v
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THE OMAHA -SUNDAY BEE: MAY 5, 1918.
management and Catherine Crawford,
favorably known for her artistically
presented vaudeville act called "The
Fashion Parade," has designed the
costumes. Today's matinee will start
a 3. Beginning tomorrow there will
be a ladies' matinee daily all week,
the final performance of the musical
burlesque season occurring next Fri
day night. Next Saturday will in
augurate the opening of the annual
summer run of "The Dark Secret."
Author Tells How to Get a Play
Before the Public in New York
' ( 7 I
AW lyL 5) Cecillia '
nil J V V - . v "THS. VKY ZOA' V V WrA2
1 (A
Cleotffatfteld
At- ike Orpheum
Nose Rings
Cleo Mayjield Thinks
Her New Fad Will Be
Fine Thing When It
Comes Into Home Life
xr rrrn f A VTTITTT n Via
mX VslViwW iA4JL
her way women will soon
be wearing rings in their
noats, Kaffir-wise. This will
be a great convenience to
huabands who wish to lead
:heir wives around by the nose.
Not that that is Miss Mayfield's
idea of . the thing) she simply
desires to institute, a fad. .The nose
ring, she points out, is a thousand,
years old. With it, she sayB, Delilah
tempted Samson, but of course Deli
lah had otht-r charms besides. But
Miss Mayfield does hot stop here, no
liree. She has still another fad
which she hcpes her sisterhood will
tdopt. It is the flower earrings!
- Miss Mayfield first conceived the
idea of the flower earrings when the
taw some red tucnsias witn long
A-hite pendunts and purple leaves
swavinz in the breeze. The color
scheme matched a new gown, and the
actress decided to wear the flowers.
The flowers are fastened to the lobe
of the ear by a piece of flesh colored
court plaster. Any flower that is
bell-shaped may be worn and it
should be chosen to match the color
ing of the costume and the beauty of
the wearer.
1 "These flowers bring out every bit
of rich color and every dainty line in
' a woman'a face," said Miss Mayfield.
"They can be chosen to match her
costume and are exquisite. for home
wear, m the boudoir, at intimate din
ners or Informal dances. If they are
securely fastened they will never
drop, and if moistened before put on
hey will last all evening."
It would seem to be a difficult, not
to gay perilous task, to construct a
comedy with eugenics as its central
topic, yet th-s is what Messrs. Ander
loa and Weber claim has been ac
complished, and With genuinely and
Jaughable results, by William Le
Baron in hi comedy, "The ' Very
Idea," which achieved substantial suc
cess at the Astor theater, New York,
and which will serve as a starring ve
hicle for Richard Bennett at Boyd'
Sunday evening for an engagement of
four nights, with a matinee Wednes
day. A shallow, futile and childless
pair desire. off spring. A self-confident
and self-asset tnre "eugenist," played
by Mr. Bennttt, undertakes to provide
it in the perfection from a marriage of
a chauffeur and a parlor maid whom
he regards if fit specimens for such
signal expeiiment. The processes,
terms and vonsequences fill out the
:omedy with jovial entertainment that
.nowhere oversteps the limits of good
taste and abound in comic zest and
plausibility. With all thia complica-
:ion 01 incident and wit there is much
in the play which advocates a better
system for humanity, a more careful
selection of parents and a denuncia
tion ot the bringing into the world
numerous progeny, whose environ
ment, both materially and from the
traits that might be given them from
heredity are illy equipped to fight the
battle of life, unfair to the offsprings
and a menace to the community at
large.
AT THE
chorus girls
the Top" the prettiest
ever seen in New York.
Recognized as one of the most pop
ular musical comedy stars. Cecil Lean
is to top the bill for the curren week
at the Orpheum. He is to be effect
ively assisted by Cleo Mayfield. and
will present a fresh repertory of
songs. In the program which she pre
sents with Mr. Lean are a number
of songs whose words and music were
written by him. Scharpioff and Var
vara are Russian boys, ope being a
vocalist and tfie other a pianist.
