The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

6 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW June 20, 1914 Send for New Catalogue Stating Kind Desired THEATRICAL CATALOGUE •! She* Print- ing. Repertoire. Stock. Circus, Wild West, Tent Shows, Etc. FAIR PRINTING. Fairs. Races. Aviation, Auto. Horse. Stock Sliows, Etc. MAGIC PRINTING. HypRotlsm, Illusions, Mind Reading, Etc. MINSTREL PRINTING. While or Colored, With or Without Title. Etc MOVING PICTURE PRINTING. Etc. WESTERN PLAYS, Etc. FOLDERS of Non-Rojalty Plays with Printing. Show and Theatrical Printers Lithographers, Engravers Kational Stocli Hangers and Posters on Hand tor every Kind ot Amusement Enterprise WRITE ST. LOUIS OFFICE - 7TH AND ELM StS. Correspondence XEW YORK. June 14.—Josepliine X'ictor, who lias not been seen in Xcw York since she played the heroine of David P.elasco's The Temperamental juiirney. last week took the place of l-'lorence Reed at the Eltinge Theatre. The Yellow Ticket enjoys such con- tinued success there that the actors are allowed the privilege of a vacation. Josephine N'ictor is an actress of strik- ing emotional power, and proved her- self equal to the dramatic demands of Marya \'arenka. She pinioned her imrsuer with a hatpin with the neces- sary virtuosity and played her love scenes with the gentle pathos she con- trols. John liarrymore, who played llie role of Julian Rolfe, a newspaper reporter, in The Yellow Ticket, a part he created in the original production on January 20, did not return to the cast last week as it was announced that he would when the curtain was rung down a week ago on account of his illness. Mr. P.arrymore will sail next week for Nice. * * * The Aca- demy of Music's stock comjiany was seen last Monday in Eugene llrieux's Damaged Goods, which has never be- fore been acted so far down town. The plunge of the popular players in- to such an unfamiliar field was wit- nessed with e(iuanimity by a large audience, which has not hitherto kept rtcp so ])romptly with the latest ten- d^'ucies in the drama. Whether or iiot this jilay will take its place in the regular list of the stock companies \\i:l be interesting to observe. Under the £Egis of old Df. Hennett, who first plucked this delicate flower of the r.uri.r.can drama, it was in the cheaper jjriced theatres that Damaged Goods was least ])rosperous. lUit it is new ;!nd for that ri-ason it may be used to supply novelty to a public more accus- tomed to the lure of East Lynne and The Two Orphans in the past. Theo- dore Fricbus and Priscilla Knowles, as well as the rest of the company, Ind no difficulty in fitting themselves into their newer artistic tasks. * * * Wilton Lackaye appeared at the Pal- ace last week in a dramatic playlet by Hall McAllister, called Quits. Some of the other acts on the excellent l)rogram were Harry Coojxt, who re- cently ai)peared in The Pleasure Seek- ers, and Hugh Cameron, who also played in the musical comedy; Ray Cox and Joseph Woodward, Edwards Davis, the former Oakland minister, assisted by Julie Power in One and One Make Three; Ralph Riggs and Katherine Witchie, Roshanara, the ()riental dancer; Smith, Cook and P>randon, Adler and .Arlino and the Woods and Woods Trio. * * * The Catholic .\ctors' (iuild of .Xmerica, which efifected a temporary organiza- tion six weeks ago. met last week at the Hotel .Vstor and formed a per- manent guild. A constitution was adopted and the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: lunmett Corrigan, president; Jerry J. Cohan, vice-president; James E. Sul- livan, second vice-president; Fritz Williams, treasurer, and Wm. E. Cot- ter, secretary. William Kelly and William Courtleigh were elected to the executive committee to act with the officers. I'rank Mclntyrc was made chairman of the membersliip committee with power to appoint four additional members, and he promptly appointed Eva Condon as one of them. Frank McGinn was elected chairman of the entertainment committee with power to ai)point two others. The Guild is somewhat after the order of the Actors" Church .\lliance, the Epis- copal organization. Its objects, as outlined yesterday by the Rev. John Tallxit -Smith, who has been ai)poiiit- cd cha])lain of the (juild by Cardinal l-'arlej^ are chiefly to bring the Cath- olic actors and the Catholic laity to- gether socially and to devise and en- courage means for bettering the .gen- eral condition ; for example, to resist any attempt to open the theatres on Sundays, to secure a chaplain for the- atrical folk in Xew York City and to see to the spiritual imi)rovement of the jirofession. The ne.xt meeting will be held in September and it is hoped to have a reception for the members and their friends and associates, regardless of religion, some time in October. * * * President Wilson pressed a but- ton in the White House in Washing- ton at 2 o'clock last Monday after- noon and the Hash at the Grand Cen- tral Palace signaled a welcome to the big crowd which attended the formal opening of the second annual exposi- tion of the International Motion Pic- ture Exhibitors and the Independent Exhibitors of .America. The most im- pressive feature of the opening, co- incident with the flash, was contribu- ted by .Alma Gluck, prima donna of the Aletropolitan Opera House, who sang ".America." starting a patriotic tingle that impelled everybody to join in joyously. Daniel Prohman in the opening address said that in obtaining President Wilson's aid, the exposition corralled the greatest player in the greatest American drama. In his of- ficial welcome on behalf of the city Marcus M. Marks, president of Man- hattan borough, said he hoped that the motion-picture men will persevere in their efforts to raise the tone of pictures until they shall attain the highest possible place in the estima- tion of the peoi^le. Visitors at the ex- ])osition noticed many familiar faces in the crowds, and felt at home as they fre(|uently ran across movie actors at whose pictures they have beamed in their favorite movie hou.ses. Every device ])ertaining to the motion-pic- ture industry is on exhibition, and there is much to interest. Nearly every important moving-picture house in the United States