text: 8 Season Steamed Up—All Theaters Under Way ■.wn > p ■ B I** Bfe. j JF Ik "kIHsIKm B > g/iwBX, 1 HK 1 \ \ IrS.K i ( v • b ’ll . bbl1& *fll I 2ii 1 Ik I. 'Wk v A fi, J,l. u| . IL. K& M f| jaw '•< Brß|s>A fe ’ IBw • i FW. Ar -t t■< 11. JFI # wW» .^r. Tfißl 11 ■ Irl BR» Bi® f 1 w Bk& * wit i ‘J uIwLJ < 4. kA Kk k Jb ■r , E-.*ls(r A'iiS ' •• O E < A »-h ■ t El • BB9NMK : < ”■ . • k . 13 »« r 'wF ’ x mb ■ EiwES b COLLEEN MOORE, at the Metro politan and Ambassador Theaters, in her latest release, “It Must Be Love.” Story of a delicatessen dealer’s daugh ter in love. SUCCESS AT COST OF YOUTH? NO, NO. Youth is carrying all before it in the motion picture industry. Ruthlessly the older people are being shown that-knowledge and experience mean less than youth. Although out of their infancy, most of the moguls of films and a great many of the kings and queens of the screen are under 30 years of age. lt used to be an axiom that no man could be a real success at 10. But the movies have 4.roved that axioms prevaricate—among other things. Colleen Moore, only 21, tomor row at Crandall's Metropolitan Theater in “It Must Be Love,” Is one of the four highest salaried ■tars in pictures. Her director, Alfred E. Green, one of the best in the business, is only 30. John McCormick, producer of Colleen Moore pictures and general manager of production for First National’s West Coast units, is just over the 30 mark. M. C. Levee, who until recently was president of the United States Corporation, and only last week was appointed general executive manager of First National, is only 36. Levee says that he was a 30-a-week failure at 26. At the Mutual, he looks alone, ought to help keep the treasurers at the Mutual quite busy this next week, commencing tomorrow at 3. PUTTING THE CLASSICS UP TO THE MOB Many stars have played classic drama before hand-picked audiences and many players have been essaying historic roles for the silk-stocking clientele. Very few actors have succeeded in making the masses understand and enjoy the works of the masters. One of the few who has succeeded in this worthy effort is Thomas E. Shea, a star with a big repertoire and a large following, who appears at Keith's next week. The Late Richard Mansfield and Thomas E. Shea both included Robert Louis Stevenson’s great play, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." In their repertoire, once by coincidence, both players were booked in Washington during the same week and much to everyone’s surprise, the reviewers declared that Shea’s impersonation of the dual characters was by far the best, so his press agent, says at any rate. Some time ago Shea put aside his repertoire and starred in modern plays. He was seen in "The Man of Honor," "Common Clay," "Cardinal Mercier" and "Kiany other plays of the moment." WINTER HALL AND BETTY BRONSON - in Metro-Goldwyn’s magnificent film spectacle "Ben Hur" opening tomorrow night at the National as a traveling road show production. Richard Barthelmess, one of the most popular of male stars, known for his mature characterizations, is only 25. Mary Astor is 19; Ben Lyon is 24; Jack Mulhall is 28; Dorothy Mackall is just over 21; Dolores del Rio is 27, and all of these players have a long record of achievement behind them. Alfred A. San tell, director, is just 33. B. P. Fineman, in charge of a First National production unit, is 34. Lambert Hillyer, for many years now a successful director, is 32. Perhaps, when one asks for a job on the movies, it will soon be customary to require a birth certificate dating not earlier than 30 years before. His public, however, preferred him as Richelieu, Othello, Matheas and Dr. Jekyll and the other contractors they had seen him in for years, and so when vaudeville knocked on Mr. Shea's door he decided that he would entertain his visitors with these old friends. He, therefore, conceived a method of introducing the big scenes from "The Cardinal, the Bells." and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Of course, the big scene in "The Cardinal” is the denunciation by Richelieu; the big scene in “The Bells” is the hypnotizing scene and in the Stevenson play when Jekyll at last finds it impossible to throw off the guise of Mr. Hyde. For real acting, Mr. Shea’s portrayal of these three bits is mighty. THE WASHINGTON TIMES VILLAGE TAKES NEW VOWS TONIGHT The Spanish Village Night Club will be formally opened tonight, in its quaint headquarters over the Restaurant Madrillon, by Alcalde Peter Borras. A volley will be fired from antique Spanish pistols to usher in the new season. Dr. Vulpius, the elegant carriage-starter, will be installed with mystic ceremonies, and the House of the Scribes, a startling novelty, will be given its official christening. Mr. Borras has made extensive plans for entertainment. Lieut.