Tibe Deadhead's Diary

NZ Truth, Issue 583, 19 August 1916, Page 2

Tibe Deadhead's Diary

The big spectacular American Civil War drama. "The Birth of a Nation," arrives here at the end of the month. Meanwhile all Wellington is waiting. tt :: :: Maud Barelegs Allan has been very ill m 'Murka. She underwent an operation for appendicitis m Noo Vark, and nearly snuffed it m consequence.' Latest reports state that she was recovering and was just strong enough to walk to her motor car. The educationalists of the community should endeavor to arrange with the management of the Submarine Pictures for a special exhibition to the scholars and students of the various schools and colleges. A view of this picture would convey more to a student's mind than hours, or per- . haps weeks, of laborious class study. :: : : :: Mr. Hugh J. Ward left Sydney for America last week to secure new attractions for J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Only recently Mr. Harold Ashton, associate director of the firm, returned from a similar quest with a bunch of new plays. Mr. Ward's visit is another indication of the activity of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., m its endeavor to secure a full hand of attractions for Australia and New Zealand. it !• ii Like the German mark, the socks knitted by Julius Knight are falling fast. Time was when a pair of these socks were auctioned at fancy prices, owing to the frenzy of certain "wimmin" to own the product of those "famous" knitting needles and hands. But times have changed. T'other day 12/6 was the most that was offered for Julius's socks. At this rate, by this time next year Julius won't be able to raiso n bid. t: :: :: Manager Melvin, now m charge of Everybodys Theatre, Wellington, left vaudeville to take up his new post. Together wtih his wife, Miss Eileen Barnsley, they aro well known m Australasia as operatic singers of note. They were last through here with Albert Bletsoe's Revues. Mrs. Melvin is now appearing m Ben Fuller's American Burlesque Company In Sydney. Albert Bletsoe, by the way, has abandoned the boards and is now engaged m commercial pursuits m Wellington. Mr, Robert Williamson', the genial and popular manager for the J. C. Williamson Co.. Ltd., left Auckland for" Gisborne during the week to make preliminary arrangements for the opening date of the overland tour of the Allan Wllkie Shakespearian Co. The other towns included m the Itinerary of the overland tour are Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, and Wanganul. Mr. Williamson will ar-' rive m Wellington towards the end of the month to make arrangements Cor the Wellington season, which is due to open on September 9. Mr. W. Russell is the business manager of the company. Congreve, whose "Double Dealer" has just been revived by the London Stage Society, did not lack recognition m his own day, for the Queen honored the first performance of his play with her presence, and almost all his literary contemporaries praised him to the point of fulsomeness. Yet, as Johnson complains, he "treated the Muses with Ingratitude, for having long conversed familiarly with the great, he wished to be considered rather a man of fashion than of wit; and when he received a visit from Voltaire disgusted him by the despicable foppery of desiring to be considered not as an author but a gentleman; to which the Frenchmnn replied 'that, if lie had been only a gentleman, he should not have; come to visit him.' " Though the censorship of phot.oplays is now the law of the land, the new act is not to be enforced for a month or two yet. Advantage -Is being taken of this by certain film buyers, to work off all film m stock that would be certain to fall foul of tho censor If they held on to it until after that gent. Is appointed. There is now a film-censorship board m operation m New South Wales. This is how they work it over there. The board consists of Miss A. GoldlnK and Mrs. Dwyer. representatives of Mr. George Black, tho Commissioner of Police, the 8.M.A.. tho Council for Civic and Moral Advancement, the Catholic Federation, the Arts Society, the Catholic Federation, the Labor Leagues and Judge Backhouse make up the total. These good people study the synopsis of the film, and If they aro at all doubtful of its morals, the picture is screened for their Inspection. So there Is a bad timo coming m New South Wales for those films that picture the fracturing of the Ten Commandments. t: t j '.'• Hero are a few m the list of future productions to be staged In Australia and New Zealand by J. C. Williamson. Ltd. The Chrisrmas pantomime will be "The House That Jack Built." whlwh is now m course of preparation, the producer being Charles A. Wcnman. Musical comedies include "The Cinema Star" (for early production). "Knllnka," "Tho Pearl Girl," "Town Topics." "A Little Bit of Muff," ''The Ring Boys Are Here." "Mr. Manhattan." "Tito Only Girl." "The Rod Widow," "Betty." "For-ty-Five Mlnues From Broadway." Dramas Include: "Big Jim Garrlty." "Common Clay." "The House of Glass." "Tho Blindness of Virtue." ''Outcast." "The Ttiillic," "Damaged Goods, flio Heart of Wetono, i'he lousiest Way." "Shore Acres," "Tho Great Lover." In comedies there aro "The Dummy." "Daddy Long Legs, Hie Land of Promiae," "Tho Cinderella Man." Farces: "A Full House.." "Marrying Money." "Too many Cooks" (now In preparation by the Hale Hamilton company). "Our Wives," "He Comes Ip Smiling," "Young Wisdom." "Fair und Warmer." "Hlt-the-Truil Holiday" (m which Fred Nlblo has made a tremendous success In New York), and "Baby Mine." it :: «i Apropos of the Dominion tour of the Allan Wllkie Shakespearian Co.. one hey fa It occasionally asserted thai Bacon was the aullmr of 5-'hakes-pcarUn worlts. Who was Bacon 7 He wii.i a scheming politician, a lickspittle, a corrupt Judge, He was sixty years of ago before he turned his attention to poetry. Ho ridiculed the truth of the Copcrnichm system, notwithstanding the subsequent discovery of Rapier. He was ignorant of tho higher branches of mathematics and one discovers In hi;- writings a strange mingling of i.»"H.*hn--ss ami phlN.M^hy. The following will serve to Ulu.Witte the "tripe" Bacon recorded for the benefit, of posterity. He says. "That It Is hard to cure a hurt m a Fnnchmnn's head, but easy m his leg." that "it is hard to cure a hurt m nit Knglltthmnn's h?K. but easy ln his head," that "'•Kt?* l !lld '" the full of the moon breed better birds." thai "you can make swallow.-* white by putting ointment on the ."egg« bi-forc they are hatched." that "wUehvrt cannot hurt kinsts us easily *»*■ '■otitinoti people." that "prrrnm'-s dry ii'nH fstr*n{{the» the brain." that 'bracelets m«ile "f »'iink'-M are k<>'"' •'<"''' crump," thai "ruling i!-.«- ro-.ti'ted brains of to jit* atiil hare/ s'ln-iuUheOH the netrory," that "Dm t»ioi;»t which srr.iwrth on !?ii- .■■Null of „.t i otihtii'led tl<-a<! !!.;•,!! l:i i-'ii't {'>.'■ : ia:il;*'!i!(i>; b'.Ood " It ■:( an infill! to th.. memory of tfn< in'-morwt! Msa ;.<•« p- .if... to try ntut t-.t---!>;bu- the ftuUsor.'i.Mp >>t hi-* wonder, ful work* to tho compiler of lh«j above pUTI*.

