ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1930, Page 22 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

COMING EVENTS. EVERYBODY’S. New Plymouth. September 27 to October 3. —‘‘No, No, Nanette”. (all star), Warner Bros, and Vitaphone part-technicolour, musical production. October 4 to 7.——“'The Girl Said No (William Haines), M.G.M. all talking production. October 8 to 10.—“ So Long- Letty” (all star), First National all talking comedy. October 11 to 14.—“ The Golden Calf’ (Sue Carol, El Brendel, Marjorie White). Fox Movietone all talking production. . ‘ '•■. , ' 'l THE REGENT. New Plymouth. •September 27 to -30.—“ Seven Keys • to Baldpate” (Richard Dix), >R.K.O. all talking production,;and “The Mounted Stranger ’’(Hoot Gibson), Universal all talking production. October 1 to 3.—“ The Lady Lies” (Claudette Colbert), Paramount special . all talking, production. October 4 to 16.— “.The-- Show of Shows ’ j (100 stare), Warner Bros, all technicolour revue. October .11 to 14.—“ The Cohens and Kellys in Scotland”.. (Charlie Murray and George Sidney 1 ). Universal . all talking special production. OPERA HOUSE. . New Plymouth. , October 4—“ Hold Everything” (Clem Dawe) J. C. Williamson stage play. October 7.—“ Cinderella” (dance recital 'by pupils of Mies Elwyn Riley). ,1. October 14'.—Kubelik (famous violinist). “NO, NO, NANETTE.” A farcical comedy, set against the most lavish backgrounds Hollywood has ever created, is promised in “No, No, Nanette” commencing at Everybody’s to day at 2 and 7.45 p.m. A big featured cast appears, headed by Bernice Chi ire and Alexander Gray, Lucien Littlefield, Louise Fazenda, Lilyan Tashman, Bert Roach, Mildred Harris, Jocelyn Lee, and Zasu Pitts are some of the other well-known players. “No, No, Nanette” is the story of a kind-hearted old millionaire who cannot make his thrifty wife help him spend his money. When he turns to a pair of young golddiggers for - assistance he gets .himself . into a lot of comical troubles. The’backgrounds and settings are said to be magnificent. Four big' scenes representing ” Holland, New York, Japan and Mars, all filmed in technicolour, are des'eribed as- the high moments of the picture, of people take part' in thesfe liiulti-coloured sequences in -whirling and i .jgiarkling dances. .. “THE MOUNTED STRANGER.” Hoot Gibson rides his old cayuse into jgome of the most thrilling situations ever seen and heard on the screen in “The Mounted Stranger,” Universal allS' ' liking action picture, screening at The egent to-day in conjunction with “Seven Keys to Baldpate.” Riding, fighting, romance aud humour feature “The Mounted Stranger”-from-the word “go.” Hoot returns to his old stamping ground, down along the border, where men ride hard and figljt hard, and-life hold, a thrill a minute. Hoot plays the part of a young cowboy, ivho sets out to avenge the death of his father, murdered by a gang of bad men. How he accomplishes this, aided by a beautiful girl, makes one of?the most interesting and exciting picturesi-Between plots, Ifights and hair breadth escapes, Hoot finds, plenty of time- to indulge in his inimitable' brand of ■ humour, which is ' among the many things that make his ■work distinctive as a western star. Win- ’ some .Louise Lorraine plays opposite Hoot. 7 As a beautiful girl of Spanish descent she fisks her own life to save that of .the ‘hero. • . ■ ‘ “THE LADY LIES.” \ Regarding “The Lady. Lies,” the special all-talking production coining to The Regent pri Wednesday,, the Bilm'- Weekly says;-—“Apart from' therather mysteriont ititle, this picture, amply satisfies all one’s aesthetic longings- for. perfection of technique and a psychology that belongs : to life. All who: saw “Gentleinen of the Press”,know that in,Hus- ‘ ton and Ruggles, the screen has gained two actors of the first water. Huston is nqt one of the. beauty-, men of the 1 movies, but he has sufliciqnt good looks and a - most attractive .personality. Ruggles, the shameless but delightful drunken porter of • the press story, is - the tippling friend of