The Deadhead's Diary

A friend of "Deadhead's" has discovered that Charlie Chaplin's Christian and surnames both contain the syllable ''ha." Ha, ha! funny, isn't it? :: :: t: The second picture made by Charlie Chaplin for the Mutual Company has reached New Zealand. It is entitled "The Fireman," and is described as being ,well up to the Chaplin standard of funniness. Charlie apparently performs the dual roles of "slushy" to the firemen's mess and driver of the horse turn-out wh^en a fire happens. This film will be "shown m Wellington m a week or so. + . ' ci it :s "Cabiria," the monster spectacular motion picture, which was being shown throughout New Zealand, came to a sudden and untimely end at Timaru last week, owing to the film catching fire m the operating box'of the theatre there. The first and last spools were destroyed, and thus the present copy of the film has been ruined. Another copy of the production has been cabled for, however. . After having been severely censored by the picture people, Victoria Cross's sensational and spicy story, "Five Nights," is being shown m picture form at Auckland this week. Big biz. is being recorded. That other "juicy" offering by Victoria Cross, "Three Weeks," when shown m Wellington last year, was the principal cause of the agitation which has resulted m the passing of legislation creating Him censors. ' This being so, isn't the screening of "Five Nights" rather asking for it? t: :: :: It is a long time since New Zealand has witnessed Shakespearian plays, and the advent cf the Allan Wilkio company m a season comprising of "Hamlet," "The Merchant of Venice," "Twelfth Night," "Othello," "Romeo and Juliet," and "As" You like It" should be welcomed. The venture has justified itself m Melbourne and Sydney, and Auckland theatre-goers will welcome two such stirring interpreters of Shakespearian characters as Mr. Allan Wilkie and Miss Fredeswyde Hunter- Watts, who comes to New Zealand with a fine record. Miss HunterWatts is the daughter of the wellknown London Socialist of that name. tt tt :i Hugh D. Macintosh is evidently fully awake to the theatrical possibilities of New Zealand. When the Tivoli Follies leave the Grand Opera House next Saturday evening, there will only be a vacancy of two weeks before another big Macintosh attraction will arrive. On •Wednesday, August 30, to be explicit, Horace Goldin, the "Royal Russian Illusionist," will arrive with about sixty tons of illusions, Including a full-grown Bengal tiger, and this big- star will be supported by a full concert programme of other artists. Goldin thoroughly deserves' his title of the world's leading illusionist To bring off bis many marvellous stunts , necessitates him employing no less than 35 trained assistants. His is "some" act Hale Hamilton, the American actor imported by the J. C. Williamson Co., Ltd., m the place of Fred Niblo, and hie clever wife, Myrtle Tannehlll, are to be sent through New Zealand by "the firm." Supported by a strong company these two famous stars, who have more than made good m Australia, will be seen m some striking comedy successes, including "It Paya to Advertise," "The Boomerang," and "Twin Beds." The latter farce created quite a stir m certain wowseristlc circles m Australia, and especially was this so of the posters advertising the show. New Zealand Scots will .be pleased to know that although Myrtle Tannehill spells her name different, she is a direct descendant of the same family as the Poet Tannahlll, the sweet singer of Paisley. i» tt tt Allan Wtlkle. the Shakespearian actor, now at Auckland, and due to tour New Zealand, has played m four continents before the people of twenty-three different nationalities. He says that the (most difficult audience to play to are the Japanese (from our' Western standpoint), as their method of showing their slncerest appreciation is to preserve absolute silence. The only occasion on which he succeeded m rousing them from their Oriental calm i was at the end of the play scene m "Hamlet" They were so carried away on this occasion (it was m Toklo) that they stood en masse and yelled "banzai" and applauded the scene to. the echo. Mr. Wilkie's biggest personal success outside Shakespeare has been m Sir Henry Irvlng's part of Matthias In "The Bolls," a role he has played upwards of four hundred times. * it :t :: It is the boast of the visiting Aucklander that the Queen City of the north possesses more continuous picture theatres than the windy city of the North Island. On the completion of the New Queen's Theatre m Cubastreet, Wellington will be on equal terms with Auckland m the number of picture houses. With the advent of the new film service picture theatre that rumor says will be built here m a few months, Wellington will reign supreme. In reference to this new film service — this new venture is the topic of the hour m picture circles. It is said that a company haa been formed to buy absolutely top-notch programmes m the open market In America, and then run them through New Zealand on a big | circuit already booked and arranged j for. It is foolish to pretend that we get the best from America at the preBent time. Why, there nre over 100 organisations producing films m the States, and we get features from half-a-dozen or so. Things are going to buzz some In the near future, dinkum — especially when the new film service build their new and palatial theatre right m tho heart of Wellington und follow suit with others m all the capital cities. it «i v The Sellg Company's second big Rex Beach feature, "The Ne'er Do Well," arrived In Wellington this woek and will be released shortly. It contains the same cast an "The Spoilers," (the other fine production by the same author) but the scene !« thin time laid m the topical Panama zone. A special studio wan erected m Panama for tho taking of "The Ne'er do Well," and the many mighty engineering undertakings In "the big ditch" arc used as a background to a convincing story. Kathlyn Williams is the female lead. ix t : t t Madge MpJthmd, "the Irish girl from America," will tour the Fuller circuit In Now Zealand very shortly. This artist comes on tho stage with a book full of new songs nnd a bunch of now gowns to startle the feminine gender. Miss Maltland hit popular tu«te m Sydney when she packed the Fuller theatre for several weeks. She him a variety of songs of character type and HulfihoH nor net with n HtirrlnK bullad. Mlrs Mnltlumi introduces an Innovation In «h> matter of presenting lu;r Hinging turn Inasmuch as »ht* n«v«>r leaves tho HU«>?o durluc her act. Last fourth of July wan a j?rcat day for Mudjro Maitland. At iho Festival Hall of tho 'Frisco Exposition there wore gathered all the concert nnU muvlc hall celebrities avp liable !n the city, ant) Miss Maitland. by virtue of tho Immenso currying powor of her voice, waa chosen to sing through a mognphonc tho patriotic number. "'America I Love You," with no an accompaniment than Soukh'x R«nd.