TUB Bfcit:: OMAHA, SUNDAY. AlAKGil 20, 1921.
5D
'Nice People" and
Others Get Before
Gothamites Nightly
' By JAMES WHITTAKER.
NEW YORK.Kachel Crothm
is a thoroughbred hitched to
a van. Her new comedy, "Nice
People," which opened the new Klaw'
theater, has the swiftness and ansto
cratic ardor of the thoroughbred.
More than that, it has in places a
poetic lift that suggests winged
Pegasus. You wince when you see it
harnessed to the box office. One
spectator sickened and fled during
"Nice People" third act when Miss
Crothers took the money whip in
her hand and flogged her inspiration.
It is reported from Parnassus that
Pegasus limped into his stable
Wednesday night with tanging head
and a welt in the shape of a mark
on his back.
"Nice People is a play with an
idea. You may not believe in plays
willi ideas. You may not believe
Miss Crothers' idea. But she ( does.
You may live respectably in L'niplli
street and put your daughter to bed
nicely at 9 every night and you may
laugh at Miss Crothers' idea that,
over in Park avenue, .at the Same
hour Hubert Gloucester's daughter,
"Ted," is slipping her duplicate key
into father's collarette for to -get a
d,uart of gin and the bottle of bitters.
You may not believe that the virgins
of the rich are drunk at midnight, in
a shady roadhouse at 4 a. m. and
slightly or more compromised oh the
sofa of papa's .closed country house
at dawn. You may believe that the
idle daughters of the rich are as de
cent as any stenographer. But Rach
el Crothers does not.
And she writes her belief that
the youth of 1921 is gone doggone
wrong with the same passionate con
viction w ith which Ibsen picks at the
oAi of wedlock in "Ghosts." Like
"Ghosts," "Nice People" burgles the
storehouse of popular optimism artd
brings out some nastiness to prove
that all's not well with the world.
So far, Miss Crothers courage 5s
screwed up. It does not falter at
the passionate closing scene of the
second act wherein her heroine is
caught alone at dawn in a room Avith
her drunken dancing partner and
sweetheart by family and friends
who make the cynic deduction. But
it was not quite screwed to the
sticking point. , .
Perhaps Miss Crothers thought
f'rancine Larriinore too nice an act
ess to stay ruined. Perhaps she
thought her audience too nice people
to stand for a bitter end. Whatever
her mental processes, her act was to
save her heroine at the expense of
her play.
After the tempest of the second act
both are in peril. You can hear the
play and the heroine both crying
piteously, "Help, help" from the reef
of domestic catastrophe onto which
Miss Crothers has guided them.
"For God's sake save the play," I
silently prayed.
And I have no doubt 'that many
about me prayed as hard for the sav
ing of Miss Larrimore. Their prayers
wore the most efficacious. How
Miss Crothers dragged in an atigel
when no otner agency couia nave
ierfonnea the nappy ending is. roia
1-ii.rA with a fp.ir. tnnuch
Crothers told it with laughter. Bitty
Wade, an angelic young, man of the
I .la-aia juu. .xj. .oaufx. ', , - n, ,n.-T-f ,
I y THIS AFTERNOON 1
I V . AND . I
V J ""y "reiOIWi .. Element
1 I V CONTINUOUS 1 TO 11 P. M. DAILY
'T I The Famous Classic of Three Generations
IN; nnZ3 - - irZn ' IN PICTURES .
llllll I KV ...:'- T v i;S!i; - -fff . I
Illl MM .ill I mittaBmi:i&mj3 " ' - - I
Special production with an all-star cast headed
Sewell's classic in all its simplicity, with an added
Chester. The whole family will enjoy this film.
'linn , - - - - - -
The book has endured for over 40 years and
still maintains a high position among the best
sellers. The picture is better than the book
fl florae hon on the Stage
A UNIQUE PROLOGUE HAS BEEN ARRANGED An English gentleman's stable of the period
of 1870 has been reproduced, and there in full view at fell performances, you will find all your old friends,
"Black Beauty," "Ginger," "Merrylegs," "Sir Oliver" and "Justice," with their grooms and stable boys.
