PLAYS AND PICTURES

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 40, 25 September 1928, Page 2

PLAYS AND PICTURES

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS (By "SPOTLIGHT.") KING'S THEATRE. To-night Tuesday ar,d Wednesday: "Wolf Fangs," starring 'llrauder" (the canine marvel). Thursday only. "The. Shepherd of the Hills" (Alec B. Francis). Kingsfov,di Smith at Hawera. Friday only: "The Ghost Train" (all star cast). Saturday only: "7 Days" and Ep. 1 and 2 "Radio King" serial. "Wolf Fangs" starring the champion dog, Thunder, is a fascinating dog story, which will he at the King's to-night and Wednesday. Thunder is supported hy*a complete canine cast as well as an exceptional human one in this story, a gripping tale of the life on the open ranges of the North. Charles Morton and Caryl Lincoln have the human leads. —xx—- " The Shepherd of the Hills" is one of Harold Bell Wright's most widely read novels, and the picture will he seen on Thursday night only. It is the most tender love story of the back woods ever written, and it took months of effort and enormous expenditure to bring this story to the screen, as Harold Bell Wright's .bestselling novel described it. Alex B. Francis and Molly O'Day head 1 the list of a, big cast. On the same programme will be Kings ford Smith's arrival at Hawera. —xx—- " The Ghost Train" which will be screened Friday night only, is a spectacular and effective comedydrama with, a predominating sense of uncanny mystery throughout the production which succeeds in making one's flesh creep. —xx — The magic pen of Peter B. Kyne has given the screen many of its greatest pictures. How many authors have hisi millions of followers of eagpi" admirers constantly! clamouring for more from his pen. In this action-crammed story, "War Paint" he enters a new 1 field of fiction. The story deals with the adventurous days when redskin and paleface battled for mastery. Tim MoOov. Pauline Starke, and Karl Bane are some ot the many players in this; thrilling epio of outdoor adventure atnd ro>mance —xx — In "Seven Days" Lillian Rich and Creigjhton Hale have the leading roles. The plot is one which "anything can happen and most everything does. It is packed with, the hilarious happenings of seven days, when a party.of folks are quarintined in a bouse by a smallpox scare. This is the first niglrt of "Return Week" and on the programme is Episode 1

and l 2 of a serial "The Radio King" to be shown all in the one week. —xx — Changing name s seems to be the newest fad among cinema folk. Several have adopted new "monickers" during the last two or three months •and the latest to do so is Lola Todd. From now on she will be known as Carol Morgan. There's a real reason for Lola's move. She is too frequently confused with Thelma Todd. Just to keep in style, Marcella Battelini, the. Italian girl whom Fox imported into Hollywood, has changed her name to Lola Salvi. . — x — What has happened to Carol Dempster? Let Carol answer the question herself: "I don't care to wdrk for anybody but Mr. Griffith. When he has a part which he thinks is- my type, I suppose I will play it." And she is quite independent about it, saying that she can be happy and comfortable without fame. —xx — Mr. Bert Royle, New Zealand representative of J. C. Williamson and. J. and N. Tait, hag completed the New Zealand' itinerary of the Margaret Bannerman Company, which comes to the Dominion next month. The repertoire will include r 'Othor Men's Wives," "Our Betters," "Sexes and Sevens," and "Diplomaqy." These are four splendid [ comedies, and form as fine a list as hag even been presented to New Zealand audiences,. The completo dates for the Dominion tour are as

