ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1932, Page 18 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

COMING EVENTS. EVERYBODY'S. To-night and Tuesday: “How He Lied to Her Husband” (Robert Harris Vera Lennox); ’“Uneasy Virtue” (Fay Compton—Dodo Watts —Edmund Breon), British double-star programme; and '‘Getting on the Green” (Johnny Farrell.golf short). /Abril 25: No pictures (Anzac Day). April 27 to .29: “My Sin” (T>llulah *- Bjankhe^d—Eredric March), Paramount production. April 30 to May 3: “The Flying Fool (Benita • Hume—Harry Kendall), British International production; and “Winning Putts” (Johnny Far.tell golf" short).. - > : • May 4 to 6: “StAmboul” (Warwick . Ward), Paramount. British production. THE REGENT. ■fo-night. and- Tuesday: “Wicked” (Elis- ‘ ea Landi—Victor McLaglen), Fox production; and Chapter V. of ■ ' “Heroes of the Flames.” April 25: No pictures (Anzac Day). April 27 to’ 29: “The Lash” (Richard Bartfaelmess), First. National production. ' April 30 to May 3: "The. Cisco Kid ’ . (W’arner Baxter—Edmund Lowe), Fox production;.’“My Friend the ■’ King”:. (Jerry Varno-Fhyllis Loring), British production; and Chapter VI. of “Heroes 6f the FJames.” May 4 to 6: “Three Faces East” (Con- . ' stance Bennett—Eric Von Stroheim—Anthony Buschell), Warner , , Bros, production. ; OPERA HOUSE. ’ Today at 2 p.m., To-night at S p.m.: “The ; Big Trail” (John ' Wayne—. Marguerite Cfaurdhill—El ’Brendel), Fox Movietone ’ production;’ and “Getting on the Green” (Johnny ■Farrell golf short). . April 30: “Men on Call” (Edmund Lowe —Marguerite Churchill), Fox Movietone production; “Hunting. Tigers in India”; and "Winning Putts” (Johnny Farrell golf short).. . my 2 to 5: “Palmy Days” . (Eddie. Cantor United Artists’ super produc-. tiou. . i.i-'-u-V.’- ■ ’ ” • • i. •• . “WWCOD.” ' Is woman’s love stronger, than manmade law? This is the question that confronts the brilliant star, Elisha Lan? di, in her new Fox picture, “Wicked,./ which shows at the Regent to-night and Tuesday night. How she meets and finally solves the great problem makes for one of the most absorbing dramas of the current season. Miss Landi is supported by an all star cast: in ed,” which includes such screen-lumin-aries as Victor McLaglen, Una Merkel, Allan Dinehart and Theodore Von Eltz. Allan D’wan directed- , . - ■' ' “UNEASY VIRTUE.” ‘ ■' »*’; - .* f ' That ’ modern wives, unlike she 'of whom Caesar boasted, do not like to be considered above (or -below) suspicion, forms tfee theme of British International’s scintillating ' satire, - “Uneasy Virtue,” which will be presented at Everybody’s to-night and Tuesday night. Adapted from the story by Harrison Owen, *Uneasy Virtue” is about a husband (Bill) who most imprudently proclaims that, his wife is the “soul of fidelity” This statement is a deliberate challenge to wife, Dot, who sets out, at a country house-party, to vindicate her eharm by accepting an invitation to a tete-a-tete with. Harvey, a notorious flirt, in an unoccupied room from which there is “a wonderful' view of the Downs.” They are interrupted, by a burglar, and though Dot . manages to escape unseen, the other members of the party discover that somebody’s wife was with Harvey in the 'South Room. But whose wife? “Mine,” thinks every husband. present, and to-exoner-ate the. ladies, and to prove her eligibility; Dot confesses, but no one. believes her. ’ It is not until Bill ’realises, that his wife regards his trust as an insult and pretence, that. peace and' calm 'are! restored. Directed with finesse 1 by Norman Walker, and magnificently photographed 'by Claude Friese Green, this, scintillating comedy is acted j/by; such brilliant screen artists as Fay Compton,Edmund Breon, Francis Lister, supported by Margot Grahame, Dodo Watts and Donald Calthrcp. ‘’-i /: / • # ■; •• ■ /■./■ *HOW HE LIED TO HER HUSBAND.” *How He Lied to ' Her Husband,” which, shows at. Everybody’s in conjunction with 'Uneasy 'Virtue,” is a smart four-reel comedy written by Bernard Shaw, ; to-day easily the; world’s most famous play-wright. It is a smart sophisticated little story of a young man’s passion , for a , married woman, and the, dialogue is extraordinarily smart and clever. The finish, as is often the case with a Shaw play, is a ■ complete surprise.

