Variety (December 1923)

1« ■^AKlBTll LEGITIMATE Thursday, December 13, 1983 tav* to ebanire It to tha way It is. And those who «aw both "versions'' could subtract and, In the difference, read all too plainly the "art" of niaklni? a fortune In that branch of that noblo institution, the Ameri- can Thi'atrc. Lalt. THE POTTERS Va rotter Catherine Calhoun Hourri mil I'otter Ra>roond liul<:ii Mamie J'otttr ,"**'>',Z'lr"' I»a I»otlfr lionaM Mc?t'k lt«(J Miller DoURlm Ilunli-r Oladyi Rankin Mary Stills {Tritnd To™ Ku^'on Mr. Jlnnkln Bdwin Walter Mr K"Kle Dean Haymon.l Oiniduttor B Henry Ilaniloii Mutorman William Falrchlll Meillum JoBciphlno VhtOry Her Daughter Joaephlne Moatkr Iceman ■""•". '^d'^^ Walter Daniel Kelly Check Boom Olrl Adelaide Lawrence Mra. Rankin Maud < oolln* Pullman Porter... Jamea Hagen J. r. McEvoy's dialog Btorl"s anent the dolnga of the Potter fam- ily have been syndicate* by the Chi- cago "Trlbuno" for i^out three yearn and are BlUl running. The •torlen have been >icce««ful In the Chicago publication's Sunday edi- tion aVid are syndicated as Sunday matter with varying reports in other cities. Richard Ilerndon produced "The Potters," based on a series of the McEvoy stories, and opened recently In Baltimore, whore it was supposed to have been under the ausplci.. of the Baltimore "Sun," which has been runnins the stories. The dally did not sponsor the show, however, probably because the syndicate con- tract was expiring. "The I'otters" is a comedy !n 12 scenes, some of them brief, almost fleeting. It gives the impression of being a small town play, but the ac- tion is presumably In a city, several localisms Indicating Chicago. It is amusing In many points, though with no particular kick. As a laugh play it has a fair chance for a moderate stay. Merndon, in adapting the stories, selected a series which ran about eix months. It takes the Potters through their nfeU of trouble but eventual good luck In buying oil propcrt:' leaseii. using the money Kaved to pay off the mortgage. The fun lies in the frailties of an aver- age-salaried desk man's effort to make a sudden fortune that will enable the family to have all the comforts of the wealthy. Always seeming to do the wrong thing in this wooing of Lady Luck Is natural and humorous. The end of the play finds the Potters getting a lucky break at last. In hie sub- sequent stories McEvoy takes the bunch abroad. Herndon has given the show a good production, and the staging by Augustin Duncan is skilled. That niost of the curtains are Inadequate la . erhaps beyond his ken. The multiple scenes are sometimes mere- ly flash or picture episodes, and one or two could be dropped without in- Jury to the story. That applies to the Pullman scene, which opened the second act, and seemed to con- sume little over a minute. There ■re flve scenes In the first act, four In the second, and three In the flnal act. They were designed by P. Dodd Ackerman and are spotted upon a platform. The back half is set while the scene In front progresses, which permits the scene changes to be quickly rolled into position. The principal characters are Ma and Pa Potter; Mamie, their eligible daughter; Bill, a growing son, and Red Miller, wlio is engaged to Mamie. The opening scene has the Potters at breakfast, and It pro- vided ns much laughter as anything In the ftliow. Pa enters, trying to enap his back collar-button Into position. The kid, Bill, tells him the back button is useless anyhow, with I'a subduing the lid by saying: "I used baric collar buttons when you wore nothing but talcum powder and safety pl'is." When Ma h.arrics J'a about not trying for a raise In ealary and pointing to the success of their neighbors, the Ranklns, he parries by claiming Rankin stood in by "yessing the boss." But Ma sends one over by speculating: "You appear to be a hero at the office ex- cept on pay day." A street car scene was fairly well worked out. the flashes on the back drop denoting electrical contact S'pmod too constant. The scene brought out the chewing gum bri- gade and the strnphangers. Kxtr.T IKMiIile were used for the car bit, the cast's principals, however, not counting more than 10. However. I*a Pottei'n cnnvors.itlonal bit with an- other desk man on the way to the olli'p was funny and faithful. The chatter was akin to men not "m.Tk- Inp" each other, and springing queries as to each (ither's health and occupatliins (not dissimilar to Joe r(M)k'>i "Well, how are you feeling to<Ifly?" blO. An oil well drilling sn-no wlienie Pa has been chased by Ma when she flnds out .iliout his "specula- tion," brings from the dr'Ilers n general opinion of llie countless suckers who fall for the oil stock game. Potter