STAGE AND SCREEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 December 1925, Page 16

STAGE AND SCREEN.

In December J. C. Williamson, Ltd., will nresent Renee Kelly and a new companv in Frederick Lonsdale s new nlav, “The Last of Mrs Cheney.” and later in “Folly With A Past” and The Mask and the Face.” Miss Kelly was the original Judy in the favouriteplav, ‘Daddv Longlegs.” Later the company will play New Zealand.

Miss Stella Murray, the celebrated New Zealand contralto, will leave this month for the Old Country to continue her musical career there.

Mr Frederick Lonsdale has been commissioned to write a musical play to be staged at Drury Lane. The success of “Rose IVlarie” has demonat,rated that there is a very large public .for high-class musical plays.

Fav Compton, the charming English actress, who also appeared in oneffl' two films 1 , is to come out to New Zealand and Australia with Dion Bouoicault next rear. She will a PU. G '’ r U* cAveral of the Barrie plavs which Mr Boucicault will nroduce. The cast will ho a brilliant one. including Mrs Pitt Rivers, and probably Hilda Trevelyan.

\ New Zealand girl. Kiore King, is slowlv but surely winning fame on the stage in Australia. Migs King was originally a member of Alan Wilkie s Shakespearean Company, with which che toured Australia and New Zealand. She has more than her share of good look" and critics on the other side ot the Tasman predict a bright future for hor Miss King has now joined the Frank Harvev and Muriel Starr Confirm nv, which recently plaved ‘A Royal Divorce” and several other romantic pieces.

Chaliapine, who must now be the best-paid singer in the world, has definitelv decided to make France his permanent borne. Except when on tour abroad, the famous Russian singer will live in his Pans apartment, or m a villa by the seaside which he is thinking of acquiring.

Signorina Toti 'dal Monte, the Italian operatic star, is under contract to return to Australia in May of next -year. She will give 30 concerts m Australia and New Zealand. She sailed for America on November 7, where_ she will give 30 concerts, and appear m opera in New York and Chicago.

Included in a company which Leon Reginald Newson, Dorothy Fane, and M Lion is sending out to Australia and New Zealand are Anthony Hollis, Hilton Allen, Margery Darner, Eva Roland. The company will arrive in Sydney in time to open at the Criterion, Theatte at Christmas time m Polly With a Past.”

Reginald Denny productions are becoming such an asset m the motion picture business that Universal has taken out a 500,000 dollar insurance policy on his life. Denny is just starting ‘‘Skinner’s. Dress Suit,” Henry Irving Dodge’s “Saturday Evening Post story.

“Lilac Time” will he taken out of its wrappings for Melbourne soon, novel having been played there. Marjorie Hickling, an English artist, has been engaged .to play the part taken m Sydney by Eve Lynn. For some unknown reason “Lilac Time” was played only in Sydney. Perhaps it will not come to New Zealand.

“The Adventures of Algy” is described as “a delightfully amusing production, with Claude Dampier and Bathie Stewart in the leading roles. The picture tells of two young men who came out to New Zealand to claim property left them by a relative in England. They meet a New Zealand girl named Kiwi, and both fall in love with her. The hero is too timid and shy to declare his love, but his cousin proposes to Kiwi and is firmly rejected. The girl goes to Australia, and takes part in a theatrical production. There are a number of striking scenes showing rehearsals in progress. Finally a happy solution is reached.

PEOPLE, PLAYS AND PICTURES

Annette Kellerm.an, the .Sydney water witch, recently concluded a starring engagement of two weeks at the New York Hippodrome, in a .special production in vaudeville.

Larry Trimbed, whose direction ol “My Old Dutch” is regarded by those who have reviewed it as. being a remarkable piece of work, lias been assigned to the continuity and direction of “Beautiful Joe,” the dog classic, by Marshall Saunders. In the canine field “Beautiful Joe” is what Black Beauty” is in the equine.

