St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 54

vx aw mi am aaa mmmm 'aaam mi mmt avv ar ai xxvxxvvvvvvvv.v... awv avov wwwv ST. LOUIS, SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 19, 1933. PAGE 4H "Vinegar Tree" Lots of Barrymores in Film Lionel, Ethel and John on View in "Easputin" At the American, While Latter Goes It Alone In "Topaze" at the Missouri Big Crowd Of Movie Stars Coming in Person Next Satur-day Reshuffling the Local Cinema Palaces. By H.

H. NIEMEYER New to St. Louis For Casey Show Leona Powers Comes As Visiting Star for Two Weeks at the Shubert American to Get tbe Musical Comedy, "Cat and the Fiddle" Next Sunday Night Following Film 4 "Rasputin." THE movie screens are pretty well cluttered up with Barrnnor this week with Lionel, Ethel and John appearing in "Raspntij and the Empress" down at the American and John being star of. "Topaze" at the Missouri Theater. About the time tl; cinema customers get over the shock of seeing so many member; r.t Poval FamUy at one time they will have something talk about.for next Saturday the Warner Brother's special arrive in St.

Louis bringing more screen stars to town than hari wr, aPmbled here, or anywhere else for tnat matter outsie at one time. In the crowd which will come hereJ A m. strictly in person and completely wired for sound-will be Ee; MILLARD 'A Daniels. William Powell. George Brem, xvuOJr DKa Ly0: 6 LASER Ginger Rogers.

Bette Davis. Dick poweu, utenua r.ren, uuy aio Patricia Ellis and possibly James Cagney and Joe E. Brown. Alons with these stars will be representatives of the Warn- Edmund Lotce in "The Devil Is Driving," at the Ambassador. Ml Brothers, relatives of the studio producers, camera men, BewSpapJ men and, probamy as many oi me nepers film houses around the country as can be accc: modated so that It will be a pretty respecta: gathering of movie moguls and the like.

All a stunt, of course, but a good one. The Lionel, Ethel and John Barrymore in "Rasputin," at the American. Irene Dunne and Phillips Holmes In "The Secret of Madame Blanche" At Loew's. have a big picture called "Forty-seed The Week's New Films Street" and this parade across the country is mes: to whoop things up for coming showings, Louis is to see more of the By NIE Leona Poxcers In '-The Vinegar Tree," At the Shubert. celebrities than any other Wests: city, for the crowd will get ir town next Saturday and rems over until Monday morning ma Ing, in the meantime, personal i 7 pearances on the stage at the ArJ "-f S-.

bassador Theater. From here train moves on East and the tire collection Is to take part the Inauguration day festivities "Washington with a special mot: picture float. WITH Leon a Powers starring in an Arthur Casey production, St. Louis tonight will have its first opportunity to see that comedy, "The Vinegar Tree," when Mr. Casey presents It at the Shubert.

Twice it has been scheduled for presentation here and twice failed to materialize. "The Vinegar Tree" Is a merry nd mad comedy about a lady who bad reached the years of 40-and-odd, found her husband far from fexciting, and decided to recapture si love's lost dream from tbe realm what might have been. Mrs. Laura Merrick believes a Certain artist, newly arrived at fame, is that specific individual -ith whom in her youthful years fthe had spent a perfectly nice and perfectly platonic afternoon. So she negotiates a house-party and contrives to have the artist as the lion of a zoo which contains also her sister, who, secretly, is the artist's sweetheart, and the sophomo-ric youth with whom Laura's daughter is in love and who has a propensity it would seem for elopements, and a susceptibility for women.

Mary Boland played "The Vinegar Tree' for two seasons in New York nd the Kast, and Billie Burke, who was scheduled to do it here, had great success in the West in the role of Mrs. Merrick, which brings back to St Mr. Ca-aey's newest star, Leon a Powers. MISS POWERS spent part of the season of 1926 in St. Louis, having been brought here by O.

D. Woodward for some special roles, and returned the next season to be leading woman of his stock company at the then Empress. Vivacious, red-haired and blue-eyed, she Is widely known as a most competent leading woman, and this sea-eon made a distinct impression upon Broadway theatergoers in Best Years." Before she was 11 years old she had played with John Drew, Maude Adams and Ethel, John and Lionel Barrymore and bad visited, on tour, every state in the Union. In the supporting cast will be Lawrence Keating. Shelah Trent, Fred Sherman, Sam Flint.

