ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 79, 2 March 1938, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

METEOR THEATRE. “BENGAL TIGER.” Double doors were built on Warner Bros, stages to trap sound, not tigers. Their secondary duty was discovered when Satan, a big and decidedly unfriendly tiger got loose on the stage during the filming of scenes for “Bengal Tiger.” The two doors not only prevented the beast from escaping into the lot, but enabled animal trainers to capture and-cagc him while the wile-enclosed set from which lie had escaped was repaired. The discovery was made by a policeman who, stationed outside the door, didn’t know the tiger was loose. lie started to enter tlio little booth between the double doors to deliver a message to tho director. Entering the inside door of the booth at the same time was the tiger. Tho policeman quickly closed liis door. One of his fellow officers came on the run, yelling: "Hey, don’t open that tloon. Tlio tiger’s loose inside.” “Yeah, I found that out,” was tho reply. “Hold this door last while I phone, will you?” Ho phoned the stage and informed the jittery person who answered the ring the last known whereabouts of the tiger. Louis Rutli, veteran lion tamer in charge of the tigers used, located the boast in the little booth, pushed his cage up to the inner door, and captured it. Tho picture is a thrilling melodrama of the romance of a circus, with an intimate revelation of the life of the performers, written by Roy Clianslor and Earl Felton. The cast includes Satan, the man-killing tiger, Barton MacLano, June Travis, Warien Hull, Raul Graetz, Joseph King, Don Barclay, Gordon Hart, and Carlyle Moore, juur. Louis King directed. REGENT THEATRE. “PRISONER OF ZEND A.” Right on tho heels of his sensational hit, “A Star is Born,” David Sclzniyk has ushered in another magnificent piece of entertainment. The picture is ‘'The Prisoner of Zenda,” Anthony Hope's swashbuckling tale of love, intrigue and adventure in tlio eouits of Europe, which screens at the Regent Theatre to-night, with Ronald Column, 'Madeleine Carroll and Douglas Fairbanks, junr., in the leading roles. Colman plays the dual role of King Rudolf V and tho adventurous Itassendyll in this tale of love and intrigue among the courts of Europe, which John Cromwell directed from ’ a screen-play which John L. Balderrtcn and Wells Root based on Edward Rose's dramatisation of the Anthony Hope novel. .Miss Carroll plays the beautiful Princess Flavia and young Fairbanks is seen as tlie dashing Rupert of Ucntzau Lavishly mounted with some sixty-odd breathtaking sets, including a cathedral, a castle and tho sumptuous castle ballroom, designed by Lvlo Wheeler, “The Prisoner of Zenda” offers some of the most impressive and beautiful scenes ever filmed, notably the coronation ceremony and the coronation hall. John L. Balderston and Wells Root have made a grand scene play, and all the members of the imposing cast turn in uniformly fine performances under the expert direction of John Cromwell. The eye-filling costumes were designed by Ernest Drydcn, and tile splendid photography is credited to James Wong Howe. MAYFAIR THEATRE. “ARTISTS AND MODELS.” Hats off to blonde Ida Lupino, petite film 6tar—for ambition and perseverance enough to carve herself a second successful career at the same time that she has established herself as one of the screen s outstanding favourites ! Miss Lupino, who plays one of the leading roles in Jack Benny’s girl-and-gag-lilled Paramount inusical, “Artists and Models,” which screens to-night at the Mayfair Theatre, managed, during tho filming of the picture, to turn out four songs. Both words and music were written by her and caused Henry Hall, in charge of music at the British Broadcasting Company in London, to arrange for first copies to be rushed over the broadcast over the British network. The songs are “Chasing After Love,” “Follow Your Heart,” “You Can’t Resist,” and “Sophisticated Sadness.” Threy have all been copyright, and the first three listed have been given their official radio premiere in LLS.A. on the occasion of a gala concert broadcast. STANLEY McKAY GAIETIES. “THE NAVY’S IN TOWN.” The Christchurch Star-Sun of January 8, in its critique of the opening performance of Stanley McKay’s “Gaieties” vaudeville and revue company, which .is to commence a season of three nights and a matinee at the Opera House on Saturday, March 5. says: “A wide variety of talent was jiresented at St. James’s Theatre last evening by Stanley McKay, whose new ‘Gaieties’ captured the popular fancy with a spectacular and humorous revue. Tho headlight of the entertainment was a musical scena written and produced by Geo. Greig, of the Popular Hilo Duo. In this offering H.M.S. Sunshine, i ndcr the command, of Joe Lawman, Australia’s cleverest whstling and singing comedian, steams boldly. into port with band playing and dainty middies dancing round. Night falls and lhe lights appeal* on both tho ship and the distant village, while in the mid-distance a brilliantly lighted destroyer cruises about. The whole scene culminates in the raising of a huge Union Jack at the back of the stage, the complete company singing ‘Red, While and Blue.’ Prominent in the cast are Wyn Edgcrton, soprano; Alice Bcnnetto, revue artist; Elvy Ferguson, solo violinist; James, the man with the cigarettes; Heather Wright, New Zealand’s champion eccentric dancer and contortionist; the Big Four, male harmony quartette, directed by Cliff O'Keefe; Lcs Ircnettc, Australia’s brilliant tenor; Frcdo Feres, continental acrobatic violinist; Lcs Diamendos, from tho Folies Bcrgcrcs, Paris, in spectacular posing, their bodies entirely covered in diamond dust; Elton Black, Scottish comedian; and the Popular Hilo Duo, Geo. and We hi Greig, Hawaiian entertainers. The only matinee is to be given on Tuesday afternoon. The reserves are at Collinson and Cunninghame’s.