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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 1918)
THE STTCiDAY OREGOXTAN. ' PORTLATOJ, " DECE3IBER 22, 1913. grand opera finish that never fails to make a big hit with the audience. Con tinuous performances will be given to day and Wednesday (Christmas day) and a matinee every other day of the week, with two evening performances. AT THE BAKER 1 I s ' i ' .ffH, S - tr :- r l i ! r i-' 1 I 1 1 . , . " - H T "CLCE JE.VXS" SS - ; ,iJ-- ;f ' jr.jy- 1 C5"zxj-7Vvj-frr c5o7 t, e 3 e BY LEON CASS BAEK. LOCAL theater managers are now trying to figure out whether the sudden access of patronage is due to reaction to peace with victory or a spontaneously early outbreaJt of the Christmas holiday rush. But whatever it is, it's welcome. There's a saying among theatrical folk that the three bad weeks in the show business ars Christmas week, Kaster week, and Portland, Oregon. If this were always true the next week, being a combination of Christmas week and Portland week, would seem to have a jinx upon it for fair. But local theatrical agents and roan, agers predict differently. Business, they say, is immense. Today the stock theaters and the Or pheum, Fantages, Lyric, Strand and Hippodrome all open with new Christ mas bills. The Heilig, opening on Wednesday night, Christmas night, has booked a delightfully interesting of fering in "Business Before Pleasure." This is the third of the famous Potash and Perlmutter comedies by Montague Glass, creator of the original charac ters, and Jules Eckert Goodman. In the present comedy, the famous partners have left the cloak and suit trade for the more exciting business of produc ing "movies." That their new environ ment has proven popular, and that "Abe" and "Mawruss" are funnier than ever as movie magnates is demon strated by the continued popularity of the piece. This is its first presentation In Portland. The cast is said to be a fine one, headed by Jules Jordon, as Potash, and Charles Lipson in the role of Perlmutter. Others in the -company include Helen GUI, Lizzie Wilson, Lottie Vernon, Doris Kelly, Olive Massey. Rita Hewlett, William Macauley, Murray Phillips, Richard Barrows, Joseph Webber, Harry Hammill, Harold Skin ner, Jules linger and William Lambert. The engagement opens on Christmas night and continues for the week witty, a matinee on Saturday. The Baker Stock Company announces an elaborate production of the great Rex Beach drama, "The Spoilers." for Christmas week. Starting today this play, dramatized from the novel, tells a1 thrilling tale of the early gold rushes to the Klondike -and deals particularly with the fight over the Midas mine, an event founded upon facts, in which sev eral men well known in Portland and other coast cities figured prominently. "The Spoilers" is one of those rugged so-called "redblood dramas" that bear repeating. This will make the third time Portland will have seen it in stock as well as several times in movies. That its welcome is not worn out is evi denced by the fact that the advance sale of BeaXa is larger than ever before. For the New Year week. "Blue Jeans" is underlined. Kate Douglas Wiggln wrote an ex ceptionally popular story when she penned "Mother Carey's Chickens." In dramatic form this novel will be of fered by the Alcazar Flayers during the ensuing week, beginning with the mat inee today. As a Christmas attraction, "Mother Carey's Chickens" is especially appropriate, for it is a "homey" story and one which runs placidly without nhocks or sensationalism. Kate Douglas Wiggin set out to write a little tale without a mean character and she suc ceeded. For the New Year week "The High Cost of Loving" will be shown, and this will be given also for a mid night matinee on New Year's eve. Of all producers for the theaters none has a greater reputation for finding and making "discoveries" than Gus Kdwards, the well-known author-composer-producer, whose latest musical concoction, "The Song Revue of 1918," comes to the Orpheum today with pret ty Olga Cook in the featured prima idonna's role. Edwards has to his credit a large number of well-known vaudeville stars whom he has been instrumental in aid ing up the ladder to the top. Olga Cook is the latest artist to join his constellation of two-a-day luminaries. In Miss Cook 8 case, however, the cir cumstances are somewhat different. As a rule Mr. Edwards has developed latent talent. Miss Cook has already won her spurs. She circuited the' Or pheum theaters two seasons ago as a "single." Mr. Edwards offered her a contract