New-York Tribune from New York, New York • Page 50

i i. ly.r..? Interesting Ghat and Stage Gossip for Playgoers All, All Are Gone, tlie Old Familiar Faces Work and Ton Work Alone if You Happen To Be Starring in For? Lee By Harriette Underhill To "the that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome" should be added "the that was Fort Lee," for if thnt village, opposite Har? lem, was not so big and so wicked it was quite as in the making of history not so long ago. We can remember when one could visit nearly every star of the East just by crossinf the river at 130th Street and boarding a street car or climbing in a Ford with a meter on it. That was when the di? rectors forgot to send their "limou? and how natural it is to call a limousine a limousine when you write about the movies? That is what a closed car is invariably called by the title writers, who love to fill it with "kid? dies" and then give them a "reel" thrill in "filmland." But that is not what we started out to say at all. We started to say that the World Film Company, the William Fox, the Goldwyn, and Cos? mopolitan all used to have their studios over in Fort Lee, and any time you crossed the river on the funny ferry you were sure to be parked alongside of Mae Marsh or June vidge or Carlyle Blackwell or Maxine Elliott or Mary Garden.

That was where the "reel" thrill began. Then when you got over there you could wander around the studios all day and take lancheon with Alice Brady and Marion Davies and Monte Love and Kitty Gordon, all in costume. This was whero the "reel" thrill continued. Of course, we knew that gradually the big companies were drifting out to the West, whence they came. Why they ever came East in the first place and why they went back again after being here ia more than we can say.

Perhaps Penrhyn Stanlaws has the -right idea, but that is commented on in another column. Hope Hampton The Hope" One day last week we chartered one of those "limousines" and crossed the Fort Leo ferry, thinking that it would be pleasant to visit the old familiar haunts. On the way over we met Hope Hampton, and she said, You are coming over to call on me!" "Not especially," I answered. Tm just going over to stroll around the studios and talk to the people, and take luncheon with some of them." Miss Hampton viewed us sadly, and then she said, "All, all are gone; the old familiar faces. I am the only worker there now.

But you can stroll around the Paragon Studios as much as you like and take luncheon with me. At least you can take it; I don't eat any." "Why not?" "Well, I can't take any chances until Faith' is finished. She's deli? cate, and it wouldn't do to have her get fat." "Don't you feel like a 'White Hope' playing in this picture?" "I did, but they have changed it to The Light in the "That's too bad, for I had a million dollar scheme which I intended to Bell to your press agent where he was to give a benefit performance and adver? tise it, 'Showing of White Faith, with Hope for Now, Light In the Dark' sounds like an X-ray picture." By this time we had reached the Parairon Studios andwc asked to see the modern Adonis who had been picked out by popular vote for Miss Hampton's leading man. "He isn't an Adonis; he's an Apollo, and he isn't my leading man, Lon Chaney 1b." The name of Lou Chaney all thoughts of the modern Apollo out of our head, for this was Mr. Chancy's first trip East.

The Actress Must Die Many Deaths Almost as soon as we got in the studio Clarence Brown, the director, called "Camera!" or whatever the magic word is whereby they assemble their players. Miss Hampton hastily up her glorious red hair, dishevelled her collar and threw herself on her humble cot. We knew nothing William Dudley Pelley's "Whita Faith," but this we did know: Miss Hampton was very poor and very ill with something fatal, such as cancer, melancholia or the like, and Lon Chaney, looking like a reformed apache, was trying to induce her to -sa? lt was necessary to shoot the scene over and over again because one of the actors couldn't be induced to ig? nore the camera. It remained a never ending source of amusement to him, In the middle of a scene he would in? variably point his finder at it and say "Look, choo choo!" He was only two years old, though. Being a screen etar doesn't look like a bit of fun, ever if they do ear? as much in a week as i the rest of us do in a year.

