Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 1912)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, AUGUST 25, 1912. V4 v r. - V 4 BT LEONE CABS BAER. ONE week more of Summer stock and the season will have ended. The HelllK will open for the reg ular road shows, and again Portland theater-goers will bo renewing or mak ing anew the acquaintance across the footlights of new groups of players each week. Instead of Miss Countlss and her players, who we have come to regard as home folks, we shall nave visitors from afar, who come aruonjr us, make their little bow and bid tor our favor, and leave for the next show town not to come again, at least Hot :n the same season. But we are not to be left entirely without that "home folks" feeling. George L. Baker has seen to it that Portland will miss none of the sense of Intimacy which contributes to the pleasure one gets from stock perform ances. That astute manager has re engaged Alice Fleming, almost a Port land girl, by virtue of her residence here for two years, to head his Baker company, and according to rumor un confirmed because Mr. Baker is out of the city the list of members of the new organization Is to be stronger and better than in many years. When the Countlss engagement ends the Baker will begin, so we are to have an all-the-year-around season of stook in Portland. Miss Countlss has given us a brief season of real entertainment, and her leaving will be a matter of general regret, not only for the stock patrons who have enjoyed her -portrayals, but as well for a general public which has always taken a warm personal inter est in this actress and followed ,hcr career with the greatest of interest. Miss Countlss has given us offerings of only a high and meritorious order. Opening in "The Thief," she has of fered in turn other excellencies. "A Woman's Way," "Merely Mary Ann, "The Oirl with the Green Kyes," "Dl- vorcone." and now comes her last play, Her Own Way." This is a Clyde Fitch comedy of polite socloty: Max ine Elliott brought It here about s half dozen years ago. Mayo Methot the Portland child actress whose ar tistry has been attracting so much favorable attention, is to appear in Miss Counties' support. On Sunday. September 1. the theatrl cat clock will be moved back a quar ter of a century, when the Gilbert and Sullivan festival company will pre sent the altogether too brief season of one week, a revival of the most pop ular Gilbert and Sullivan operas, which include tho "Mikado." "Pina fore." "Patience" and "The Pirates of Penzance," the same delightful operas that our fathers and mothers reveled in, when they were keeping company a long time back and before many of the younger generation of playgoers were born. Perhaps mother sang Jo sephine In the production of "Pinafore" when the church choir or the Ladies' Sewing Circle put that nautical gem Into amateur operation (Joke) for the benefit of the teething babies of Tim buctoo or to buy flannels for the Afri can heathen. Possibly father was CaptalnTorcoran or Dick Deadeye and more than probably both dad and mother have been telling their children remembrances of these Gilbert and Sullivan operas in that happy period of their younger lives. Revivals on the stage are as dan gerous as reminiscences in literature or conversation; there is a tremendous lot that is beautiful of the past, but the tendency of the world Is to slide a little ahead of the present, even to steal into the future if there is a pos sibility of & mentally getting 'around that corner today. It is to the credit of the Shuberts and William A. Brady that they have had the courage not only to revive these old operas, but have . had also the wisdom to put away the cerements of the dead past that surrounded them in the pigeonhole caskets where they have reposed these many years, and to vest them in all the gorgeous richness of modern stage settings and to cast them with artists that are big enoircrh and resourceful enough to make the old new, and as well to impart all the delightful flavor of mingled satirical fun. and alluring melodies that filled with Joy the souls of dad and mother 25 years ago. It is pleasing to note that -these revivals, have been given a most araent greeting cverywnere they have bet-n presented, since leav ing the Casino in New York, In which city they proved a veritable sensation. It is safe to venture the opinion that this same success will be accorded them in Portland, for they are sure to recall Joys of the past in the minds of the older playgoer, and to kindle a desire on the part of the younger peo ple to hear for themselves those operas of which they know only by reputa tion. The calendar shows Sunday. Septem ber 1. Monday, 2. and Saturday, 7. and also at the matinee on Saturday offer ing "The Mikado." On Tuesday. 