Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 1923)
The New York Theaters By PERCY HAMMOND. NEW YORK, Kept. The play wrights continue their perfidious desertion of New York city as the scene of their burlettas and char ades. Within a week there have been five new dramas, as they are called, and not one of them has endeavored to treat of existence In Manhattan and its adjacent islets. Until recently our authors were of the opinion that such lives as might by chance be led outside this cosmic archipelago were of no consesuence; and they disre garded them as unworthy of thdlr pens. The sypnopsis, “Time the Pres ent, Place New York,” was deemed as essential to the theater as the ushers, the unities or the ticket brok ers. I am Informed that just a few years ago there was a period when the American drama as manifested In this capital, segregated Itself within a district whose boundaries included but 20 miles, more or less square. The play that ventured beyond these frontiers was estimated In many In stances to be hick and suburban. It was considered bad form in Broad way to write of aught but Fanny llurst’s and Walt Whitman's, New York: Mighty Manhattan! with spire* and Tha sparkling and hurrying tldea, and the ships; Tha varied and ample . . . Now, however, the bold adventurers of our theater descry the unknown regions and report their explorations to bewildered Broadway. Think of It! Five New York plays In a row, deab ing with life In such foreign parts s-s Toledo, O.; Magnolia Landing, Miss.: Greenmeadow Ct., and, In the case of "The Jolly Roger,” the deck of a pirate brigadier. One Is almost en couraged to hope that he will last long enough to learn from the drama something of the character and prac tices of the Inhabitants of Detroit or Philadelphia. Haying placed my little hand In that of last week's dramatists and looked trustingly up Into their hon est eyes, I was taken to see the fol lowing circuses; “Poppy”—A musical romance de vised by Miss Dorothy Donnelly. In which Miss Madge Kennedy, as a pathetic Cinderella waif, achieved, after considerable singing and dan cing, much love and riches at the end. The plot and narrative were of the kindergarten type, but W. C. Fields, the "tramp Juggler," was, as the saying goes. Immense. He played an oily fakir of the county fairs of 30 years ago. with all tha unctuous manner and speech of his amusing kind; and he Juggled more comically than ever before. . . . Miss Donnelly is one of the most brilliant of the ex actresses—of the Madame X actresses, one is tempted to say—and she endows Mr. Fields with a treasure of uncommon conversation. When, for instance, he looks over Miss Emma Janvier, representing an ancient and overdressed village belle, he Bays; • She looks hke a well-kept grave.” . . , Such ribald observations are to be expected from Miss Donnelly. I recall that occasion upon which, while walking the deck of the S. S. Adriatic, she was approached by an obnoxious poet flirt. "And why does Miss Donnelly look eo happy this morning?” said he. "Because,” Miss . Donnelly replied with a gel.d stare, ’ • becaust I don’t know you!'’ "Tl* Jolly Rlger”—Long, low, "The Jolly Roger’’—Long, low, rakish stuff by A. E. Thomas about the whilom pirates. Miss Carroll Mc Comas pleasantly Impersonated a pretty girl disguised as a cabin boy, and Pedro de Cordoba falsified pic turesquely as the noble captain of the ship. The play was moving, lit erate and colorful, hut, one fears, picayune as to its episodes. . . . Mr. Cordoba’s performance of the copious buccanneer contained grace, music tnd comliness, but it reminded me of what Robert J. Ingersoll once said to Frank Kennan about Joseph Ha worth. Mr. Ingersoll and Mr. Keenan were at supper years ago, after one of Haworth’s unsuccessful first nights. "Bob,” said Mr. Keenan, what’s the matter with Joe?" “Well, Frank,” Bald Bob, "hVs always good.” ->» "The Whole Town’s Talking’’— This was a breathless collaboration by Miss Anita Loos and Mr. John Emerson, both of whom are said to have been bred in the deep purple of the