It's hare work. Just as though our editor tor? tip our story and made us write it i dozen times. We'd resign! Miss Hampton is the only persoi playing at the Paragon Studio, and, ir iact, the only person playing in For Lee. Pompeii is not more deserted though of course they were not de for similar reasons. But Mist Hampton says that she will never gc California to make and that she before long they will all be cyming back her? again.

So it the mean tita? her studio is "The lifht la-th? dark." "Chocolate Soldier" 3d Shubert Opera Here in Six Months The presentation of Oscar Straus's operetta "The Chocolate Soldier" at the Century Theater, Monday night, December 12, will be the third preten? tious operetta sponsored by the Shu berts within the last six months. The others were Straus's later work, "The Last Waltz," now on tour, and "Blos? som Time," now running at the Am? bassador Theater. The production of "The Chocolate Soldier" will be spectacular. There will be a brilliant cast of singers, danc? ers and comedians, headed by Donald Brian and Tessa Kosta. "The Choco? late Soldier," from the standpoint of elaborateness, at least, will doubtless measure up to offerings that" have re? cently held the ample boards of the Century.

This Straus work, which was sung around the world twelve years ago, has been selected for a new presenta? tion largely because of its exquisite score and the many opportunities af? forded the scenic artist in the way of brilliant stage pictures. At the same time, the artistic responsibility of the producers at the Century Theater de? manded an appropriate successor to the Sothern and Marlowe engagement. Because of its combination of rich music, romantic quality of story and picturesque humor, "The Chocolate Sol? dier" made a world-wide appeal. Orig? inally presented at the Lyric Theater, September 13, 1909, it ran for more than a year at that playhouse and at the Herald Square and Casino theaters, where it continued its engagement. Founded upon Bernard Shaw's play, "Arms and the Man," it scored one oi the greatest successes in the history of the American stage.

It duplicated this success in London, Vienna, Paris Berlin and other Continental cities. In the original New York cast Jact E. Gardner played the role of Lieuten? ant Bumerli, which has been assigned in the new production to Donald Brian. Ida Brooks Hunt sang the pari of Nadina, which has been given tc Tessa Kosta for the Century Theatei presentation. William Pruette playee the part of Fopoff, Edith Bradford was Mascha, George Tallman acted Majoi Alexius Spiridoff.

The cast also in cludod Flavia Arcaro, Henry Norman Lillian Poli and George C. Ogle. It the new presentation John Dunsmurc will have the role of Popoff, John Hum bird Duffey will play Alexius, Virgin? O'Brien will be seen as Mascha, an Mildred Rogers and Detmar Poppei are in the cast. The operetta is bein; staged by Charles Sinclair, who madi the o-3-rinal production in 1909. Owing to the importance of th score, which represents Straus in hi most inspired vein, a special symphon; orchestra, under the direction Ma: Bendix, has been engaged.

Severa parts of the score, notably the have been composed in the manner modern grand opera. Only musician trained in the symphony and gran opera orchestras are able to play then A chorus of seventy-five, chosen fo the quality of voice as well as tive looks, will be a feature of the pre daction. Another important featur will be a special waltz arranged Donald Brian, from the "My Hero waltz, and "The Chocolate Soldiez duet. Aside from the musical character the operetta, the book and lyrics fo low the best traditions of an older an better day in the American theate This is not by way of saying thr there is an old-fashioned note in th production. On the' contrary, a di? tinctive effcrt has been tc upp modern standards of tho artistic in the staging, the lighting ar the costuming of the operetta.