Theirs will be one of the featured
acts of the bill. In a series of one
act comedies written by himself, J. C.
Nugent has compelled recognition as
one of vaudeville's favorite author
comedians. -He is how being featured
in his newest oddity, "The Squarer."
Smart songs of the most entertaining
type are to be presented by Donald
Kerr and Effie Weston. .They offer a
At iht
Cmprtss
quartet of dances, none of which are
of the modern variety. A novelty
comedy called "Recruiting", is to be
contributed by Nick Basil and Dick
Allen. Davis and Pelle will appear1 in
what they term an equillibristic mara
thon, displaying as much speed as
agility. Known as Tokio's foremost
equilibrists, the Kitamura trio have an
act exhibiting an amusing assortment
of balancing feats. Picturesque Pic
ardy in France will be shown in the
films of the Orpheum Travel Weekly,
and the building of railroads in Moro
goro, Africa, will also be shown.
-
The widely known Dutch protean
actor, Henri De Vries, has gone ex
clusively into the producing field. His
novelty, "Submarine F. 7," has already
be seen at the Orpheum. Mr. De
Vries' latest effort in his new field,
"Camouflage," will be seen at the
Orpheum week of May 12. Two spe
cial feature acts are exploited on the
Omaha Dancers Who Made Good . ,
Will Give Home Folks a Treat
By
WILLIAM .
.OW should
LeBARON.
a young play
wright go about it to get
his play produced on
Brcadway?
That is the question and
I m afraid the only way I
can answer it is by telling
some of the things I didjwhich finally
resulted in the production of "The
Very Idea."
Perhaps the first important step is
the selection of a college. Here the
young author should be careful to
choose an alma mater whose faculty
approves of musical comedy. It is
really astonishing how many other
wise learned professors prefer the
works of Aeschylus, Euripides or
Shakespeare to the original output of
under-graduate librettists and com
posers. In this connection, I was very for
tunate in casting my lot, with the
New York university, where the de
mand for librettos was far in excess
of the supply. In writing my first
musical play for the annual varsity
show I had in mind the popular
motto, "The place to begin is at the
bottom," and the effect of this maxim
was evident all through the opera.
It was called "The Isle of Skidoo,"
and, if I do tay it myself, it probably
touched the iiwest point ever reached
by the American drama.
However, having started some dis
tance south of the lowest rung of the
ladder, the only possible direction in
which to move was upward, and in the
incredibly ihcrt time of three years.
I dashed off a musical comedy which
was sufficiently brilliant to attract the
attention of tour-fifths of the Broad
way manages.
My partner in this unworthy work,
Deems Taylor, and myself, had never
considered the possibility of a pro-'
fessional production. We had striven
enly to place art on a higher plane.
Accordingly we felt rather hurt when
the managers besieged us and at
tempted to snatch our child from us.
But in the end commerce overcame
art and "The Echo" passed into the
Globe theater.
At this time I began to realize that
writing plaj.i was no sinecure and
that the life of the tired business man
was much more enjoyable. So I
adopted advertising as a profession
and joined the staff of Collier's
Weekly, where there were no stage
directors, music publishers or chorus
men to annoy me.
After a time, however, the lure of
the footlights or the smell of the
grease paint or whatever it is, begin
to take hold of me and at the same
time, Jesse L. Lasky offered me a
contract to write all of his one-act
musical comedies for vaudeville. At
first I resisted the temptation, but
then, after studying over the propo
sition, I developed a formula where
by almost any idea could be turned
into a successful vaudeville act over
night. This eliminated atl labor and
thought and the result was a series
of acts, among them "The Red
Heads," "The Trained Nurses," "The
Beauties," "The Antique Girl." etc.