-Gov. Johnny O’Donnell, director of music, has laid his plans for a special program of new dance numbers. The pianist-composer, Lou Longo, of the Village Band, is to give a brand-new composition its first hearing, and Frankie Jucle, the redoubtable Violinist, will contribute the difficult four string choruses at which he is adept. China to the Village chef, back from Europe with new ideas for dishes, will preside over the kitchen. Keep out of his way. REFLECTED GLORY It seems a little odd that the long-term contract which Rudolph Valentino found so onerous during his lifetime and which led him into a long, expensive battle with the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation is the reason why one believes Hollywood gossip, that Miss Vilma Banky, who was Valentino’s leading woman in his last two pictures, is drawing a salary figure considerably under the amount that producers would be willing to pay her, could Miss Vilma Banky. Banky make a new contract this afternoon. Miss Banky's role in the Son of the Sheik, the last of all Valentino's starring pictures, which starts its third week at Loew's Columbia tomorrow, has wonderfully increased her value at the box office, in the opinion of producers all over the country, but it is generally believed that a contract of comparatively long duration, which she is thought to have signed with Samuel Goldwyn before she left Hungary, is the only thing that stands between her and a remuneration possibly five times as great. For it is no secret in screen producing circles that Valentino's death, so unfortunate from the standpoint of the actor and his screen public as well, has accidentally and fortuitously played into the hands of Miss Banky, who, as Valentino's leading woman in both "The Son of the Sheik" and "The Eagle," has enjoyed a degree of public attention that falls to few stars. Just how long Miss Banky's contract with Mr. Goldwyn has yet to run is also a matter of conjecture in film circles, as is the amount of that contract, though it is generally held throughout the industry that Mr. Goldwyn has voluntarily increased her earnings. On Tuesday of this week Rodney H. Collier assumed the duties of manager of Crandall's Savoy Theater at Fourteenth and Irving Sts. N.W., succeeding Ashley Abendschein, formerly assistant manager of Crandall's Metropolitan Theater who now is in control of 2 Crandall's new Colony Theater. Georgia Ave. and Faragut St. Worth Attention In First National’s production of “The Savage” presented as chief photoplay feature of the new week, the Earle Theater, offers a film attraction of unusual nature. Ben Lyon, popular among the younger stars, is cast in the title role and is supported by one of the most charming actresses in the silent drama in the person of May McAvoy. VALENTINO AND VILMA BANKY in “Son of the Sheik,” entering its third week at the Columbia tomorrow afternoon. A sequel to his first great hit, “The Sheik.” In Con/idence A sinister force is rearing its ugly head in this community of home-loving citizens. It is called the S. P. (X S. P. G., and a report from Operative G2—the same G 2 who exposed the Nihilist schemers in the Crimea for the Gate-Post—says that the arch chieftain of the tribe is George O’Connor. The full name of this new bait for “jiners” is the Society-for the Prevention of Calling Sleeping Car Porters “George.” If you don’t think its influence will be far-reaching, scan this list of George Washington, patron: Senator George H. Moses, honorary president; Gov. George Silzer, N. J., honorary vice president; George M. Cohan, honorary vice president; George H. O’Connor, D. C., honorary secretary; George Cardinal Mundelein, 111. honorary chaplain; George Ade, Indiana, poet-laureate; H. M. George V, England, foreign representative; Judge George Olvany, New York, general counsel; George (Babe) Ruth, sergeant-at-arms; George E. Durno, fun-loving rover. On the advisory committee are George Sutherland, George W. Norris, George S. Graham, George Wharton Pepper, George Brennan and George Gordon Battle. A secondary purpose of the organization is to lobby for a bill penalizing any comical wag who says, “Let George do it.” The name Cholmondeley is to be substituted for George in this passage. A survey showed there are only three men in the country named Cholmondeley and two of them deny it. The third entered a plea of nolle contendre. Operative G 2 credits rumors about town that Mr. O’Connor formed the society solely to be used as a hand-picked audience to try out his stories upon. Fannie Brice’s new show, “Fanny,” was roundly kidded by the New York reviewers, as it was in Washington. But the guess of this department is that it will have a run, because it has been shrewd Kosherized to the taste of all the basting pullers and pants vendors in the big city. Then again, Miss Brice has, amidst her public, a pack of blind admirers who pay to see Fannie, let the show be terrible or worse. "As for Mr. Belasco and Willard Mack who wrote the play, ought to be ashamed of themselves," comments Alex Woollcott in the World. Lon Chaney’s