THOROUGHBRED
this production eat Arab
through the courtesy of
TICKETS AFTERNOONS, 25c, 50c. Special Children's Performance Daily at 4:00 P. M. (except Sat. and
Sun.), tSc EVENINGS 2d Balcony, 25c. Balcony and Gen. Admission, 50cl Reserved Seats, 75c.
ibsfcLi oil
A - v
v T v KATClCCf SINGEGS MIDGE TC
UT vyllk mOi 3 Hyg AUSTIN -eMPaess
healthly lower classes, performs the
miraculous rescue of the drowning
heroine and for a last act. you have
them paired in a rural paradise,
preaching Tolstoi and back-to-the-land
in Miss Crothers' second best
vaudeville quip style. Never has the
pood old American thepry that
turtling is the sovereign remedy for
turpitude had a more gross applica
tion. "Kiss me and I am pure," says tho
once dissolute "Ted" to the angel
man and Miss Crothers letting it go
St that, -drops her curtain and pick?
up her royalties.
The Theater guild, protesting
against a great deal that disgraces
the American stage, attempts period
ically to grace it.. In the Garrick
theater they have achieved their pur
pose With "Mr. Pirn Passes By," a
comedy by the Englishman, A. A.
Milne. Mr. Milne's note is the grace
trote. There is no symphonic struc
ture to "Mr. Pint" There is scarce
ly any structure at all, but a delicate
thrilling in a rarified style on a
theme which will not bear 'much
more.
"Mr. Pim" is a casual visitor to the
country house bf an opinionated, pig
headed, respectable , Englishman
whose fellow-residents are a witty
feminine wife and a love-sick niece.
In the first act he tells them that
the wife's first husband is still living
in Australia. In the last act he re
HORSES used on stage in
horse feed and are furnished
the M. C. Peters Mill Co.
vs. ...
turns to correct a mistake. It is not
Mr. Jones, but Mr. Brown who is
still living in Australia. Mrs. Mar
den is not v a bigamist. Meanwhile
Mrs. Marden has had a lot of fun
with her scared spouse. ,.
"We have been living all these
years in in a state of
of of," he stutters to her.
"Has living in a state of of
of been unpleasant?" she ' counters
blandly.
"It hasn't, but it ought to have
been," he replies and that is the
moral of this exceedingly moral
comediette.
The, incident and excitement of the
play is all in the talk' which, nearly
always, is an adventure in. clever
ness. Tlie talk is shaved Shavian.
Mr. Milne is the bearded Bernard
Barbered for the drawing room.
Some great plays do not translate.
Henry Baron has made the French
of Georges de Porto-Riche's "Am
oureuse into an English drama
which he names "The Tyranny of
Love," and presents with such simon
pure English people :as Estclle Win
wood and Cyril Keightley in the
Bijou theater. It does not make an
English drama. Everybody was out
of step but Georges. He knew that
adultery exists, but the actors and
the audience did not. When I go into
an American theater and find Ameri
can audiences laughing at sin, I come
to the conclusion that the breach of
A wholesome film for the enjoyment of the
entire family. The famous story has been made
into a wonder picture filled with love, suspense
and spectacular scenes.
by Jean Paige and directed by David Smith, Anna
inside story written by Lillian and George Randolph
It has a wholesome appeal for young and old.
Owing to the already large demand and be
cause of its extraordinary merit, this picture has
been booked at the Brandeis for an indefinite en
gagement, but patrons are warned to attend early
this week.
Profits of this , engagement go to the. Nebraska'
Humane Society and will be used to build a shelter
for animals to be known as the "Black Beauty
Shelter." ;
. ...v iA
promise suits are all invented by the
city editors of the newspapers.
We laughed. We meant by that
laughter to clearly in'dicate that tem
peramental discord is unknown in
the American home.