Of course, I don't mean to advise
young authors to avoid all labor, but
I do think they will make faster
progress if they tfy to' keep out of
the theatrical profession and earn an
honest living elsewhere. I don't know
why this is true, but it is, for some
how the Broadway managers seemed
to pursue me much more earnestly
when I was settled down to live hap
pily ever ifter in a snug office below
rourieenm street, as soon as I
would say to myself "Now I have
escaped them and 1 need never write
another finale," the telephone would
ring and some manager's voice would
say, "Drop in this noon, will you? I
have some new scenery and an old
idea. I want a book by tomorrow
morning."
You might call this Serving an ap
prenticeship if you care to, but I
don't care to. Still, it did finally have
an effect, for it taught me that the
only excuse a manager would accept
was that I was already engaged and
had promised to deliver the first act
by a week from next Monday.
After using that excuse for several
months, I thought it would be a good
idea to make it true, so I started to
write "The Very Idea." At first I
paid little 'attention to it, but after a
while I began to think how funny
Ernest Truax and Richard Bennett
would be in the parts of Gilbert and
Alan then I came to like it, and it
wasn't until the day before the first
performance in New York that it oc
curred to me that perhaps I had over
putted. Oh, young author, profit by my
experience and never have a first
night on Broadway. Put in your con
tract that the play must open the sec
ond night Never let yourself in for
that guiltiest of all feelings when the
curtain starts towards the flies on the
first night. You may say that if your
play succeeds, you are richly repaid
for all the suffering, but well, so
you are. That's why almost everybody
in the world wants to write, or is
writing a play.
"Over the Top," which comes to the
Boyd, May 12-13, has been the reign
ing sensation of the Forty-fourth
Street theater for the past four
months. This delightful girl and mu
sic show is in two acts and 14 scenes
and is said to be replete with nov
elties of every description. The chief
funraaker is Ed. Wynn," he of the
funny hats,' the grotesque attire," the
owl-like spectacles, and the self-sufficient
manner. - The goMen haired
beauty, Justine Johnstone, will be
seen in the principal role of the little
girl who wanted New York and got
it-in a dream. These are ably
abetted by such entertainers as Craig
Campbell, Fred and Adele Astaire.
Laurie and Bronson, Vivien and Dag
mar Oakland, Ted Lorraine, Betty
Pierce, Rolanda and her Neo-Classical
dancers, Ma-Belle and Mary Eaton
Craig Campbell ii one of the really
fine singers of the atage. Five dozen
eirls will appear in the ranks of "Over
fife' iBSSiBMMS'
& JPf mfii r' (" ?
t , m
tFted and JMele Jtsiaire m'CtreRTHeli'
W
HEN Fred Astaire and his
sister Adele, Omaha kfcls,
reached the very mature
Ym Res of 8 and 10, respec
tively, they decided that
the stage offered them the
best opportunities for a
career. From doing stunts in home
talent aff&it it
professional stage, and very soon
tnc Asiaires became Jocal favorites
in ttll "imall-titno" 4.o,,:tI. -.r,4
picture theaters in the middle west.
After the Astaire children had passed
tne required age of 16,. they immedi
ately "broke in" intn th "Ki'a.f im."
vaudeville, meaning by that the Keith
circuu oi tneaters, tne great Urpheum
Chain of Vaiirlpvillp hniicp anA fho
theaters controlled by the Western
vauuevuie association. When , the
MeSSrS. Shllhptt U'r 3cinr ' fVia
nrincinali In T)vr tu T '.huv.
J " -v... lilt A ' ' -I , J MlVli
is the attraction at the Boyd next
uuiiuoy, me siaires were Drougnt to
their attention, through the medium
same bill as "Camouflage." One of
these will be Foster Ball, who, as
sisted by Kernan Cripps, will appear
in his character study entitled "Since
the Days of 61." The other will be
8akland and company in "Danny
'Gill, U. S. A.," a story of an Irish
born American who returns to his
old country and revives the loves, to
mance and associates of his youth.