next picture will find him playing an armless denizen of the underworld. This release will complete the disintegration of the Chaney anatomy, for at some time or other, man-eating directors have stripped him of all his vital parts. The wonder man’s mutilation will be complete with “Alonzo the Armless,” and by the time he reassembles himself and appears as a law-abiding man. With all his faculties, a new crop of fans will be on deck and thus the Chaney vogue perpetuates itself. Only last week I gave Junior a sound cuffing for telling the antique about the lady who refrained from stepping on a spider for tear it was Lon Chaney. Along comes the incorrigible Groucho Marx—Groucho, above all—and pops it on a defenseless audience. A sniper has been stationed in the gallery to knock him stiff if he tells the one about the Philadelphia major carriers. WEALTH WOOED WITH MANY A MEGAPHONE Lloyd Bacon, son of that grand old man of the stage, Frank Bacon, author and star of “Lightnin”, was chosen from among the many directors of Hollywood to direct the epic of Filmtown, Broken Hearts of Hollywood, which is the feature picture coming to the Rialto tomorrow. Years of experience in both stage and screen work justified the choosing of Bacon. Coming from a family of theatrical people, none would know better than he the hardships and struggles necessary to the winning of success. Mischief-Makers HERE ARE THE three principals in “What Price Glory,” now drawing heavily at the President and which goes into a second week Monday night. WALTER GILBERT, LEONA POWERS and FRANK CHARLTON are the trio pictured. The National Daily Lloyd Bacon’s father, Frank Bacon, spent many years of his life on the stage, time and again barely missing stardom. When nearly 60 years of age he became the sensation of two continents in Saturday, September. DOUGLAS 'MACLEAN' and CONSTANCE HOWARD in the newest Mac Lean “Hold That Lion,” in which Doug’tangles talents with a ferocious Nubian. “MARE NOSTRUM” A GLUTTON FOR. MILEAGE Rex Ingram established a new motion picture record for long distance traveling during the filming of his production of “Mare Nostrum” (Our Sea) abroad for Metro-Goldwyn, which is due at the Strand tomorrow. From the time Mr. Ingram and his company left New York until the picture was completed in Nice, France, they traveled more than 10,000 miles. Almost every known means of transportation was utilized during this time, including ocean liners, sailing vessels, motorboats, submarines, railroads, motor caravans, oxen carts, pack trains and incline railways. The famous Blasco Ibanez story was filmed on the original locations described by the author in France, Italy and Spain. Interiors were made at the Ingram studio near Nice, France. Among the cities and towns in which Ingram and his company worked were Pares, Nice, Men ton, Monte-Carlo, Cannes, Marseilles, Huan les Pins, Cagnes, Villefrandhe, Fregus, Pellle, Barcelona, Cape Nao, Madrid, Naples; Pompeii, Paestum and numerous other smaller towns along the Mediterranean Coast. One of the most difficult and at the same time interesting trips was to Pompeii and Paestum in Southern Italy, where the scenes for “Mare Nostrum” were filmed among the ancient ruins. The trip from Pompeii to Paestum was made by motor caravan through the dreaded malaria district, and later oxen carts were used to transport the cameras and equipment on the actual locations. His triumphant success, “Lightnin” ran for over three years in New York before touring the country. During this time, Lloyd Bacon was struggling equally as hard to attain success in the picture business. His father, born of the stage, was prejudiced, and an amusing story is told of the discussion of the two arts, between the father and son. Frank Bacon said that only in the picture business could a snake be a hero. Questioned for explanation by Lloyd, his father outlined a sequence on the desert. “Picture a girl, alone on the desert, the villain enters, is about to attack the girl, when a rattlesnake crawls into the scene, the villain, upon seeing him, exits in a hurry.” Swanee talent Swanee frivolities are stepping into even speedier tempo for the fall season. Three musicians added to the Swanee Syncopators are helping to make the dance orchestra bigger and brighter than ever. The newcomers are Bill Olsen, trombonist; A. bakol, first saxophone, and Bob Morton, banjoist. Leader Al Kamons has formed a special trio of the syncopators to supply added entertainment features. Leader Kamons is being congratulated on his brand new accomplishments. Not satisfied with being master of the violin and alto saxophone, he has spent the summer in learning to play the soprano and baritone saxophones. Miss Joesting, D. C. Beauty, Joins Revue Marjorie Joesting, who was Miss Washington and second choice in the Atlantic City beauty pageant, has joined Eddie Dowling’s “Honeymoon Lane” in New York. Today's advices said. She is now