The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

June 20, 1914 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW News From Los Angeles Contains the Item That Joe Galbraith is Coming Back to the Stage LOS ANGELES, June 17.—This is commencement week at the Egan School, which takes place at the Little Theatre, children's classes presenting Shakespearean scenes. Tuesday night, international dances and group work. Wednesday, a faculty program for private jnipils of Mrs. Dobinson, Messrs. Allen, Brown, Steadman and l'.i;an. Life studies, under the direc- tion of Alfred Allen, picturized by Marshall Steadman by the moving- picture class, and Friday, Mr. Egan offers three classics by Maeterlinck, Strindberg and Synge, while Wan o' the Woods will be the attraction for Saturday. * * Harrison Hunter has returned from Chicago and will be numbered among the Burbank Players once again. * * * W. T. Wyatt's .sys- tem is long used to shocks caused by the pass-requesting public, but on Sat- urday night he received a jar that will last, when, in company with Harmon Ryus, the well-known auto man, their machine collided with another; but, of course, it was the other man who re- ceived the marks. * * * Halsey Molir of Kimbal and Mohr, who have recent- ly i)laycd the Orpheum. wrote a song called" The Tango in the Sky, which William Rock thought good enough to buy for his Candy Shop. * * * Peggy O'Neil took in the Gaiety company's performance of .V Knight for a Day, just to remind herself that a few years ago .she was a small chorus maid with a road comi)any playing this same. Miss 0"Neil has departed f(n- Chicago to open June 22 in Peg o' My Heart; that is if God, the weather and Laurette Taylor permit. It seems that there lies some hitch in this star- ring of Pegs, and Miss Taylor has ideas that do not coincide with those of Mr. Morosco. Mr. Eyton says Miss Taylor's objections have raised "a tempest in a teapot," but time will tell whether the lid stays on or not. In the meantime, Florence Martin will take Miss O'Neil's place in the present company. * * * Nat Goodwin is back at the ]>each, bu.sy denying as usual. This time he says he is not selling his house to Alice Lloyd, that he is still a young man and that Marjorie More- land Goodwin is a case of the last's the best of all the game. * * * Joe Galbraith, erstwhile matinee idol of the Burbank and Auditorium stock companies, is contemplating divorce. Mrs. Galbraith, who was T\iiss Helen Sherman, claims that after ]:)apcrs were signed agreeing to separation, she turned over $50,000 to quiet di- vorce ])roccedings, and that now Mr. Galbraith has broken his agreement. Galbraith, who has been in the real estate business, contemplates returning to the stage in the immediate future. * * * When James Montgomery brings suit against the Little Theatre for $400, lie names thirty-three prominent men of this city—they being the or- ganizers. Trouble over the royalties of Come Home Smith arc the reasons for same. * * * Dolly Hackett, who ap- l)eared with Morrissey at the Em- press, will return to Los Angeles after her contract closes, to appear in sev- eral ])icturcs for the Kalem Company. * * * Manager IMackwood has ar- ranged for a series of Monday night dances at the Jardin de Danse in hon- or of the photoplayers of the city, each to be named for some well-known movie actor or actress. The first is to Mabel Normand Night, and will no doubt be a glorious success. BURBANK: Winchell Smith's amusing comedy. The Fortune Hunt- er, is being given by the Burbank Players, with happy results. This is an ideal stock play and one that this company, with its many character players, is able to handle with joyous success. Tliere is Sam Graham, the simple-souled druggist, a role handleil with the delicate touch of an artist who realizes that anything else would overplay the role, and thus James Ap- ])lebee succeeds in making the old druggist seem human, in spite of the idealizing of the author. Forrest Stanley plays Nathaniel Duncan, the adventurer of buoyant spirit, in search of a soft spot and an ea.sy resting place, and renders a skilful portrayal of this joyous adventurer. Thos. Mac- Larnie, with his grace of diction, con- tributes another perfect study in that of the banker, Mr. Lockwood. Donald Bowles, with his clever gift of carica- ture, draws a mirthful lecture of the town fool. Selma Paley is the daugh- ter of the druggi.st, honest in her ef- fort and good to look upon. Beatrice Nichols as the banker's daughter is her usual charming and effervescent self. Other roles that are emphasized because of careful playing are in the hands of Richard Vivian, H. S. Duf- field, Walter Catlett, William Colvin, George Rand and Winifred Bryson. The Fortune Plunter is always appeal- ing, and all its tender comedy is hap- \n\y understood by the Burbank Play- ers and thus is made capital entertain- ment. CENTURY: The Belle of Japan has a chorus that shines forth splen- didly as to beauty and shapeliness. Jules Mendel and Al Franks lead the riot of fun, while Reece Gardner and Babe Lewis lead in the song and dance numbers. Vera Ransdale makes a big hit with two charming song numbers, and The Belle of Japan is a merry af- fair throughout. EMPRESS : Bert and Hazel Ska- telle as as wonderful upon skates as the name they have chosen. Ease and .grace mark every roller-.skating move, (ircen, McHenry and Dean sing songs and dance and bring joy. Four of a Kind, given by Joe Maxwell's players, is a clever bit of satire and leaves a trail of thought after the laugh. Julian Rose appears as Levinsky at the Wed- ding, a portrayal of the Hebrevv char- acter that rings true because of the sincerity of the effort. The Two Ro- mans and the Mad Doll are gymnasts of unusual ideas and execution. HIPPODROME: Jane O'Roark and Ikodcrick O'Farrell have a new comedy this week, entitled All for a 1 Itmdred. The situation is funny in the first place and the comedy methods used by this clever pair make it a merry affair. The Merry Masquer- aders, another Bothwcll Brown show, with pretty girls, uniciue costumes and gay