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PAGE SIX
If Q3EC0N STATESMAN. .Saksu Oreym, Scnday Ilerniag, Jxnrary 2S, 1930
CMb
Players Friday Night
Lion
Present Moroni- Ofeom
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THEATRE USED
IN EARLY 10RN
Part of "The Singing Foor
' Filmed in Warners Big
Show House
There is an Impression that
motion picture actors go to work
with the san mornings and quit
as its rays sink into the Pacific
This fs true in a majority of cases,
but there is one huge eompany in
Hollywood that raver?e3 the usu
al order of things. The company
in question is that headec' by Al
Jolson in "The Singing Fool."
One of the impressive series of
scenes Ini "The Singins? Fool is
laid in a big metropolitan the
atre. To give the scenes their
proper value a really ornate the
atre had to be secured. None of
'the available theatres in and
around Ios Angeles would quite
fill the bill.
In the midst of all the conjec
ture as to what was to be done- in
the matter Jack Warner asked
what hindered the company , us
ing its own theatre. Everyone
seemed to forget that the War
ners hat a new $3,000,000 the
atre only a short distance from
the studios.
"We could use it," came the an-
. swer. ''But when? You know the
! house is open from noon to mid-
' night."
"Then we can have it from
midnight to noon," was the re
ply. And so it has come to pass that
Jolson and his numerous com
pany assembled at midnight daily
to work on the theatre sequences
in the picture. That .the people
enjoyed their experiences is cer
tain and npne of them more than
the great crowa's of extras neces
sary to fill the huge house for
some of the scenes.
Has Background of Night Life
"The Singing Fool" is laid
against a background of New
York's night clubs, and intro
duces all the gayety and abandon
' that are .so much a part of the
roaring cabarets that cluster
a'jout the Great White Way.
Great as was Jolson's enthu
siasm for "The Jaz Singer" that
for "The Singing Fool" is even
greater. In the new picture the
comedian is enabled to play upon
all the emotions of his audiences
and he is said to. emerge in a new
light as an actor of power ana'
great feeling.
In the support of the comedian
in"'Tbe Singing Fool" are Betty
Bronson and Josephine Dunn,
heading the famous contingent,
while among the men are Reed
Howes, Arthur Housman, David
Lee, Ed Martindel and Robert
Emnxett O'Connor.
As is known, "The Singing
Fool" i9 based on the play by Les
lie S. Barrows, c. Graham Ba
ker adapted it for the screen and
its production was in the hands of
Lloyd Bacon.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT, JOLSOX
Where was he born?
What was his name?
Hia lather's occupation?
What wag his first part?
W'haj; circus experience?
His next venture?
First vaudeville team?
Who suggested black-face?
Joined what minstrels in
1911?
First Winter Garden shows?
What was his first starring
revue?
What is his second movie?
Produced by whom?
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6.
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St. Petersburg, Russia.
Asa Yoelson.
A Jewish cantor.
Child in Zwngwill's "Chil
Acen of the Ghetto."
Ballyhoo man. t
Singing in cafes, then bur
lesque with Al Reeves.
With brother and another as
"Jolson, Palmer and Jol
on." An old negro dresser in
Washington theatre
Dockstader's.
"Bow Sing" and "La Belle
Paree."
"Dancln Around."
"The Singing Fool."
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.8.
9.
to.
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12.
13.
Warner Bros., Inc.
i SARATOGA TO SAUL
JEFFERSON. Jan. 2S. Word
has been received from Jimmie
WIed atating that his snip, the
u s. s. Saratoga, sails from San
Pedro February 9th. to the U. S.
navy yard In Norfolk. Virginia.
Ske will go through the Panama
Canal February 25. After she has
had a thorough overhauling, she
wui sail ror New York far a 10
days stay. The Saratoga is taking
wHh her a crew of 2100 men, be
, sides 125 airplanes.
Meet Jack: Hott now playing at
IUigh'sr-Capitol fa - Flight,"
sJMarklns picture, of r tnxtl v
I
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Here is Anita Pase ami Willuun HIac in a point of high ac
tion in "Xavy Bines." It looks quite peaceful but it la not whaTit
looks. This picture is showing t the Fox Elsiaore.
Movie World Traditions
Make Versatile Playing
By Film Stars Difficult
The Call
Board .
By OLIVE M. DOAK
! HOLLYWOOD
N"rth Capitol in Xnrtli Salem
Today "T h e Singing
Fool." -
Wednesday The Grip of
the Yukon" and Manhatten
players in "The Flipper."
Friday "From Head-
quarters."
-GRAND
Xorth High betwern Court nd S'.ate
Today "Delightful
Rogue."
Wednesday "The Very
Idea" and Singer's Musical
stock company.
Thursday "The Very
Idea" and Singer's Musical
stock company.
Friday "Darkened
Rooms" with Evelyn Brent.