Frank Lloyd, after years of consistently good picture making, has come into his own as an independent producer for First National pictures, and hL, name on a motion picture is a certain assurance that that picture is of unusual calibre for Lloyd does things in a, big way, and has become _a. leader because of it. “W inds of Chance,’ he declares, is his most active and pretentious effort. It has presented production prohlems .that not. even the spectacular “Sea Hawk,” rivalled. It is the second Rtex Beach story Mr. Lloyd has filmed “Winds of Chance will be released in New Zealand early in the new year.

Sir George Tallis and Messrs E. J. Tait and F. S. Tait have, in association with Messrs Frank Thring and Beaumont Smith, decided to form a new business for New Zealand, under the name of “J C. Williamson Films, Ltd., New' Zealand,” for moving pictures and vaudeville, and to build a circuit of theatres- in the Dominion. The organisation will shortly begin the construction of a theatre m Queen Street, Auckland, estimated to cost £140,000, on a site which has been in the possession of J. C. W illiamson. Ltd for a considerable time, and at the same time it will start remodelling the old Opera House m Wellington! Mr. Beaumont Smith has been appointed managing director.

Because some of her stories of redhot emotion were chilled while being filmed, Madame Elinor Glyn has withdrawn from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Moving Picture Corporation at Los Angeles. Mr. John Wynn, business manager for the authoress of “Three Weeks, ’ ’ ‘ ‘Four Flaming Hours, “The Only Tiling,” and ‘ Man ancl Maid,” explained the departure of the famous English novelist as follows: “As a matter of fact, iVladame .Glyn does not care if she personally directs the making of her story into filrns or not, as long as the integrity of her story is absolutely followed. She has not been satisfied with the production of her films by this corporation. Executives of the film company explained the departure by saying the Glvn contract had just expired.

A story based upon fact and photographed upon the scene of its actual happening with many of the real characters taking part, » Harold Bell Wrio-ht’s “A Son of Hi s Father, which Victor Fleming directed for Paramount. In Harold Bell Wright’s country near Tucson, Arizona, it is said that several years ago an incident similar to the plot of the story actually took place. From this Mr Wright obtained the theme for his novel. To film the story in keeping with its atmosphere, 1 aramount dispatched an entire company of almost two hundred persons to a location 70 miles from Tucson, Arizona, and but a few miles from the Mexican border. Not far from this location the rea l incident occurred. The story of “A Son of His Father” is the fascinating one of the changing West and coneernp a desperate uphill battle against invading smugglers who attempt to gam possession of a ranch. Many of the extra players. engaged on the location actually took oart in the real encounter between the ranchmen and the smugglers. Featured players in the production are Bessie Love, Warner Baxter and Raymond Hatton.

Samtiel. Coldwyn’s recent comeback as a film producer is somewhat of a remarkable achievement (says PicturepTy). Good business judgment, combined with a fair share of good luck, has placed him again in the first line of producers. It has taken a great deal of money to do it, but what’s a million dr so to Sam Goldwvn P

Though the opening date of Pavlova, the- famous Russian dancer, and Jiei company, has not yet been fixed, already applications for seats tor the opening performance have been received by the J. O. Williamson, Ltd., management at His- Majesty’s, Melbourne. The first appearance of the worldfamous dancer will he the occasion of a brilliant gala performance on a scale of importance equal to that of the J. C. Williamson-Dame Nellie Melba Grand Opera Company. The entire organisation is coming from Covent Garden, The Theatre, London. A unique tribute to the success of Pavlova at this historic theatre is that her season was extended bv a month, and immediately the whole of the accommodation in part of the theatre was hooked up for the extra oeriod. In a cable message to Sir George Tallis, in Melbourne, Mr John H. Tait described Pavlova s performance as “entrancing and memorable,” and the whole performance as “unique.”

Opera goers and music lovers genially will find “The Phantom of the Opera” of unusual interest, inasmuch as the story is laid in and around the famous Paris Opera House, and includes among its many big scenes a production of Gounod s “Faust in exactly the style this opera was presented in 1890.“ “The Phantom of the Opera” is oroduced from the famous novel by G'aston Leroux, and deals with a mysterious individual who inhabits the “deep cellars 1 below the opera house, and from there, posing as a ghost controls its destinies. The heroine of the' story is a young opera singer. and with her the Phantom falls in love.