tells the workmen he has Investffl every cent In the leiise. One digger says: "I'll say you're a gambler," while the other digger re- marks: "That's one name for It." Befrre that their chatter included tb« observation that "It's a good thing there nre boobs enough to pay ■• for digging holes in the ground." The Potter porch scene afforded amusement, principally from the strollers in the moonlight. A garage at midnight was given in the dark save for the dimmed lights of a car used by Mamie and Red when they elope. The scene chlelly affords the Insertion of caustic comment from the garage keeper about the "old oil you've got," and also alluded to It as a flivver and other well-known appelations. IJMnald Meek as the drudging Pa Potter, Willing to gamble but "not take much of a 'chance," easily won the acting honors. As a timid man who never did the right tulng at the right time but who, after all, thinks and acts like the average father in trying to make things eaeier for his family, Meek's play- ing seemed a splendid characteriza- tion. Catherine CHlhoun Doucet as the mother was .almost as fine. Picking on Pa was a most natural thing, so was her covert pride In her children. Mary Carroll was a sweet Mamie, caring for little more than her )ted and sure, like other girls of her type, that they'd never quarrel after marrying. Douglas Hunter as the growing son Bill was refreshing and hua a bright stage future. While there Is some doubt whether "The Potters" can attract big grosses h^re, It should prove profit- able on tour, particularly following the Uroaxlway label. Jbee. BUSINESS WIDOW PiTiitiiiBton ' A;i»fi t Morrison ItilJy WintlBor Ji.mca Dyrcnfurth HfX HaiiiikleU Klwo<jd Host wick Natalie Oaby PIfury Juhn Palmer Young I'aul Buckl^w l.eo liUrichaleiii ]|el*>n lA'»\ey Adrienne Morrison Huhy Hucklaw Lola Flsh«r Htandi»h Hubert Ijowing Muey Kiih Alic^ Iluans I'hidiss Camvopulo John Davidson NEW PLAYS PRESENTED , OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY LOLLIPOP Hemry W. flavagv pralucllon. Book by Zekia Soars, aoore by 'Vlnoent Youmans, lyrlia by Zelda Sean »nd WaMer De Ix<nn StajtTXl by Ii» Uanla. Deuioea arranged by Kert Frenoll. Mm. Mason Adorn Andrews Virginia Boaajnond WhlKBM'- T.«ele ABne McOllI Don Carlo* Ijeonanl eviley Omar K. Oarrlty Nick lonir. Jr I'etunla Vlrif in la 8m ith I^ura Lamb Ada May Rufua A IXark Secret Reorira Jonea Oas Sily PIM aeoha«wi Harry Puck Mm. Oarrlty........ Z«l<la &?ars Hel«ne • ,..Fk>r«nce Wcl>b.^r Parklniton Mark Smith. Jr Lindaay Karl Stall Danoer.., Ii«onard St. I.<eo This Is the new Leo Ditrichstein .starring vehicle In which he plays about the third principal part and becomes, where once be Was the Great Lover, now the Tired Busi- ness Man and Flop Husband. 'Who- ever picked this for Ditrichstein didn't understand him or wanted to wreck him. In all the catalog of plots there couldn't have been a more miscast situation for this star, not even his own beloved "Judge of Z.Tlamea." which he recently re- vived as "Might is Right.'! Returning to the management of Lee Shubert. he plays Just an oldish chump, enamored of a frivolous young cutle-bride who makes a boob of him. philanders with a Oreek- god lady killer, makes her busy hu.s'uand a checkbook and a bore, and sanctifles her infidelity by the old alibi that he is so preoccupied making money for her that he hasn't time for those "delicate at- tentions" every lovely woman de- mands. That makes her the "busi- ness widow," so to speak. lixcept for Ditrichstein'-j famously fluent use of his hands, his sauve unction and his polished bearing in light Comedy delivery, he might be a. $100 character man in support of Lola Fisher, who scampers away Willi what honors the silly, uncon- vincing story yield.s. Miss Fisher is sprightly, comely, alluring, eloquent and a study In animated flashes that strike sparks. The yarn Is of stencil brand, the misunderstoO'd husband making a jealous play with "the other wom- an" and convincing the erring wife that he Is the durable goods where- as her hero Is a fortune hunter The injured girl who has burning letters from this snake la hidden In the other room and sprung at the psychological moment. Also, the husband's friend who tries to over- power her sets out to ruin the hus- band by squeezing him on the mar- ket. It is all very cut and dry except for some wickedly sophisticated lines from Gladys Ungei's type- writer. Miss Unger acknowledges In- debtedness to Rngel and Sassman, Viennese authors. They should calile their acknowledgments to her. Whatever the piece has, besides I»la Fisher, they owe to her, for the s|>arkle and the amusement, where- cvor such appear, are Miss Unger's, obviously. The