Close Up (Oct 1920 - Aug 1923)

3 NIGHT LIFE IN L. A. (By “The Rounder”) LOEW’S STATE — We congratulate Manager Bostick, Billy Shoup and Mr. Moore on the triple program of last week. Clara Kimball Young in “Enter Madame,” Stan Laurel in a clever travesty on “Blood and Sand” called “Mud and Sand” and Jack and June Laughlin’s revue, “Gypsyland.” “Mud and Sand” is very good — but bad for Valentino — at this time. The revue is becoming better. ORPHEUM— Mr. Perry, the box-office genius, has been passing out the happy pasteboards rapidly of late. Last week the show was very good and well arranged. The Marion Morgan Dancers were the holdovers. Mr. Leo Beers and Victor Moore are the winners at a glance. The rest of the bill is running a dead heat as far as the laughs are concerned. MOROSCO— “The Boomerang,” now in its fourth week, is keeping the “Sold Out” sign in use. We are informed that there will be no more long runs at this theatre. Probably four or five weeks will be the longest. “Blood and Sand” is the next attraction and will probably be one of the largest productions ever staged at a local stock house. GRAUMAN’S — "The Man Who Saw Tomorow,” with Thomas Meighan. This picture is a very good program feature. It is the same old story of a man who loves two women. Leatrice Joy is becoming greater with every picture. Eva Novak shows that she can act. Theodore Roberts is as good as usual. Albert Roscoe is splendid. It was photographed by Alvin Wyckoff, who slings a wicked crank. Snell, Highsmith and Conklin are good with their jazz numbers. Marcelli, the new conductor for the Sympathy Orchestra, has befen well received. He composed the musical score for Madame Nazimova’s “Salome.” MAJESTIC — “The Meanest Man in the World,” George M. Cohan’s famous comedy, has been well put over and received here. Nana Bryant and Cliff Thompson are the outstanding features of this clever stock company. George Barnes is also very good. This theatre, too, will lessen their runs in the future. This will cause a grand rush for tickets, as both houses are very small and cannot play in two weeks to all of the steady customers. HILL STREET — This theatre is certainly the leading fun palace of this city. The bills which have been presented here in the last few weeks have out-done the Broadway house many times. Last week was another all-star week. Percy Bronson and Winnie Baldwin have a new act which is very clever. Gordon and Day were good. Belle Montrose keeps you still for twenty minutes and you like it. Bevan and Flint tickle your ribs for twenty-two minutes and you laugh. Doris May in “The Understudy” is amusing. Joseph Dubray photographed her. May I add a note about the week before this. Tom Calloway presented a made-in-Los Angeles act and it was well received. Charley Barton, local boy, is better than Tom, and should be given better stuff to work with. The act is clever, but should be cut and members re-cast. CALIFORNIA — This is anniversary week and we find a remarkable program screened. “Brothers Under the Skin,” directed by E. Mason Hopper, by Peter B. Kyne; photographed by John Mescall. It is really a very amusing picture but the plot is old. You forget this, however, when you see Helene Chadwick, Noman Kerry, Mae Busch and Claire Windsor. Pat O’Malley does his best work in this. The music at this theatre is one of the outstanding features. Johnny Jones in a “kid komedy” completes the bill. MILLER’S — Now we find Mary Pickford in her new “Tess of the Storm Country” making them laugh and cry at this theatre. This feature is undoubtedly in for a long run and will not be shown at any other theatre until January. The photographers were Charles Rosher and H. L. Broening, and deserve a lot of credit. No one should miss this picture. KINEMA — “Shadows' is good — very good, in fact. Lon Chaney is at his best in a much better story than he has had in the past. This picture was taken from Wilbur Steele’s “Ching, Ching Chinaman.” Harry Perry did the unusual stuff behind the camera. Marquerite De La Motte is very good and pretty as usual, Harrison Ford is all right. Walter Long works hard and gets over his role. There are plenty of thrills. This is a preferred picture, directed by Tom Forman. RIALTO — “When Knighthood was in Flower” is still packing them in. Marion Davies is beautiful, and the cast is splendid. Forrest Stanley and Lyn Harding are the best. It was photographed by Ira H. Morgan and Harold Wenstrom. They deserve a great deal of credit. Robert Vignola directed, but spent too much money for the results obtained. MISSION — "Dr. Jack” seems to be da wing better now than at first. Yet, it is not near so good as “Grandma’s Boy.” Harold almost forgets — at times — that he is making a comedy. Mildred Davis is not so good in this. The others are somewhat mjs-cast. CLUNE’S — “The Old Homestead,” starring Theodore Roberts. This was reviewed some time ago. Why has this become a second run house? SUPERBA — “The Kentucky Derby.” Ah, may we congratulate Manager Noble Hearn and his assistant, Jack Howard, for their unique lobby display. They have a splendid picture and are putting it over nicely. King Baggott directed and Victor Milner photographed. This is extensively reviewed in this issue. SYMPHONY— So they have gone back to the double-bill comedy stuff. Last week we found Buster Keaton in “My Wife’s Relations,” w’hich was directed by Eddie Cline and photographed by Elgin Leslie. This is not good at all. Many more like this and Buster will lose his place among the coming comedians. Virginia Fox, his pretty leading lady, is missing, this is noticed and makes the comedy uninteresting. Johnny Hines in “Sure Fire Flint” has a much better comedy and saves the day. Robert Edeson and Doris Kenyon are very good in his comedy. May I be permitted to speak about the bill of the week before? It was “something” called “AFFINITIES,” starring Coleen Moore and John Bowers. The scenario was by H. Landers Jackson. This was good, but the theme was plain hoakum. Had it been labeled a travesty, or slap-stick, the public might have had