Robert Rossiter in this, and is as irresistibly funny and characteristically individual as previously. He warns Rossiter against brunettes—blondes being more amiable —but when Rossiter links up with a brunette, Charles consoles him with the remark that perhaps she “is a brunette with the disposition of a blonde.” He himself is concerned with a very tall blonde named Hilda, who calls him her “camel.” Hilda eventually has a lot to do with righting the wrongs of her friend Joyce Roma (Claudette). Rossiter and Joyce arc deeply in love, but he has not proposed marriage because ho considers her status not high enough for.her to be made the stepmother of his children, a boy and a girl noiv at school. Miss Colbert, whom *we have seen in a very different role as Madame Mystera, is very charming and natural in “The Lady Lies.” The boy, Tom Brown, gives an excellent performance as young Bob Rossiter, and Pat Deering as Jo, his sister. The voices are well recorded, most of them cultured. It is high-grade entertainment. “THE GIRL SAID NO.” Romance and big business, love and Wall Street, mingle in William Haines’ latest all-talking comedy, “The Girl Sail No,” coming to Everybody’s talkies. The picture tells tfie story of a young man facing the early stages of business life. It shows him taking over the reponsibilities of a. family and then winning the girl of his dreams, despite stiff competition. In the cast of “The Girl Said No” are Leila Hymans, Polly Moran, Marie Dressier. Francis N. Bushman, junr., Clara Blandick”, William Janney, William V. Mong, Junior Coghlan and Phyllis Crane. Sam Wood directed the picture. “SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE.” In a role he chose himself from among »11 available dramatic material, Richard Div comes to the screen of the Regent Theatre to-day: . The talking screen drama, adapted from the sensationally successful- George M. Cohan play, which was based in turn on Earl Deir Biggers novel, presents Dix as a writer who en-

counters an amazing night of adventure in. a deserted inn vfhile on the quest of a place of solitude in ■ which to work. Two veterans of the Broadway stage presentation, Joseph Allen and Caileton Macy, rc-enact their parts in support of. Dix. Others in the cast are Miriam Seegar, DeWitt Jennings, Margaret Livingston, Cranford Kent, Lucien Littlefield, Nella Walker, Joseph Herbert. Allen Roscoe; Harvey Clark and Edith Yorke. New' thrills and laughs have been added to the classic farce melodrama by the expert direction of Reginald Barker; ’“THE SHOW OF SHOWS.” One of the most brilliant and spectacular all-technicolour. talking, singin- and dancing productions seen in New Zealand is “Show of Shows.” It is a wonderful production from the one tact that it presents every one of the Warner Bros.’ Vitaphone Company’s IUO star artist"; John Barrymore and Noah Beery, Carmel Myers . and Betty Compson, and.a.host of others who have firmly established themselves in public favour. It is a full two-hour programme in itself, and the seventeen scenes of which the picture is comprised may well ■bA described as a super- revue. The resplendent dresses might bo the pride of any keeper of the wardrobes, and with the chorus of 400 voices the stage carries one of tlie most perfectly trained combination of choristers the screen has yet shown. Vaudeville has given of its very best in providing the comedians, dancers and acrobats; old-time numbers carry the audience back more years than one cares to remember, yet their revival is very popular. “The Show of Shows’ comes to The Regent on Saturday, October 4, direct from its. highly successful season at the St. James’ Theatre, Wellington. ; . y INGLEWOOD TALKIES. To-night.—“ Senor Americano,” a 100 per cent. Universal talkie featuring Ken Maynard. Supports include “Micky the .Mouse.” Wednesday. —“The Melody Man, an alltalking and musical special starring William Cojlier, Junior. ■ Saturday.