3, and Friday, , the opera of "Pirates of Penzance" will be given. "Pinafore" will be heard on Wednesday, Septem 4. night and at a matlneei and "Pa tience" will have a single performance on the night of Thursday, September 5. At Pantages the famous Summertime girls, sent out by Gus Sohlke.- will be the big act. with Mildred Cecil and Bobby Harrington in the leading roles. The headllner at the Orpheum this week will be William H. Thompson, re membered here particularly for his por trayal of "The Wise Rabbi." He and his company will appear in "An Object Lesson," a playlet now on the boards .:.'ft .if v.. $ of the Haymarket Theater, London. In "An Object Lesson" Thompson will ap pear on the stage -for the first time just as he la. In his 30 years on the stage he has appeared in more than 1200 roles, all of which required dis guises. At the Empress "The Houseboat Party." an operetta with ten in the cast, including girl twins, will be the feature act. MISS COCXTISS KXDS SKASOX "Her Own Way" Selcctetl for Clos ing Week of Engagement. Only one more week of Cathrlne Countlss, who has already extended her enjoyable Summer season at the Helltg beyond the originally allotted time. She has delighted old friends and made hosts of new ones, who will greet her with the same affectionate loyalty when the turn of the theatrical wheel next brings her to Portland. They will hope that her next absence may not be so prolonged as the last, and will make the most of her brief remaining stay. "Her Own Way," the seventh and last of the plays offered by Miss Coun tiss for the week commencing tonight. has only been given here by Maxlne Elliott, who found it her chief success, and good for long runs In New York and London. It is In Clyde Fitch's best comedy vein, with plenty of his satiri cal whlp-lashings of smart society's follies; running through it is a real love story with a big emotional epi sode. Georglana Carlcy is a fine-spun wholesome, true-hearted bachelor- maid of the type that accords so well with the magnetic, womanly charm t,t Miss Countlss, and It enables her to run the scale from light-hearted gay ety to the storm and stress of hysterical despair, Georglana is as Hght-hearteJ as the children to whom she plays hostess at a birthday party. She is much in love' with a fine, sincere young West Point graduate, who brave enough in fighting- the little brown bushwhackers of the Philip pines, but & trifle faint-hearted In his love-making. He goes across the Pa cific, thinking that he haa a more suc cessful rival In a somewhat vulgar mine owner, who takes advantage of his absence and Georglana's loss of fortune through her brother's specula tion in Wall street. Georglana is true to her absent soldier, and prostrated with grief when the extras, ahoutej beneath their window, announce th total wiping out of his command. Then comes contradiction and an outburst of hysterical rejoicing, and next ccmes the wounded gallant, the clearing away of the cloud of error, and the sunshine of a happy issue to the little romance. One of the novel situations of this breezy Mend of humor and sentiment is the opening scene with the calldren, including the littlest leading lady. Mayo Methot, who was so spontaneous and delightful as the elfish boy in SDAV GHTER OF SI.VGKR MHO ADK TA-IIA-RA-HOOM-DB- AVE FAMOUS IS 1 CITY. Lucia Lottie Collins. Lucia Lottie Collins Is one of the two daughters of Louise Lot tie Collins who made Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-aye famous a score of years' ago. Lottie Collins died two years ago last May In Lon don after a retirement of several years from public life. Lucia Lottie Collins has sung in the West End music halls of London and has appeared In the larger theaters in Australia, Three weeks ago she arrived in San Francisco from Australia on her first visit to this country. She was a headllner at Pantages in San Francisco for ' two weeks, and was on her way to Seattle to fill a similar engagement there when Manager Johnson, of the local Pantages Theater, literally grabbed her off the train to fill the headline place left vacant by the Wolgast fight pictures being taken off the bill. Miss Collins' sings topical songs and is a de lightful entertainer. fa 4 d&cs&eJo 35? y f.' Helena Ritchie." Others are John C. Livingstone, always earnest and de pendable, as the young West Pointer; Henry Hall, as the vulgarian mining magnate; Robert Lawler, as the reck less stock speculator; Charles R. Schad and Florence Davenport, as the ser vants whose little savings are swal lowed up 1n his disaster; Laura Adams, as the flighty society matron; Mary Edsett, as the willful and capricious Louise; Claire Sinclair, as the voluble lady hairdresser who voices her cyni cal views of high society with a hu morous slang distinctly her own. The final performanoe of Miss Coun tlss' season next Saturday will present some aspects of special Interest, and will testify to the high regard in which she is held by Portland playgoers and their sincere regret that they are to be separated from her again by the width of a continent. COMIC