to star in his "Song Revue of 1918," and when she made her first ap pearance under the Edwards banner in the East she was readily acclaimed by critics as a superlative prima donna. Edwards has made many vaudeville headliners and musical comedy favor ites, not the least of whom are Orville Harrold, Herman Timberg, George Mo Kay, Johnny Cantwell, Lew Brice. Eddie Cantor, Lou Hirsch, Bob Lyons, the Marx Brothers, the Courtney Sis ters. Lillian Lorraine, Ethel Kelley, Lillian Gonne. Vivian Rich, Daisy Leon, Lillian Walker, Gertrude McCoy, Vincent . O'Donnell, Georgie Ann Cud dles, who is now Lila Lee. Something else that ought to prove mighty interesting also is part of the new Orpheum show. This is the sur render of the German high-sea fleet in Tnrtvin? niitnr VVli film mmA am a portion of the Official War Review, shown at the Orpheum weekly, and the fleet pictures are the first to reach the Far West. Martin Beck arranging to have them shipped direct to Portland from New York. Christmas cheer will be in evidence .at the Lyric, where Dillon and Franks, w.ith the "merry merry," will be seen il a lively musical farce entitled "The King of Bing Bong," which opens this afternoon. It is the usual concoction popular, eccentric comedians will ap pear in their roles of Mike and Ike. .1 . l- ..... -mm maBaa . - AaT mt - 0" AStfdlKB Jm M4 aV . T T hpj&MrytyAS0K -4 a """77 , 'L.I UflZ- I 11 1 f3 i -V'45vi - it) if it 'T Vt jP l h ' - ----- - v . iVf - V "i ', f-v-S - - - V A xl i f - . . ... . in f ? x , t I'll - i li' . . - . . v - . Ill I Ii V-"ti i,, jr ros ' ' '2 ' ' j y- i Vsr--r-y supported by the clever principals and the Rosebud . Girls in new song and chorus numbers. Christmas will find the "Great Leon," master worker of maeic and his own company as the featured attrac tion at Pantages for the week com mencing with the matinee tomorrow. The "Great Leon" has many sensa tions to ofrer, the principal of which is his offering, "Fire and Water," which his press herald records as a modern miracle. King and Harvey, the singing fiep'ds who scored sp heavily at Fantages recently, are to be brought back as a special attraction. The sup porting programme is filled with de lightful numbers, including Jue Quon Tai, the Chinese Nightingale, a former Portland girU who recently has been a big hit on - Broadway with her songs of China and of the Occident. Billie Brooke, in a popular dancing novelty, and Fawnette, in a smart and up-to-date song, costume and dance specialty, are the vaudeville head liners pn the new Strand . Theater Vphotoville" programme. Monroe Salis bury in "Hugo the Mighty," a photo tale of - the Canadian woods, is the film feature. HEILIO . BILL SEASOX'S HIT "Business Before Pleasure" Opens la. Portland Christmas Night. Mention of "Abe" Potash and "MaW russ" Perlmutter is to suggest infinite possibilities of enjoyment for the thou sands of playgoers -who have come to know them intimately and to love them for their quaint philosophy, amus ing foibles and thorough humaneness. In their third and latest vehicle. Business tseiore rieasure. " the con eptcuous comedy hit of the Mew Vork 1 PC arc theatrical season of 1917. 118, they scored the greatest triumph of their long and familiar career. There must be, therefore, a great deal of pleasur able anticipation in the announcement that "Business Before Pleasure" will be presented at the Heilig Theater on Christmas night, for an engagement of four nights and Saturday matinee, tin, der the direction of A. H. Woods. The authors of "Business Before Pleasure," Montague Glass, who created the original characters in his immortal short stories, and Jules Eckert Good man, the noted playwright, have lifted the famous partners from their familial surroundings in the cloak and suit business to a new and vastly more in teresting world, that of the movies. In "Business Before Pleasure," "Abe" and "Mawruss" are presented as em bryonic film magnates, and from the moment they begin to hire a vampire to the final adjustment of their dif ficulties, their bickerings, quarrels, friendships and quaint observations on life and things in general furnish a greater fund of amusement than any comedy presented on the American stage in a generation. "TAVIX BEDS" . HEILIG FEATURE Celebrated Comedy to Be New Year's Attraction : The play that is making the whole world laugh, "Twin Beds," Salisbury Field and Margaret Mayo's celebrated comedy, will be the New Year's attrac tion at the Hreilig Theater four nights beginning Wednesday, January 1, with the same cast and production organised to play the principal cities of the Middle West and Pacific Coast. The humor of "Twin Beds" lies in its novelty. It is mighty hard to get a sew idea nowa- dayg, but tie authors bay oaa Um . .