—Mary.Nolan in the “Shanghai Lady.” Supports, include “Junior Luck,” “Nutty Notes,” “Micky the Mouse,” and Universal news. FAME IN LONDON. '? ' 'i ; ■ SUCCESS OF AUSTRALIANS. With,' news, of the theatrical successes of Australians abroad, Tom Holt, of the London organisation of J. C. Williamson Limited, has arrived in Melbourne. “In ‘The Love Race,’ a highly successful musical comedy now- running at the Gaiety Theatre,” said'Mr. Holt, “Madge Elliott, Cyril Ritchard, Billy Cunningham and Harry Wootton —all of them Australians —are in the cast. Reita Nugent, who played in London for 14 months in ‘Mr. Cinders,’ opens this week in the Berlin production in her cjrigmal part. She will play it in German, having, learned the language in six months. “Vera Pearce has had a big success in New York, and is destined for talkie work shortly, I believe. “Dorothy Seacombe and Eve Grey are both doing very well in British talkies.” Frank Harvey, who through his long association with the stage in Austi alia, is almost regarded as an Australian, is achievifig fame as a playwright. He has sold the talkie, rights for his two plays!—“The Last Enemy,” and “Cape Forlorn”—and although these productions were not successful financially when put oh as plays, he is regarded as a writer of no mean ability. > _ George Gee.had a triumphal run in London last'year, but at the time Mr. Holt left London, was not working. Marie' Burke arid Maurice Moscovitch are both in Hollywood, booked for talkie contracts —and Marie Tempest, another favourite of Australian audiences, is starring in “The First Mrs. Fraser, the play which has-had more than a year’s- run at the Haymarket Theatre already. Although during the summer London experienced the greatest theatrical slump it has had for many years, Mi. Holt considers it has had one good effect. ' “During the war,” he said, “there was a phenomenal demand for theatres, and leases for even small bouses were signed for at as high a figure as £5OO a week —increasing vastly the cost of pro-duction-,for plays. Now. that the demand for theatres has lessened, . these rent profiteers find themselves seriously embarrassed,, and the result is that houses are now available for £2OO where previously £5OO was demanded. “Even.so, new theatres are constantly being built, the latest being the Ziegfeld Theatre, which is to open shortly witli a. new revue. There is also the ne" Jack Buchanan Theatre, in Leicester Square—but this, I understand, is to be a talkie house eventually. “British talkies are forging ahead ■wonderfully. The latest release, ‘Symphony in Two Flats,’ with Ivor Novcllo and Cyril Ritchard in the east, is receiving particularly good press notices.’ Mr. Holt said British authors and composers were displacing many of the imported American musical comedies which had flooded London for so many years. Before the end of the year, three new musical shows were to be produced in the West End, and all of them by young British authors. Although vaudeville, temporarily, was waning, he predicted a. strong revival before long—perhaps through the medium of the talkie houses, which showed a tendency to interpolate one or two vaudeville acts in their picture programme. MANY DEBTS. VALENTINO’S ESTATE. A minor Hollywood sensation has been caused by the suit which Alberto Gugliehni and Maria Strade, brother and sister of the late Rudolph Valentino, have filed against George Ullman, Valentino’s executor. They charge Ullman with, mismanagement, of the estate and ’diverting large sums to his own use. Ullman, in the answer he has filed to the charges, says that, far from mismanaging the estate, he found it in a debt-ridden condition and spent years ironing it out. It was Valentino who wrecked his own estate, Ullman claims, for he died leaving debts of over £150,000 outstanding. By exploiting Valentino’s old pictures and auctioning his effects, for far more than they were intrinsically worth, Ullman claims ho. turned a deficit of £60,000 into a surplus of £lOO,OOO to be distributed among the heirs. A court hearing will take place and a decision reached as to whether Ullman shall be permitted to continue.as manager and executor of the estate.