OPERA TO PIiAY IIEILTG Famous Gilbert and Sullivan Sue cesses to Be Revived. A season of comic opera revivals and comlo opera of the finest kind will be revealed at the Helllg Theater next Sunday night, September 1, when the Gilbert & Sullivan Festival Company from the Casino Theater, New York will be seen in a series of the most popular works of Gilbert & Sullivan, which include "The Mikado." "Pina fore." "Patience" and 'The Pirates of Penzance." It la well to note that this company, which includes many well known stars, numbers among its prln cipal members De Wolf Hopper, Blanche Duffield, Eugene Cowlss, George MacFarlane, Kate Condon, Ar thur Aldrldge, viola Gillette, Arthur Cunningham, Alice Brady and Louise Barthels and the New York Casino chorus and orchestra. The engagement of this brilliant or ganlzation, which Is limited to one week only, with matinees on Wednes day and Saturday, will present them In their entire repertoire or operas with production of 'The Mikado" on Sunday, Monday and Saturday evenings and at the Saturday matinee. The Pirates of Penzance" is announced for Tuesday and Friday evenings, with "Pinafore" at the Wednesday matinee, and on Wednesday evening. A single perform ance of "Patience will be given on Thursday evening. The restoration of these operas will have the effect of serving a double purpose, Inasmuch as they will bring back to memory many delightful rec ollections of the days, of youth to the older generation of playgoers, while It will also be the means of acquaint ing the younger set with a series of operas about which they had heard so much, but have never seen.. Although the late W. S. Gilbert had not writ ten any important librettos for a num ber of years, he having lived at ease and In retirement for some time prior A. I to his death, the passing away of this genius was of sad importance, sb it Indicated how surely the Gilbert & Sul livan golden age of English light opera Is becoming all the more distant, and, saddest of all to tell, with no geniuses of equal brilliancy to take their places. Sir Arthur Sullivan, Gilbert's great co-worker, had passed on before him. Perhaps it is too much to hope for such a combination of rare talent, except at long and uncertain Intervale, for with all the individuality of his power. Gilbert was never able to find any com poser with whom he could work in such intimate and successful harmony as Sir Arthur Sullivan, who knew Just how to make his music emphasize the points of those inimitable lyrics, and the work, of an author who was so amazingly inventive in twisting mo tives so as to provoke unexpected sit uations. ORPHEUM) HAS BIG STAR William H. Thompson to Appear This Week in Virile Playlet. William H. Thompson, celebrated charaoter actor who shone laBt season as "The Wise Rabbi," will be supreme at the Orpheum this week in the play let. "An Object Lesson." The sketch will be presented just as it is seen in the Haymarket Theater In London. It has a virile theme, built around an old man who has a young wife, and In the hands of Thompson and his little com pany.. the- playlet Is said by newspaper critics to be remarkable for its realism and finesse. In "An Object Lesson" Thompson appears for the first time In his long stage career Just as he is with out a particle of facial makeup. This alone is picked as a novel feature, as Thompson has portrayed more than 1200 character role during his 30 years on the stage. Second place on the flnal August bill Is filled by Billy Gould and Belle Ash lyn. who will appear in a specialty of jokes any! songs written by .Gould. The third numoer is one calculated to appeal to children particularly. It is Howrd's Novelty, or an exhibition of musical Shetland ponies and comedy dogs. This act has a spectacular stage setting, and has been extolled all along the Orpheum route as an animal act that stands out as being different from most vaudeville turns of the kind. The ponies and 'terriers go through their paces with such little prompting a critic In Spokane put tne question: "Are not they mechanical horses and dogs?" , Minnie Allen, who la known as "the little volcano of mirth," Is next She is a cultured vocalist, who has a selec tion of songs, all of which have a com edy flavoring1. Miss Allen plays her own accompaniments and wears stunning gowns. Fifth place on tne orpneum poster is held bv Jesse L. Lasky's Fleurette. who appears in a posing act called "Visions d'Art." For her various poses she stands on a revolving pedestal and mul tlhued electric lights are thrown to produce beautiful effects. Georges Slmondet, noted French Lyr ic tenor, will be heard in classical and popular selections, and La Vier, trap eze artist. Is billed to exhibit daring feats In mid-air. Grace Cameron, comedienne, will close her engagement at the Orpheum tonight. SOIMERTIME GIRLS COMIXG Pantaffes Has High-Class Offering With Good Specialties. It Is seldom that vaudeville can of