The ne stagecraft has been followed througl out. It is only the spirit of the old day that has been spirit oi the irresistible waits that ii ti-ijf-tte? the and then ti heart, 4, Old Towns Scarce, Urban Makes One For Wallingf ord If there had been an easily accessi? ble community in the United States where the citizens thought more of the mellowing touch of nature on the town and less of civic pride in keeping the grass from encroaching on the road? ways, Frank Borzage, the Cosmopolitan director, would have taken his whole company there and staged the filming of "Get-Rich-Quick Walingford." But there was such least, not in so far as Borzage coule ascertain. So he laid his problem be. fore Joseph Urban, the designer Borzage needed a sleepy village where the footsteps of the citi zens did not quite succeed in keepinj the green from the sidewalks where the buildings, the hotel, thi bank, the grocery and the newspape office had all been built about the sam time and all dozed off together. Jua a nice village with a quaint littl square in the center, with an old can non, protected by an iron railing, as patriotic relic of the Civil kind of town that centers all its tivities about the square, with a roa leading to the railroad station to max the thousands of trips made by tl old buggy and its shaggy horse bi tween the trains and the hotel, At there must be a nice old hotel wil one of those old-fashioned railing against which drivers stood the teams while they stopped a while the hotel veranda to talk of crops ai the great events of the world.

Borzage made his Bcheme clear Urban, but there were not miles of lai to work the regular stud floor. But, according to experts have seen "Get-Rich-Quick Wallin ford," Urban has done the impossib Out of the new building material a fresh paint he has created a villa square which seems never to have the joy of a paint brush for probal f. quarter of a century. It looks tf wn built in the days when "that the time they knew how to buil There is a feeling that right back the hotel are miles of farms meadows and maybe a bit of a brook In one of the scenes, when the conservative old citizen of Battl burg drives up to the hotel entra: with the town band, there is a sense the great bustle which preceded of the rushing up many winding str? into homes and shops to get the i sicians into their uniforms for the parade to welcome the famous Walli ford, who had promised to make town the greatest industrial centei the State of Iowa. Every time lingford made another promise of gi civic improvement it seemed as if old scenery appeared that much -thanks to Urban's knowledge of to make the simple settings tell own story.

The romance not only in the story, but in the scenery, mark "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford one of the best American photo-p about the American people, it is cted. It has been selected by I Riesenfeld for presentation at Rivoli and Rialto theaters, begin to-day. Meredith to Study Abroa Charles Meredith, popular lei man, has sailed fcr Europe to stu( the French and English drai schools, because he wants to be a ter actor, which is a laudable arab when one considers how good an he is. It is possible that Mr. Mer will make oae or mor? pictures Shadows on the Screen Joseph Schenck has invested in the Brunton Studios in Los Angeles and in the future they will be known as the United Studios.

Norma and Constance Talmadge will work there, also Buster Keaton. Constance will start work im? mediately on "The Divorcee," by Edgar Selwyn. It will be directed by Sidney Franklin. There will be two leading men, Kenneth Harlan and Harrison Ford. Mr.

Franklin will also direct Norma in Balzac's "The Duchesse de Langeais," to be followed by Robert Hichens's "The Voice of the Minaret," "Manslaughter," the novel by Alice Duer Miller, will be translated into film form at the Paramount studios in Hollywood when Cecil de Mille re? turns to handle the megaphone. Claire Adams says the best way to reduce Is to go to work in a Zane Grey picture. Miss Adams has lost ten pounds since she began working in "Wildfire." Zona Gale rises to remark that "Miss Lulu Bett" pleases her more on the screen than it docs on the stage or in the book, in certain places. "Beyond the Crossroads," with Ora Carew in the leading role, is to be re? leased soon by the Pioneer Film Cor? poration. The supporting cast includes W.

Lawson Butt, Melbourne McDowell and Stuart Morris. Bradley King made the adaptation and the picture was directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. William Christy Cabanne has com? pleted "At the Stage Door" and will begin to cast his next picture at the Sixty-first Street Studios, Billie Dove will be the star of the new picture, as she is in the one just finished. Shirley Mason is in New York on her first visit in three years, and while she does not revel in personal appear? ances she has promised Mr.

Fox to make a few of them. She will go to Charlotte, N. to be present at the convention of the Motion Picture Thea? ter Owners of America. Marion Davies has received a letter from one who terms herself a "flapper," saying that she to be horrid like the flapper In "Enchantment," but since she saw that picture she is re? solved never to act so com? plete reformation. Few pictures can do this.

