Variety (Dec 1927)

I Wednesday, December 7, 1M7 FOREIGN VARIETY r CONGRESS AND HODUN ROUGE REVUE SUCCESS Nmt Musical at Comique • Of-til* IMW ottMiiiffs of paat the winter revue production at the Moulin Rouge, "Parl^ au JBtoUes/' attraota iirlncipal inter- est It was latroduoad lata last week with indications af altogether fa- vamble future. Other new attrac- tl<ms are "Le Bon Roi Dagobert" at fha Opera Coinl«i«ia^ a morhM sym* bolic play. "Lt'Orage Mystique" at ^ the Theatre dea Arts, and a epicy ^•omedy. "Le Pont d'Europe/' in a '*PaHs auK ItoilaiP • ^ ''Paris with the Stars," Ilia Moulhi Rogne revue, Is a two-part typical French entertainment presented by PIsrrs Fouoret and signed Jacques 4Dkarles. It is sumptuously mounted and played by a brilliant cast head- ^ ed by Johnny Hudgins. and Harry fUcer, both Americans, and featur- ing a group of Albertlna Rasch girls Imported from New York. Others In the company are DoUie and Billy, aerobatic dancing girls; Ifaarteet. native ehansonnler; Jane Aubert, ][>andy. amusing French comedian, and Marthe Berthy. Piece goes down as another chapter la the SjSOOtss- tul series of mmtk p w i eB lla iia At Iha Red Mill. "L'Orsge Mystique'* 'The Ghost Storm" is a new sym- bolic work by Francois de Curel, al- Hmugli the symbolism is pretty Ob- scure and far fetched. However, the reviewers found it interesting. A husband, returning home un- SKpectedly and flnding his wife ab- sent, leaps to flbo eoncluslon that Sbo is away at a tryst with a lover, tea wife, however, really had gone theottgh a racing stomt Is iMf thfSlelaa. She catchea «sld Stt tte Journey and dies of pneumonia. Heart broken, the husband night- ly awaits a ghostly visit from his Assd wlfs te aeciordsnse' %lia sn agreement between them during her life. A year later, during another Storm, the family priest reports that Mia sad wtBA ess «ss«rSftag wifs's tooib. > • visiting the graveyard at mid- kUght the husband Imagines the dead WOBAan appears before him and ae- eeSis hlB of causing her death, the Idea apparently being that the vis- Ion Is a hallucination inspired by a lively self-accusing consdenoo. In the east are lioula Oauthier, iSgquilliere and Germaine Laugler. "Le Bon Roi Dagobert •*Tlie Good King Dagobert." mu- sical comedy, waa nicely received at the ComlqvM, boofc by Aadre Rivoire, score by Samuel Sousseau. The title cornea from an old French Bursery rhyme, while the cast com- prises Charles FrtsiW^- :ll<iei rW^- din, Raldous, Mmea« jBSlHUk l4ilft» Voraldy and Beteve. "Le Pont d'Europe" The independent grl>up. Com- ^agnie dos Jouttss AutsetS, sssays this piece by A. Salacrou at the Odeon, appropriate place for test- ing new material, to moderate suc- ITho king of aa Imaginary princi- pality, while attending private the- atricals at court, recognizes in one of the actreeses a former mistress during hia young days as a stndont In Paris when he lived In the dis- trict l<nown as Pont d'Europe. Thereupon the monarch plunges Into a new affaire, scandalizing his fSmily and his people and leading to a political revolution. In the cast are Marcel Chambrier, Alice Dufren nud B » a R e ynaL NOT 4 ENGLISH-MADE PICTURE HITS OF '27 ' London, Doe. f. No one of the Aim trade over here can identify the four English made picture hits of 1127 as queried from Now York. Of the Bagflsh p toUi sss so far rs- leased here this year there haa been no exceptional box office card. Howew, there are seroral pic- turea trsds slM>nn.