production has every physical atlrihute of economy rather than sincerity. The first act .set, an offlce, is either the second -act set of "We've (iot to Have .Mnnoy," or was miHleled after it. The second and third acts are played in an Interior meant to show a millionaire's home in Lnrchmont, but d'lesn't register any such atniosplu re. The wife shows two furs, an alleged chin- chilla she quotes at $1K,000 and an alleged ermine valued at $12,000. The two could be diiiiliialed for $300 gross. The chinchilla I; squirrel ,ind ribbons, the ermine is dyid weasel. The costumes who supplied the women's clotlics is given a "plug" that shrieks all Ihroiigh the first act, when seven ho.xcs with her trade name conspfciiously painted on arc par.ided past the footlights and left standing wlierc they can be lead from the gallery. That may have saved rent. At the end of the seciuid act Mixs Fisher is suppiisc il to wreck the ap.irlment In a lit of leinperamenlal tantrums. She t blows vases and lami)S In every directuni. Instead of breaking, they bounce. And nhcti Zelda Sears apparently had an idea as to lit^^'CO- M. Cohan would have staged "Sally" for Ziegfeld without Krrol. As a result the world of amusement now has "Lollipop." previously tried out for a week or two under the name of "Left Over," and opening for Its metropolitan premiere Monday at the Tremont after a Bridgeport, Conn., dress re- hearsal. It looks like a valuable bit of property that may shatter the the- ory that the Cinderella theme for ■musical comedies has gone where the woodbine tangleth. Regardless of what happens to "Lollipop." the fact remains that Ada May 'Weeks (now Ada May) is across the bridge of mediocrity. To a capacity house Monday and a lot of It money, she actually goaled "em. Somebody has taught her how to sing and get away with It. She shouldered the com- edy of the show and got away with It. She radiated personality and Interpolated Individual stuff. She danced as well as ever. The lobby chatter called her another MariUyn Miller, possibly Inspired through the s.ame typp of orphanage waif role. The second act of "Lollipop" Is t present the only one of the three that is really right. It is fast and funny and tells Its story. Tlie first and third acts need heroic treat- ment to get out of the rut of dead dialogue and away from the load of carrying the plot. "Ixjlllpop" is not a belly-laff show, but it is consistently funny. The plot involves a girl in an orphanage adopted for publiolty purposes on the spur of the moment by a wealthy patroness who wants the newspaper photographers to take her picture along with other social aspirants who have "taken babies." This pa- troness has a son and a niece she Is planning to marry off, both marry- ing the opposite sweetheart instead. The orphan is taken to the rich home, made a general slavey, fulls In love with a former graduate of the orphanage who is now a suc- cessful plumber, and then learns that a forgotten uncle has left her a fortune. She splurges her wealth, then loses It Just at the right time to marry the plumber-sweetheart, who has laid off her because he wouldn't marry a rich girl. The heavy comedy goes to Gus Shy as another plumber, who falls In love with the French maid of the patroness, the real comedy coming through the fact that she is posing as French to hold her Job, and forces the plumber to make love to her from his "Easy Guide to Frenclp for American Soldiers Overseas." Shy has a long way to go before he can put the role over right, but he worked desperately Monday night and holds promise. Savage Is using 24 girls and six chorus men, 12 of bis girls being heavily exploited as John Tiller Girls brought Intact from London and all under 18. The Tiller Girls stood out for a wow In their own stuff when Interpolated, but on the quick study and American stuff they lost individuality. They are there as a group, however, and are the publicity meat of the show, to- gether with the fact that Zelda Sears Is playing a role and the feat- uring of Ada May as a new Savage star. Savage has not been lean on cos tumes or scenery, having no par- ticular splash in either, but of a consistently high aver.age. Cos- tumes are tame, this being a gfnnl move in a production that Is going to draw from the same Held tliat George Cohan has tapped three times In succession with clean shows. There are a few rather raw gags that will probably go out this week, which were given Gus Shy In des- peration. Apart from the outstanding tri- umph of Miss Weeks, "Lollipop" will make Its success in spejd and spe- cialties, dancing being demanded from almost every principal, Nick Long, Jr., and Leomu-d St. Leo do- ing