Ella Eth-ridge and Frank MacDonald among other favorite Casey players. (irp HE CAT AND THE FID-I DLE," which will be pre-sented at the American Theater starting next Sunday nicht, is a musical love story by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach. The story, laid in Brussels, concerns melo-znaniacs of all kinds, from classic-minded romantics to American hoofers. The book Is witty and the Kern music is waltzy, romantic, lulling, Viennese. The piece, which comes here following its Chicago run of 12 weeks, will be presented by the New York cast.

including Bettina Hall, Michael Bartlett. Odette Myrtil, Jose Ruben, Doris Carson, Bobby Jarvis. Catherine Field, Fred Walton, Arthur Treacher and Karl Theman. The song hits of the show are "The Night Was Made for Love." "She Didn't Say "'Try to Forget." "The Love Parade." "A Nw Love Is Old' and "One Moment Alone." rAPONSACCHI." the play In I which Walter Hampden is INCIDENTALLY when the even If the plot has been told. In varying forms, a good many times.

Lowe Goes It Alone. FORSAKING his battles over dames with his old side partner, Vic McLaglen, Edmund Lowe carries on his love-making single handed in "The Devil Is Driving" at the Ambassador, this week. Wynne Gibson is the gal Ed is aiming for this time and he gets her, too, for McLaglin isn't around at all to queer his game. The story is all about a gang of automobile thieves who are in the business in a big way and Ed is a mechanic who is one of the outfit who goes straight after a while. There are killings and crashes and wise cracks galore during the course of the meller and little Dickie Moore, the best child actor on the screen, adds a nice touch to the proceedings which are, mostly, pretty exciting.

''Cavalcade" Carries On. THE super-film, "Cavalcade" 1s in its second week at the reopened Grand Central and proving a continued delight td the audiences every afternoon and evening. 11 Rogers and Janet Gaynor miJt "State Fair," imWtUmM At the Fox. I ture all the shooting is abo: "Forty-second Street," comes: i Tvu- s'i town it may be played at Grand Central Theater which is once more become a regular ema house. With the pious announcement, "Tb: isn't any stork!" theater will present as jot as "Cavalcade" has ended, "Life Begins," Warc: Brothers' contribution to the obstetrical drama.

1 locale, a maternity hospital, "Life Begins" cros '1 sections the drama that surrounds birth, In the lives of the women patients at the hospiu TATE FAIR" at the Fox, is one of those agreeable little plays which doesn't get anywhere in particular but, being delightfully played by a big cast of favorite stars, it goes over with a real bang. Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor are both in it, and In addition the cast boasts Sally Eilers, Lew Ayres, Norman Foster, Frank Craven, Louise Dresser and Victor Jory a combination almost foolproof, so far as the box office is concerned. Most of the action takes place on the state fairgrounds, where the whole Frake family, including dad and the missus and the two kids, have their minds set on winning the hog championship with their prize pig. Blue Boy. They win it and old man Frake, who is Will Rogers, and old lady Frake.

who is Louise Dresser, retire to their farm well satisfied. The youngsters (Janet Gaynor and Norman Foster) have stumbled on something more important than a blue-ribbon, however, at the fair. While tending pigs they have bumped right into romance, and their love affairs give a nice twist to the yarn. Rogers is at his very best as the hog-raising farmer and provides a lot of good laughs during the course of the story, so that you don't ha-e to be interested in pigs to get an hour's full enjoyment out of "State Fair." No Longer a Gem. JUST why the movie magnates thought they could improve upon the very agreeable comedy, "Topaze." in which Frank Morgan made such a hit upon the stage a season or so ago, is rot clear.

They stuck to the main Tart of the original Idea, and then proceeded to rewrite it from start to finish, missing, along the way, all of the charm and most of the point of the stage offering. John Barrymore has the leading role, that of a poor and honest French school teacher, who turns to grafting and becomes a power among the Parisian big shots. As a matter of fact, Barrymore gives a fine performance, but the screen version Is so dull and stupid at the Emphasizing the fact the picture is neither a mei cal subject nor a so-called "sex picture," its Dramatic League Play, Joan of Arc Will Open Tuesday presarlos clamor for public attention to the poii that a distinguished Hollywood cast interprets Loretta Young, Eric Linden, Glenda Farrell, AH: TRIAL OF JOAN OF MacMahon, Dorothy Peterson, Frank McHug: Th: aj wl I HE ARC," the pageant drama Vivienne Osborne and Hale Hamilton appear khich comes to the Coliseum the production. Other pictures the professors will present at Grand Central include "20,000 Years In Sing-Sirf not a musical picture H. G.