Monte Collins and Kate Price are charged with holding op production at the Goldwyn Btudio. They keep Al Green and Colleen Moore laughing bo at their talks of "twenty years ago, when we played in variety," that no work is done. Bayard Veiller, who is directing "The Phantom Bride" for Metro, has selected an extra girl to play the lead. She is Audree Tourneur, who appeared in Rex Ingram's "Conquering Power" and in "Camille." Alice Terry, who is now a star, was playing extra parts a year ago. "Look Pleasant, Please," is the title of the next reissued one-reel comedy starring Harold Lloyd, which will be released next week.

Bebe Daniels is seen opposite Lloyd. "Our Mutual Friend," the picture at the Lyric Theater which Wid Gunning offers as his contribution to the "bet? ter films" movement, has won the ap? probation of the school teachers as an aid to inculcate a love for the classics in the youngsters under their care. The success of the four classic stories now being shown in New Three Musketeers," "Hamlet," "Our Mutual Friend" and "Peter might well inspire the hope that the producers of motion pictures may soon cultivate a field almost entirely un? touched in those classic novels and stories con tail-ing the elements nec? essary to the In Picture Theaters begins its last week at this house. It will be moved into another theater December 10. Barrymor? in "The Lotus Eater" is held over for another week, with the prologue and other numbers of the program also un? changed.

0," the Mabel Nor? mand picture, continues. Ibbetson" con? cludes its engagement on Thursday, December 9. "A Fool's Paradise," with Conrad Nagel and Dorothy Dal ton, is the new attraction. with Asta Nielsen in the title role, begins its fifth week. Mutual Friend," adapted from Dickens's novel, continues.

RIALTO "Get Rich Quick Walling ford," adapted from the George Cohan play by Luther Reed, is the feature picture. It was directed by Borzage and Urban designed the scenery for the production. The music setting contains many Cohan melodies. Hosmer's "Southern Rhap? sody" is the overture, and Lake's paraphrase of Nevins's "Such a Lit? tle Fellow" an additional orchestral number. RIVOLI "Get Rich Quick Walllnr ford" is the feature picture here also.

The overture number is Pugnis's "The Czar Maiden," danced by Victorina Krighcr, of the Moscow Grand Opera. for a Woman," the Continental film dealing with epi? sodes in the life of Danton, has its American premiere. The prologue, epilogue and muslo are arranged to accentuate the atmosphere of the feature film. The overture is Litt hoff's "Robespiewe." Brooklyn Theaters the last week of its engagement. Warfleld, In "The Return of Peter Grimm," -remains for another week.

BORO half: Hany San trey and his band, Harry and Anna Seymour, McCormiek and Wallace, Santrey and Seymour, Joe Towle, Peggy Brennan and Brothers. The film: "Call of the North." Four Mortons head the bill. Johnny Burke, Aileen Stan? ley, Rae Elinore Ball, Kane and Her? man, Erwin and Jane Connelly, Mme. Ella Bradna, Harry and Grace Ells? worth, and Frank and Ethel Carmen fill out the program. Hoffmann and her American ballet heve topline honors.

Others on the bill are Rae Samuels, Morton and Lewis, Johnny Burke, McWaters and Tyson, "Little Jim," Elms? El Cleve and the Tren nell Trio. LOEWS METROPOLITAN Mary Pickford in "Little Lord will be the feature picture through I out the week. Argen? tina" heads the bill, which includes Nat Nazarro Al and Harry Klein, Harry Hines, Joveddah De Rajah, Fred Schwartz, the Leach Wallin Trio, Nip and Fletcher, Mme. Everest and Bob Nelson. Lotus-Eater," John Barrymor? as the adventurer aviator, and a Harold Lloyd comedy.