exceptionally good work. The music is said to be 'Vincent Youmans' first complete made-to- measure score, and the fact that he wrote "Bamballna" was a real fac- tor In the Monday night draw. It averaged high and safe, but no pop- ular successor to "Bamballna" was recognizable. Published numbers were "Honey Bun,-" "Tie a String Around Your l-lnger" and "Going Rowing." The biggest lobby call, however, was for "Take a Little One-Step," which was not on sale and which Is being rushed through the printer. It will probably.be the best seller for popular melody. The first act laughs are mainly obtained by the use of a negro baby about flve years old, which is being called a Lilliputian to cover the state law biit which may run afoul of some Gerry Society sort of ac- tivity. The kid is a scream, due to the fact that she is not stage-broke and works her little bit in such a frightened manner-timt she brought down the house, constantly watch- ing the wings for comfort and watching for the first-act curtain In such an obvious tip-off that the audience howled. The first act with- out the kid would have been sad. Without Ada May Weeks the flrst, second .and third acts would have been equally sad. But with courage and Ada May it looks as if Savage has a valuable bit of property In "Lollipop." JJhbev- duty. Th* jrirl baa an unoonqu«r« able ftar of UrMirms. A fugitlT* beadingr for Uezloo enters &• oabin and begs for food. Kate feeda him. Later she le«urna from the sheriff that the man, » famous doctor, ia wanted for mur- der. The girl unwittingly tells of the doctor's visit and the ahertfC starts out to get him. About this time the girl's mother has a turn fo- the worse and Kate, dropping to her knees. Implores Qod to send them help. The sheriff brings in the fugitive physician, but Is at once .-ailed away. The mother dies. The fugitive induces the girl to flee with him to Mexico by tell- ing her the stepfather wants her for himself. Later she discovers the true character of the doctor when he murders a mountaineer in cold blood. The stepfather flnds them In a lonely cabin and has a desperate flght with the doctor. The stepfather compels the girl to return home with him after she had threatened to kill him and fal- tered because of her fear c'. blood- shed. In the last act the sheriff seel^ the arrest of the stepfather for the murder of the girl's mother, and by a trick the stepfather gets the drop on the sheriff. But before he can fire, the girl shoots him dead. The play was well received, al- though It Is exceedingly talky In spots and is In sore need of trim- ming. One of thauutslanding fauUa was the New England dialect used by several comedy characters por- traying Texas hlUmen, but the prin- cipals give excellent portrayals. Although a conventional western drama, for the most part, ' Hand- cuffed" has a number of novel twiets and surprise situations. Kivcrt. they hit the door, supposedly of glass, the door is screened with chiffon more than head high and the sound of the Impact belies any glass. No perishable props perisii In this scene. Lee is no fool! The flrst act Is the strongest anil promises something. Thereafter the action is so palpable and the talky Intervals are so numerous, that in- terest lags except in the fascinating study uC just how far Leo Dluicli- steln can go wrong in letting him- self appear as a stage nonet it y. The Great Lover even mnrfed the lady's lips at the final fndeotit, when he reached forward for the flnisliiiiK kiss. "The Business WldOw" won't dent anything. It may run a few weeks and may not even do that. As success of importance It is out nf the running. i,ait. THE NAKED MAN Baltimore, Dec. 12. "The Naked Man," featuring Wal- lace Eddinger, is a fantasy of deep significance, markedly original In theme and capably cast. 'With pruning, revising and strengthening here and there, Ihe chances for it« commercial success are excellent, and that in spile of the tact that a moral can be read Into the drama if one be inclined to read morals into drama t. There are other things to be said not so complimentary, but for the moment at least It Is well to consider some of the good points. The Naked Man" has the virtue of unusualness. It presents in visual form a middle-aged man, a million- aire, in executive session wltli his conscience and his memories. By the standard of his day and age he is successful, eminently so. By the standard of his ideals represented by tlie "boy that he was," he is a failure, dire and complete. He has the gift of inspiring devo- tion. To make him sit upon the pinnacle of wealth and power that he occupies, there have been lives sacrificed along the way-an astute observation that