#’ # “THE. LASH.”

v A combination that has proved successful screen entertainment is again found in “The Lash,” the First Nation-gl-*Vitaphone production starring Richard Barthelmess, which will be at the Regent Theatre commencing-on Wednesday. The combination is that of Barthelmeps and Frank LJoyd, who directed “■Weary River,”, “Drag,” '’‘Young Nowheres,” and “Son of the Gods.” The last picture has been breaking boxoffice records everywhere and has established itself as the greatest B'arthelmess hit since “The Patent Leather Kid.” Lloyd and Barthelmess had daily conferences with writer Bradley King paving the way for “The Lash,” based on 'the novel by the Bartletts. The story concerns early California in the days of Franciscan fathers, missions, pioneers, and romantic-‘ adventure in the wide open spaces. Barthelmess enacts the role of a proud Spanish don who adopts banditry in order to fight his people’s ' oppressors. It offers him a role of colour, romance and dash.; The production requires an unusually large cast, including three girls- Mary Astor plays the feminine lead, Marian Nixon the sister and Barbara Bedford, Lupe, the Mexican dancing girl. “MEN. ON CALL.” t - i ■ J ' ■ e „ . .“Burying things for a -woman is just . like spitting , in Niagara—it makes no , impression,” says Edmund Lowe in -“Meh on Call,” which screens at the f Opera House shortly. And all this on pav-day at the U.S. Coast Guard Station .when the men off duty are on their way to town to see their ’best girl friends! In this Fox movietone Lowe is back in uniform again, this time as a disillusioned member of Uncle Sam s Coast Guard, which he had joined to . forget a broken heart. Piquant Mae Clarke is the woman in the case with whom Lowe falls in, them out of, then back in love again. William Harrigan has the important role of captain • oi the station, pal to Lowe, and unknowingly, his rival in love. Among the names and faces easy to recognise in

the supporting cast is that of Warren Hym-er. Hymer will be remembered for his work in “Up the River.” Another is Sharon Lynn. John Blys-tone directed. . - ■ ■ ■ . » « • • “THE BIG TRAIL.” Showing at the Opera House to-day at 2 and 8. p.m.’ is the Fox Movietone super production, “The Big Trail?’ directed by the famous Raoul Walsh. After having seen this brilliant screen epic it is easily understood how it came to. be. heralded as the most important picture ever produced, and also the most the most inspiring, the most gripping of “talkie” films. Re-enacting that flaming chapter of American history, when 100 years ago the first pioneer wagon train left Missouri .for the Oregon country, a chapter, which culminated in. the winning of the West, it depicts the hardships of these stalwart pioneers in their trek, westward, their courage, their, spirit, and their faith which carried them through to their valley of’'dream?. No end of praise is due to Raoql Walsh for producing this screen masterpiece. This greater director lias inspired his. players, over the vsry sam© ground, that the pioneers of yesteryear traversed (it is reported that'-the motion' picture troupe travelled 4300 miles in shooting “Big Trail”), and in so’doing has enriched'the picture with the scenic beauty of California, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona,. Colorado, Montana, and Utah. There are 93 principal players in the east, headed by John Wayne, a youthful discovery of Walsh’s. His.role of “Brock Coleman” fits the boy. perfectly. Haying opposite Wayne- is delightful Marguerite Churchill, as. Ruth Cameron, daughter of the South, who with her orphaned brother and.'sister-.join the-wagon train in its trek to the West. In the photography, the sound recording, the big scenes such as ‘The Mud Hole,’? “The Indian Attack,” “The Cliff Scene,” in the entire action of. the story, which was written by Hal G. Evans, the hand of this directorial genius is always apparent. * • • “MY SIN.”

