FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 17763, 10 September 1921, Page 10

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By Loitsheb.]

Fullers’ latest comedy star, Miss Laura Gueritc, of revue fame, opens at the Princess on Monday. The Irish drama ‘ Conn the Shaughraun’ has been revived at the King’s, Auckland, _by tho Fullers’ Dramatic Players, with George Cross as Conn, Ella Carrington as Conn's mother, Jack M’Evvan ns the villain Kinchela, W. H. Ayr as the village priest, Bert Frawley as the fugitive, Kenneth Carlisle as an English offi;er, Walter Cormaok as the police agent, and Clarice Warner and Connie Mellans as the winsome colleens.

The regains of the lato Howard Vernon, the veteran actor, were interred in the Brighton Cemetery, close to the grave of Adam Lindsay Gordon, this being tho expressed wish ot" Mr Ternon. Cyril Mackay, who appears as the artist, Sutherland York, in tho J. and N. Tail production of ‘Scandal’ at Melbourne King’s Theatre, has had a long record of successes on the Australian stage. Many will remember his brilliant work ns the victim of the “third degree ’’ in the play of that name which made such a sensational success throughout Australia, and also as the wastrel husband in ‘ Paid in Full.’ Ho was also impressive as Steve in tbe J. C. Williamson production of ' Tho Virginian,’ in which Charles Waldron was the leading man. More recent 1 y playgoers saw him as the fateful crooked partner of 'De Luxe Annie,’ in which character Emelio Polini added another to her fine gallery of stags portraits Cyril Mackay has played all sorts of stage characters. and has always'plnyed them well. Harking back to the early days of the newly-appointed Theatre Royal," Sydney, the ‘ Green Room ’ recalls the story told concerning General Ramaciotti during his directorial career at that playhouse. Business was very poor one evening, and to further irritate Ramaciotti a partly inebriated man in the gallery interrupted the show at intervals by making audible and derogatory comment. Ramaciotti at length climbed tho stairs, determined to deal with tho delinquent in his own martial way. In the sparsely populated gallery he soon discovered him, and, advancing, tapped tho man on the shoulder. “Look here, rny man,” he said, severely, “if you don’t behave yourself I’ll have you thrown into tho street.” The other looked up, then, glancing round the quar-ter-filleiTgallery, remarked: “Say, boss, you take my advice. Go down into the street and throw a few more in.”

One of the outstanding, features of the production of ‘Scandal’ at the King’s Theatre. Melbourne, is said to Ire tbe acting of the splendid cast. The fact that the leading characters of the play are enacted by such a coterie of artists as Maude Hanaford, Frank Harvey, Mrs Brough, Cyril l\lackny, Kenneth Brampton, H. E, Roberts, Frances Ross, Emma Temple, Doris Duane (from the original Neij/York production) indicates the high standard of acting in the play. It is long since such a splendid cast has been in Melbourne awakening recollections of the “ old Brough days.” Tho chief event of John D. O’Hara’s last How Zealand tour, in his own estimation, was the honor of an introduction to the Prince of Wales. It was during the football match at Wellington between a local team and returned soldiers that tbe Prince, after receiving tho acclamations of tho people in the open, ascended a dais in the grandstand with a party of notables. Tho American actor, though in “ a separate compartment,” as ho termed it, was seated within six feet of his Royal Highness. No one knows how or why it happened, unless the Prince was attracted by tho celebrated artist’s resemblance in private life to ideal portraits , of 4 The Vicar of Wakefield,’ but after a little while Mr O’Hara was informed by an A.D.C. that the Prince wished to shake hands with him. “ I found His Royal Highness an unaffected and sympathetic conversationalist,” remarked the actor; “ he said he thought he knew' my face directly he saw me, and that he was sorry that official duties would prevent his attendance at ‘ Lightnin’ ’; hoped he might manage to seo me in my new piece in Sydney, and then questioned me a little about my career. Altogether, in a princely manner be made me feel interested and at home as few young men of bis age could do.” Mr O’Hara will bo seen with Mr Jules Jordan in ‘ Welcome Stranger,’ the first production of the J. C. Williamson comedy season, commencing next Thursday at His Majesty’s Theatre.