fer such productions as those prepared by Gus Sohlke and other New iork im presarlos, but by special arrangement Alexander Pantages will present as the banner attraction on the programme at the home of unequaled vaudeville. Seventh and Alder streets, for the week commencing with the matinee tomor row, the Summertime Girls, introducing Miss Mildred Cecil and Bobby Harring ton, supported by a large chorus, In one of the largest and most enjoyable musical comedies ever brought West ward In vaudeville. Miss Cecil Is a soubrette of rare charm and her songs and dances will give her ample opportunity to display her wonderful personality. Her gowns will appeal particularly to the fem inine contingent, as they were designed In Paris for the act. Bobby Harrlng ton is a comedian or rare anility ana this will mark his first appearance In local vaudeville. He has topped the cast Of characters In several leading road shows in past seasons and his ad vent here will be welcomed by patrons of the calcium glem. The Summer time uiris are noted ior tneir cnarm, their voices and their looks, while their songs are of a sort that will at tract. For those who care for male voices in solos and duets Irwin and Herzog will All a long-felt want. These master Gingers have won much favorable crit icism throughout the East and their local engagement will be one of Inter est to all who follow the world of mu sic, for they have an International rep utation. Their selections are of the sort that will prove to be popular with all, for they range from the classics to popular airs of Broadway. Paris Green is a royaterinir come dian whose suit of green and stories and parodies humorous will win hjm a warm welcome without a doubt. New stories and original parodies will be his principal offering and his ereen v.. .-'Hr-",4.'x- suit will attract more than casual at tention. The Calts brothers are wooden shoe artists whose terpsichorean novelties will hold the attention of their aud iences. The Caits scored a blu nit throughout the East and this will be their first appearance on the Pantages circuit. No better barrel jumpers In the world can be found than Rose and Ellis, who present their quaint method of enter taining before a cycloramic drop that represents a circus tent. They work with lightninglike rapidity and per form feats never before attempted. Henry Hargrave and his clever com pany will be seen in the rattling com edy of everyday life entitled "Chums." The delightful English comedienne. Miss Lucia Lottie Collins, will conclude her local engagement with the per formances this afternoon and evening. TWIXS EMPRESS FEATURE Ethel and Alice Shaw Shine in "The Houseboat Party." Actual twin actresses are a feature of the headline act, "The Houseboat Party," at the Empress Theater this week. The twins- are Ethel and Alice Shaw, beautiful women, who take prominent part In the comedy operetta. "The Houseboat Party" was written by William Le Baron, and the feature sing ers, dancers and comedians are Wil fred Berrlck, Lillian Dean Hart, Don ald Archer and the Shaw twins. Among the musical numbers to be heard are: "Dear Old College Days," "Not a Bit," "The Searchlight Man," "I Fall for Ev ery Girl I Meet," "Whistling Duo" and I Don t Know Much About That." "The Houseboat Party" teems with special ties and each of thS company of 10 is a graduate of musical comedy. "Onaip," the man who revolves mys CHRISTOFFERSON TO FLY THREE TIMES AT OAKS Many Other Attractions Gathered by Manager Cordray, Including Mrs. Pelz and Hawaiian Band. Kf ijfrjef" 1111 1"1" ' " ' ; - ' : '' ' """m "' t ' ',' ititWaWWMM II Him f V " " r- v . - - - 1 DAUI.VO AVIATOR IX HIS When Silas G. Christofferson rises from the water in front of the Oaks Amuse ment Park this afternoon some of the most daring exploits in the history of aviation may be expected. To cap all previous exploits in the history of fly ing men, tho young Portland man will oar aloft at 5 P. M., with a full-grown adult as passenger, in place of the dummies and children used by the average aviator. Christofferson will hurtle his flimsy craft through the air at 75 miles an hour, he says. He will perform every possible aerial evolution all over the ater in front or tne oaKs ooarawaiKs. He will send his craft spinning be tween the giant oak trees in the park and, all in all, give a most finished aerial performance. Christofferson will go aloft at 3, and 7 o'clock. There will probably be ther flights in between, but these hours will be definitely adhered to. teriously with an uptight piano nd plays upon the Instrument at the. W' time, is the added feature of ttta nJ Kmnrcss bill. "OnalD" moves the hVavy instrument without touching It andj the wnoie act is venea in mystery. i A distinct novelty Is third on the , bill. It is Lee Tung Foo. Chinese en- tertalner.'an educated Asiatic who, un til he was engaged by Sullivan & Con-' sidine. figured prominently In Sani Francisco as an entertainer