To tell or . not to ■ tell—that is the question! Should' a woman with a “past” tell her- prospective husband the events of iter unconventional life and risk her . future happiness? Should the jnan.be equally candid: with the woman he loves,? This!agonising question—this conflict between truth and, fear has wrung the hearts of many .women. Today, 1 as in: the past; it-.is a vital, terror-, ■ising question, boring into the consciousness of thousands of_ women. “My ; Sin” as : a .paramount.’ picture, which at Everybody’s 1 Theatre ; next ■■ Wednesday, has . this.", burning question as .its theme./ Tallulah Bankhead, vivid, vital, and 'palpitatingly .emotional, depicts thq woman’s side, ;and, Fredric March, one, of Broadway’®.greatest art--ists, the man’s side ,of this, highly dramatic' iiuman-'diiemma.;. With them, in their character , parte, this burning question is finally-settled. These two ; su-, perb, artiste, aided -by ’ a talented supporting cast, throw;:into the story of “My Sin” their masterful dramatic talents. . ~. - . • ’ : “PALMY DAYS.” ? '.

Promised as an' innovation in screen musical comedy, Eddie Cantor’s newest picture, “Balmy -Days,” will be pre ; sentedby Samuel Goldwyn at the Opera House on May 2,3,. 4 . and 5, as successor-to the'goggle-eyed comic’s inaugural'“Whoopee’’ of last season. Eddie appears' as, an unwilling assistant to a gang of crooked fortune tellers and spiritualists, planning to wreck ■ a bakery by installing Eddie as an efficiency expert. The story was written by Cantor, Morrie - Ryskind and 'David Ereedman. It is a rowdy comic strip kind of yarn moving blithely from the mystic’s fioly of holies to.the splendour of a futuristic bakery— one of those Rqbe Goldberg bakeries, “manned” by an assemblage of .Hollywood’s , inopt decorative; femininity—to the 'Ziegfeldian. opulence of a swimming pool ieen'e, with a hundred prize bathing beauties competing with equally proud Wans for- attention, to a moonj- • lit garden party -with , young love cooing among t^e,lilac- bushes’, and bn' apd on. Sharing the comedy honours with ; Eddie is elongated Charlotte Greenwood. Together, they lead their company through a striking gymnasium number, giving more authenticity than usual, to elaborate and complicated precision routines by a large dancing chorus. Barbara (yßobbie”) .... Weeks,, Gqldwyn’s newest and most talked-of. screen discovery, makes her screen debut at the head of the’ Batallion of Hollywood’s most beautiful girls and has the romantic lead in the story as well. Walter Catlett has a comedy bit, while important roles are played, by Spencer Charters, Paul Page, Charles Middleton and Harry Weeds. Song hits in abundance are promised, the first of which is likely to be in Eddie’s' ditty, “Yes, Yes.” Most of ■ the songs are the work of those popular music masters, Con Conrad and Cliff Friend. Among them are “Bend Down, Sister,” which has a kind of negro spiritual tenor, and “Goose Pimples,” both'-of which command the able’ assistance of Miss Greenwood, and a Strictly gag. comedy song, “Dunk, Dunk, Dpnk.” Edward Sutherland directed the picture for Mr. Goldwyn. Settings were designed by Oapt.. Richard Day and Willy Pogany. The same technical staff that created “Whoopee” surpassed the success of that popular comedy with their newest effort in “'Palmy Days.”

“THE UNHOLY GARDEN.”

RONALD COLMAN UNSHAVEN.