“SHOW OF SHOWS.” NEW ERA IN SINGING PICTURES. TECHNICOLOUR SUPER-REVUE. “Show of Shows” has one of the most novel of openings. The prologue is not a. prologue, but serves as a swift and entertaining medium to introduce the picture. It opens on a. mediaeval setting fantastically designed and filmed in technicolour. The scene is that of an execution. Old num Prologue is doomed to have his head chopped off! Hobart Bosworth is the executioner, William Courtney is the minister, and H. B. Warner enacts Prologue. Scores of enthusiastic onlookers make up the atmosphere of this number. As the knife descends upon the neck of Prologue the crowd cries, “On with the Show ol Shows! Away with Prologue!”' i MILITARY NUMBER. We swing into the gorgeous “Alilitarv Number,'” in which Monte Blue is featured. Two hundred beautiful and talented chorus girls attired in flashing red and white and blue capes, oyer masculine - military uniforms execute a glamorous dancing routine on the high steps of a great castlg. . . CHINESE. NUAIBER. ■ • : Myrna Loy ami Nick Lucas are the principals in this colourful number. One hundred and twenty-five girls, dressed in beautiful Oriental costumes, make up the background and perform several startlingly new and spectacular dance routines. Myrna Loy dances an interpretative Chinese dance, while Nick Lucas, the crooning . troubadour), sings “Li-Po-Li.” ■ • • ' FLORADORA., ’ • ■ This, number is the answer to what became of' the Floradora .Bovs. “ The six girls attained'fame';: but where are tho 'boys? First, six Floradora girls, played by Marian Nixon, Sally O’Neil, My rna, Loy. Patsy •Ku th Miller, Alice Dav. and Lila-Lee, enter and sing. As they exit) the boys enter, cacli' dressed

in the uniform of tho job he now holds. One is a plumber, another an ice-man, another a .cab-drivcr, another a waiter, and so on. The boys are played by Lloyd] Hamilton, Lupino Lane, Lee Moran, Ben Turpin, Bert Roach and Hcinio Conklin. SISTER. NUMBER. Imagine one number in which appear eight sets of real blood sisters of cinemaland! The sisters are Dolores and Helene Costello, Sally O’Neil and Molly O’Day, Alice and Marceline Day, Loretta Young and Sally Blanc, Armida and Lola, Shirley Mason and Viola Dana, Marion Byron and Harietto Lake, and Alberta • and Adamae Vaughn.- Each- set of sisters •appears representing a different nation and attired in characteristic costumes of each country. The tune is “Meet My Sister!” and Richard Barthelmess is master of ceremonies for the number. MANY SKETCHES. There are other numbers with singing, dancing', comedy and clever mimicry. and between each number there is never a let-down. I‘rank hay as the master of ceremonies keeps- things humming in grand style. Such artists appear in these sketches as Sid Silvers, Ted Lewis, Nick Lucas and others, while through all the droll humour of Frank Fay is much in evidenefc. w

WINNIE LIGHTNER. Broadway’s tomboy and singing emuedienne, Winnie Lightner, who scored outstandingly in “Gold Diggers of Broadway,”' is featured in a nufnber in which she sings in her own inimitable manner “Sing’n’ in . the Bathtub.” The setting of this sketch represents a. large bathroom. In the chorus for this number are twenty-five boys attiied as bathing girls of the vintage, of 1902, who perform ludicrous antics. PIRATE NUMBER. "’cd Lewis, famous high-hatted tragedian of jazz, ’is featured in this number, in which appears a great array of the screen's leading ladies and heavy character actors. 'The leading ladies arc Carmel Myers. Ruth Clifford, Sally Eilers. Viola. Dana. Shirley Mason, Eth]vne Claire. Francis Lee and Julianne Johnston. The heavies are Noah Beery, Tully Marshall, Wheeler Oakman, Bull Montana, Kalla. Pasha, Johnny Arthur, Anders Randolph, Otto Matieson, Jack 'C'tutis, and Philo McCullough. BICYCLE BUILT FOR TWO. Old-fashioned whoopee of the vintage of LIiOO holds sway in this one. A ecnicdy take-off on .the days of hustles and two-seated bicycles, this sketch is full of laughs, and rings in the famous old tune, “Daisy, Give Me Your Answer, Do.” Douglas Fairbanks, junr..