The first Paramount picture made
in the new London studio is "The
Call of Youth," which Hugh Ford
directed from the photoplay by Hen
ry Arthur Jones.
Perhaps You're
Mistaken
People "ued to call tomatoes "love
apples" and consider them poisdhous.
It took a loner time to correct that
falbe impression.
People said auto'mobilei ' never
would be practical. The Feoffers
rode onea and were converted.
Burlesk as it is presented at 'the
Gayety may not be what you think it
Time, customs
minds change.
manners, seasons.
So has burlesk changed. So has
, the public aitltu'le toward it cnanxed.
There are no Jonror t bjeetionable
things in buries!:. There is a
broader habit of thought in our land.
Spend a carefree, joyous afternoon
or evening at a burlesk entertainment
at the Gayeiy and be convinced. No
heavy plot to digest. No sex prob
lem to harry you. Just light, tune
ful music, pretty women, boisterous
nonsense.
Yes, indeed! Your wife or sister
or sweetheart will be welcomed, en
tertained ani NOT offended.
In a word, give burlesk at least
two chances to prove its' claims go
this week to see Jean Bedini'a
"Twinkle Toes." and then pro heit
week to see his other production.
Burlesk grains dignity daily.
1
What the Theaters Offer
I MAUI Mi Otis Skinner In a now plav
one of mystery ami thrills, with rip
ping and sustained suspense and n must
I'hftrmiiijC lov story playing the 'role, of
a great French detective, something he
lim never attempted before in hla long
mid brtlimnt career. The play In nue.
tlnn 1 culled "At the Villa Rose." a mys
tery plnv hv that famous English author.
A. K. VT. Mason. Mr. Skinner la coming
ilirect from his reoorrt-breaklnir onuags
nient at the Illinois theater, C'hlrann. to
tht Bramlcla thenter, Thursday, March 31,
for three days, with a matinee on-Satur-d5
DAVID fimlth, who . has won an ni
vir.o reputation for dIrectlnB blij
firms In which animals play an 1m
nortnnt part. has achieved another
triumph In "Black Reauty," which will
he shown at tha Bnindei theater, woolv
stsrtlnB Sunday, Mitreh 20. . It l a
visualization of Anna Seweli'a famous
novel which has heen tranxlatod into every
lanRiiago and after 40 years still main
tains a place among the world's beat sell -
'"tany magnificent and epactarular
scenes have hen mada for this produc
tion, including a stiirlna- fox hunt, a spc
taculnr firo In the stable, a terrific storm
In which a brkllte. la swept away,, a gor
Koouk ballroom scene and a thrlllna; race
between hnre and locomotive.
To Anna Sewell's famou story has been
added an hiside tale, written tiy Lillian
anil Ueoi eo Handolph Cheater. This nar
rative, tflls the story that "Black Beauy"
could not see.
CO.UTN'li as the Btetlar-act of the vaude
vllla show opening at the Empress to.
day la a musical comedy In three
scenes. "A Tale of Three Cltlea." produced
and presented ,by Manrlco IJ. Greenwald,.
It starla in New Orleans, where the south
ern negro laid the foundation of raKtlmo
an jar.: then to San Francisco, where
touch of orientalism la furnished, then a
coast to coast leap to New York. City,
where nlBht life brines llsthts and (tayety
holds .forth." An attractive feature of the
show will be provided by J. C. Allman
sad Fern Nevlns. Who hill their art "The
Comedienne and the Tenor." Jack Tolk. an
eccentric comedian, and the Threo Alex
novelty equilibrists, complete the vaude
ville program.
TO the Orpheum this week comes the
diversified offering nf 30 Vary small
people known as Slnger'g Midgets,
with their three little elephants, 20 ponies,
15 hunting dogs and a production that
aggregates three carloads of scenery and
electrical efiects. Last June, when this
attraction came to the Orpheum, the
theater was by no means large enough
to accommodate the crowds that f'ljfd
the plavhause at each performance. The
act la an exhibition of smaJl people on
a Inrge sale. The ensemble opening
displays the whole company, as singers,
dancers and musicians. Next, comes the
performance of the strongest "mall man
of the entire world. Chong, the Chinese
conjuror, displays his skill. Fifteen hunt
ing dogs appear, also Anna, Neider and
her high school ' pony. Acrobatic cow
boys, rope snlnners. and tumbler next
reveal their skill. Karl Becker, with his
midget elephants 1 a conspicuous feature.
