"O. SAVE ME?"

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 198, 22 August 1928, Page 7

"O. SAVE ME?"

PLAY IS HELD UP. NEW YORK, August 17. An amazing interruption occurred when Sinclair Lewis' much-discussed novel, "Elmer Gantry" turned into a play, was presented by William Brady, the well-known producer. At the opening of the second act, Sharon Falconer stood alone on the stage when the curtain rose, admonishing the audience to accept religion. (She is a woman evangelist around whom much of the story revolves). Actors planted in the audience began to yield to her exhortations. At last Elmer Gantry himself succumbs to the silvertongued exhorter, hitting the trail to the stage, and launching into a confes sion of his sins.

Just then, a well-dressed individual with a straw hat in his hand arose and walked on to the stage. Sharon looked puzzled, and paused helplessly, while Elmer gave him a dirty look. Then they recognised Robert Long, the Press agent for the show, whom Mr. Brady had "fired" a few hours before. Long threw himself at Sharon's feet. "Save me! O, save me!" he cried. "Save me from William Brady." The audience broke into an uproar, and the curtain was dropped. Twenty minutes elapsed before the play was resumed.