FOX ELSIXORE
South High between Stat a ad Ferry
Todays "Navy Blues" and
Fanchon "and Marco in "Uni-
forms' Idea.
Monday "Navy Blues."
Tuesday "So This Is Col-
lege" with Elliott Nugent.
Well! Did you ever get so bad
ly fooled that it was pleasant to
be fooled? I have. For several
days I had it all figured out that
the Fanchon and Marco idea this
week was going to be a flop.
"Uniforms" sounded far-fetched
to me. The Saturday afternoon
matinee told me Just how much
fun it can be to be very badly
footed.
To begin with the chorus is all
boys and that is different They
go about their business of do
ing some of the cleverest tap
chorus work that has been about
these parts since before my time,
with a serious and graceful dex
terity that Is somewhat of a re
lief from the sunny "sunkist"
girls.
Two girls, of small and light
dimensions, Sylvia Shore and Hel
en Moore, take some rather dif
ferent places in this chorus end-
men as t were for the boys. They
are attractive but they don't al
ways get together.
That is a small matter though,
after watching the grace and un
usual "Peasant and Poet" inter
pretation given by the boys' chor
us. One could forgive a lot of
things just to see that alone.
'But there are some other good
things. The comedy dancer, for
instance, is really funny; Ruth
Hamilton, a movie actress is
dainty and has personality; and
If you like graceful "strong man"
stuff yon most certainly will fee
enthusiastic about the last act
of the show. Even I liked It al
though that sort of thing makes
me sigh with relief when it Is ov
er and everybody has a aeck and
head in place, and undamaged.
Fanchon and Marco, "Navy
Bfues" with Karl Dane and Wil
liam Haines making merry and
the Elsinora orchestra make a
good combination this weekend.
Yon should see the lady in
Louis Meier's orchestra trying to
play her violin and see from un
der tie nary off Icer'g cap which
each member of the orchestra is
equipped. In spite of that fact
both she and the orchestra make
you sit up and listen with an un
usual adfrntion of "JnaC r.iv. .
Gypsy.- "
Casual
Today - - Monday - - Tuesday
i
Matinees
2-5
Balcony
15c
i Floor
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' ALSO
They Shall Not Pass Out"
All Talking; Comedy
"OFF THE DECK"
Comedy ;
PARAMOUNT NEWS
SALEM'S FINEST SOUND
tWV-M - vri
Once a cinema player has estab
lished a reputation for some out
standing quality doomed to play
roles in which that particular
trait is prominent.
Many a Hollywood player has
fought against being constantly
cast into "pure" types just as
many others have rebelled against
an uninterrupted flow of unsym
pathetic characterizations. Sooner
or later the player, if he: has suf
ficient stamina and perhaps more
to the point, temperament, back
ed up by box ofrice appeal, will
win his point and the powers-to-be
in filmdom will permit him to
alternate a characterization now
and then.
Just such a metamorphosis
seems to be taking place with
one of the most prominent of
screen stars who heretofore has
been confined to light comedy,
while his soul longs for emotional
outlet somewhat more satisfying
than that of tripping up the vil
llan or making faces behind some
body's back.
This person Is none other than
William Haines, whose success at
portraying seemingly light-hearted
athletic, collegiate youth has
brought him to the front ranks
of Hollywood stardom only at the
mephistophelian cost of trading
in his individuality. And Haines
like Faust now regrets bis bar
gain. Fortunately, however, Metro-Goldwya-Mayer
is more lenient
than the devil and is permitting
Haines not only to have his cake
but to eat it as well. And "Navy
Blues," his first all-talking pic
ture now shown at the Fox Elsi
nore theatre, might be said to be
the first slice. For "Navy Blues"
while not the sort of thing Sarah
Bernhardt would have chosen for
a vehicle, has sufficient serious
ness between" Its light-hearted mo
ments to give Haines a chance to
get away from the ever-clinging
clown type of role he has been
accustomed to in most of his past
productions and to show the
world that he can "emote" with
the best of them. He has been
no little aided in this by the fact
that Clarence Brown directed the
film, for Brown, director of nu
merous Greta Garho pictures, is
absolutely at home in producing
dramatic effects.
Just what the movie public's
reaction to this new Haines will
be is a moot question. The reac
tion to "Navy Blues," however,
will not be the criterion Inas
much as Haines does not desert
his old tricks in this picture but
merely inserts a few of the newer
dramatic ones. ;
That the picture Is still a corned
dy may be gathered from the fact
that in the first place it's about
the navy and in the second place
prominent supporting roles are
played by Karl Dane, Anita Page,
Wade Boteler, J. C. Nugent,
Edythe Chapman and Gertrude
Sutton, all ef whom have been
rather conspicuous in laugh-producers
rather than tear-getters.