Commencing at the Queen’s on Friday next, Kathri.no MacDonald, tho American beauty, will be seen in ‘ The Thunderbolt.’ Playing opposite her is Tom Meighan. The latest Harold Lloyd comedy will also bo screened. Olive Thomas’s last picture was ‘ The Follies Girl.’ It will be shown at Everybody’s on Tuesday next. Austin Strong, the author of J. C. Williamson’s ‘ Three Wise Fools,’ tho pro-, ductioa which is to follow 1 Welcome Stranger,’ commencing at His Majesty’s Theatre next Thursday, is a New Zealander, and was educated at Wellington College. A Sydney man who went to school with him says that ho was for ever trying to bo a playwright—even in those days. Frederick Esmelton, the producer, who abo plays prominent parts in ‘ Welcome Stranger ’ and ‘ Three Wise Fools,’ is an Australian. In Melbourne they used to call him Fred Bryant, and he ig a brother of Mrs Horatio Webb, treasurer of tho Austral Saloon for many years. Esmelton made his first start in ,a Maggie Moore (when Maggie wasn’t so substantial as she is now). Ho has also done considerable picture acting in .U.SJL

In ‘ Welcome Stranger/ which opens at ■His Majesty’s nest week, much of the action centres around the personality cf one man—the Jew. But that personality is brought to the front by the quiet and restrained acting of a man who would be star wherever placed. That is John O’Hara. It ia asking much of a man who has been before the footlights so prominently as John D. O’Hara to stand back awhile in a subdued blaze of popularity and help to concentrate the light upon another person. But O’Hara’s love for bis profession is greater than O’Hara’s love for ■ himself, and the thought never enters his head that he should do other than give support to the leading motive of the play. To Jules Jordan, who appeared recently in ‘ Welcome Stranger ’ at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, falls the honor of having introduced to the English playgoer the present-day type of stage Hebrew. Formerly the Jew of, the theatre was a .“ long-beaked slob ” with hat pulled down over his ears, and the worst feature of the race was satirised. But Jordan .went to England to do a turn which he j had made famous in New York, and it was two years before he was allowed to leave. He brought out all the humor and the foibles of the Jew, hut he did it with sympathy, knowledge, and insight. It i j* th» charm of John D, jO’Hwrg, ancLthg

humor of Jules Jordan that give ‘ Welcome Stranger ’ the pull it lias with theatre-goers. ‘Ginger Mick’ was not long in following his first cousin, ‘The .Sentimental Bloke,’ on to foreign picture screens. A cable received by Messrs E. J. and Dan Carrol! announces that the well-known English and Continental firm, Ganmont, Ltd., has acquired the solo rights for Famine of ‘ The Moods of Ginger Mick,’ the film version of C. J. Dennis’s popular poem, and a sequel to 1 Tho Sentimental Bloke,’ for which tho American release with First National was recently announced. Beth pictures were made in Sydney and produced by Mr Raymond Longford, now engaged in making for E. J. and Dan Carroll ‘ The Blue Mountain Mystery,’ an adaptation of a novel by the Australian writer, Harrison Owen, who is at present in London. It was for Laura Gnorite (who comes to the Princess on Monday) that ‘ Got Out, and Get, Under’ was written, and it is said that you have to hoar tho creator sing it to understand how it sn quickly became one of the rages of ragtime. Miss Gnerito is described as a. tempest, a whirlwind, of shapely proportions, and beautifully gowned. Her facial expression is convulsive, and she is one of those artists who are popular from the jump off, and go one bettor at every appearance. She possesses tho greatest ’gift of all—that of making friends with her audiences.

An actress docs not , gain a reputation for smart stage frocking without much study of style and a groat outlay of money. Even after tho original worry of selection and tho enormous expense of purchase the artist has still to face the question of transport, and this involves an ever-re-curring expense. Miss Laura Guerite. tho London revue star, who opens at Fullers’ Princess Theatre on Monday next, can toll all about tho subject of wardrobe.’ Accompanying her on the present tour aro twenty-six trunks of costumes.

Mr Gregan M’Mahon continues to do good work as repertory producer and actor —at present in Sydney. Shaw’s ‘ Man and Superman ’is tho latest production. Carefully coached amateurs as well as professions appear in the cast.

The latest acts added to the Fuller circuit include Mable and Malfe (singing, patter,- and dancing), Rastus and Banks (colored inau and woman, singing, patter, and dancing act), Les Brissons (Danish dancers), Cleo Williard (Anglo-Scandina-viau comedienne). Frank Bradley and Alice Hamilton (sketch artists), Elsie Videau and Walter Kirby (originators of blending low comely with artistic dancing in “a doable turn”), Francis Dainty and Co. (wire walking and cycling), Taylor and Summers (singing and talking novelty act), Enrico Palmetto (Danish tenor), Loader and Laney (comedy, music, and song), Sydney Black (“Britain’s representative dancer”), Sam Stern (comedian, character songs and patter), Lola Stantonne (violinist), Richardson Bros, and Cherio (American novelty act). So oppressive was the London weather in July that many male theatregoers, both in the gallery and elsewhere, were to be seen without coats. Others wore cricketing flannels or suits of the tropical varieties. Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House,’ in which snow is introduced, was being played in one theatre. The remark “ How warm and snug it is in here ” was greeted with satirical applause and laughter. Mr Matheson Lang has had a season of eleven months in London with ‘ The Wandering Jew,’ a romantic and spectacular adaptation of tho legendary storv written for him by'Mr E. Temple Thurston, the novelist. The play was to be withdrawn in July or August. Mr Sandilands, of this city, has received a letter from Sir Harry Zander. The great artist was to be in Edinburgh on August 15, and afterwards was to go on a tour of the United States. Sir Harry is selling Iris estate in tho West of Scotland. He is seldom in residence there now, and as the estate was primarily meant for his only son, who was killed in the war, the knight has determined to be rid of it.