on the part of the author, Hutcheson Boyd. There are other equally unpleas- ant Ideas employed, but it is all done naturally and not unpleasantly. There are times when they clash, when the audience becomes some- what confuseil, when they are not projected clearly. It was not an easy drama to stage. With 10 scenes in three acts and so many curtains the thing Is apt to be incoherent at times. At least two scenes, the last ones, could be elim- inated bodily with great benefit. The play Is too talky In parte; it need.s editing In that particular. The first part drags and requires some little action. The love interest is perhaps insufficient too, and it might be remarked that EJddinger rea;I his lines too monotonously, but outside of th.at he acted with authority and distinction. Something should he said for Charles Katon His boy was a dlffl- <ult role. He did it most capably. as did .Marcel Hoiis«cau as Manual Morales. Others in the cast are Di.iniha Pattison. Mirian. Doyle, M.irjorie Vonnegiit, Percy Ames, Kdwin Maxell, Grant .Mills. Beulali Honrti. Frances Victory, Miriam Bat- tista, tiraham Lucas and Jefferson Hall. Coolinp. hapTdcuffed San lYanclsco, Dec. lU. Frank m>lo<lruma of Ihe old school is "H indcuffed, " a new play in three acts by Owen Davis, wliich had its premiere at tlie Alcazar Sunday. The action is laid in the Texas hills near Ihe Mexican border. Kate Larkin (Hello liennett) lives In dread of her Btepfathcr, Jim Hrace (Thomas Chatlerton), whom she believes responsible for Injuries of which her mother is dying as the play open.<. Kate is loved by Lance Henderson, the sheriff, hut (^lie rejects him because he has killed other men, disregarding that he did 80 in the perfoimanc of his "LONG HAIRS" OUSTING , (Continued from page 1) after midnight. The mi;sion was made up of Pete Smith, Harry Wil- son and Harry Brand. They were told they would be undisturbed an^, as a result, they announced the ball would be held here. This Is the newest development In the growing alienation of picture folk from Los Angeles, and is tna direct result of the shutdown of the Directors' Ball recently. If Los Angeles loses the picture industry—and that Is more of a probability than a po.'Siblllty—the Killjoys-will be responsible and the town wi' suffer more than from any other industrial disaster that could smite It. The southern city has prospered mightily from the film business and, during the last 12 years, the period of its greatest de- velopment, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent there. These millions have gone into the employ- ment of hundreds of thousands of persons In many lines of activity. Into the studio and Into the pockets of landowners who have sold homes and studio sites to the screen lead- ers. These people, upon whom a large part of Los Angeles has fed for so long, have been too busy to go into politics and the result Is that the "long Hairs," as the reformers ara called, have wandered In from Iowa, KebrasIiA and way st.aiiciis and taken over the conduct of < ivic af- fairs. They are mostly farmers or small town guys who nave made their piles through hog-raising or farming or something similar and have retired to a bungalow in tha land of everlasting sunshine. They have long passed t)^e age of fun and their diversion is interfering. This interference Is what Is driv- ing the picture people away. They have been accused of debauchery and every crime In the calendar, their business has been constricted by fanatical laws and regulations and their personal lives-Jield up aa horrible examples for the rest of the world. Leaders of the picture Industry, substantial men like Joseph M. Schenck and Sol Lesser, have seri- ously warned I>os Angeles In the last few days that conditions ar* growing .so unbearable theic is a definite move on to transfer the business to other sections. San Francisco makes no secret it would welcome the picture indus- try, which sent Los Angeles ahead of Frisco nl pppulation. Mechanical development of arti- ficial light has robbed T>oa Angeles of its greatest apjieal to picture producer.^. Years ago they discov- ered Los Angeles had more days of sun than any other spot In the counlry and there they fiockcd. As Ihe biihlness progressed the picture men discovered that ."unshine was less reliable than certain tvpes of arlitici.il li"j;ht and tlint scenes were "spotlj" through changes in sun lighting. r<f* - '-■•^- - ■•*• '.!.,, ■■-•*'. i Los Angeles. Dec. 12, The .Motion nclure Theatre Owners' A.'^soclation, unwilling to face the curfew and unable to get a Olspensatlon to dance after 12 o'cJAk, held their annual ball -III VeBce last night. , .■.'■,":» -1. ,. '. ', ;<■ ♦»•"■» , i