>iS is| JPSI i»* The query to Varfoirs XiOndon office oame through a statement of a picture producer, lately returned from abroad, that he knew of four ■ngllsh mads pictures oortaln hits over there and which would bs iMi^i abls for world's distribution, EngGsh Radio Cr&ic IwHi^ Lordon, t>ec. t. London theatre managers are protesting to the "BHtli^ Bro 1- castlng Co. that James Agrate, radio dramatic critic, who broadcasts on the theatre every two weeks, ia do- Inva issvs injury ts'tbslr bilalnoss. Thsy 'claim Agate is a hlghb. / who pans Just the sort of shows the public would likew Recently A«Sls dssssOM «TAdy Luck** as one of the worst shows la London. Clayton A Waller complained that the etherized dramatic lead a USt of plays worth seeing and flailed to Include any of their three pro- ductions, '^his, C. a Wp sajr* la gravely injurious. , ': VMr cUOm Is tbatk ^^Wo * not invite Mr. Agate aa a wireless critic. We ask him as a critic of the Sunday "Times* and do not send tickets to the British Broadc ting Co., which is a rival and Should not knock our ahowa" | Gracie Fields, From 'Alls, PuMaifiar^s Lead Lady PRESENT SESSION lY DO THINGS CMMorsldp» '^Saaday,'* la- ▼•sligatiOB aad Other Matters Affectinf Film Industry — Also Block Bookinfs—Major Matters to Inaaodialoly Up — Forliaps ""Golat Altav^ m Hays Too ^' RAQUEU8 EX-MATE DIES CariUo* Divorced Husband, Orfttflht Chanteuae Out Paris, Dec. C. Cornea Carillo. 56 years old. Span- ish author and divorced husband of Ftaquel MeUer, died In the aooth of France late last week. Cariilo waa of Spanish origin, bom In Guatemala whence hia paronta had migrated from Opaln. He assumed cltizenBhip in Argen- tine Republic after reaching hia ma- jority. It waa he. who really launched Rnquel Meller npon hvr stage career. SO Hi FOE EC AS TS DOS. S. Oracle Fields, music hall comedl enne and beat known for her ap pearancea In touring reTueo, will be a leading lady for aMiS Du Mfturler. She la cast for a nsw play which phagliotf Again ' ''lPnriiC"l>ss, «. Serge Dhaglielf and hia Ruaaian ballet will play return engragements In America next year under engage- SMMl Is Ray Ooots. Oasis saflsd hski wssk for Now Tsdt GI^!JLP£ini£R MAKING GOOD "~- Paris, pec. 6. Qoorgss Carpontlor hap hssn mak- ing good on his south of France tour with Anna Ludmila as It danc- ing partner. ' " ACisr MarseilUa As ooupls visit Bpaln, and thso «I|S |mar IS JMwd for pictures. RAQUtli M£LL£Il IN CANNES Faria Uiov S. Raquel Meller Is announced for the Casino, Cannes, thia season. She opens Feb. 14 through Arnaud a Lartigue. Jack Holland and Jan Barry are listed for this resofrt early In the new year. "Idon" OoinolOst London, D^k;. C. 'Hjlwo weeica' notice ia up lor "The Garden'of Bdon** at the Lyric This took plaoo When Clayton a Waller decided to sublet the house for five weelca to "The Black Spid- er," aftor which ono sf their own new productlona will come In. ThA Hhow ia to bo determined this week. I. THE TILLER DANCING 3CHOOLS JVw Ci OP AMERiCAt Im. 226 West 72d Strost N£W YORK ' MARY READ FrosidsBl Washington, Dec. S. Congress is baclTand the TDth ses- sion ia underway. With that "open- IihT tho piotara I nd M S try fssos ono of the most critiesi periods in its hiatory, aa undoubtedly many ma- jor mature may at onoo ho taken up. Federal cenaerehip leema as one of the most daagorous of the various proposals. Sxtsnslvs h tar l n i s Isst seaaion were completed too late for action. A careful aurvey of the committee then diaoloaed a alim majority of hut twa asahiat the Canon Chaae bill. The Canon haa been on the