has a booth. Players under contract with various film companies entered the tango and other dancing contests. Prizes were awarded Saturday night. The music for the opening ceremonies was fur- nished by the New York Catholic Protectory liand. * * * The Candler Theatre, which is devoted during these summer months to moving picture plays, was the scene of two ef?orts in that line last week. George Kleine presented novelties from Italy—man- agers even "present" jihoto plays now —and there was the accompaniment of a large orchestra under the direc- tion of Modest .Altschuler. The first of the plays to be seen by the audience was Henry P>ataille's La Femmcs Nue, translated on the program The Naked Truth, although it was the naked model that the French playwright took as the heroine of his play. Ber- tha Pady foiuid the part suited to her talents, even if it were not written for her, and the play had some vogue in Paris. Last night it was the Italian actress. Lvdia Rorelli, miiiiing the model who led the painter to fame and later became his wife, only to be abandoned for the woman of fashion with whom he fell in love. Then she founil ha])piness as the wife of the |)ainter who had loved her always. The story was very interestingly tol l by the pictures. It is not probable that there was any more in it than the different scenes on the screen re- vealed. The dramatic progress of the action was well revealed. In this re- spect the drama was much more in- teresting than many of them. Then there was a professional as])ect to the divulgcnce of the scenes which is not always present in these performances. It is not to be denied that some of the films occasionally trembled and flickered di.sconcertingly. Put that was not true of all of them. In the grouping of the men and women on the screen the pictures were better ar- ranged than they usually are when' it is necessary to create the impression of a crowd on the films of native manufacture, in spite of the confidence of our own ]iroducers in their infalli- bility. The effect of numbers was aciueved last night, not by numbers but by the exjiert grouping which cre- ates the effect of many persons. This is, of course, a gain in clearness, as all stage managers know. Numbers nevef create the same effect as a skil- fully grouped few. Then there was a perspective not often seen in in- terior scenes in this country. Simul- taneous action was going on, for in- stance, in the foreground of the stage and in a distant ballroom, all of it ecjually visible and comprehensible to the eye. The story was quite logical- ly carried through its different stages and its full dramatic import kept al- ways in view. The interior scenes, it might be added, were distinguished to a degree rarely witnessed here. C)ne is led to suspect by the perfection of this and other details that the moving l)ictures must be meant for a different public abroad. The Naked Truth is a very successful essay in this field. .Mario Costa's setting of the story of Pierrot the Prodigal, which has been performed in London and, unless memory fails, at the New Theatre with Rita S.-ichetto. concluded the perform- ance. Here Air. Altschuler and his nuisicians jilayed the music composed for the ballet. The i)articular version of the Pierrot story, which was ar- ranged for Signor Costa's ballet, never seemed as dramatic as that which Alichel Carre did for his L'Enfant Prodigue. P>ut it served as a contrast to the caloric intensity of M. I'.ataille's i^arisian romance. GAVIN D. HIGH. PCM^TL.AND, June 15.—Portland- crs have now reached those hot days when attractions are few and far be- tween, and although there are some road shows still on the way to the HEILIG, nothing is announced for some time ahead. For this week. The House of Pondage moving jiictures are on. A special exhibition is being given this afternoon to the local cen- sors and some invited outsiders. Next week, .Annette Kellermann in Nep- tune's Daugiiter. .At the B.AKER Manager Paker has closed his stock season. Aloving i)ictures, entitled Samson, are on this week. Manager P>aker is now forming his company for next season, and announces that the present theatre will hou.se them. The engagement of the Newman-Foltz Company at the LA^RIC came to a close last Saturdav night, and the house is dark. OR'PIIECM Theatre (Frank Coffinberry, mgr.): Popular prices are announced for the summer season at this house. This week's bill is headed by the comedy drama, Wronged from the .Start. The balance on the bill are Henry Lewis, Doris WiLson & Co., (lardiner Trio, Paul Gordon, Flying Henrys and Crowell. EMPRESS Theatre (H. W. Pierong, mgr. ) : More Sinned Against Than I'sual is the feature act for this week. The others offered include Hallen and I'uller, Moscrop Sisters, Dick Lynch, Three Falcons and Ralph Gruman. PANTAGES Theatre (John Johnson, mgr.) : Mile. Minni .Amato, the dan- cer, is the headliner. and the balance of the bill includes l>ob .All)right, f ieo. Wilson, Kumry, Ihish and Robinson, Romano and Carme, and Devitt and Devitt. The O.KKS has Frank Rich's musical comedy company for their fea- ture offering. Others appearing are the Royal Hawaiians and Montana Pill. A. W. W. LARAMIE, Wyo., June 2.—Opera House (H. E. Root, mgr.) : Nat Good- win in Never Say Die ])acked house tonight. Play well received and lots of applause. JOHN WATT. Do Americans like Grand Opera? Otto Kahn, one of the leading op- era financiers of New A'ork, thinks the Century Opera Company did not make its expected success last season because English was used exclusively. He says too much English keeps the forei.gn element away from the opera. Doubtless there is reason in what Mr. Kahn says, New York City alone being considered. There are, for ex- ample, half a million Italians in Xew A'ork, enough to form a supporting population by themselves for Italian opera. And there are more Germans and possibly as many I-Vench. Put these peoples are provided with oi)era by the Metropolitan company, which gives nothing in English. D.Win W.sRFiKi.n arrived here Mon- day on his annual vacation. He is accompanied by Mrs. Warfield and the latter's sister. Miss Stella P.randt, and has taken quarters at the I'""airniont.