An unshaven and dishevelled Ronald Colinan, without his striped trousers, his Oxonian speech, or - his Chesterfieldian manners, is the promise in “The Unholy Garden,” the new -Samuel Goldwyn picture. In this adventure melodrama by Ben- Hecht and Charles MacArthur, Colman is seen as Barry Hunt, a gentleman adventurer, a rogue who has seen better days and honester ways. ’ With a motley crew of murderers, thieves-and other outcasts, he is hiding from the police in a Sahara outpost camp. One of the number, a wizened old Frenchman, is believed to have hidden his plunder somewhere upon the premises, and to worm this information from him is the individual and collective effort of the groyp. Spying and intrigue and flying desert rides and murders are essential ingredients of the yarn. Colman expressed'a great fondness for the story while filming it. Largely, he explained, because it-made him think of the beloved “Beau Geste.” His preference is still for sophisticated comedy—for what once was known as “a comedy of manners.” An occasional relief is necessary •in order to break down, he believes, what in-pictures is called a singleness of purpose. Samuel Goldwyn has procured a big cast in support of the star for “The Unholy Garden,” It includes Fay Wray, Estelle Taylor, Tully Marshall, Warren Hym.er, Ullrie Haupt, Henry Armetta, Kit Guard, Lawrence Grant,-and Lucille La Verne.

THE NAVY IN A FILM.

JUDGE THINKS TT “LAMENTABLE.”

‘“Lamentable” was the description applied by Mr. Justice Charles to the use of British warships and naval men for the production of a film. “There s to me something very sordid. in our great ships and our sailors being used for purposes of this sort,” he added. He was' dealing in the King’s Bench Division with an action arising out of the production of “The Flag Lieutenant.” Astra National Productions, Ltd., of Wardour ‘Street, London, were sued by the Admiralty for £1607 as an additional share of the proceeds due to them under an agreement made in June, 1026. ’ „ “Is it anticipated when the Navy Vote is passed that the personnel of our Navy will be used for making a film?” asked the judge, Mr. H. Collins ’ (counsel for the Admiralty), replied: “No doubt anything made out of it comes into the accounts and is appropriated in aid.” Mr. Vick (for the film company).: I believe the whole of it goes not to improving the personnel as actors, but as sportsmen, because it goes • into the sports accounts. Under the agreement, explained Mr. Collins, the Admiralty were to have IS per cent.' Of the balance of the receipts from the film after deducting the actual cost.of production, distribution, etc., but if the agreement meant what defendants suggested, it was obvious, counsel continued, that'they could, so arrange their finances that in no event could the Admiralty get anything at all. Mr. Justice Charles: That comes of the Admiralty embarking on things of this sort. You will have to satisfy me that this'is a lawful agreement—whether, the Admiralty have the power to use the ships and personnel of the Navy -for the purposes of making such a contract. Mr. Collins: The Admiralty can use the ships and personnel, so far as the Courts are concerned, how they please. Any complaint to be made is made in .Parliament. ’ i , ~. Judge: The Admiralty enter into this only “so far as it lawfully may do.” Isn’t that for the Court to interpret unless they have some special Act or Order-in-Council enabling them to do it? I am not at all satisfied that they can do this lawfully at alb If the agreement is unlawful I cannot implement it. • '. Mr. Collins: One cannot think this was done only for gain, but for other considerations behind it. It might be popularising the Navy. . . Mr. Justice Charles: And it might do exactly the reverse. Some films -concerning the Army —not the Army of this country—in my judgment bring the Army into utter contempt. Mr. .Collins pointed out that defendants had not pleaded that the contract was illegal. - Counsel added that the Admiralty had received £3OOO on account and contended they had been underpaid. Defendants. counter-claimed £2828. which they contended had been overpaid, and said that ’la ter accounts which had come in increased the'counter-claim by £306.

In the end the judge-decided that the Admiralty had 'been overpaid by £ll2.

ARTISTIC LOVE-MAKERS.