nickelodeons. It Is reported that the scenarios and captions of the Loos-Emerson silver screenings are among the most admirable of their kind; and they were right to try their art in fields less arduous. As might have been expected, their combined JW*y J AT TMC SZSi ORPHEUM/^j 67sa V AT THE / avtw CAVITY ts5» AT TM« WOP-1.0 s| J(k ANDjfftf. CoiutH, 1 AT THE BRANDEIS tL ^2 Peat-1 tfetfay AT the orpheum work was a spirited study of the In fluence of the cinema and Its people, upon life in Toledo. Thus Mr. Grant Mitchell, playing ft sordid, soiled and celluloid-collared business man of Toledo, feigned a spurious amour with an unknown lady screen star in order to impress the ingenuous Ohio belle, to whom he wished to he mar ried. Just as his subterfuge appeared to be successful the Toledo firebells rang; flags flew from every window and housetop; the Toledo papers got out extras and the silver cornet band gave a concert In the public square. For Letty Lythe, Mr. Mitchell’s myth ical queen of the silent drama, was announced to appear In person art the Luna Theater, opposite the town pump. . . . The difficulties encoun tered by the star In extricating him self from this predicament formed the Incidents of the play. So earnest wii Mr. Mitchell (one of the most digni fied of our actors) to emphasize the excitements of life In his native state, that at the end of the second act he climbed up Into a chandelier and dangled therefrom artistically. "Little Mbs Bluebeard"—The ex otlo Miss Irene Bordonl performing In her orchid fashion some Ingenious and sentimental stunts upon that most Nordlo of the stage lovers, Mr. Bruce McRae. Miss Bordonl is alien, songful, dressed up like a Shubert ex travaganza; and she makes mischief In such ballads as “I Won’t Say I Won't.” Mr. Avery Hopwood Is the compositor of this amusing little hip podrome; and It Is as chaste an Idyll as you could expect from so roguish a raconteur. The combined choirs of 8t. Cecilia's cathedral consisting of the gallery choir, eanctury choir and Girls' Song club under direction of Dr. R. Mills Sllby have resumed work for the coming year. Rehearsals started last week. The first high mas* will be rung Sunday, September 18, at 11 a. m. Mrs. E. T. Munroe will open the Bemls Park studio, 8416 Hamilton street. She will again take pupils In the symbol method for beginners that was such a great success last year. Miss Marl# Kleny. Istruetor of piano, Is beginning her fell term of teaching. Miss Kleny Is the daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kleny. Cecil Berryman, ooncert pianist, and Florence Davis Berryman trpent their vacation In Minnesota. This winter teaching starts September 1. THIS WEEK ’HG TRIPLE HEADLINE BILL Starting With Matinee Today BLOSSOM SEELEY With BERTHE FIELDS Charles Thorpe and Warner Gault In "MiM Syncopation” “HOHETTE” Singing Violinist* HAROLD SOLOMON At th* Piano PEARL REGAY nuii LESTER ' SHEEHAN A ro. Hal Finlpy at the Plano “Dance Originators” “CIRCUS DAY IN TOYLAND” Presented by Mme. Jewell I CHARLIE WILSON I_"THE LOOSE NUT” Chas.—SARGENT & MARVIN—John The Two Musical Dudes “THE FOUR CAMERONS" in ‘ LIKE FATHER—LIKE SON” AE80P8 FABLES TOPICS OF TIIE DAT PATIIE ?TF.W>t Matinee . ..17#. 25#. 50# and 75# in*M*.17#. 55#. 83#. 81.10 and 81.50 Studio recitals will begin In two weeks. Those Interested are cordially invited to attend. These recitals will not be devoted exclusively to the playing of the piano, but will demon strate various phasta of the pupil's study. Including composition, im provisation, transposition and techni cal work. Economy Has Part in Picture Making Who says motion picture producers are extravagant? Bits of film that are salvaged, whole stage settings that ars re modelled. dress materials that are used a second time, draperies that are dryed, silver salts that are re covered from the film developing solution—all these and more give the lie to the claim that the motion pic ture Industry wastes, according to the production of Paramount’s West Coast studio. Extravagance In motion picture making has been so widely