MOVIE BALL

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12251, 24 September 1925, Page 7

MOVIE BALL

A MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY INTERESTING COMPETITIONS. The Town Hall has seldom beheld such a brilliant scene ns that enacted under its roof last night, when tho second Movie Bail took place. Even last year’s function, fine as that was, was eclipsed by that of last night. Right round the Town Hall gallery hung a dado of coloured paper cut into wide fringed edges, red, blue, green, yellow, all colours. Above, ribbons of paper, also multi-col-oured, hung from the centre of the ceiling, where, unusual sight, there was no central electrolier, but a ball of glass facets which, when lowered, shone with reflected colours. Instead of the centre there were side-lights, each with a large balloon shade of many-coloured paper. The stage was a huge set representing a castle with lawn in front, and behind this the orchestra sat, while a second orchestra was stationed at one side; so thgit there was never any waiting for dances. But the mo&t effective part of the decorations was the lighting. Each alcove was given the. name of a picture theatre or company in Wellington, and these were written in coloured lights, so that when the lights overhead were put put they made a wonderful decorative effect. Even "Exit" was outlined in lights, find the officials' alcove. In the Concert Chamber, where supper waß serVed, the same , gay paper decorations were seen hanging like a vivid curtain in front of the stage and overhead from tho roof. The passages were carpeted, and the staircase decorated with greenery. _ THE COMPETITIONS < The great attraction of the ball was, of course, the different competitions for sets and characters from the movie worlds There were, not many entries for the latter in each class, but those who appeared gave good imprersonations. TW special impersonations were Betty Bronson as Peter Pan, won by Miss Dtumrftond; "Harold Lloyd," Mr Wood; "Douglas Fairbanks." Mr Hislop; "Col•leen Moore," in "Sally," Miss Massey;

"Tom Mix,"‘Mr Galvin; and Selzniok Pictures, Mrs Baynes. Then, for impersonation of any artist which included many of the best known, Mn Baynes won the prize as a realistic "Charlie Chaplin." There were threo good entries for the best set representing a modern picture., Peter Pan, with all the’characters,’ well carried oiit, The Phantom' Opera (Universal Films), the ballet dancing into the hall, pursued by thq Phantom,- and Harold Lloyd in "Girl Shy" (Master Pictures), carried out with eight • girls in black, each with a letter to represent the title, and..driven by the hero with long ribbons, while introduced by three small, pages. .The "Phantom Opera" was the winning eet. the impersonators being—Barton Ginger as the Phantom,' Mrs. Hill as Christine Dual, Miss Cooley as Marguerite, Mr R. C. Hill as Raoul de Chagny, Mr Moubray Boyes as the Persian, Miss I. Clark as Sybil, Mr J. Dunn as Faust, and the ballet by pupils of Miss Kathleen O'Brien.

Girl'Shy won second place, the girlstaking, part being ,th© Misses McGrath, Brown, Spiller, Jacobs, Asher, Beale (2). and Frith, with Mr Shepherd as Harold Lloyd. For the set representing a theatre, four of the staff of the King's appeared as the four Kings -in a pack of cards, with crowns to match, - ana easily won first place. The Strand in seoond place had red, white, and blue dresses, with, the name of the theatre in large shining letters, one on each. Mr Vincent Shepherd had painted the cards for the first set. The last competition was for a trade and advertising display, and wus won by Australasian Films, with "Simplex," the King of Projectors. During the evening also Miss Connop gavo an exhibition dance with her partner, -and Mr Jim Gerald, assisted by Mr Reg. Hawthorne, gave a * f turn" by the permission of Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller,

But the patrons of the ball best enjoyed the dances, and there wero many hundreds present who enjoyed them to the full, while the many lovely frocks worn added to the brilliancy of the scene. Their Excellencies were unable to be E resent, but among . tho patrons at the ail were Mrs Coates, who wore a deep geranium pmk georgette, with feather trimming; Sir Truby King, Lady Luke, Dr and Mrs Herbert, tho latter in grey and silver lace; Mis© Herbert in bright pink georgette; Mr Kemball. of Masterton (vice-president for the ball), and Miss M. Kemball in apricot; Mrs J. C. Rigliton in black, with embroidered 6hawl; Mr and Mrs Bert Royle, the latter in pale pink, with crystal beads; Mr and Mrs E Blundell, tho latter ip. rust colour and gold beaded embroidery; 'Mr and Mrs Ultan McCabe, the latter in powder blue; Mrs H.' Wood in black with jet sequins; Mrs Duff in flame colour; Mrs Haddow in pink velvet; Lady Hunter in brown; Miss Hyde in blue; Mrs Craigie, pale blue ana silver; Miss Brown in lavender; Mrs Blake in lavender and steel: Mrs Bob Stewart in gold satin; Mrs McGowan in deep apricot satin and georgette; Mrs Dixon (Christchurch) in black, with coloured and crystal embroideries; Miss Beveridge in red 6atin; Miss Olive Clapliam in white with silver beads; Mrs Harold Righton in pink georgette, with feather trimming; Mrs Quinn in old rose and sequins; Mrs Haywood in fuchsia tone, embroidered in sequins; Miss Jeffree, cyclamen; Miss Dorothy Clapham in white, with coral and silver embroideries. Mr E. J. Righton was head of the committee, with Messrs C. Eskell, W. R. Kemball, B. Royle, and H. Pliinmer as vice-president, and the committee consisted of chairman, A. McGowan; organising secretary, T. Valois; honorary ireasurer, R-. Stewart; decoration, S. Pitt; parade, H. F. Wood; stunts, H. E. Righton; publicity, Tom Craigie; transport, B. Ginger; catering, R. Hill. Ladies’ committee—Mesdames McGowan, Wood, Righton, Craigie, Miss Clapham, Ward: general committee, A. McGowan, T. Valois, W. Duff, L. Quinn. C. Eskell, O. N.yGillespie, TV. Burton, R. Stewart, M. Ralph, E. ‘Fuller, A. Sherlock, W. Hughes, R. Haddow, W. Kemball, jun., S. Pitt, H. F. Wood, H. Righton, Hill, B. Bolton. W. Smith, B. Ginger, W. Marris, P. Allen, R. P. Davidson, J, Rv Veen. M. Dixon, G. Palmer, T. L. Craigie, B. Young, Mesdames McGowan, Wood, Righton, Craigie, Misses O, Clapham,' M. Ward, D. Clapham.