job for the paat month mors actively than svsr. Ss haa hasn tntanriew- ing membera of the committee and liaa atated publicly he la poaitive the bUI wHI ho onaetod thia session. He ia asking for immediate hear- ings and it ia evident that he is winning new aupport principally on his prosonUtlon of Om ShOm that the picture Intefc^ts have not kept faith particularly in regard to the 100 odd plays that the committee were infSMMd by rsprssstttatlTSS of the Hays organ! reach the acroon. Canon Chsss has Shs<vn where aeveral of that list hats hoen made, he putting extra atreaa on the film- ing of "Rain,** which the reformer has sUted Is 'Ttala*' as amttsr what other nams snay ho vaed. Aside from the canon's apparent progress is the editorial of William Randolph Hearst given wide spread In his dallies Variety recently stetod that this editorial had given tho reformers tho net results of tho picture trade conference o| Q s tshs r In Now lork city. PttriliS^ ihiBlriNr «» discloses that the majority of two in the committee, plus a third member which indicated at least aa open sfttad on tho oubjoct, all eomo from towns where the Hearst InllHiOSS Is exceptionally strong. Mrs. Florenoo P. Kahn Is from San Francisco, admittedly a Hearst strongrhold. Loring H. Black, Jr., of New York switched to Hearst In the ltylMl«Walkor campaign far SMiyor of New York city, while John J. Douglass hails from Boston. These three members led the Opposition ta tho bUl last sisslon. Observers look vpoa this aa swinging thia prevloaaly assured op- position to tho csosorlng hill over to tho fsforaOno isssa Sundsy dsslng Sunday closing for the District of Columbia atartod oft laat aeaaion aiming to shot «p OToryChlng in WaahlngtoaT Boforo the hearings were completed everything else was exempt but the picture houaea. Due to tho Hays offsanlsatlon not participating in tho opposition to ^^unday closing measure the acat- tered exhibitor forcea, through the lack of orksnlsatlos^ aiw ts sss that bill passed hy the House thia aes- Slon, It Is freely predicted here. Its (Contlnnod on page 44) Mtiiti't Cootrtct Rights; Rddiardt Co. Extended The Max Reinhardt company at the Century, New York, although brought over by Gilbert Miller on an eight-week contract, will prob- ably remain beyond that period and play aeveral of their intinmte pro- ductions In tho Ly^ai thsatra. They move in that house next Mon- day, Dec. H. On Christmas week they begin playing "Daoton's Death** for a run. Considerable trouble la reported with Moissi, the leader of the troupe. Inasmuch aa be ia not reg- uhtfly a SMmhor of tho Wiiphisat companiea in Germany, but Is a traveling star In his ovfn right, many conceasiona were made him to poranado him to come ovsr; He waa to be given considerable personal exploitation and starred in several playa Paul Hartmann, a regular Reinhardt aotor» hSM a contract to have the lead in "Dan- ton's Death." Bo did Ifolash This had to be adjuated. ' Molaol grow peeved at tho con- tinued run of "Midsummer Night's Dream." in which a Russian actor. Sokoloft, drew the big part, and MolssI a eompatattsStr ihsltniiissat role, ' Molsai has the title role in "Jed- ermann," which opena tonight for alz poirformaness. Aflsr that US haa aeveral other leada. ''COOKS" aOSED ON Prineipalt on CommonwealMi —Chorus Demanded 2 Wks —Notified After Show London, Dec. f. Pandemonium reigned at tha Oaloty whs» tho *«Olri firom Cookir company faceived word after tho performance SattifdSir., night tiNS show had closed. Thia mutflcal