rehearsing for a specialty. Kate Smith, another Washington girl, is the hit of the show, all New York papers yesterday and today declaring her a positive “find.” Helen Ault, a third Washingtonian, is also in the cast. Both Miss Ault and Miss Joesting are former members of the St. Pat Players, and Father Hurney was instrumental in having them considered. PATSY RUTH MILLER and STUART HOLMES in “Broken Hearts of Hollywood,” at the Rialto, a story picturing the dismal side of life in the studios. CHATTERING CHIMPS CINCH DARWIN Evolutionists secured additional material for their debate with the fundamentalists during the filming of Douglas MacLean’s newest comedy, “Hold That Lion,” which opens a week’s engagement at Loews Palace, tomorrow. A pair of full-grown chimpanzees play an important bit in this Paramount picture, and their behavior before the camera plus the intelligence by both strongly bear out the Darwinian theory of the relationship existing between man and monkey. Working entirely by word-of-mouth instructions from their trainer, Charles C. Judge, the monkeys performed intricate bits of screen acting which included the firing of a gun, registering surprised fear, warning one another of their supposed danger and finally winning a surefire laugh by their concluding exit. Auditorium Star MONTANER is one of the half a dozen who will seize the Latinize the auditorium. Beginning Sunday night. S3EH BF OF * n a musicale wMy tB c ° n.i unct ’° n with two , vFii? '*> '* “ * '* ms films, J* “A Daughter sHHKmF °f ar ’ s ” V ind one based t x >on great ’ >■ y JI Verdi, the P! composer. V- 1 THE STAGE HISTORY OF “BEN HUR” The screen version of “Ben Hur,” which has been three years in the making will be presented for the first time in Washington at the National Theater, Sunday night for a limited engagement. Presentations will be given twice daily after the opening performance. For forty-five years “Bon Hur” has been a best seller and the book is said to have reached a circulation as large as that of the Bible. The novel was first published in 1880, following five years of study and research by Gen. Lew Wallace. One of the unusual facts about this work is that it is the only look of fiction to be blessed by the Holy See. “Ben Hur” was ordered translated into Italian and was then blessed by Pope Leo HI. The story was translated into the Arabic, being the first return of the Aryan world for the literary treasure received in the tales of the Thousand Arabian Knights. So great was the popularity of “Ben Hur” that a Chicago mail order house placed an order for a million copies. This is said to be the largest single order ever given for any publication. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, an offer was made to General Wallace to dramatize “Ben Hur” and to stage it as an outdoor attraction on a 50-acre plot in Staten Island. The proposition was rejected and the book was not dramatized until Wallace was shown that a stage presentation of his spectacular novel was entirely feasible. In the preliminary negotiations for the stage rights A. L. Bringer convinced the author that the big chariot race could be staged by using the device Neil Burgess used for the race scene in “The County Fair." Both chimpanzees were captured in their infancy by Mr. Judge in the wilds of West Africa and have been raised and trained by him. He claims that he has proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that they understand the spoken word and have a relatively high degree of reasoning ability. The chimpanzees are part of the picturesque African background against which a thrilling and hilarious lion hunt is staged. William Beaudine, who directed “That’s My Baby,” wielded the megaphone on “Hold That Lion.” and also that proper reverence would be given the subject and that the face and figure of the Saviour would not appear on the stage. The divine healing power could be indicated by a shaft of light. With these conditions accepted, “Ben Hur” was made ready for the stage. New theatrical history has been made in America since “Ben Hur” was produced for the first time. November 20, 1895. This was the great Establishment in America up to that time and it reached the zenith in mechanical supremacy in stage production. Millions of people who were opposed to the theater were made drama lovers through the presentation of “Ben Hur.” In the first season this classic was seen by half a million people and played an engagement of from 30 to 40 weeks at the Broadway Theater, New York. The following year “Ben Hur” was produced in London. As the reigning stage attraction of the time it was presented in all the principal American cities for 23 consecutive seasons. Up to Old Habits The President Theater —house of long runs, begins anew on Monday night to uphold its reputation when “What Price Glory” goes into a second week. At this house “Abie’s Irish Rose” runs for fourteen weeks and “Rain" for four weeks. 