dancing numbers, featuring Mar- jorie Shaw, is an interesting number. Lee and Noble in The Newsboy and His Girl, are capital singers, with a list of songs that please. The Savalas are daring high-wire performers, with all the attached thrills and shivers. Len Perry, a blackface comedian, is a whole show in himself. The l>ells of San Gabriel is replete with touches of early California days, and some very skilful Spanish dancing is a most attractive feature. MAJESTIC: The Road to Happi- ness leads to the Majestic Theatre, where you will find Wililam Hodge with his rare smile, droll humor, soft voice and winsome personality. A truly-rural drama is The Road to Hap- piness, laid in New York State, and the story ambles along quietly with a clean, wholesome plot, touched with the joys and jealousies of the small village, with an occasional melodra- matic outburst. If Mr. Hodge is preaching contentment in this homely play, by way of a happy delivery of witty epigrams, then he is succeeding in his mission, for it leaves a feeling of marvelous and honest satisfaction. Mr. Hodge and his capable company are showing the way to many during this week who seek good entertain- ment. MASON : Neptune's Daughter, the film featuring Annette Kellermann, is still the attraction at this theatre, be- ing one of the most beautiful pictures that has ever been shown in this city. This picture also reveals the fact that little Miss Kellermann is a very gifted maid aside from her swimming and diving. MOROSCO: Lightest of light, freest of care-free and brightest of all bundles of non.sense is the Isle of Bong Bong. This Isle might be al- most anywhere, just so long as Fran- ces Cameron, Walter Lawrence and Will Sloan are stranded thereon—suf- ficient. The plot is not missed, being of no consideration whatsoever. Fran- ces Cameron, several times a widow and, o! so merry, is a gay Filipina of wonderful voice and an acting abil- ity with which we have long been familiar. Walter Lawrence has many specialties and several songs, hitting the right spot each time. There are specialties too numerous to mention. Margaret Edwards, in a graceful dance; Arthur Clough, with well- trained voice; Maud Beatty of large drawing quality; dainty Myrtle Ding- wall, Ritta Abbot, together with a wonderful blonde, Louise Orth, and Jack Pollard—these all add full meas- ure to the enjoyment and to a dazzling li.st of special bits of fun. The Isle of Bong Bong is a merry tuneful and brilliant success. ORPHEUM : Henrietta dc Serris and her fifteen posing men and maid- ens present a series of beautiful rc- l)roductions of statuary, handled with exc|uisite touch in arrangement and lighting. Bessie Wynn is just as dain- ty and low voiced as in the good old days of musical comedy when she made such a fascinating boy. She sings several modern ballads with a saucy air and some interestin.g clothes. Lil- lian Shaw also sings, her talent lend- ing itself to dialect son.gs in which her veracity and natural charm are em- l)hasized. Horace Wright and Rene Dietrich, with splendid voices, sing several songs of worth with the ease and grace of artists. Robert T. Haines & Co. appear in a mi.ghty good Raf- fles story called The Man in the Dark. Of course, it is sheer madness to ac- THE FLAGG CO. ACTUALLY EMPLOYS MORE ARTISTS and MECHANICS THAN ALL THE OTHER STUDIOS ON THE PACIFIC COAST COMBINED. BECAUSE -NINE-TENTHS OF THE THEATRES USE FLAGG SCENERY. THEREFORE, FACILITIES and VOLUME LOWER COST. 1638 LONG BEACH AVE.. LOS ANGELES cept the ])lot. but it is so cleverly l)layed andithe ending is so surprising that it creates a favorable impression. Matthews, Shayne & Co. return with their Chinatown sketch, called Dream- land, in which they are met with a loud welcome. New touches have been added as well as new players, and their turn is one of the best low comedy acts seen in a long time. The hold- overs are Odiva and the Berrcns, and are among the best of the bill's of- ferings. PANTAGES: The Soul Kiss with George H. Ford, the original Mephis- to. It is all a hodge-podge of non- sense, with kisses many, several grace- ful dance numbers ana pretty chorus girls who seem not to mind the oscul- atory attentions of his Satanic majes- ty. A little lady named Musette, light and graceful, is a violinist, who just can't make her feet behave and is known as the "dancing violini.st." Skipper, Kennedy and Reeves are three tuneful songsters, one in black- face, who entertain with a line of comedy that seems to be thoroughly appreciated. The Millinery Salesman, with Joseph Remington, Ollie Mar- shall and Beatrice Thorne, is well played, with speed and telling effect. The Wartenburg Bros, are jugglers, but unique in the fact that all their juggling is done with their feet, toss- ing objects around with all the ease of a master magician with nimble fingers. Scott and Wallace, a man and a maid, sing and patter in attrac- tive style. Pantages are now running the Pathe Weekly news pictures, best of their kind. REPUBLIC: The Dog Catcher is Al Watson's offering for the week, and proves to be one long, continuous laugh. Aline Walace is an assistant who knows the value of good comedy work. Sadie McDonald, with an ex- cellent company, creates a good meas- ure of fun with a comedy skit called Cafe de Luxe. Ellen Ekhardt is a whistler of rare ability, and her songs also point to the fact that although but starting on a vaudeville career, her future is promising. Dore and Wol- ford have a piano and singing act that is attractive and ])leasing. The Mar- velous Drayton is an equilibrist with some new and some old turns, but all finislu'd and entertaining. N. P.. WARNER. yi:.\N KiKiiV. whose brilliant work the i^ast season won general recogni- tion and cuhninated in a brilliant per- formance of The Vampire in A Fool There Was with the Bartey and Mit- chell stock in Seattle, is ju.st recovering from a serious nervous breakdown, and she may .soon leave for a six months' stav in Samoa. It would be too bad to have her i-crmanently re- linquish the promising i)osition she has already attained in the profession.