SHORTAGE AT HOLLYWOOD.

Hollywood is suffering from a short-, age of men. A particular sort of .manr—' romantic leads to be .exact, .There,are any number of others —hundreds' of rosy-cheeked youths; character men by the score; fathers, villains, comedians but the Romeos, the idols of flapperdom, are much in the background. Men of the John Gilbert type. John Barrymore is still in the field—he. is playing Baron’ von Gaigern in the picture version of “Grand Hotel,” which keeps him', still among the youthful heroes. Clark Gable needs a touch of character in the roles he plays; he is not, exactly a romantic herb. Jack Holt inclines to the “heavy” line, as does Warner Baxter. Ralph Graves was never very* romantic, even when D. W. Griffith presented him as the prize-fighter in “Dream Street,” and Ralph Forbes, for some ‘ reason, has not taken the place on the screen his good looks'and:acting entitle him to'halve. ' Rod La Rocque deserted for the stage and has not yet been allocated among the studios • since his “return from Elba.” Richard Dix is' starred, which keeps him away from the screen except- on rare- occasions. Monte Blue wap . more a character lead than ro,mantic, and Douglas Fairbanks has forsaken' the field' in' which ’he was supreme. This dearth of available lovers may possibly be the accident that will give a second chance to many of’ the men ■who lived high in the hearts of women and then disappeared.- The why of their fall is one of the things nobody knows. Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer have suddenly taken a new interest in Nils Aether, , that handsome Swedish player who ran along at a star-going clip for a time and then suddenly dived into oblivion. He is being groomed for big things. ' : « The mention of their names brings happy memories of other days. Here are a few:—-Huntly Gordon, Victor ■Varconi, who really is in demand; Robert Frazer, who has-been acting on the stage recently; Norman Kerry, Stanley Smith, who deserted for musical comedy; Charles Delaney, who perhaps never really ranked;, Antonio Moreno, James Rennie, who devotes himself to New York stage production, and his wife, Dorothy Gish; Bert Lytell, Wallace MacDonald, occasionally used in small part®; Cullen Landis, almost forgotten, but’popular for a day; Walter Pidgeon, Joseph Schildkraut, once known as the handsomest man on the screen; Francis X. Bushman, jun., who never really reached romantic roles; Harrison Ford, Bryant Washburn, Kenneth Harlan and House Peters.

BERNARD SHAW’S CONCEIT.

PROMOTION FROM SHAKESPEARE.

Sybil Thorndike, when she comes to Australia and New Ze. ’and, is to do Shaw’s “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion,” originally written for Ellen Terry. I In one of his letters to Mis® Terry Shaw wrote as follows: ‘T- was written for you; and unless you do it at least once posterity will never forgive you; you will go down to all the ages as the woman who made ‘ll gran’ rifiuto.’ ...

“There never was and never will be ■again sueh a part written for any mortal. If you are too lazy to learn the part I will teach it to you speech by speech, until you can pepeat it in your sleep.”

In another portion of the same letter he tolls Ellen Terry ' that if she plays in “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” she will be promoted from Shakespeare and Ibsen to Bernard Shaw.

Shaw claimed that he stood on .the shoulders of Shakespeare, and Frank Harris maintained that he (Harris) would be remembered when Shaw was as completely forgotten as Artemus Ward. Harris regarded Show’s sue- * cesses as due to his good fortune in ’ getting the right leading ladies —instancing Ellen Terry for “Captain Brassbound's Conversion,” and Sybil Thorndike for ‘‘St. Joan.”

DARING “SEX” FILMS.

DRASTIC ACTION THREATENS®.