had been on a oosi* monwealth basia tha past Wssk. Its chorus claimed they should have received a fortnight's notice and demanded another week's pay. If orris Rasenwalg. Manchester business man who had originally backed the venture but withdrew after .tha prodvcing corporation loat ISO.OOO, and who personally as- sumed another 950,000, declines to be reaponaible for further financial obligations^ The show opened here week of Oct 19 and was alooly r sssl v sd hr the dailies. ^ssspMnp Tffaif Oinsls Lfoadon, Dec i. . At tho oooclasion of the run of "Blue Skies,'* Josephiao Trix re- turns ta Casino Olisw Changing Paris, Dee. t. Tho Casino oloss d flainrday last, the house being given over to re- 1 hearaais for tha nsw fsvuo there. Fin Qiiota_Bin Pped London, Dec. 4. The Film BUI passed tha House of Lords committee yesterday (Monday), and will now be reported to Lords as pas s ed. Lord Danesfort put In an amend- ment reading that any llim made to end next year abroad by British company and caat Is to rank for quota. This ia due to the studio shortage here. This amendment was accepted, and lots In MiSI Ks- tlonal's film "Confetti." The only other amendment of- fered was also by Lord Danesfort, thia ono to make obligatory tho uae of a British director after five yeara. Oovemment rojoctsd the idea. Lohr't Sketch London. Dec. 4. Marie Lohr makes her vaude- ville debut at the Collaeom next Monday (Dec. 12) In a sketch called "Richmond Park." She will be aupportod by Edmund Owenn. HTLTON ON F£&C£]fTAO£ Paris, Dec f. Jaefc Hylton's band is listed to open at the FJmpire I>ec. 30 on per centagc He follows Grock and pariner. Power's Elcphanta return here Feb. 24, succeeding Layton and Johnstone, who will be topping the bill. Rich Hayet Is booked for July and another novelty Ut ths Frsnch author. Paul Heuss^ WhS will SB pose fakir tricks.' Undon's Best Miiacal, I <sa d on, Dss. t. Acclaimed the best musical ahow In London, *\:;iowna in Clovei^ woa wildly enthuaiaatlc applause on Ms opening at the Adelphl. Jack Hulbert, Cicely and June are starred^ Prsm l sr was a flnfshsd psrfc anoc Show was properly rehe«uved and remained out five weeks making Its West Blad bow. Chisk JBndor, only the cast, scored neatly with his song specialtf^ second M4MPC#1 Simone Dies Paria. Dec. 4. Marcel Simone veteran French Aowman, died in Paris sarly this week at the age of 40. Ho waa secretary of the Olympic theatre at hia death, having been attachad in exeentivs sspsaity wMh sthv houses in the capital. At other times he waa aeeretary of the Folies Bergere and Oalets and for ysaii WM hSMMltsd Wfii Oafhstts t MsAths Paria, Doc. 4. Female trapeze impersonator Bnr- hctte is retained for two months at tho Olympla. He's opening Doc 23. K-A l|ooka Foreign Act Ix)ndon, Dec, 4. Degroot Tr+o, concert Inftrument- alists^ at tho Piccadilly Hotel here, sre boohsd for tho Kolth-Albeo cir- cuit. ■SM Olwo In PaHa London, Deo. 4. Ben Blue opena a aeaaon at ths Ls Psrrsqnst, PBris» Doc T. Pioturea ..... • 4*2S Picture fteviewe.. It Film House Reviewa.... 86 Vaudeville 26-35 MsMf Asts. • Ss Buries^' Bille .•••••••••••••*••*• .40*41 Timea S^ a ssi ^ •42-43 Cditerlala •••••••••••••.* 46 Literati 24 Woman's Psgs...........44-46 l.S||ltlmiStS ; ..••••r...... .dJT-hs Legitimats Rsvlsws...... 61 Muaio ...64-66 Obituary 67 Newe of the OaiMee 44-46 Correapondonoo 66-63 Latter List €3 Oiftdosrs « •? Sperta ...•.•.....». 39 Inside Pictures.. ...*•.•.. 12 Inside Vaude -46 Night Clubs 66 ' '"■*'■«• ' HrSEIDKR — ' 229 ST. NEW VQftK