Maybe Haines is all wronc
After all, why should the crack
comedians' want to be Garbos, or
the Garbos comedians. Of course
there Is such a thing as a combi
nation of the two, witness the
noted Mr. Chaplin. There's just
the possibility that William
Haines has. hitched his wagon to
that sort of star. If he really has,
nothing in all the cinematie
world will be able to stop him.
YOUNGSTER CONVALESCING
ZEN A, Jan. 25. Ralph Ewlnr,
youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. A.
R. Ewing is convalescing from m
severe attack of influenza. The
small boy was very ill and it was
through for a while he would
have pneumonia.-
RPd LoUDCGUE
100 DIALOG
Evenings
7-11 .
Balcony
25c
Floot
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Attractive Janet Younp, favorite with Salem audiences, who will
appear In the "Makropoulos Secret," the next Moronl-Olsen play to
be presents under the auspices of the Lions club at the Fox Elsi
nore Friday night.
Moroni Olson Players to
Present Second of Plays
In Salem Last of Month
Those who remember the ef
fective handling of Sutton Vane's
"Outward Bound" by the First
Circuit Repertory company of the
Moroni Olsen players three sea
sons ago, will look forward with
Interest to the coming of the com
pany to the Fox Eisinore, Janu
ary 31, with "The Makropoulos
Secret," second of the series of
plays added to its repertory for
the 'Current season. "
Both plays toy with the un
known in terms At the known,
and each play provokes the who
reads it or witnesses it in per
formance, to stimulating thought
on the subject presented.
In "Outward Bound" Sutton
Vane speculated In terms of the
drama upon the theme of immor
tality expressed in the form of
life after death, while in "The
Makropoulos Secret" Karel Ca
pek, better known to American
audiences through "R. U. Tt." spe
culates in terms of the drama
upon the same theme, expressed
in the form of life prolonged in
definitely. Elena MaVrononloR AanvhtAr
of the great Greek physician to
Emperor Rudolph, becomes un
willingly the beneficiary of her
father's secret of nroloneinr me
and youth for a span of hundreds
of years. Through countless
changes of names always pre
serving the original initials ahe
hat passed, disappearing and re
turning under a new name, since
one cannot, live indefinitely
affionc other human heinm nnlMf
one can . share their physical me
tamorphoses. And in the play we find her as
Emilia MartV. Rifietnr woman
wetrr; ot her Immortality but
scriviag, tejrecovev the formula of
life prolongation which had fal
len into the hands of one of her
lovers many years before;
be-
-Today Tomorrow
Continuous 2 to 11
cause Emilia feels the effect of
her immortality wearing away
and fears to face death, even
though 350 years of life have be
come utterly boring to her.
The forcing of the'secret from
her by a group of people who have
become suspicious of her inexpli
cable knowledge of their lives and
affairs for generations back, lifts
the play to its supreme climax,
which is followed instantly by
another course of mounting ac
tion, in the effort of these peo
ple to decide what to do with the
secret once they have possessed
it.
"The Makropoulos eScret" will
be presented here, as was "Twelve
Thousand" the first play of the
season, under the auspices of the
Lions club.
1 10 DIPS HIS
CISKS 'WARE
"The consonants had gone out
of American speech. Talking pic
tures will brong them back."
These two statements were
made recently by Cecil B. DeMIlle.
"We had been growing steadily
more careless about our use of
the English language" he stated,
"until the talkies, and the neces
sity for perfect articulation,
brought us up short. Listen to
any ordinary conversation, and
you will find that the fs, d's. b's
and g's had almost passed out of
our tongue.
"Rarely, if ever, do you ever
hear anybody say. ves. It fs mn-
J-ally 'yeh'. And the .dropping of
g s and h's after w has beeome
a fine art. even amonrst the rrnd.
nates of our biggest universities.
. i jm,i, iii ji.ju iiiw.iiM' i ""m JiJjjaaiR.-. Si.w.'..i';tlf
g -"iiiBUMMifciiiin nn - " i' i ''i " rir t
,t 4i.- 1:0 ' .
Al Jolson in the "Singing Fool" needj Ltt!e introduction. Hero
hejs in a not to be forgotten moment in the play.
FATHER, SON
BOOKED HERE
Two Members of One Fam
ily Appear in Different
Film Productions
It Js an interesting coincidence
that there should be appearing
at the Fox Eisinore this week a
father and son, each in a differ
ent picture. These two are J. C.
Nugent, who plays the part of the
hen-pecked husband in "Navy
tflues and Elliott Nugent, his
son, who takes the lead in "So
this is College." beginning at the
Eisinore Tuesdayr
J. C. Nugent in "Navy Blues"
does some outstanding work. He
is "just right" as the hen-pecked
husband. He is exceptionally
original In his interpretation of
his part and makes of a minor
part a piece of acting to be re
membered. You wll like "Navy L les" for
it is so genuinely funny. It
would seem that it could not fail
to amuse all who came some of
course more than others. It is
to be imagined that anyone with
any "seagoing" experience will
understand the real fun in the
picture more than the housewife
for instance. But it is a safe
wager that you will all laugh.