H
o
Qj. Magnificent ' j
Mm. DANCE DRINK AND EAT JH it
WlP . T0 YOUR HEART'S CONTENT v . ' iMjjZW 'I I
P Accomodationi for ,5Q0 Guest B '
If i-jjp Lafge! Sprint Dance Floor in 'City '' ;
(K2! Perfect Ventilation . TRm! f
Dancing Mattce Today , t WWm fifH
J 2 p. m. to '5 p. m. 25c Jp ' IV
11 JACK CONNORS if '
VB&nm ' Admission ..ii... . 13 "lll 1
,-JoL N,sht 55e .... 1 ;..
Matinee 15c to 50c, some at 75c, and $1.00 Saturday and Sunday. 9
Nights 15c to $1.25. Patrons pay United States War Tax.
NOTE It is likely there will not be enough seats to meet the great demand. Get seats early and avoid
disappointment.
There la a great Cleopatra spectacle.
Afterward comes a boxing bout. Tho
toy shop march anne and drill concludes
the unUMuitl act, The performance is the
most uniiiuo thin nf Its kind that vaude.
villa has ever presented. Signer Frtscou
U .an lophontst. He ti the first per
former who has accomplished tho feat of
playing a four-part harmony upon this
instrument. .Beatrice Margin la to appear
in tha one-act comedy, "Moonlight Mild
ness," by Kdgnr Allan Woolf. Her sup
port Includes three very cnpable players.
Hobby Kundall, who Is billed as a "melo
dious lttlrthruakc," sinas well and tells
stories. Flo I'nnroy and Hdna Howard,
talented and attractive glrK engage In
comedy patter and songs, tlorrion'a Cir
cus is Known ss "the apeedlet animal
act in ' vaudeville." l'onlav, dogs and
monkeys take part In this performance.
I'eggy Bremen and her brother are effec
tive gymnasts. "Tapir of I ho Pay" will
be a film feature, displnvlng the hrlKlu
and breezy sayings culled from newspa
pers. News events will havo film pre
sentation by Klnograms.
EVKKVONB knows of the wonderful
success which Joan Bedlnl presented
to tho theaur-goers of this city last
season. But the current week at the Gay
ety, with tho usual dally matinee Jean
Bedlnl la presenting still another, If not
greater, success, "Twinkle Tors," a syn
copated bunch of Jollity, melody, iretty
girls, clever comedians and hitch-class
vaudeville apociallles. The costuming of
the production Iibs been given more than
ordinary attention. In th long list of
star entertainers are Dave Seed. Ralph
Austin, Nat Mnrta.ii, Kdna, Nlekeraoii,
Betty Weber. Xela Madcap, Arthur Con
nelly and the "Five Cry Tlabtes" Jass
band. Today's matinee starts at 3,
ililliliiiili:iiili;l,iliiliill:illiiliili.liilliliiiiiiiniiiiiis
torn.
I Sch u man n-Heink i
i in concert
l AUDITORIUM
I Wed. Eve., March 3(jtl
( Prices: $3,52 and SI
1 no war Tax
Seats on Sale at Box Office. ' ;
"ili'lnli niii Iiiii(iiniliiiitiiilitiiiiniiiiiiiiiii:tiiiiiiii1
The Best in Vaudeville Orpheum Circuit
WEEK STARTING SUNDAY, MARCH 20
Matinee Every Day 2:15 Every Wight 8:15
THE
A WORLD'S EXHIBITION BY
30 TINY MEN AND WOMEN;
ELEPHANTS; 15 HUNTING DOGS ; 3 CARLOADS OF SCENERY AND
ELECTRICAL EFFECTS.
