Inside facts of stage and screen (March 15, 1930)

SATURDAY, MARCH IS, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE THIRTEEN J “YOUR UNCLE DUDLEY” PRESIDENT THEATRE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Sunday Mat., Mar. 9) The fine hand of top-notch di- rection and casting vied with splen- did individual performances to make the Taylor Holmes starring vehicle, “Your Uncle Dudley,” an outstanding success with its first audience at this house. Easily pervertible to unlovely and exasperating drama, the farcical ability of Taylor Holmes and the wisdom of Director Edwin H. Cur- tis kept the plot flavored with a maximum of convulsive merriment, without losing sympathy for Uncle Dudley and his beautiful niece. Uncle Dudley is one of those civic duty boys who neglects his own business for the benefit of the chamber of commerce, to the profit of shrewder business men who use Dudley’s appreciation of praise to their own advantage. At home he is burdened with the support of his mother, sister and her grown boy and girl. The girl he likes, but his sister and her son he would like to unload. This is made diffi- cult by the fact that he borrowed the insurance money she received at her husband’s death to put into his business. He has a sweetheart whom he cannot marry while sis- ter dominates his home, and when he tries to borrow money enough from his Chamber of Commerce associates to pay her off he finds out exactly where he really stands in the community. There are other complications, including a competition for a vocal scholarship trip to Europe, for which sister enters her daughter and makes life a misery for all. Events move swiftly, climax upon climax, to an inextricable mess in the third act, when the fine, unob- trusive hand of Grandma becomes evident for the grand pay-off. In the role of Grandma, Flor- ence Roberts gave the star perfect support, her performance leaving nothing to be desired in any de- tail. Flora Bramley revealed an astonishing development in ability since last seen, in the ingenue part of the much-oppressed daughter. The calculating, domineering moth- ONSLOW STEVENSON DIRECTOR. ANSON WEEKS’ S. S. MALOLO ORCHESTRA SOL LOWE MASTER OF CEREMONIES 4th Year Fox Manchester Los Angeles, Calif. VIC DE LORY That Crooning Bass Player Now—LOEW’S STATE Los Angeles INDEFINITE JAY BKOWEC , .. A MASTER-OF-CEREMONIES FOX EL CAPITAN SAN FRANCISCO er role was played by Leah Wins- low with just that degree of ex- aggeration necessary to the near- farce effect desired, and the part of her irresponsible mooching son was played by Russell Cushing with a little too much exaggeration. Charlotte Treadway, as Uncle Dudley’s sweetheart, had a part that required little more than that she appear sweet and lovable, and this she did for full value. She is to be commended on an admirable restraint in a role that many would have been tempted to play up. Kenneth Garnet as Miss Bram- ley’s sweetheart, and Harry Hol- lingsworth as a business man of the town, filled their parts ably. The single set, designed by Rita Glover and built by William Thorneycroft, contributed its share to a production that looks set for a run. The President Theatre orchestra, under Larry Engdahl, playing from an upper box, gave popular num- bers between whiles. Business was near capacity, and an ovation at the end of the sec- ond act brought a curtain speech from Taylor Holmes. Yeates. “THE ROMANTIC YOUNG LADY” MUSIC BOX THEATRE HOLLYWOOD (Reviewed March 10) The consistent presentation of good productions at the Civic Rep- ertory Theatre should insure its success. Commendation should be given those responsible for the policy followed to date. “The Ro- mantic Young Lady” seems an ex- cellent choice to follow the two preceding offerings insofar as type is concerned. The opening night audience was most generous in its applause of this comedy of mod- ern Spain. But it is doubtful if it will achieve the popularity of the first two plays. Perhaps one’s imagination is kindled too much in the first act by the possibilities of the situation presented. The second and third acts do not live up to it. The play is virtually devoid of daring—ex- cept for the leading man entering into and exiting from a strange young lady’s house by means of a window. But once inside, his de- portment was completely decorous. There is no doubt as to the out- come of the play from start to finish; more comedy would have been an asset to anything so light and frothy. Rosario, the romantic young lady, was played by Estelle Brody, who, although beautiful, found her- self at the age of 23 without one masculine admirer. Her grand- mother, in the person of Daisy