A serious warning to the film industry regarding “sex” films, which it is stated are becoming more and more daring, is contained in the report for 1931 of the British Board of Film Censors, signed by Mr. Edward Shortt, K.C. the president, and Mr. J. Brooke Wilkinson, the secretary. “There has unquestionably been a tendency of ..late,” the. report declares, «f OI ; Alms to become ‘ more and more daring, the result probably of the large number of stage plays which are now presented on the screen, and of the licence which is to-day allowed in current fiction. . “Subjects coming under the categoiy of what hdts been termed 'sex’ films, others containing various phases of immorality and incidents which tend, to bring the institution of marriage into contempt, show ■ a marked increase in •number. Even when 1 the story is not in itself wholly immoral there appears to be a desire to stress the ; unpleasant aspect which is best described as ‘sex appeal’ with a wealth of detail which is altogether prohibitive for public exhibition. ’ “The board has always taken, an. exception to stories in which the main theme is either lust or the development of erotic passions, but the president has come to the definite conclusion that more drastic action will have to he taken ‘ with regard to such films in 'the future. _ “There are certainly some producers who delight to show the - ‘female form divine’ in' a state of attractive undress, and during the year their number has ■appeared to increase. There has been also a move in a similar direction, so far as' men are concerned. The objectionable aspect is the tendency on ?y--ery a conceivable occasion to drag m scenes of undressing, bathroom scenes, and the exhibition of feminine underclothing which' are quite unnecessary from' the point of view of telling , the are solely- introduced for the purpose of giving the film what is termed ‘a spicy' flavour.’ The cumulative effect .of a repetition of such scenes as can be described as ‘suggestive,’ -is very harmful, and properly evokes adverse criticism, although isolated instances may do no harm and call for no comment.” No fewer than; 34 films have been totally rejected, the reasons being— The materialised figure of the SaviBlasphemy and comic treatment of religious subjects. ■ ' i Travesty of religious rites. ■The institution of marriage treated with contempt. ' Death treated with vulgar flippancy. Gross and brutal travesty of prison life. ‘ Hospital scenes treated- with vulgar levity. Physiological enormities. Suggestive theme acted throughout by children. . - ■ Unrelieved sordid themes. Prolonged and gross brutality and bloodshed. i ’ 4 Scenes in and connected with houses of ■ ill-repute. Lives of thoroughly immoral men and women.

A NEW THEATRE MANAGER.

MR. E. J. GRAVESTOCK’S ROLE.

Mr. E. J. Gravestock, the well-known 'and very popular impresario, who brought Backhaus, Levitzki and other great musicians, has been appointed nfanager of St. James Theatre, Sydney (a “talkie” theatre). A Sydney paper says: Since taking over the managerial reins of the St. James Theatre E. J. Gravestock has apparently brought with him that element of good fortune which invariably accompanied him in his association with some of the world-famed concert artists whom he had the pleasure of . introducing to us over a long period of years. The economic conditions of the world—particularly in respect to the difference in rates of exchange —were responsible for Mr. Gravestock reluctantly abandoning his career as an impresario. When Sir Benjamin Fuller suggested that E. J. take charge of ths St; James'the latter decided right away. Now, as manager of this palatial picture houge, he has invested the place with an air of .superiority, and at the same time retained all the best traditions of its former popularity. As an example of his initiative Mr. Gravestock has succeeded in bringing to the theatre many of those society, people .whose names have frequently figured “amongst those present” at Town Hall recitals and things of the kind. The fact that St. James premiere performances are now receiving, most generous attention from the social press ’ indicates in no uncertain' manner how the ever-courteops manager is contributing to the popularity of the business.'

PLENTY OF MUSIC.

LONDON EXPERIENCES.

■ Miss Zillah Castle,'formerly of _ Wellington, who is studying the violin at the Royal College of Music, London, writing to friends in Wellington, says: “As this is February you can imagine that things musically are ‘humming’ in faiore .than one sense of the word. I iquite despair of hearing all the things I feel I should do, and although one has [plenty of choice in entertainments in London one needs a pocket in proportion to same. I must confess I had a ‘wrong impression about the price- of ■'admission to concerts and theatres here. I imagined it to be very low: but, on the contrary, if one heard, even at the cheapest - rate, the chief concerts or (shows of a season one would need a (bank balance of large proportions. If it were not for the ‘Old Vic’ and a few l‘free shows’, I should be quite badly off. You see, all in one month is the advent (of the Berlin Orchestra, the Lener (Quartette, Kreisler, etc., and as the (cheapest rate is 3s 6d you can understand what a poor, student feels! The College does not get concessions for these concerts.