at exclu sive society functions. Lee Tung Foo was born In Hong Kong and when' child was sent to San Francisco to be educated. Besides completing a col lege course he took up the study of vo- ca' music. In his vaudeville act he sings several songs in English and then translates thorn into Chinese. Helen Primrose, Dllled as the blithe some beauty. Is next. An alliterative review of her act by a critic Is: "She simply sings sprightly songs." Miss Primrose wears gorgeous costumes In her act. After an absence of lu years from the United States Granto and Maud return from the Palace Theater In London to appear here in their wire walking act. This act consists of bound ing, twisting and somersaulting on a high wire. Jack Manley and Charley Walsh, singing and talking comedians with a big reputation in the stage world, complete the new bill. 'La Petite Gosse," the pantomime showing phases of the night life of Paris featuring the Apache dance, will be seen for the last time at the Em press tonight. 'ORIGIXAL BISOX 101' SHOWING People's Amusement Company An nounces High-Grade Programmes. The management of the People's an nounces with much satisfaction the change of programme today. - In every house there will be well-blended pro grammes, the pictures treating with a wide and varied list of topics, but pho tography in all instances being ex cellent. During the week there was added to the list of takings the "Original Bison 101," which has been eagerly sought for by all the various distribut ing agencies. The Film Supply Com pany of Oregon, however, was the suc cessful bidder, hence they will be dis tributed as they blend Into the various programmes which will be seen ex clusively at the People's various thea ters. Today a big feature of Bison's en titled "The Reckoning," a military pho toplay of surpassing beauty, heads the show at the People's Theater, closely followed by a big Thanhouser produc tion, "Conductor 786," a comedy char acter portrayal, and a Reliance feature entitled "North of 03," dealing with the Canadian Mounted Police, "Views of Levran," a Lux scenic, and "That Trio." a splendid singing turn well known to Portland's picture fans. The special added musical feature, however. Is "Leopold Rosan," tho boy wonder violinist. The management here also announces for Septenibor 1, which is Sunday, the first appearance of "Lucille, a three-reel production of Owen Meredith's masterpiece, and also the return engagement of the "Cervo Duo." accordianlsts, who have enjoyed such a big success here during the past week. The Star's big feature for today will be "The Equine Spy," two reels of splendidly interpreted film, in which Don Fulano, an educated horso, plays the chief part. "When a Count Counted" is a delightful comedy. "Un cle's Favorite Pudding," Is a Lux com edy, and the Star management takes special pride In announcing the ini tial appearance of "The Three French. Stars," late of the Ghezal Opera Com pany, In selections from "Faust." This is said to be the best and highest sal aried list of artists who have ever sung in a picture theater. The Arcade Theater will feature a big Roman film, "Androculus and the Lion," produced by Gaumont. "The Deputy's Duty," Is a big Western thril ler, "A Corner on Kisses Is a Majestic comedy, and "For Her Sake" tells a strong tale of temptation, sin and re generation. "Hellstrom and Myhers," two Swedish character singers and dancers, and Arthur Elwell, baritone, will furnish the music. Out at the new Sunnysido Theater on Thirty-filth ana Belmont streets. there will be a list of well-blended pic tures consisting of "The Buffalo Hunt," an original 101 Bison, "Tho House of No Children." a comedy. "Gaumont Weekly." "The New Butler." farce comedy, and Miss Elsie Edwards, a dainty English singer. The manage ment also announces the presentation of "Oliver Twist," Nat Goodwin's five reel picture, Tuesday, August 27', for one day only. This is a wonderful pic ture, splendidly interpreted, and should bo seen by all school children and grown-ups as well, as It Is produced froiYi ono of the standard classics. H YDHO-AEROl'LAX B. This is the first time any amusement park in the Northwest has offered an aviator as a free attraction and Man ager Cordray believes he has paid a higher price for Chrlstofferson's serv ices than any aviator In the Northwcsi has received previously. But Aviator Christofferson Is fai from being the sole attraction. Mrs Philip Pelz, whose romantic marrfugt with Director Pelz, of the Oaks Park Band, Is of such recent date, will be heard In a song programme. Mrs. Pell will sing in five different languages Philip Pelz will accompany his wife In cornet solos. Then there are 'he Hawallans and the Kanakas, now numbering over SO. There is All Zada, the Oriental magi cian and wonder-worker, while, In ad dition, the remarkable statue that comes to life promises to he one of the most unique attractions that ever ap peared in the park.