Belmore, had had three husbands and had been a distinct wow with the men all her life. She gives Rosario a few pertinent tips on the subject and goes off to bed, leaving Rosario alone. A characteristically sudden stage storm, with its accompaniment of bad thunder and belated lightning comes up; the window is open and a man’s hat is blown in on the gale. Promptly after the hat comes Boyd Irwin, billed on the pro- gram as the Apparition. In some miraculous fashion his sleeve be- comes entangled in Rosario’s back hair, which had been let down pre paratory to retiring, and it took five minutes’ discussion on the subject and a pair of scissors to disentagle it. Irwin notices a novel the girl has been reading and she confesses a yearning to meet the author. He writes her a letter of introduction to him. At this point Rosario’s three brothers are heard returning home and The Appari- tion makes his escape just in time. When questioned as to what the stranger was doing with her slip- per, which he has just hurled back VANCOUVER, March 13.- With the Strand without band and stage attractions, the dancehall business off, and the radio stations cutting to SO per cent phonograph record broadcasting, the immediate future looks decidedly dark for the local musicians. Only about 25 per cent of the boys are working. Union headquarters state condi- tions have never before been as bad as they are at present, without any indication of a break for the better. To keep eating and chase the wolf from the family doorstep a number of them are courting the drab monotony of commercial en- deavor. One well-known organist is selling life insurance, a trombone player of note is peddling a well- known line of brushes from house to house, while another is slinging the amber brew in a beer parlor. A few of the boys with enough bankroll have left town, but as conditions are not much better elsewhere, the problem is in which direction to travel—east or south. NO EL CAP CHANGE An Inside Facts reviewer last week got his wires crossed arid de- clared a new orchestra had opened at the El Capitan. What should have been said is that Paul Fin- stein and his Orchestra are cur- rently celebrating the start of their fifth month at this spot, being somewhat of an institution and a popular one despite the general current practice of attempting else- where to put shows over without pit music. COLUMBIA SIGNS TWO Columbia has just signed two players to long-term contracts. Helen Johnson, who has had stage experience, is the daughter of Merle Johnson, New York newspaper artist. Her first appear- ance will be in “Soldiers and Women.” Joan Peers, the second actress signed, appeared in Helen Morgan’s “Applause” and is now working on the Columbia lot in “Around the Corner.” HYAMS IN “HOUSE” Leila Hyams has been cast for the principal fern role in M-G-M’s “The Big House.” PETER PAUL LYONS AND HIS CONCERT ORCHESTRA LOEW’S WARFIELD . SAN FRANCISCO into the room after departing, the romantic young lady has the com- mon sense to faint. The second act is in the studio of the author. Marion Clayton has been his secretary for three years, and when Rosario comes in with the letter of introduction she rec- ognizes the handwriting, and is vastly amused. When the author comes in Rosario is all hauteur and goes as far as to order the man from his own home. It is just too much for her when one of his lady friends comes in, who is moreover a famous dancer. Act three is concerned with the uniting of the two people with the aid of the lovable old grandmother. Daisy Belmore gave one of the finest bits of recent character work seen locally. As the romantic old lady she was the most charming person in the play. She left noth- ing wanting in the character and played it with remarkable sponta- neity and understanding. She, to- gether with Tempe Pigott, had practically all of the comedy. Both of these parts were ideally cast. Boyd Irwin again proved him- self a decided asset to the Civic Repertory Theatre in the longest part he has played to date. Estelle Brody played the leading role in a finished manner, but seemed to let down in the second and third, acts. From girlish sen- timentality charmingly rendered at the outset of the play, she seemed to fall into a rather tiresome mood of petulance and foot-stamping. Rosario’s brothers were played by Eric Snowden, Kenneth Dun- can and Carlton Young, and were indeed the most motley assortment possible in any family. Special mention should be made of Marion Clayton, whose recep- tion proved the place she made for herself in the preceding play. Miss Clayton can always be counted upon to give an outstanding per- formance. Others in