Introducing New Faces
In "So This Is College", be
prepared to meet some coming
start. You will perhaps see for
the first time several actors of
whom you perhaps have never
eeven heard. The situation is
that right now. New material is
being inducted Into the screen
"The talkies, however, have the
power to reclaim this situation.
By virtue of their very mechani
cal limitations they are setting up
the highest standards of speech
we have had. Articulation must
be absolutely correct In a talking
picture, if it is to convey repro
duction by thousands of different
operators in all parts of the
world.
"Of course this throws an add
ed harden on the director. If a
player has careless speaking hab
its, they must be corrected before
the picture goes out to the pub
lic." There still are many ranches of
more than 100,000 acres in the
southwest.
WHERE SOUND IS BEST!
Today Till Wednesday
It's Better Than Wtacsn
..... A Thrill picture such as
you get once, in a Mfetlme.
. '. . A love story that will
grip you with its dramatic,
force .-. . - - i ;
" ih rrr
r vVy macvems
jiT r0LT r AscEanlisssr '
.. Thursday brings .
business at a great rate. Voices
are lecoming so important that
many folk are being "seized"
from the legitimate to shine ca
the silver screen. You will see
several of these in "So This is
College."
You perhaps are not acquaint
ed with Elliott Neugent. who
shares honors with Robert Mont
gomery, both of whom are stage
folk of many seasons, having be
gun when young and kept com
ing. Most of the names of tUe
cast are new, and of course the '
Dearers are young. It is a col
lege picture, you know.
It is a picture of "sounds".
Singing, talking, football, danc
ing, orchestration and what not
that goes to make up the "noise"
of college life. Sally Starr is the
lady of most action in the play.
i -Martin Broones comno!ri tnmi rf
the ten songs sung in this plav
although Charlotte Greenwood,
(remember the girl with the long
legs?), and one or two other?,
assisted with them.
It's a safe opinion that you will
find much relaxation in thl rii.
ture and some memories of the !
"old days."
S6
III
Fountain of Youth
"But then I was only 290 years old
"One cannot live with you more than 30 years at
a time."
And so "The Makropoulos Secret" was out and
Emilia Marty, the immeasurably old, and eternally
youthful daughter of Makropoulos, the physician of
Emperor Rudolph, finally faced the death she feared
and the life that had grown immeasurably boresome to
her.
POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH
Then those who had won the secret away from her,
were forced to the necessity of deciding what should
be done with the power of life and death over all the
world and the decision was made finally by the young
girl who knew, what Emilia also knew, that too long
life is not to be desired by human beings.
"The Makropoulos Secret" is the second offering
of the First Circuit Repertory company of the Moroni
Olsen players, and will be presented here on
Firiilasr, JJasmraaffy SMIst
under the auspices of Salem Lions Club, at the
FOX ELGINOE1E THEATRE
Prices: $1.50, $1.25, $1.00, 75c and 50c
The Lions Club is using the profits from this play to buy
87-acre tract for the Boy Scoots
25c
HOME OF Ml TALKIES
Today, Monday, Tuesday
Continuous Performastoe' Todav 3-11
At Our Regular Price
E
OF
ES
Courage Carries Him Up
From Humble Back
ground Monte Blue, star of "From
Headquarters," is at the Holly
wood this week. He is a man of
many thrilling adventures. Some
day he promises to write a book
about them, but In the meantime
the interesting facts of his life
deserve publication.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana,
with Cherokee Indian blood in his
veins, Monte had a hard fight for
life, but developed the unconquer
able enthusiasm and good-fellowship
for which he is famous.
His early experience took him
all over the I'nited States as sail
or, soldier, lumberjack, miner,
cowpuncher, factory hand and
superintendent, Indian agent, loc
omotive fireman, bindlestiff, ditch
digger and traveling man, and it
i3 his proud contention that he
has never tried anything that was
not a success.
Falling by accidents under the
spell of the great David Wark
Griffith, Monte worked with him
as script clerk, actor and stunt
man in "Intolerance," "The Birth
of a Nation." and others. The role
of Donten in Griffith's "Orphans
o the Storm," first Vrought him
fame. .
Several good mountain-boy
parts in such pictures as "The
Jucklings" increased his popul
arity and Warner Bros, gave him
a chance at feature leads and
stardom soon after they began
scrern vrork in Hollywood.
"From Headquarters" has for
its plot the life history of a man
once a member of the United
States marines but who appar
ently came to disgrace and
rert-d. A drtaehment of marines
land in a Latin-American coun
try, find trace of the deserter
ard then a story of love and in
trigue and courage 13 worked out
in a really surprising manuer.
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