Mr. Scott Colville, since his arrival m the Capital City, has lost no time m giving every publicity to the Submarine AJotion Pictures, which he is handling for the Messrs. Williams Bros. :: :: t: The Submarine Motion Pictures to he exhibited this week m the Town Hall. Wellington, demonstrate the stage which kinematography has reached. Imagine sitting comfortably m a comfortable seat m a cosy hall and watching the strange sights under the sea, with all its wondrous • growths and inhabitants. >> et ii Everybody's have got a clinking good picture on the current programme m "The Raiders," an Ince-Triangle production with a Wall-street flavor. The story is full of movement and excitement and is splendidly enacted and produced.- In fact, "The Raiders"' is so interesting that even Herbert Bloy's music failed to lull "Deadhead" to sleep this time. Allan Wilkle, who commences his New Zealand tour with Shakespearian plays almost immediately, brings with ,him as leading lady, Miss Fredswyde Hunter-Watts. In tho fascinating role and tights of Rosalind, this clever lady has ravished many male . hearts m Australia, and is sure to do the same m these unsophisticated islands. With regret, however, we hasten to inform the world that the picturesque lady is already married to Allan Wllkie. Possibly the new tax on amusements would be more productive if a proclamation, issued b^ Queen Anne against theatrical deadheads, were still enforced. This stipulated that "no Persons shall come into a Playhouse without paying the prices established for their respective places." It was further laid down that "no Person of what Quality soever, Presume to go behind the Scenes, or come upon the Stage, either before or during the Acting of an,y Play. ... If any Persons whatsoever shall disobey this Our Known Pleasure and Command, We shall proceed against them as Contemners of our Royal Authority, and Disturbers of the Publick Peace." t» :: :: Several very good programmes of new pictures will be released m Wellington on Saturday next. At the King's Theatre they are going to pin their faith on "The Rosary," a monster Sellg production, founded on the sweet, sad song of that name. Kathlyn Williams is In the lead; Everybody's is putting its shirt on "Iris," a photodramatisation of. Sir A. W. Pinero's celebrated drama. Beauteous Henry . Ainley and dainty Alma Taylor are m the lead, and as there is quite an Ainley cult amongst Wellington flappers, biz. should be brisk. At the Empress things are going to hum! Victoria Cross's "Five Nights" is the reason. This drama is m five parts — a part to a night. To learn what happened on the gold, violet, black, crimson and white nights, you must go and see the picture. Somebody has suggested that the programmes should be printed on asbestos bond, but really It isn't necessary. The temperature may get rather high, but the Empress is fireproof. «: t: ' tt What a dandy orchestra accompanies the Tivoll Follies this year on their tour throughout New Zealand. No wonder the show goes with a bang and vim right through. Special mention must be made of the drummer who Is surely by way of being a genlUß In his line. Bill Quintrell, the conductor, will never need a better testimonial to his capabilities than the showing of his present team. But we arc not going to let this leader-man off scot .free, for we must confess to finding fault with tho wierd contortions Bill Indulges m whilst conducting. He reminds us of Horace Sheldon, the conductor of Horry I^iuder's orchestra, when the Talts brought the Scottish comedian through New Zealand. Sheldon made a burlesque of the job, and Bill Quintrell seems to have founded his style on thjs gent At any rate he evinces some of the former's eccentricities — which we might mention are neither necessary or pleasing, and only dem distracting. When "Deadhead" conducted an orchestra (long years ago) all tho hard work occurred at rehearsals, and once they bad perfected themselves m their parts, he could always safely trust them to carry on— ln fact they could do without any conductor at all; but, of course, "Deadhead" never told the boss that. Wonder if Bill Quintrellhas ever seen Sir Henry Wood (probably the world's roost famous conductor); m charge of his flock. This grand old man never Indulges m any batongymnastics, he hardly moves his stick at all, but he delivers tho goods — every time.