared, prizes were of fered for the best likeness of stars, and the table which featured tho floral representation of Douglas b’alrj hanks and Alary Pick ford won tliVr aw ard. Tlieda Bara l'(hunes Bark’ Theda Bara is to star again In "The Easiest Way.” The return to the silver sheet of the first vampire of them nil was an nounced u few weeks ago. Then come the purchase of screen rights to Eugene Walter's famous play. There was one question h ft to ft ■ swer. Who would direct? The nowL that reached Eos Angeles early this morning of the contract signed be tween l-’erdinand Earle, artist, writer and motion picture director, find the younger Selznlck answered that. Earle will start production of "The Easiest Way" immediately on com pletion of the script. He wires that “a splendid cast'' is being engaged to support Miss Bara. TO-DAY <; and/ ALL'VEEI'y j } Performances 11:00 1:00 3:00 5:00 7.00 900 Qteu/ c2/e.czrs dpecazo DOUGLAS i MCLEAN __ MADGE BELLAMY 553RAYMOND HATTON. in a picture greater thaM1 Vm. Colliers roaring success of the sta^e S^wsioryoF a man vho conquered fear; OF a maid/ "o/’ho loved horsesand, tlie man; Of a horse 'vvho von the greatest steeple -chase ever filmed. "loull lau^li uni il you cry, "ibull sit on the- ed-^e of ^our seat 1 ^4 ?4ncl on tKe same program- . WILL ROGERS' A COMEDY NOVELTY DE LUXE" !!• MIDNIGHT SHOW TONIGHT!) STARTS AT 11 O'CLOCK COMPLETE CHANGE OF PROGRAM (This Performance Only) John Emerson-Anita Loos Production “A RED HOT ROMANCE” v It's a Comedy Riot—We're Going to Have Fun Noise Makers-Novelty Stunts K Vou Can Come .c Nine and See Both Shows at One Price ♦