heads the prominent list of stars in this number, which includes Lois Wilson, Jacqueline Logan, Gertrude. Olmsted Pauline Ge u, Grant Withers, William Collier, junr., 'William Bakewell, Chester Conklin, Sally Eilers, Chester Morris and others. BLACK AND WHITE NUMBER. j This number is a lovely presentation in which seventy-five dancing girls execute a rhythmic ballet. The costumes arc especially designed in black and white, while, the setting is entirely in black. Novel effects are obtained, as the costumes are half black and half white. As the dance continues flashes of black and white against the background produce, startling contrasts. Louise Fazenda is featured in this num-’ bcr. IRENE BORDONI. 'The French Hash of musical comedy who scored in America, as a. dramatic actress and musical revue star, appears in a;i unusually novel number. She is supported by ten noted song writers. Miss Bordoni sings the outstanding successes of each composer. JOHN BARRYMORE NUMBER. This number is a scoop for Vitaphone. John Barrymore, the greatest actor of to.-day, who attained the highest fame as an artist, gives a special selection from “King Henry VI.” He broke even the celebrated Herbert Beerbohni 'Tree’s record for consecutive performances in London,. arid. later became America's greatest Shakespearean actor. He is supported in this presentation by such capable suppoi ting players as E. J. Ratclitic, Anthony Bushell and Reginald Cliai-land. ' ; ' ' ■ .• EXECUTION NUMBER. , Laid in the desert and cactus bad lands of- Mexico, this number stands out for its originality and comedy. Mbrite Blue appears as the man to be executed, and Frank Fay essays the general about to give the signal for his squad of. soldiers to lire. A group of' the' screen’s leading heavy actors, lidded by Noah Beery, complete the cast: of this number. GEORGES CARPENTIER. One of the most colourful persons ever to enter the prize ring, Georgas Carpentier, who for some tune recently has been entertaining audiences in Paris as a musical comedy star, sings and dances for the first time in the talkies. This versatile man sings "If 1 Could Learn to Love,” and he is supported by Alice White and Patsy Ruth Miller. A chorus of one hundred girls completes the number, which is (replete with novel dancing and effects. SPECIAL ALL-STAR NUMBER. The players iri this presentation are Frank Fay, Winnie Lightner, Nick Lucas, and other stars. Their comedy mi."S are a riot of laughter and their songs* are a mixture of comic numbers and hot tunes. LADY LUCK NUMBER. Here 'is beyond all doubt the most pretentious individual . presentation ever screened and recorded. The entire production of “The Show of Shows builds toward this grand finale. Three hundred people appear in the number. The lovely Betty Compson is “Lady Luck,” and Alexander Gray is featured with her. Fifteen individual acts make up this one number, which moves rapidIv from one act to the other, until a crescendo is reached amid a whirl of dancing and: singing. < BARNUM WAS WRONG. The' “Show of Shows” is without doubt the most pretentious of all productions of either stage or screen. There are seventy-seven stars in the cast and ensembles including over five hundred. There are songs galore—snappy, tuneful modern songs of the sort that linger in the mind and set the audience hunuping or whistiing as they leave the play. Everything . that has ever been a part of the entertainment world seems to have its moment in this big revue. An American reviewer, after seeing this mammoth production, said: ‘'Barnum was quite and absolutely wrong. This is the biggest show on earth.”

ATTRACTIVE BRITISH FILMS. STAGE PLAY ADAPTIONS. A business tour throughout New Zealand with the object of establishing British pictures still more firmly' in the country's market is being carried out at present by Air. J. A. Lipman, the representative in Australia, and New Zealand for British International Pictures, of Elstree. “I am able to say that our Elstree Studios are now equal to any in tne world,” Mr. jjipnian told the Auckland Sun. “ ‘Atlantic.’ the first big British talkie, was made ’at Elstree, and there is no doubt ■ that the pictures to come will maintain the same high standard. “. ‘.Elstree Calling’ is a revue, but fellows more on the lines of high-class vaudeville and. in this way, is different from those made in Hollywood. “ ‘Loose Ends,’ ‘Young Woodley,’ and ‘Cape Forlorn’ (Frank Harvey’s play) are talkie versions of well-known and successful stage productions.” Mr. Lipman added that another forthcoming release was “Two Worlds,” the director of which was A. E. Dupont, of “Atlantic” fame. In addition there were three talkies of the thriller type—“ The W Plan,” “The Alan at Six.” and Edgar W’allace’s “The Yellow Alask.” It would be seen, lie said, that the programme set by British International was one of wide variety and provided a tenge of subjects that should meet all tastes.