exploited by the old-school press agent and the occasional feature writer who sees but does not understand screen meth ods, that the public at large has come to regard the photoplay producer as the most extravagant -business man In the world. Actually, the day of wasteful meth ods in pictures Is as much a part of ancient history as the one-reel thrill er. The elimination of waste has be-1 come one of the Important problems of every motion picture studio. The lengths to which the waste elimination methods are carried In the big west coast home of Paramount pictures gives an entirely new In sight Into present-day motion pic ture production activities. Take the simple item of feminine clothes: Picture after picture Is produced in which Binall armies of beautiful women wear the smartest of gowns,; suits, frocks and negligees. The pro-: ducers dare not permit the same] gown to be worn twice. What be comes of all these clothes? The truth of the matter Is that every gown made for a star or fea YOU WILL BE Delightfully Entertained When you ••• tha comblna- j tion vaudeville and photo- ■ play bill offered at tha k’VO O S k: All thia weak 6 STAR ACTS Headed by tha revue remarkable, “A Night in Spain” A Guy and Bllthasoma Frolic from tha Land of tha Toreadors CAST OF 10 ADDED ATTRACTION MARION CLAIRE Songstress Unique 4 Other Acts « Including BOYD SENTER Nebraska's famous "Saxophone King" Picture feature, GLADYS WALTON In “Tha Untamable” Matlneai, 10C-3RC Nighta, Sun. Mata., 10C-50C jagfp tured player In a Paramount picture Is carefully put away until the pic ture In which It Is worn la released. Then—and only then—It Is taken apart by the wardrobe departme: t and the materials used In fashioning clothes for trie minor players In fu ture pictures. Particular care Is used to see that the refashioned cos tume bears not the slightest resem blance to the original. But none of It Is wasted. From clothes to silver salts Is a long Jump, but In the handling of the latter the studio makes an ap preciable saving. Silver salts are contained In the emulsion on film. A certain portion of these salts are eat en, out by developing the fluid. The huge new laboratory recently com pleted by this organization on the west coast Is completely equipped to salvage this silver In solution. Motion picture camera mazarines usually hold film In 400 feet lengths. If a camera man finds that all but 50 feet has been exposed and his next scene requires 100 feet, he will change to a fresh magazine. But the unexposed 50 feet 1s not wasted. It Is detached by the labora tory. patched together with other short lengths, and used by the title department In the making of tem porary titles. Studio Gossip Five sere* of ground hare been covered with the sets for Douglas Fairbanks’ “The Thief of Bagdad,” and he Isn’t done building yet. Nat Pendleton has signed hts nsme on .the dotted line of a contract wltb the Cosmopolitan Film company to play the role of bandit In "Yolande," of which Marlon Davies Is the star. W W. Hodklnson reports that there Is a great demand for his ar ticle, "Why You Don't Get Better Films." There would he evep more demand for an article tolling "When You Will Get Better Films.’* What the Theaters Offer t» Omaha folks who remember Mr. and Mrs. Coburn when they toured the principal cities In "The Yellow Jacket," and previous to that as co stars in Shakespearean repertoire, will be pleased to know that these distinguished «rtists will be seen at the Brandeis theater, as the opening attraction of the season, September 13, 14 and 15, as leading players In George M. Cohan's presentation of "So This Is London," the Interna tlonally successful comedy thnt has won the enthusiastic approbation of American and British playgoers. It will be recalled that It was the Coburns who produced, during war time, the sensational success, "The Better “Ole," In which Mr. Coburn created the famous character of Old Bill. That play was originally seen at the Greenwich Village theater in New York, where It scored such a pronounced hit that It was later moved uptown