- til. I many thousand theatergoers appreciate, for it is just a little different from anything else ever seen on the stage. Life in a crowded apartment-hose is the subject of the play, and its group of amusing people are all finely drawn types which exist ia every community and are recognisable by all their fel lows. The fact that their distresses arise from too great proximity In an apartment-bouse provides merely the skeleton for the action. SO-3 . 11EVUE AT OIIPIIECM Two Dozen Singing and Dancing Girls tn Headline Act. Gus Edwards' annual song revue, with two dosen singing and dancing girls, is the headline act of the Or pheufn show opening at the Heilig Theater this afternoon, and tha second bis feature is the official moving pic ture of the surrender of the German high sea fleet.. This show will -close with the matinee Christmas day. No producer in vaudeville has - bad greater success than Gus Edwards, and his song rvue for ltl8 is e-aid to be the most elaborate of his big-time cre ations. The star of the revue this year is Olga' Cook, beautiful blonde prima donna, who scored great success as a "single" at. the Orpheum a few seasons ago. The company includes two dozen pretty girls each a song and dance expert and the act is in eight scenes, all of which are enlivened by new songs and dances. With Miss Cook the principal entertainers of this act are Helen Coyne, premiere danseuse; Bruce Morgan, Marguerite Dana and Mario VUlani, the Neapolitan tenor. The Orpheum'a moving picture of the surrender of. the German high sea fleet is the first official film of this great event to reach the Far West. Martin Beck, managing director of the circuit, arranging to have the film shipped di rect to Portland from New York for early showing. The picture is part of the Official War Review .shown at the Orsbfium weekly. 'b pboto&rafiby u - v said to be perfect, every detail of the surrender being pictured. Remaining acts of the new show are John Swor, late of Swor and Mack, and West Avey, Impersonators of the South ern negro; Paul Decker and company in "The Ruby Ray." a comedy which is registering a big hit everywhere through the artistry of Mr. Decker and a capable company; the Kiralfy Kiddles, the talented children of Bolosiy Kl. ralfy; .Wallace Galvin, presenting dex. troua deceptions. Including his cele brated comedy egg trick; the Little Johns in a dazzling diamond act. In which more than half a million Jewels are displayed, and the Orpheum Travel Weekly. AXCAZAK HAS POPULAR BII4, "Motlier Carey's Chickens" Christ mas Week Offering. "Mother Carey's Chickens," one of the most widely-read and deservedly popular stories of recent years, will be the attraction at the Alcasar for the current week. The first presenta tion of the dramatised book will, be of fered this afternoon at the popular the ater on Eleventh street. Kate Douglas Wiggin wrote" Mather Carey's Chickens." and the story be came an instant success, the book pass ing through several editions. The ap peal is made to every home lover, for the plot concerns the efforts of a wid owed mother to keep surrounded by her growing boys and girls and to pro vide for their comfort. With a story like that there is not a mother in Portland who will not enjoy the play and there is not a son or daughter who will not appreciate the lesson in this altogether charming play. If you like a sweet play, then "Mother Carey's Chickens" will be most suit able. The tribulations of Mrs. Carey and her children are not insurmount able, and there is a bond of affection among the children and between them and their mother which goes straight to the heart of everyone who witnesses tbo play. There ia the spring f youth , and the cheerfulness of middle age ex- empliried In the attraction. Altogether. "Mother Carey's Chickens" Is an Ideal Christmas entertainment. Matinees will be- given Sunday, Christmas day and Saturday. MYSTER.V Great Leon and Company Feature of Christmas Week Programme. Bizarre in the extreme are the magic wonders offered as the feature of the monster Christmas week pro gramme at Pantages. by the Great Leon and his own company, commenc ing with the matinee tomorrow, fcpe clal interest is concentrated on the spectacle. "Fire and Water." the Great Leon's latest creation, and which has been aptly described by critics as a modern miracle. The Great Leon brings with him an