SHILLING A WEEK. GRACIE FIELDS’ CAREER. I Gracie Fields used to wear clogs and sing in a. troupe for a. shilling a week; now she sings for, 1 suppose, £10,060 or £15.000 a. year, and could wear diamond buckles on her shoes, writes an interviewer in a Loudon exchange. Not that 1 imagine she would. For Gracie Fields is Gracie Fields—Lancashire, full of sense, humorous, hard-working, forthright, witty —and a genius. But she sang 24 songs at the Palladium, and she says, “This job doesn't, give me any time to get into mischief.” She brushed her . magnificent ' dark auburn hair, did comical tricks with her voice to people who hammered at the door, and laughed out of her lustrous eyes. "It’s bed and work,” rhe said. ‘‘That's what miners and cotton operatives used to say in Lancashire when trade was good. I started when I was seven —singing from the gallery to a woman on the stage. I was determined to be an actress. No, it didn’t run in the ,family, nobody else had ever done it. _ ’’ “Then T played in troupes for a. shilling a. week. We did half an hour, and I was 20 minutes of it. I never really went fo school. At 12 they gave me a comic number to do. When the audience laughed I cried; I thought ‘ they’ve no right to laugh—and me with a voice like Patti's! But I wanted to be a turn on mv own. I was 14 and full of myself, with a head the size of six—and 1 wouldn't take under £5 a week, i stuck out, and at last I got it. I deputised for a woman. But it didn't last—l couldn't keep up to my £5 level. “I joined a concert party —what a come-down 1 thought it! It was quite an accident that I became a comedienne. I mimicked members of the company, and when people like Gertie Gitana* were on the bill I imitated them for mother and the people ill our street. We had a mimic' in our company, and one day I said to him, cheekily: ‘Ke, you arc a rotten mimic, aren’t you?” He just roared, and persuaded me to do ‘George Formby.’ He roared, but 1. swore I wouldn’t do mimicry on the stage. I did, though, later on. “After that 1 went home, not getting enough work, and my mother said I must go to the mill, like other girls. Cotton mill, shop, paper bag factory — I did all sorts of things for two years. I wore clogs; I’ve got ’em with me s’s. My mother was pushing me on the stage with one hand and pulling me off with the other. “At 16 I joined a revue. Mother said if I didn’t make good there 1 should have to go io the mill for good. I dreaded the mill and knew I’d do anything rather than go back. But my luck turned. The principal comedian in that revue was Archie Pitt,, now my husband. That was in 1915. The turning point had come, and since then the road’s been straight on. We’ve played together ever since, mostly in .revues he's written.” We spoke for a moment of the the future. “I’d like to be artistic and be in plays in the fashion of Sacha Guitry and Yvonne Printenips —but, you know, they wouldn’t please the people who pay 4d and come in the gallery. I owe a lot to them. One day I’d love to be in a straight play—but I must wait a bit.” ADA REEVE’S BIG MONEY. ' SALARIES NOT ALL REDUCED. ' \ Distinction of receiving the highest salary ever paid in vaudeville in Australia lies, probably, with Ada Reeve. Her draw at the Tivoli has soared up to at least £750 a week. For Miss Reeve’s big earnings, it is neecsiwiry to go back to the Hugh D. Mclntosh days —1912 to 1921, says an Australian paper. “In her first engagement with me,” he relates, “she got £350 a week —all for her little self. The second time 1 played her on terms. Her share frequently panned out at over £lOOO a week. Out of this she had to pay her own supporting artists. But the amount for herself would still be well over £SOO a week.” How do managers estimate an artist’s value? Just to the extent he or she pleases or attracts business to the thea-> trc. Some may be dear—a bad bargain —at £l5 or £2s* a week. Others—in rare cases—cheap at £250 or £350 a week. Mr. Mclntosh could give an instance of an artist, justifiably commanding . £250 in London, and engaged by him at £175 for Australia, who merely —in his own words—drove the people out of the theatre. Failures subsequent to the Mclntosh regime include Harry Green (£2OO a week). To-day this artist is getting £5OO a week with Paramount Pictures, Ltd. The explanation is that he was unable to repeat here tlfe vaudeville success he had been in America. Fortunate big-money engagements were Long Tack Sam (£3OO a week) and the Ingenues (£4OO a week). There were.lo in the former combination, and IS in the latter. Long Tack Sam drew up to £2700 a week, and the Ingenues the record for the 1922-23 period—£3ooo a week. It will be observed that all these salaries fall far short of some of the weekly payments made to Ada Reeve. Consequently it is a vastly expensive artist that Sydney is again to see ill Miss Reeve, with her return in “Pot Luck.” With her will be Alfred Frith, who probably got his top money with Wil-liamson-Tait, Ltd., in his last engagement (running well into three figures) —due, to some'extent, to the fact that the Fullers were at the same time competing for his services. Two other members of the company are Hector St. Clair and Roy Rene (Mo). Former has assuredly touched £5O a week, and for years, it is safe to say, Mo handled at least a similar amount from Fullers. , The talkies have put many artists out of work. How about the salaries of those that remain? Certainly, a number have suffered reduction—in some eases to the extent of half what they wore previously getting. But there are two other classes—those under long contracts and those whose services are considered vital by managers. For all such artists, payment has to be made—just as in the past. There is no ground for the belief that all artists have had to come down in their figures because of present-day conditions. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. THE MYSTIC AND VISIONARY. Millions of people are familiar with the Lincoln of history, the great emancipator of the negroes, yet few have heard or read of his eccentricities. This real Lincoln, the mystic and visionary, is the character D. W. Griffith has recreated in his epic dialogue picture, “Abraham Lincoln.” No significant phase of the emancipator’s life is left out of the Griffith film. The picture boasts a cast of 9'5 major character actors headed by Walter Huston as Lincoln. Kay Hammond as Mary Todd. Una Morkel as Ann Rutledge, Jason Robart as Ilorndon, and lan Keith as John Wilkies Booth. The film will be released •by United Artists.