"Never Weaken," ax? th? feat? ures of th? bill. Vaudeville headliners divide hon? ors this Scheff, Chic Sale, Carl Randall and Ruth Roye. Other featured acts are Grace Huff, in "The Harry Delf, Win? nie Lightner, Madelon and Paula Miller, Johnson, Baker and Johnson and Bostock's Riding School. Steel and Chic Sale share the topline position. Mrs.

Sidney Drew, Anatol Friedland, the Du For Boys, Franklyn and Charles, in "A Vaudeville Surprise." Tucker, Miss Juliet and Maslova and KobelofF, in "Spectre de la Rose," are the fea? tured acts. Charles Olcott and Mary Ann, Irving and Jack Kaufman, Nor? wood and Hall, Margaret Padula and the Luster Brothers fill out the pro? gram. EIGHTY-FIRST STREET Ann Luke, in "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath," heads the vaudeville. half: Craig Camp? bell, Lane and Harper, Charles Ahearn, "Tango Shoes," Murray Kis? sen, Raymond Wilbert. The film, "The Call of the North." Last half: B.

H. Rolfe, Juliette Dika, Will Ma- I honey, Ruddell and Donigan, Un? usual Duo. The film, "The Sheik." FORTY-FOURTH Zita and Naro Lockford and Lee White divide stellar honors. Other feature acts are Brendel and, Bert, Kranz and White, Bert Melrose, the Leach Wallin Trio and Ford and Truly. Ails and Kate Pullman head the bill.

Other acts are Yvette Rugel, Valerie Conroy and Yates, Great Koban and others. The films ar? "The Sheik" and the Lloyd comedy, "Never Weaken." LOEWS AMERICAN First half: Ralph Whitehead and the Five Mu? sical Queens head the vaudeville. The film, William S. Hart, in "White Oak." Last half: Marie Russell, in "A Study in Brown," and James Grady are topliners. LOEWS half: The Vir? ginia Belles and Frank Ford divide honors.

Last half: Igor's Bullet Russe heads the bill. The film: Mazy Pickford's "Little Lord Fauatlcroy" runs the entire week. WINTER GARDEN White shares headline honors with Jimmy! Hussey and his Revue. Masters and Kraft, Charles T. Aldrich, Lucy Gil- i lett, Mullen and Corelli, Walter Weems, Callahan and.

Bliss, Lipin ski's Dogs end Maxie and Geoi-ge complete the bill. MOSS'S and Cody head the bill, which includes Blanehe and Jimmy Creighton, Billy Mallen, Kluting's Entertainers, Hazel Croaby, th? Five Meeths and other acts. PROCTOR'S FIFTH half: Patton and Marks in "Bits and Frank Wilcox, Keir and En? sign, Burns and Lynn, th? Paynes. Last half: "The Wife Lil? lian Gonne, Leavitt and Loekwood. PROCTOR'S TWENTY-THIRD STREET half: Oliver and Nerrett, Morton and White and five other acts.

The film: "The Call of the North." Last half: Marshall and Williams, Howard and White, Curzon Sisters, the Templetons and three other acts. The film: "The Sheik." PROCTOR'S FIFTY-EIGHTH STREET First half: "Peaches," Sherlock Sis? ters and Clinton, Bob Willis, Wild and Hills, Stephen and Bordeaux, Gypsy Corinne, Marie Hart. The film: "The Call of the North." Last half: Ben Meroff, Chong and Moey, Solly Ward, Sabbott and Brooks, Carrie Reynolds, the Hatricks. The film: "The PROCTORS 125TH half: Wilson Brothers, Marshall and Williams, Wells, Virginia and West, and Gretchen O'Meara. Th? film: "The Call of the It's a Secret! KiM Is Really Lenore Ulric She Ha? Been Done Before, bot Surely She Has Never Truly Lived Before "Kiki" is a reincarnation.

Lenox? Ulric says so, and Miss Ulric surely knows more about this young person than any one David Eelaseo. Miss Ulric owes nothing to Kiki. She is as interesting as that vivid danghter of Paris, who was presented to New York by Mr. Belasco last Tues? day night. On the other hand, Kiki owes a great deal to Miss Ulric.