exceptional support, including Kditb Packard, the original "It's Me Again glrL Among the striking sensations offered will be "The Mango Tree "Aladdin s Lamp." "The Fakir s Sup per." "The Pigeon Hunt," "The Bullet Proof Lady," "The Frying Chest" and "The Lily." The act is one of the most gorgeously dressed In vaudeville. Acceding to popular demand, Alex ander Fantages has arranged for the return engagement 01 King and Har vey, the musters of Harmony, whose recent appearance here was one of the most successful of the season. Jue Quon Tal, formerly a Portland girl and internationally known as the Chinese Nightingale, will be another exceptionally attractive feature on the programme. She will introduce her own cycle of English and Chinese songs. Sensational aerial feats will be of fered by Howell and Leora. famed circus stars, whose vaudeville tour has been extremely successful. Comedy songs and bright patter will popularise McShane and Hathaway with their audiences. "Hunting." a c clonic musical farce, is the vehicle selected by the eccentric comedian, Barney Williams, as his 1911-19 starring production, ana he is supported by an excellent company. The Ruth Roland serial. "Hands Up will offer a newtand thrilling episode while the Pantages Concert Orchestra will offer Christmas music under the direction of H. K. Evenson. Eva LaRue and her company In "Here Conies Eva," concludes her local engagement with the continuous per formance today from 1:30 to 11 o'clock, supported by blue ribbon vaudeville. "THE SPOILERS' AT THE BAKER Rex Beacb Drama of the Klondike to Open This Afternoon. "The Spoilers." that noted' red-blood drama of the first Klondike gold rush, will be given an elaborate production by Baker Stock Company for Christmas week, starting this afternoon. It is one of the most popular of the Rex Beach novels and with "The Barrier," Is one of the few plays that can always be depended upon to attract big crowds. It hups not been seen here in the spoken form for three years and with its char acters and Incidents drawn from real life, some of the characters being men well known In Portland and Seattle at the time, it has a peculiar Interest for people along the Coast from San Fran cisco to Nome. The story concerns the fight over a famous gold mine, the Midas, and it opens on board a steam ship at the Seattle dock Just starting for the North. The other scenes take place in a famous dance and gambling hall In Alaska, the office of the lawyers and at the mine lttelf. Cherry Malotte was a well-known woman in Alasks whom Beach has featured in ether stories. There are a dosen other great characters in the play and a large number of extra people, including the dance hall girls, gamblers, miners, etc, all of whom add color and realism to the drama. Albert McUovern, Olive Templeton, Verna Felton, John Fee, George Webster. Irving Kennedy. Lor a Rogers. Walter. Gilbert and all the other popular members of the Baker Company will be in the cast, and spe cial attention will be given to the mag nificent scenle production. Matinees will be given today. Wednesday and Saturday and the usual bargain night, Monday. MUSICAIi I'AItCK IiYKIO LEAD "The) Klnj of Biny Bong" Teems With Son; and Laughs. A gorgeous musical extravaganza entitled. "The King of Bing Bong," will be the holiday week offering .of the Lyric Musical Comedy Company, with the popular comedians, Dillon and Franks, in their usual laugh producing roles of Mike and Ike. It is a delight ful farce, in which the old Major's son. Patsy, who has been In the service In the Philippines, suddenly returns and finds that his father has selected a wife for him and threatens to disin herit him unless he immediately mar ries the girL Ike, who is Patsy's bodyguard, is mistaken by all the people for the King of Bing Bong, scheduled to visit there that day, according to a mis taken idea of Mike's, and being noth ing but an ordinary little Philippine private it takes some time for the situation to soak Into his skull. When It does he proceeds to make the most of it. Threatened with a breach of promise suit, fed a dynamite pill and other wise abused by friends and enemies "The King" has a pretty tough time of it. Meanwhile, it turns out that the Major's son refuses to marry the girl because he is in love with a pretty Philippine girl and many complica tions arise until the secret is out that she was the real girl after all and only disguised as a native. Tha ending of the play ia sort of, Famous Rural Comedy Opens Hera at (Sunday Matinee. Baker Stock Company will give a big