and succeeded In play lng an entire season In the metropolis, while five companies presented the piece on tour. It Is popularly believed that the Coburns are English players, but this Is not true. While they have fre quently appeared in Great Britain, they are thorough going Americans, both of them having been born sou'' of the Mason and Dixon line. One of the reasons for this belief Is possibly due to the perfection with which Mr. Coburn spoke with a pronounced English dialect as Old Bill In ''The Better ‘Ole.” "This was not so hard for me," says he, "as might he imagined. While it. Is not generally known, the southern dialect is not so very much unlike that of the cockney, and it is not hard for one familiar with It to Impersonate the lower class Eng lishman. The pronunciation of the vowels Is very similar In both dia lects, and moreover. Old Bill had a line of war time lingo, the "army talk" that is really universal. “In 'So This Is London’ I play the pari of an American, who Is exceed Ingly patriotic and I am often asked how, being English, I am able to do so, and then I have to explain that 1 was born In the United States, and that there Is really no difficulty In volved in my speaking the American language. Many of my friends seem surprised when they discover me por traylng Hiram Draper, the American millionaire, Instead of Sir Percy Beauchamp, the British peer, but, as Mrs. Coburn plays Lady Ducks worth, I tell them that we manage to strike an International balance by having both English and American roles in the family, which is quite sp proprlate in a cosmopolitan comedy like ‘So This Is London,' especially so in view of the fact that Lady Ducksworth, like Mrs. Coburn, Is really American bom. "A Night In Spain." spectacular, elaborate, unique, Is the headline at traction on the current six-act bill at the World theater. This song and dance revue Is enacted by a company of 10 artists who hall from Seville. Barcelona and .Old Madrid. The scenic and lighting effects are said to be of unusual magnitude. Marlon Claire, added attraction of the bill, offers What ehe terms a "Tone Symphony, a eeriee of num bers that ars all of original inter pretatlon. Boyd Senter, well known Omaha musician. Is making his vaudeville debut at the World. Senter, assisted by Jack Russell at the piano, offers a "Musical Goulash" in which Senter plays half a dozen different nius cal Instruments, Jerry O Mera and Mary Landis have named their diverting comedy skit, "Peb bles," a novelty comedy act of the better aort. Lewis and Brown "Styl lsh Steppers," promise a routine of the out-of the-ordlnary kind. Les Gladdons present an oddity In "The Art Poseurs." Arthur Hays, as usual, will have something of original typs to offer as tbs organ solo for the week. The principal photoplay feature serves to star Gladys Walton In a story combining both laughter an i drama called "The rntamable." | OPENING OF THE SEASON | THREE DAYS CFPT 1% Starting Thor*. >3JL-#X X a XwJ Matinaa Saturday CEORCE M. COHAN’S International Laughing Succat* I SO fHIS IS LONDON \ with MR. AND MRS. COBURN TICKETS NOW ON SALE Box Oflico Open 10 A. M. to 10 P. M. Today PRICES Erenlnga.50<>, $1, 81.50, 82 »"d 82.50 Sat. Matin*..50*. 81, 81.50 and 82 THREE DAYS STARTING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH Matinea Saturday FLYING THIS WAY AGAIN W.renh.l-a and 44"!” U IT DA Kemper'* Production ol | || g^ mm | Thrill*—Creep*—Shock*—Am* lemrnt—I. mi Mail Orders Now Tickets on Sale Thursday TWO DAYS ONLY—SEPT. 28 29 MATINEE SATURDAY The Messrs. Shuhert Present “The Passing Show of 1922” WITH WILLIE AND EUGENE HOWARD A Stellar Cast of Principals and N. Y. Wint ar Garden Chorus of Beauties Mail Orders Now Seat Sale Friday, September 21 Jaffy’s “Music Masters,’' harmonious syncopators with a personnel of 10, are one of the features of the seven act bill starting next Saturday. Blossom Seeley, “Aristocrat of Syncopation,” whom Omaha will well remember, appears at the Orpheum, starting with Sunday matinee, as one of the headline acts on a triple bill. Miss