1 under:— Auckland, Oct 3 to Oct. 16; Wanganui, Oct. 18 and 19, NeW Plymouth, Oct. 20j Palmeivstun N"., Oct. 22; Hastings, Oct. 23; Napier, Oct. 24 and 25; Masterton, Oct. 26; Wellington, Oct. 27 to Nov. 9; Invercargill, Nov. 12 and 13; Dunedin, Oct. 14 to 24; Timaru, Nov. 26 and 27; Christchurch, Nov. 28 to Dec. 12. Supporting the famous actress is one of the strongest combinations ever brought to New Zealand. —xx — The Church and the Stage. Miss Irene Vanbrugh, who with Dion Boucicault and a J. O. Williamson Comedy Company (which includes several well-known English artists) is due in New Zealand shortly, may he said to he another link between the church and the stage. The daughter of a clergyman, and one of a large family, it was imperative that, at an early ge, Miss Vanbrugh should! take ip a career. Family consultations followed, and the all-important subject was the theme of many interesting discussions. Ag an older sister, Violet, had already embraced tho stage 1 as a profession, what was more natural than that Irene should follow lin her sister's footsteps. This she did, making her debut as Phoebe in "As you like it," with her sister playing the leading part of Rosalind. It was a fortunate choice—fcr the stage as well ag for Miss Vanbrugh. —xx — It is not generally known that Margaret Bannerman, the famous actress who opens her New Plymouth season on October 20th, made her debut in musical comedy. It wag later on that Bhe felt the call of comedy, in which she ultimately scored hen greatestsuccesses. "I think," she said to a recent interviewer, "that way back in my inner consciousness I always had the idea of a comedy career. The other phases were as stepping stones.'' She was engaged by Charles Hawtrey as leading lady, appeared with great success in "Send for Dr. 0' Grady," and was playing in this cor medy when Hawtrey died. < Then, in association with Arthur Princep, who had secured) a long lease of the Globe Theatre, she" appeared in "Our Betters," and made a triumphant succes9 in the role in which she will appear in New Zealand. —xxx — The promised production in New Zealand of Somerset Maughan's far mous comedy "Caroline" uy the members of the Vanbrugh-Boucicault Company, has caused general satisfaction. '■''Caiito'Dne" bubbles wvev with high spirit, and is generously furnished with witty lines. In the hands of Irene Vanbrugh, Dion Boucicault, Norman McKinnel and the talented members of the company, it is described as "sheer joy." Caroline Ashby is one of Irene Vanbrugh's most notable roles. She played it with great success after her return from Australia and New Zealand, and her splendid acting was acclaimed by the London Press. One critic said that Miss Vanbrugh "seemed to pounce on a situation with the speed of a racehorse. The variety of her expressions is remarkable. She can do more with a turn of the eyes than multitudes of actresses can do with their entire bodies." —xxx One of the star acts in the J. C. Williamson's Vaudville Company at Sydney Trivoli is that provided by the Kelso Boys (Joe and 1 Harry), who have just returned from the United States, where for fifteen years tHjy have] showing that our comedy methods are as good as any in America. Their last production is called "The Crazy-Quilt Revue," and they have introduced many startling novelties, including side-splitting \,\\rlesque,, acrobatic feats, something new in juggling and Captain Smithlay's lion-taming scene. It is said that Harry Kelso's burlesque taming effort transforms tho jungle beasts into cljover comedians. In tho short space of an hour the Kelso's manage to introduce everything from opera to circus in their unique turn.

XXX Maidie Hope, who plays the important, role in "Our Betters," with the famous London actress Margaret Bannerman (coming to New Zealand Isoon) has| developed into a, highly accomplished! and most versatile artist. Her coming is of particular interest to residents of the overseas Dominions hy reason of the fact that she married ]>udley Ward, a cousin of Lord Dudley, a. former GovernorGeneral of Australia. XXX Francis Lister, the "juvenile lead" of the Marjgaret) Bannerman Company, which is scheduled l to come to New Zealand this year, was horn in London. He served his histrionic apprenticeship with. Sir Herbert Tree, but after war service accepted an engagement to play in America, and Was associated with David Belasco and Mrs. Fiske in a series of product-

ions. Returning to London, he scored successes in "The Fake," "In the Next Boom," "You Never can Tell," "The Tempest," and "The Family Man," in the.last of which he was associated with. Norman McKinnel, now with .the Vanbrugh-Boucicault Company. Prior to coming to Australia he was Margaret Bannerman's leading man for two year s in the London run of "Lullaby" and "Beginners Luck,"- and in the all-star cast of "Sexeg and Sevens," which created quite a sensation when presented in London.. THE ANSWERMAN. ' The Answerman will be pleased to answer any questions relating to the stars or the motion picture industry in general. Write a short letter, ask what you want to know and post it to "Answerman care Evening Post." All letters must be endorsed with the writer's signature, but for publication a nom.de plume may be assumed. Questions will be answered only through these columns. —xxx — Fan (Midhirst). —Here we are again, my word, how .the time flies. This time you are wanting to know about Molly O'Day. She is a sister of Sally O'Neill. She will be seen in a picture "The Shepherd of the Hills" here next Thursday. Shje is 20 years old and has dark hair and eyes. Her address is First National Studios, Burbank, California. Leila Hyams is at Warner Bros. Studios, 5842 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California. Laura La Plante is 34 years old and is sft 2 J ln s in height. —xxx — Doris (Stratford). —Alice Joyce is with} First National Pictures, Burbank, California. She has black hair and brown eyes, and you are right, she is over 35 years of age, in fact I believe she will be 38 in October.