CLIVE BROOK IN ENGLAND.

FILM ACTOR’S DESIRE.

Clive Brook, the film actor, who is on a visit with his wife to York, England, her native town, said to a reporter that he would like to appear in a British film.

“I should enjoy working here,” he said. “I think ■ there ’is a big future for the British film industry if it is prepared to spend a little more money and employ prominent film actors in the leading parts. “It is no good trying to face American competition with unknown names or to try to get these films into the American theatres.

“But I like the • production methods in England. British producers certainly get hold of the best stories, and they do not alter them as they do in the United States.

“Also, there are not so many people to say ‘Cut that out’ and ‘Put that in,’ or to insist on something being cut out to insert a lot of girls’ legs.” Mr. and Mrs. Brook’s visit is for the purpose of seeing Mrs. Brook’s mother and father. Dr. and Mrs. W. A. Evelyn, and the places of Mrs. Brook’® childhood. .

“BLUE ROSES” IN SYDNEY.

CYRIL RITCHARD’S CAREER.

Cyril Ritchard, who, with Madge -Elliott, is appearing with great success in “Blue Roses” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, studied medicine at Sydney University, but finally decided, because of overcrowding in that profession, to go on the stage, and appeared in many productions in Australia and New Zealand before he went abroad, seven years ago. He went by way of America, and- there he promptly. se- ? cured an engagement. “I was very lucky,” he said, ‘‘for I appeared with that fine artist Elsie Janis in a production called ‘-Puzzles of 1925.’:” On proceeding to London, he was chosen to succeed Jack Buchanan in Chariot’s Revue, at the Prince of Wales’ Theatre, and, he, says,. “I had the pleasure of seeing my name in lights over the theatre. There were four of us—Maisie Gay,’ Dorothy Dickson, Edmund Gwenn and- ..myself.”. Miss Elliott and Mr. Ritchard were at the Gaiety Theatre for four years in a series of musical plays. Their present stay in Australia is only a brief one, and a short’visit will also be paid to New Zealand.

STAR OS' DAUGHTER. , JACK BUCHANAN’S RISE To some people Glasgow may seem a sordid , city made up of struggle, but out of that struggle come dreams, and some of these dreams come true. Jack Buchanan, star of “Man of Mayfair,” which will shortly delight Auckland audiences, emerged from the murk of Glasgow industrialism into the sun. The man who sings and dances, the man who receives £lOO a week, the man who is generally acclaimed as the ideal musical comedy artist, began work in his birthplace, the city on the Glyde, as a boy in an auctioneer’s office. Listening to the “going, going, gone,” Jack decided that it was a sound suggestion,’ so he threw up his job And joined the stage. So abysmal a failure was his first appearance at Pickard’s Panopticon in Glasgow that it took a stout heart not to rush back to the auctioneer and ask for his poor little job back again. However, he was supremely confident that he was right and that the audiences which had treated him so badly were wrong, so he went to London and endured semi-star-vation for many weeks while he went round and round the theatres in search of work. His first slice of luck came when he was engaged for chorus work at 30s a week. “Now I’m made,” he thought, but he had months of “gentlemen of the chorus” to endure before luck really smiled upon him. . Buchanan’s chance came through the most disappointing and elusive method known in the theatrical world. H-j was understudying Vernon Watson when' the latter —unlike the majority of principals, who seem made of iron to understudies—was unable to appear. This was in “AU The Winners” at the London Empire. So successful was young Buchanan in the part that when the first touring company was being chosen he was given the lead. Managers watched him then, and he was soon a headliner in big London revues. Confident of popularity, he went boldly into management with “Battling Butler,” and made a hit with it in both London and New York. Then came the films and triumphs. ■HUMPHREY BISHOP IN SYDNEY. ■’ DANDIES AT BEACH, THEATRE. . Humphrey Bishop’s “Dandies of 1932” continue to do excellent business at the Balmoral Amphitheatre, the huge openair theatre at one of Sydney’s beaches, Frank Perrin, comedian (formerly one of the Big Four), Walter Kingsley, vocalist; Maurice Jaffey; ,Arthur Helms-, ley, comedy sketch artist; and Mae Seaton, Marie and Elaine Maye and Eileen Moran, in singing parts, are the principals. Next summer Mr. Bishop intends to flood the floor of the Amphitheatre and have a water vaudeville and pageant programme every evening. He is making plans now, and everything will be done after the fashion of the most modern French entertainments of a similar nature. z