Margaret Xnglin in her delightful
English comedy entitled "Billeted."
direct from her three months engage
ment in New York and a lengthy run
in Chicago, will be the attraction
at the Brandeis theater for three
nights and Saturday matinee, begin
ning Thursday May 23. "Billeted"
is the work of F, Tennyson Jesse and
H, M. Harwooa and was originally
produced in London, where it ran for
a year at the Royalty theater. Iy the
central character, Miss Anglin has
a role which affords her every oppor
tunity for her skill as a comedienne.
Her supporting company includes
Langdon Bruce, Fred Eric, Roland
Rushton, Sally Williams, Margaret
Hoffman Howard Lindsey and Thyl
lis Birkett.
"Marcelle," a musical comedy with
a pretty romantic story in which Billy
Hibbitt and Eddie Malle take the
leading roles, assisted by a bevy of
pretty girl heads the new bill at the
Empress theater. Edythe and Eddie
Adair, a duo of clever entertainers,
have utilized in their offering of "The
Boot Shop," by Stephen G. Cham
plin, an idea that offers much in the
way of comedy and patter. Smith and
Kaufman in their offering, "A Mid
night Occurrence," a talking and sing
ing skit, and Lee Stoddard, who spe
cialized in ventriloquial mimicry, com
plete the bill for the first half of the
week. For the last half of the week
the bill is headed by Momi Kalama,
assisted by William Kao, in a char
acteristic) novelty called "A Hawaiian
Night's Entertainment," consisting of
native songs, music and the hula-hula
dance. Dale and Burch offer an orig
inal comedy creation which they call
"The Riding Master," introducing
some of their own exclusive song
numbers. Ramona Ortiz, billed as
queen of the wire, and Stone and
Manning, in i comedy singing and
dancing act, complete the vaudeville
end of the program for the last half
of the week.
Last Sunday night marked the
closing of the popularity contest
which was being held by the Bran
deis Hippodrome. The three prizes
which were to be awarded to the
most popular girls in Omaha were
given to the following: Kathryn
Keller, 284,410 votes, Dodge touring
car; Emma Jensen, 211,775 votes,
Emerson grand piano; Monttte
Lohrman, 196,755 vote, a diamond
ring. The tickets that have been told
by the contestants will be accepted
at the Empress theater.
"Step Lively, Girli," is announced
for the current week at the Gayety, it
being the closing attraction of the
season. A new twoact travesty called
"The Corset Shop" will be presented'
All of the Important principals of last
season's cast are in the organization,
including Rich. McAllister, Tiny
Hemley, Harry T. Shannon and Dot
son, "The Midnight Stepper." In ad
dition to these are Raymond Paine.
Rhea Hess and Nettie Hyde. Also a
chorus of carefully selected girls
whose beauty and sprightliness will
give charm and enjoyment to the long
list of new and fetching musical num
bers. Edward Bower, well known as
a producer of a high class musical
comedy, is responsible for the stage
Billy fltitt It-U-Mt
EYw, U.S0-7i-tl
Th Bumii'i Ndtlhs Cloilm Friday NlM
ARTHUR . ITri IllfriV AIDIt Mmltil
PEARSON'S 1 '"" Itrknu
Tht Firiilo RtviM Srirw of IN Clrinlt. Rich
(Shorty) MoAlllihr, Hirry Bhnnod in A4(uat
Cut fncludlni OOTSON, "Tht MlditlK StMMr"
Soulhlind'i tunburnid 84 Showlni loUl of
HUM Sttw. Bl Stauty Charm.
LADIES' DIME MATINEE WEEK DAYS
When Writing to Our Advertisers
Mention Seeing It in The Bm
of the big Sunday night concert at
the Winter Garden, where Fred and
Adele had recently appeared. Strange
trt iiv th Astaire have imniraH a
Preal Parisian style and manner and i
. 1 L ll W J '
mat tney are irum mc wesi comes as a
surprise to most theater-gofcrs. Their
style of dancing is a rare combination
of grace, intricate steps and acro
batic feats. Withal, they execute their
terpsichorean novelties with an ease
which makes it seem as enjoyable to
them as their observers. Fred and his
sister Adele also possess a real sense
of burlesque and their travesty on
the dress designing scene in "Lom
bardi, Ltd.," is said to be a scream.