It is ehe who made Kiki What is to-day. "The matinee is the test," said the actress last Thursday, after the first afternoon performance. "At afternoon performances the theater is filled mostly with women. I was afraid they might think a bit too outspoken, to put it mildly. But, no, they ap? peared to like her." But even Miss Ulric is not at all sure of Kiki's moods and tenses.

"Rome times she is much more intense than at others, and I am always considerate of her moods." And she laughed and rumpled up her bobbed ha.r just as Kiki does. How many proud beauties of the stage are lovable, kittenish, agreeable before the footlights, but out of range of the audience snub the call boy and plume themselves before the actress doing "second It is merely a rhetorical question and the authorities need not be consulted for reply. Anyhow, that is not Miss Ulric's way. Maybe the but fictitious Kiki has thrown a spell over the young actress; or perhaps it is only that Kiki is like Miss Ulric. "What do you think becomes of Kiki? How old do you think she is? And what are her parents like?" Miss Ulric answered David Belasco, for the questions are his.

"I think anything might happen to her. But I am sure of this, she would never love any other man but Victor. She would make an ideal wife, an inter? esting sweetheart or a great actress. One thing certain, -Victor would never get tired of her. Of course, Kiki must had a gamine for a mother and an Apache for a father, for she says, 'When I wouldn't walk the streets they gave me a clout on the But for all that she was a pretty fine and strong-minded indi? vidual, and the strange part of it is that she was a good girl.

The original script lays particular emphasis on this. "Of course, one can only feel that Kiki must have had some one very fine in her family. Probably she is a rein? carnation; at any rate, she is an anach? ronism." Any actress who aspires to go on the road and introduce Kiki to the in? terior had better be-jin now to practice her stunts, for, arduous as it to sus? tain the tempo of the first twu acts, this is as nothing compared with the difficulty of maintaining the rigidity necessary to the success of the third act. Miss Ulric says that simulation of the cataleptic rigor must be learned gradually, like toe dancing, but that any one can do it with practice. Per? haps this is true, for it is a test of endurance.

But no amount of practice would enable any one else to make of Kiki quite what Miss Ulric han made. It requipes the combination of a sense of humor, beauty of face and form, agility, vivacity and pathos. And i the greatest of these is humor. a First Presentation of "Fools' Paradise" at Criterion December 9 "Fools' Paradise," a Cecil de Mille production, will have its first presenta? tion at the Criterion Theater, opening Friday evening, December as the principal screen feature of the pro? gram. The story was written by Beu lah Marie Dix and Sada Cowan from a theme suggested by Merrick's "The Laurels and the Lady." Conrad Nagel, Dorothy Dalton, Mildred Harris, Theo? dore Kosloff, John Davidson and Julia Faye appear in the leading parts.

Nagel has the role of an ex-soldler who loses his fortune in the oil fields on the Mexican border. Infatuated with a French dancer, be is blinded at one of her perfonnances by an explo? sive cigar given him by a Spanish can? tina girl. As nis sight fails sees the dancer fade awsy in an Ice ballet pantomime. The Spanish girl in re? morse nurses and marries him, making him believe, through her mimicry, that she is the dancer he has lost. The test of her life comes when she learns that his sight can be restored.

His sight regained, he will be lost to her. Angered that he has been living in a "fool's paradise," he adventures forth in search of the dancer. He finds her in Siam, where she flings her glove into the pit of sacred croco-Hies and dare? the Siamese King and the American youth to recover it for th? reward of herself. This locale of Siam furnishes sn op? portunity for the reproduction of por? tions Of two famous temples, Wat Chang and Aagkor Wat, and all th? colorful street and river life of far away land. In Outlying House? a cast headed by Milton Nobles sad Bessie Bacon, is the uttraction this week.

BRONX OPERA Mit? chell in "The Ch-mpion" a week's engagement..