The Kremlin, the palace of the erstwhile Russian Tsar in Moscow, had been built for “The Lone Eagle,” the first, film bv Rudolph Valentino .for United Artists. The real Kremlin was battered up considerably during the Russian revolution, but has been restored, according to Michael Pleechoff, formerly a general in the Russian army, who is now ulaying a small part in “The Lone Eagle.” Striking uniforms, Cossack soldiers, the Tsarina and her court women, combine to make this episode of the forthcoming picture one of spectacular brilliance.

Without being rash, Arthur Stigant could offer a reward of £IOOO to anyone who detected a smile on his face in “The Street Singer.” The new musical play at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, gives him the role of a woman hater, whose most genial_ statement is that he killed his wife —by never contradicting her. His expression throughout the whole production is one of profound gloom, even when the audience is rocked with laughter. By way of further contrast, the scenes in' which Stigant appears are' the brightest. The plot concerns the romance of an artist and a street singer. the street singer being played by Gladys Moncrieff, and the painters, models, and other Bohemian people intent on their revels.

An interesting study of family life as it actually is, and not as it ought to be, is presented to movie audiences in the Universal Jewel attraction “The Home Maker.” Alice Joyce and Clive Brook are featured in this diverting picture, and in the supporting cast are George Fawcett, Martha Mattox, Mary Gordon and some wonderful child actors and actresses.

In his newest Paramount picture, “Hands Up,” which he is making now under the direction of Clarence Badger. Raymond Griffith will have two leading women—one a blonde and the other a brunette. The blonde is Virginia Lee Corbin and the brunette is Marion Nixon.

The Aaron Hoffman play, “Two Blocks Away,” which Universal, has been producing at Universal City in collaboration with E. M. Asher, of Faultless Pictures, i s completed, and wil' be released under the title “Cohen and Kelly.” The cast includes such well-known comedians as George Sidney, Charles Murray, Vera Gordon, Kate Price, and Natt Carr. The juveniles are Jason Robards. O’ive Hasbrouck. and Bobby Gordon.

Mr. Ma.theson Lang will shortly start his English provincial tour with the Borgia play, “The Tyrant.” During this’ tour he proposes to try out a new play. “The Chinese Bungalow,” in which he will ultimately appear at a London theatre.

Toots Pounds, the clever Australian, and sister of Lorn a of that ilk, has just accepted an engagement to tour America with an all-English •company in “A Night Out.” She plays the leading part, and the management will disburse to the fortunate lady the salary of £l5O per week.

That well-known" English, .actor, Cyril Maude, was at latest advices in New York, playing in Michael Arlen’s new comedy, “These Charming People.”

The Optimists, a new: revue company at Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, are a combination of, singing and dancing comedians of exceptional ability. They liave played long season in Sydney and Brisbane, and were specially engaged by Sir Benjamin Fuller to appear in Australia. Thfe companvS tour will be extended to New Zealand.

The Film Society lias, been formed in London for the purpose of selecting films which reach a certain aesthetic standard, good comedy as well as more serious productions, and showing them to limited audiences on Sundays. Dame Ellen Terry. Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wei’s are among the original members of the society.

Young George Palmer, Melbourne’s 16-year-old picture-maker, secured a fair number of releases for his first film, “The Mail Robber,” and is now possing on a new venture (says a Sydney writer). Impressed by the youngster’s possibilities Australian Films is turning the camera on a scenario lie lias beaten out himsel, in which he will he the prime actor.

Virginia Valli has been cast in tbe stellar role of “Wives for Rent,” the story which Svend Gade has been preparing at Universal City for the last two months.

There is said to bo plenty of pure dancing and melodies in both “Primrose” .and “Leave it to Jane,” which the J. O. William,son management sends to New Zealand shortly.