the cast were Mar- guerita Fischer, Harold Minjir and Frederick Harrington. The two stage settings were ex- cellent and the direction, by Ian Maclaren, was a distinct improve- ment. Boyd. Organ Reviews BOB HAMILTON ORPHEUM THEATRE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed March 8) “Cupid and Company” was the title Bob had for his current of- fering, and the capital stock of the concern was a plentitude of new and excellent humor which would rate corporate papers in any spot. The Orpheum audience — a mere corporal’s guard on the early evening show due to lack of draw in the feature picture “Sergeant Grischa”—made up in enthusiasm what it lacked in size. The number follows the route of love from its first beginnings, through the wedding ceremony, and thenceforth, ending on an up- lift note that happiness is to be found “side by side.” Bob evidently has been reading Edgar A. Guest, and the last-named poet knows his box-office. So, ipso facto, does Hamilton. Apart from this surefire closing, the feature of the offering was the synchronization of the organ with the humorous quips cast on the screen during the rendition. They were good for a big laugh per quip, which Bob vastly augmented by the musical translation he gave them. Not the best number in the repertoire of this talented boy, but even so great entertainment. F. A. H. MILTON CHARLES PARAMOUNT THEATRE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed March 6) Milton Charles, the boy who keeps right on building up his popularity at the Paramount week after week, opened his perform- ances this week by announcing that he was going to try some- thing new. The innovation was a more serious offering in Joyce Kilmer’s “Trees.” that magnificent poem, “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree” set to music. Charles played the poem through with the words flashed on the screen, and then sang it. It was a splendid number, and the house welcomed it with tre- mendous applause, well indicating that they liked this class of music extremely well. For his second number Charles gave “Singing a Vagabond Song,” the themie from U. A.’s picture, “Putting on the Ritz,” due to open at the Paramount-managed U. A. Theatre this week. It also got over excellently, and Milton Charles chalked up another brace of applause scores to his unbroken record. F. A. H. WALLACE 5 AT W. B. The Earle Wallace Adagio Five have been signed for a dancing number in “Fame,” Warner Broth- ers production starring Belle Ben- nett. RICHARDSON LEAVES Jimmy Richardson has left the Universal publicity department. His place has been filled by signing of Milt Howe. GEORGE OLSEN TO OPEN PLANTATION George Olsen, after seven months with his band at the Blossom Room of the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, is taking over the Plantation on Washington boule- vard, the spot where Fatty Ar- buckle tried to make a go of things and dropped a neat sum. Olsen takes his big band and expects, with a top-notch floor show, to put things over with a bang. He has taken a five-year lease on the place, with an option to purchase. Ed Beck, from Marigold Gar- dens, Chicago, and a producer of floor shows, will handle the man- agerial end. The enterprise has been incorporated. Aaronson’s Commanders follow Olsen into the Roosevelt. TRAINING LINES Calls received from picture stu- dios for complete choruses with original routines have caused the Wills-Cunningham dancing school in Hollywood to specialize in training such units, according to Walter S. Wills, head of the school, and classes are now being organized. Personality as well as technique is taught, and a book- ing department operates to fill engagements for the pupils. TEAM SPLITS Blair and Thornton, formerly featured dancers for Fanchon and Marco, and now playing in a Pub- lix unit, were divorced last week in New York. ORG ANISTS RUDOLPH N. SCHRAEGER PREMIER ORGANIST Chinese Theatre, Hollywood INDEFINITE MADGE BRIGGS The Gold Medal — ORGANIST — Fox Uptown Theatre Los Angeels HERB KERN Organist-Master of Ceremonies FOX WEST COAST Long Beach, Calif. WM. (Billy) KNOX SOLO ORGANIST Fox Oakland Theatre PETE P0NTRELL1 AND HIS SERENADERS BOB STEVENSON, Trumpet CHIC THICK, Trumpet EVAN TISS, Trombone CLARENCE RAND, Tuba BOB SNELL, Sax and Clarinet BUDDY JOHNSON, Drums PETE PONTRELLI, Leader, Sax, Clarinet and Accordion DON SWANDER, Assistant Director and Piano LEONARD MOJICA, Manager and Banjo KOHNE HILLIARD, Sax and Clarinet PALACE BALLROOM OCEAN PARK, CALIF. I Wish to Extend My Appreciation to WALLY WILSON, CINDERELLA ROOF, CLARENCE BECK, LEONARD MOJICA and PATRICK AND MARSH, For This Won- derful Organization. PETE PONTRELLI.