HORROR. FILMS. GROTESQUE AND MORBID. “Freaky” the new . horror film, following f “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” “Murders of the Rue Morgue,” and others, is said io be the most chilly of them all. One reviewer says that only; people with very strong constitutions will he . able to bear, it. .■ , ■ -i ■

The story is about a trapeze artist in a circus who loves the strong man, but who marries a dwarf for his 'money. The two plan to kill the dwarf. The plot.is discovered by the freaks of,the show, and everywhere she goes the trapeze artist sees terrible deformed creatures watching her. Finally the freaks attack the woman and tear her limb from fiinb and make of her a freak. The strong man is also dealt with. The freaks who take part in the picture are 1 all genuine freaks gathered from circuses and ’ sideshows all ■ over the world, and do not have to resort to disguise or trick make-up. Among them is Prince Randian, the Living Torso. Armless and legless, he has a normal head on a stump of body which resembles a huge slug. The torso is covered with a, sort of . tight-fitting, jersey. He is a Hindu, and is quite-intelligent. What shudders he will cause! Then there is the Half-Boy, a: likeable lad who had the misfortune to be born with no lower body. ; His.body ends at the waistline, and he propel® himself along on his hands.

freak is the pretty arid perfectly formed Francis, O’Connor, called the living Venus de ■ Milo, because she was born without arms. She uses her pretty toes to advantage. Josephine Joseph is kalf man and half woman. Feminize on one side, masculine on the other—a queer sight to behold. The. Living Skeleton is,full.grown, but only weighs four stone. Then there is Sclitze, the Pin-Head, a terrible-looking creature with a tiny head. A dreadful tale is told pf his parentage, but it is too dreadful to print. “It” cannot speak, but merely makes guttural, sounds.

Daisy and Violet Hilton, the Siamese twins, are really very pretty girls. They are joined together, and cannot be separatefi. If they were, one .would live and the other die. The girls are happy and normal,in every' way. Their mother was a barmaid in England, and their father was unknown. They were sold, actually to a sideshow, proprietor, who took them to America. Later they were taken care of by a kindly woman who has looked after them ever since. Koo-Koo, Bird-Girl, has a head like a bird’s, and is deaf, dumb, blind and an idiot. She sits all day long, smiling contentedly. Then there are the Bearded Lady, the Stork Man, and numerous midgets and dwarfs. . ;

While engaged on “Freaks” these poof unfortunates were not allowed to have their meals with the M.-G.-M. stars in the studio restaurant, because everyone would have been put off his food. They had separate quarters.

COLLEEN MOORERE-M ARRIES. . NOT’RETURNING TO FILMS. Colleen Moore, the film actress, gav Miami a surprise last month, 'when sb arrived at the Florida resort with new husband, Mr. A. P. Scott;-a'stock broker. Their honeymoon trip Was th first intimation that Miss. Moore ha married again, and it was afterward learned that she was the -.bride of : a da’“ having been secretly married the'day b< fore. She has announced that she i not returning to tne films. Miss Moore’s first husband was Joh E. McCormick, a film producer. She wa married in August, 1923, and the man; age was dissolved in May, 1934.