Seeley has an entirely new ver sion of “Miss Syncopation’’ this sea son, and while her repertoire suf ficed to headline last season's bill, the Orpheum, according to Its new policy to give Omaha, New York snd Ch'cago vaudeville, has Nonette, the singing violinist, and Pearl Begay in the "Dance Originator,” sharing star dom honors. Miss Seeley is as sisted by Bennie Field, elongated singer and dancer, Charles Thorpe and Warner Gault. Miss Regay Is a dancer of ability, and also a slngpr of enough distinc tion to have heljl the role of prlma donna in George White's last "Scan dals.” Nonette, singing violinist, is a pupil of Ysaye, and the technique she puts Into her music commands respectful attention of the skilled mu sician and captivates the music lover. Other attractions this week are the original Jewell’s Manikins In their lat "t production. "Circus Day In Toy land,” presented by Mme. Jewell, Charlie Wilson, “The Loose Nut;” Charles Sargent and John Marvin, In their original triple saw bowing act, and "The Four Camerons,” In “Like Father, Like Son.” Barney Gprard's "Vanities ' is an nounced at the Gayety theater as Its attraction for the current week. Twenty-one scenes from the studios of H. Robert Law are promised while the male attire of the production is from the Eaves Costume company and the feminine etage apparel has been designed by Cora McGeachv and executed by 8chnelder-Anderson. The cast is headed by Joe Marks, a fast working comedy favorite assisted by Elsa May, Harry Seymour, Elsie Matthews, Walter Johnson, Harry Kilby, James Traina, A1 Marks, Jules Redding, Mae Leonard, Babe Clark and Dawson's seven harmon ots. Bar ney Gerard is both the author and producer of the book, he having per formed a similar service for "Follies of the Day." An enchanting chorus of glorious girls adds much delight to the entertainment. Indies' matinee at 2:15 dally, starling tomorrow. To day's matinee starts at 3. The annual appearance of Fiske O'Hara Is always a welcome event, here. "Jack of Hearts" Is the title of the smiling FIske's latest success, which will be the attraction at the Brandeis during Ak-Sar Ben week un der the direction of Augustus Pltou. A numlwr of new songs have been al lotted to O'Hara's sweet-toned voice. "The Passing Show of 1922," with Willie and Eugene Howard, supported by an all-star cast of entertainers, will be present at the Brandeis thea ter Friday and Saturday, September 28 and 29, with a matinee on Satur day. There are 28 scenes In “The Passing Show of 1921," and over 10 tuneful inuslca) numbers. The famous, ‘‘red-headed ballet" with It* 40 girls,, all under 21. is little lees than a feml ’ nine triumph. -* "The Bat" will play a return en gagement of three daya at the Bran dels theater, commencing Thursday, September 20. Frarik 1.arming, movie actor, met his nephew. Fred Cumming*. stage actor. In Ivos Angeles a few days ago. "What are you doing?" asked Lan ning of Cummings. "The part of the Indian cook In ‘The Bad Man,’ at the Majestic thea ter,” replied Cummings. "What are you doing. Fred?" "The part of the Indian cook in 'The Bad Man.’ at the United stu dios.” replied I^nnlng. , ONE DAY ONLY FRIDAY GROUNDS: 20th and Paul Sts. SEPT. 28 Doors open at 1 and 7 P. M. Performances at 2 and 8 P. M. Downtown Ticket Office, Myere-DiUon Druf Co., 1609 Famnm Street bSlrSa twice daily all week Lediei’ Pop. Price Met. 2:15 Week Dare BARNEY GERARD'S COMPANION PRODUCTION TO “FOLLIES OF THE DAY** - —Superbly Gorgeous. Kansas City “Star" —Ultimate in Burlesk. Kansas City "Post" VANITIES With JOE MARKS. ELSA MAVON * HARRY SEYMOUR Positively, Two Cars of Equipment —COMPANY OF 50 Today’s Bargain Matinee AT 3;00 BEST SEATS OvC A S3 SNOW AT POPOLAR PRICES ANNOUNCING % rail r estival RACES Ak-Sar-fien Field Every Day Commencing Tuesday, Sept. H Closing Saturday, Sept. 29 Rain or Shine Tickets on Sale Now at Beaton Drug Co. Merritt Drug Co. Unitt-Doceka. Drug Co. General Admission $1.00, p’us tax Children 50c, plus tax Box Seats $1.10 extra Reserved Seats 55c extra Automobiles Free Auto Races, Sunday, Sept. 16