revival of tho famous rural comedy. "Blue Jeans," for New Year's week, this being one of the great successes along with "The Old Homestead," "Sis Hop kins" and few others some to years back. Its thrilling sawmill scene will al ways be remembered by every man. woman and child in the gallery of thte good old days of melodrama, as well as the Rising Sun Band and village quar tet and the many unusual characters found in Its Interesting story. The plot revolves around the person of June, a little poorhouse girl taken into the home of old Jacob Tutewiler. shoemaker of Rising Sun. Ind. June's penchant for stirring things up In this leepy old villa-te seems natural and the events that follow her coming lead up to a wonderful series of climaxes. The city chap falls In love with her and this excites the Jealouty of tha vil lage belle, who proves to be a dangor ous schemer a woman scorned. The great sawmill sceno of the thlrt act is on or the most startling anil rralihtic of all the famous melodramas of the time. "Blue Jeans" will opea at the Baker next Sunday matinee. CAXADIAX PLAY AT THE STIUXD Hugon, the Mighty," Is Christmas Week Attraction. "Hugon. the Mighty," a powerful photoplay of the Canadian wilds the big woods with that popular por trayer of red-blooded roles, Monroe Salisbury, as its hero, is the attractive film offering at the Strand Theater to day on the new "photoville" pro gramme. Salisbury's part in this new Bluebird production Is a picturesque one that of a Canadian woodsman, mighty of arm and tender of heart. It is the sort of role for which the star Is particularly well suited a Strang combination of strength and weakness provoking tears and smiles at one and the same time. Those who crave the romantic In photoplays will find It in this picture, while the atmosphere of the Canadian woods has been preserved so faithfully as to make this one of the most scenlcally beautiful of all Salisbury subjects. Hugon. mighty of arm, lives in the North woods and glories in his strength. His Interest In other things come to him when Marie, a girl from a nearby city, conies to the woods. Gabriel, a young boy, also loyes the girl, and Hugon tries to make a man of him for the sake of the girL His attempts show a yellow streak in the boy. A party of surveyors try to drive the near-natives from the woods, and then commences a titanic struggle be tween Hugon and Koque, a government agent. Hugon wins, but nearly loses his life. His shame that strength has failed him is softened by the knowl edge that Marie loves him. Mis Billlo Brooke, whose novelty dancing act is proviur a popular at traction this season. Is . i of the head liners on the vaudeville programme. Other numbers are: Fawnette. In a distinct vaudeville novelty; Ralphs and May, novelty comedy Jugglers, and Gordon and Elgin, in song, dance and patter. HIPPODROME BILL IS VARIED Dancing, Muio and Comedy Com bine) In Current Show. Because one man worked 14 hours and got away with It. should lie force an employe to work more than IS hours on one shift? Who was to blame when an accident resulted? These are a few of tha questions which will be an swered in "Ruler of the Road." the spe cial Christmas screen picture to be shown on tho Hippodrome programme today. Frank Keenan, the capable star, will Play the role of the railroad president. InexoraMe in his judgments so far as the affairs of the road are concerned, who is forced to discharge a veteran engineer for sleeping at his throttle. A dancing act, famed for beauty and artistry, heads the vaudeville attrac tions. Every feature of the series of ballets and pantomimic dances were conceived and arrarged by Miss Viola Napp, the star of the attraction. Assist- ' Ing her are Otto S hlller and the .Mimes kliiima and Mary Lee and Hazel Lloyd Juno f almo, a contortionist of inter national repute and for years a big feature attraction on the European cir cuits, will bring his entire production, including a special set of scenery de picting "Hades," ss pictured in the mind of Dante in his "inferno." Dot Marsell, a singer of syncopated and popular songs and a well known, and favorite comedlennei is returning; with a splendid line of clever and funny character songs. The Two Keeleys are offering a box ing novelty in the form, of a comedy; skit. Nat and Flo Albert promise a fast dancing number for which they claim absolute origipality. Edmunds and La Velle, natives it the South, offer a com edy black and Ian character act. For Fifes A, Free Trial eff Pyramid Pile. 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