loBHacaaKSSSS
SIGNORFRISCOE BEATRICE MORGAN & COMPANY j
. The Popular Phonograph Artht ' Supported by John Connery in
Wilt Entertain a Bit "Moonlijht Madnett"
RORRY RANDALL F, Edna
?Mt.:. CONROY& HOWARD
Happy Making Others Happy in (laid-Made Mirth and Melody
GORDON'S CIRCUS PEGGY BREMEN & BROTHER
The Speediest Animal Act "The Imp Playground"
, in Vaudeville A Spectacle on Unsupported Ladders
TOPICS OF THE DAY KINOGRAMS
Empress to Stage Its
Benefit N. V. A. Fund
Following the plan of setting aside
one day in each year when every
vaudeville theater will turn over to
the National Vaudeville Artist s ihe
entire receipts of the matinee rier
forrfiatice on that day, the Empress
theater will on the afternoon of April
8, 'which is the date set for the an
nual national testimonial, stage an
elahorate show, as a special induce
ir.cut to the people of Omaha, to
turn out in large numbers and give
(lie National Vaudeville Artists a
bumper sum as the quota from this
city. The . combined receipts so de
rived will go towards establishing
and maintaining a permanent insur
ance fund for each member of the
organization. The testimonial is
not in any sense an appeal for char
ity. Tatrons of the matinee are
assured full value for the money
spent in admission to the entertain
ment. Herbert Ka'wlinaon has been signed
to play the leading rol' opposite
Ethel Clayton in "Wealth," . which
is to be a William D. Taylor pro
duction. . "OMAHA'S FUN CENTER"
ttJtltiftt Dy Mt., IS to 75e
WVZM Nitei, 25c to S1.25
-JEAN BED INI,--
Burliik't Premier Preducur Prmatt
?o'4&Z TWINKLE TOES
With a Law Catt of Clever People ane"a Chorui
it Ybuth anrt Benutv.
LADIES' DIME MATINEE WEEK DAYS
l
BIG TIME
I
"TALE 6F THREE CITIES"
A Miniature Mueical Comedy in Threo Scene Featuring;
ELROY SISTERS AND GRACE MAY
. THREE ALEX JACK POLK I
Novelty EquilibrUt "Juat Polking Alonf" I
ALLMAN &
The Comedienne
PHOTOPLAY ATTRACTION
"OLIVER TWIST, Jr."
From tho celebrated story by Charie Dickcn Featuring
HAROLD GOODWIN
A young and magnetic new etar. In ''a 'story that created a.
great literary and
BILLY PARSONS
Comedy
FAMOUS
SMALL PEOPLE ON A LARGE SCALE
20 PRANCING PONIES;
Carry Raises Hordes
Harry Carry is raising thorough
bred borsen for the use of Metropo
litan police rcpiirtnirt'ls. In the future
many of' the inaguif'cent animals in
the police .sen ice f big cities will
Come, for the most nart, Horn Carey'
ranch in the San l-YaneiMinilo fan
yon in' southern California. "Bixhy,"
;i prize winning ,-tallioii, is the for
bearer of the herd' which Carey will
raise and train especially for the ex
acting service required of them in
police work ami with state con
Mahularies. '
CO
NG
AUDITORIUM
SUNDAY, MARCH 20
3:15 P. M.
Sophie Braslau, Contralto
PRICES: $1, $2 AND $3.
No War Tax.
Benefit For War Soffereri
After the ctyicert tho Thorpenne
will play Ihe Semix City Basket Ball
team and then the dance at 8:30.
'Ami. inttirilAM trin At
ljl I f . r. niinr I .iitira rifi h .
EATTY'S
Co-Operative
Cafeterias
Pay Dividend to Thoi
Who Do the Work .
1 ii
VAUDEVILLE
NEVINS
and tho Tenor
social sensation.
FOX
NEWS
3 MIDGE'
i
7