Fred appears in this skit as the male
modiste and Adele poses as the
model. In a wildly eccentric dance the
various parts of the elaborate eve
ning gown are draped about the
model and the whole scene culminates
in a revel of amazing gyrations which
bring never failing rounds'" of . applause,
4-
WEEK STARTING SUNDAY, MAY 5
That Most Popular Musical Comedy Star
CECIL LEAN
ALSO
CLEO MAYFIELD
In Songs of the Moment
Donald EffU
KERR & WESTON
in
"Smart Song land Nifty.
Dane
Nick Dick
BASIL 4 ALLEN
In Novel Comedy Offering
Entitled
"Recruiting"
The Famous Ruaiian Boy Tenor
SCARPIOFF
AND
VARVARA
Master Boy Planitt
V
DAVIS & PELLE
. J In an
Equilibrltttc Marathon
KITAMURA TRIO
Toklo'a
Foremost EquitibritU
" "Vaudeville' Foremost Author Comedian"
J. C. NUGENT
In His Own Original Oddity
"The Squarer"
ORPHEUM TRAVEL WEEKLY
Around the world witk the Orpheum Circuit Motion
i i . Picture Photographer
1- i
jroi
4 sas n
PRICES Ntfhta, S0 to $10.
Pop. Met, Wad., Beet Seeti, $1.00.
Meisrs. Anderson and Weber Offer
RICHARD
BENNETT
in the Superlatively Clever Appeal to
Laugh More and Have Better Babies
THE' VERY
IDEA!
BY
WILLIAM LE BARON
m
Jutt
Froirt
Six
Months '
at the
Attor
Theater,
New York.
TV0 fllGIITS - Sunday, Monday, May 12-13
"The U$t Word In Frills and Thrills"
Messrs. Lee and J. J. Shubert Present
The Gay, Gorgeous and Glorious Musical Revue
R-THE TOR
ED WYNNE, JUSTINE JOHNSON,
CRAIG CAMPBELL,
Fred and Adele Astaire and 60 Over the Ton CJrlntl '
LAURIE AND BRONSON -
THIS IS NOT A MOTION PICTURE.
t) m
Like Crafty Spiders in a Wed of Treachery
Drunk with Aut&racy the Kaiser and'
His Court Plot Against America. '
".'.
My Four Years
In Germany
produced under personal direction of , .., ,
AMBASSADOR GERARD
Few diplomats have been so privileged during the
last few years as Mr. Gerard, and none has boms '
himself with greater credit To Mr. Gerard was'
given the opportunity during four years to see Gsr-,
many from within, and rn particular to watch an
autocratic and efficient military machine at work
during over two years of war. Hia ambassadorship
was made the occasion for a display of clumsiness,
haughtiness and suspicion on the part of Germany
toward the representative of a powerful neutral
country. No nation with a sense of honor could
long tolerate the scorn and ignominy which the
kaiser poured out upon America in the person of
its ambassador.
But Mr. Gerard's term is memorable because of
his printed record of it. The world wanted an
Image of German life, and the tfilm, "My Four
Years in Germany,' has thus become one of the
most Important diplomatic disclosures shown during
any war. It has become a striking historical docu
ment, a plain record that none can misunderstand,
of the madness of a people drunk with autocracy,
TEARS THE LAST SHRED OF SE
CRECY FROM THE WHOLE POISON-r
OUS WEB OF INTRIGUE AND GIVES
THE INSIDE HISTORY OF THE WAR.
FACTS NOT FICTION
COMING TO THE
Brandeis Theatre
EHTIRE WEEK "BM.1AV 12
Twice Daily, 2i30 and 8
SEAT SALE THURSDAY t "
Daily Matinees, 2Se and SOe.
Every Evening, 25c, BOe, 75e and $1.00
n
1