Tho pillars which have been removed from tho auditorium of Drury Lano Theatre, under a scheme of improvement, have been tipped into the sea as part of 700 cartloads of debris. It is estimated that 2,000 more cartloads aro to follow. Shirley Mason, in ‘The Lamplighter,’ plays a most appealing ro!e. ‘ The Lamplighter’ is tho stoiy of a little girl who fought her way up from the depths back to where she belonged. It is to be a Grand and Plaza attraction. 4 picture that rivals ‘ Chu Chin Chow ’ in atmosphere, magnificence of sotting, and in power to hold is ‘ The Palace of Darkened Windows,’ now showing at tho Octagon. After being staged for very many years ‘ A Royal Divorce ’ is still drawing good audiences in the English provinces and in London suburban theatres. Those who love Bill Russell will be glad to know he is coming to town soon in Fox's new picture, ‘Bare Knuckles.’ Critics say a loose lion is not half as harmful as Big Bill is ns “Tho Bruto.” ‘Bare Knuckles’ is a Grand and Plaza attraction. Delightful Madge Kennedy is starred in ‘ Strictly Confidential,’ the J. C. Williamson fGoldwyn feature showing at the Grand and Plaza on Tuesday with ‘ The Luck of the Irish.’ A circus stow, ‘ Tho Man Tamar,’ written by John Barton Oxford for the ‘ Red Magazine,’ has been dramatised by Universal, and will bo shown at the Octagon next Friday. Mr Harry G. Musgrove announced the other day that from to-day (September 10) tho Tivoli Theatres in the Commonwealth, which had been running a part picture, part vaudeville programme, would bo redeaicated to two-a-day vaudeville. “Two things have justified this important change,” Mr Musgrove said. “Firstly, tho huge success of Mr Wilkie Bard, the English comedian, who for six weeks has played to capacity business, has proved to mo that there is a very big demand for vaudeville of an exceptional nature, especially when headed by stars of international repute. Secondly, my advices from America are that the First National pictures coming forward are ot such a nature as to warrant individual presentation. Shortly duo, for instance, is Alien Holubars ‘Man—-Woman—Marriage,’ an immense spectacle, equalling in splendor Griffith’s ‘ Intolerance,’ and calling for a cast of 5,000; and Pola Negri’s great play, ‘Passion,’ which has swept all before it in the States. Theso are long pictures, and obviously impossible to sandwich in with vaudeville. Spectacles like 'ManWoman —Marriage ’ must have atmosphere, and I was faced with the alternative > of finding new release houses or arranging for Town Hall showings of sudh super specials. Immediately the continued success of Mr Wilkie Bard seemed assured’ I cabled instructions to my agents in London and New York _ to negotiate for other vaudeville celebrities. These negotiations are now maturing, and, although it is premature to announce names, the public may confidently look forward to vaudeville of a higher standard than Syd.pej_ has yet known*.”-

1 Harold M'Gratli’s thrilling novel ‘The Luck of the Irish ’ lias been picturised, and will b© shown at th© Grand and Plaza next Tuesday. Louis Joseph Vance’s novel, ‘Beau Hovel ’ will bo the next big attraction at tho Empire. Readers of the story will remember that ‘ Beau Revel ’ is a man who endeavors to win the love of a woman with whom his son is infatuated, the object of his attentions being merely to show th© son tho worthlessness of tho woman. The story ends with th© two men deeply in love and l th© woman caring for neither. William S. Hart is seen in a typical role in ‘O’Malloy of tho Mounted,’ which commences on Tuesday at tho Empire. As an officer of the North-west Mounted Police he goes through many thrilling adventures in th© wilds in pursuit of his man. only to find that his prisoner is th© brother of th© girl he lovos. K-oscoo Arbuckle’s next picture at the Empire is ‘Moonshine.’ This will he fob. lowed by ‘Tho Dollar-a-Year Man.’ Th© Burton Holmes travel subjects at, th© Empir© are invariably most interesting. Coming next week arc ‘To-day in Samoa,’ ‘Yesterday in Samoa,’ and ‘The Tonga Isles.’