LVEL7N LAYE'S DIVORCE. SCENE IN COURT. There was a, dramatic scene in the divorce court. London, when Evelyn Laye, the actress (in private life Airs. Evelyn Elsie Afonro), was granted a decree nisi against her husband, Robert Male Monro, known on the stage as Sonnie Hale. Jessie the actress (Airs. Jessie Margaret Lytton), who intervened, collapsed during the reading of seme letters, and had to be assisted from the court. Tho case was a sequel to the action he.ai I in November last, when Aliss Alatthews obtained a decree nisi against her husband. Lord Alva Lytton, the actor, discretion being exercised in her favour with regard to her association with Sonnie Hale. As Aliss Laye had to return to the United States to fulfil a film contract, her evidence had been taken before an examiner. Aliss Laye and Air. Hale were married in 1926. Thefc were no children. Tltey lived happily until the beginning 0fM928, when the husband joined the east in the revue “This Year of Grace, ’ in which Aliss Alatthews was also playing. When Aliss Laye went for a, end to Alanchester. where the w?is having an openiii'i run, she allegeu I that her husband and Aliss Alatthews |

were more than friendly. They denied, however, that they were in love with each other. The husband, it was alleged, afterward admitted he had misconducted himself with Aliss Alatthews. On his promising to give her up Aliss Laye took him back, and in August, 1928, they lived together in a flat at South Audley Street. Air. Hale, however, stayed only about a fortnight, and then was found to be associating with Aliss Alatthews. Air. W. O: W’illis. for Aliss Laye, submitted that the wife’s act in taking her husband back did not amount to condonation. He had written her hypocritical letters, and he really went back by a trick. *“He gets his wife to allow him to come back,” said Air. \\ illis, “and then tells people he is only there on trial. Air. Justice Hill, in giving judgment, said the misconduct of the husband with, Aliss Alatthews was not disputed. It was clearly proved in correspondence between the two parties. •‘lt is quite clear that the hus.iand in that correspondence admits himself to be a cad.” said Air.. Justice Hill, “and the woman Alatthews writes letters which show her to be a person oi an odious mind.” It was clear that the wife took her In. M-ml back wholly on his promise to dissociate himself from Miss Matthews, except professionally. That condition was broken, and the forgiveness therefore became inoperative. He granted a decree nisi with costs.

EMPIRE FILM PROGRAMME. TEN CONCERNS INVOLVED. A strong effort is being made in Britain at the present time to combat the American film invasion not only OX pictures, but of production and exhibition controlling interests. A large company with a capital of. £1,500,000 js being formed with the object of acquiring the interests of no fewer than 10 producing and exhibiting concerns. If the plans of the promoters are successful the resultant' amalgamation . will enable the launching of ah Empirewide programme. It is the' intention of the company to produce in the first 14 or 15 months from 20 to 26 feature pictures in one. two, or three languages. It is claimed tliat already a market for 12,000,000 feet is assured. The need for such a British enterprise as. this is stressed in a letter to the Auckland Sun from Mr. V. W. Lorigan, a one-time New Zealand cinema proprietor, who is at present oh a holiday visit to Europe. . •T have met several of the most important producers in Lon do ir and they are very optimistic regarding the ultimate success of the British product, he writes. “The .Gaumont Company has been absorbed by the . Fox Corporation, I am told. I understand . tljat' this means the control of CGO houses in this country (Britirn'.’ „ G._i. Accordin'’ to Mr. Lot-man the British company now be'iie' L d intends to “do big things” in EC.< Zealand.