Wells' "The ft of Lost "The Match King," supposedly apired by the high jinks of the late Mr. Kreug of Sweden; and similar delikatessen. to be A 7 nounced. Manrie Davis, former Skouras adma; is to be in charge of the house. 5 1 And RKO, which put a lot of bondholders id Amusement Calendar SHUBERT "The Vinegar Tree, with Leona Powers and the Casey resident players.

Starting tonight. Motion Pictures AMERICAN Lionel, Ethel and John Barrymore in "Rasputin and the Empress," starting this afternoon and twice daily at 2:30 and 8:30. GRAND CENTRAL Second week of "Cavalcade." Twice daily at 2:30 and 8:30. FOX Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor in "State Fair." A Fanchon and Marco show on the stage. MISSOURI John Barrymore in "Topaze," with Myrna Loy and "So This Is Harris," a musical comedy picture with Walter Catlett.

LOEWS "The Secret of Madame Blanche," with Irene Dunne, Philips Holmes, Una Merkel and Lionel Atwill. Also a Laurel and Hardy comedy. AMBASSADOR Edmund Lowe and Wynne Gibson in "The Devil Is Driving." Girl and music stage show. COLISEUM The Drama League's presentation of "The Trial of Joan of Arc" for one week starting Tuesday night. Tuesday night, under the sponsorship of the Dramatic League of St.

Louis, opens, fittingly enough, on the exact anniversary of the beginning of the original trial, over 500 years ago in France. production will run for the aemainder of the week and proceeds of the first two nights will be given to the Dramatic League for its Community Playhouses for the unemployed. Receipts of the third and fourth nights will go to the St. Louis Broom Factory Fund for the Blind. The principals in the cast will be professional actors of known reputation: Mildred Fischer, Gerda Hol-gersen, Hugh Thompson, Robert Vaughan, George Johnson, Andrew Leigh, E.

V. Krell, Jos. Keller, Forbes Alexander, Glenn Murphy, B. W. Peck, J.

F. Eschen, John Jaeger, Lester Roth, B. Galvln, Jas. Doyle, Maurice Brockmeyer, Al Hohengarten. W.

C. Ogden, L. Coutt and some 200 minor parts will be taken by local talent. Sfe- 141 the show business last week by turning the Louis back to its original owners, will operate the Missouri under lease from Paramouo The latter firm's theaters are also in the hands the courts, however, and no one knows esactl! what will happen. At the time when RKO handed the St.

Lou they also passed the Oroheum and the o'i Grand Opera House downtown to Cella and Tate the building owners. Already plans are said to on foot to put a musical stock company into to John Barrymore in "Topaze," at the Missouri. Orpheum next fall after the elns of the Municirs Burton Holmes Back Sfason ln Forest Park- bit the Grand Opera House is faid Little Theater Cast eQ aW3r tQe discard lQ so far important theatrica In mutes are concernpn Burton Holmes, veteran virtuoso iuv uusiness or Cavalcade." while rniw) iid tl The cast for -The Devil's Dis- cf the vicarious travels, will return expectations nor to the figures themagnificent film warrants Tberd cipie Dy ueorge eernara onaw, ine to the Odeon tomorrow night when are a great many potential rlnpma third subscription play of the St. he will aeain attemnt to widen the poienUaI clnemi SOts who are not willing to wtouring in conjunction with Hamlet," and in which he is to appear at the American Theater on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 6, 7 and 8. with a matinee of "Hamlet," is especially popular with the admirers of Robert Browning, upon whose epic, "The Ring and the Book," it is based.

"Caponsacchl" is one of the very few plays in which a Pope of Rome 1m a character. The last one in which a Pontiff appeared, if memory serves, was Hall Caine's "The Eternal City," a quarter of a century ago. In "Caponsacchl" His Holiness. Innocent XII, cornea on the scene to dispense inexorable justice when the Vatican court had failed to see the falsity In the charges made against Caponsacchl by Guido, who accused the cavalier-priest of despoiling Pompilia whom Guido subsequently murdered. Declaring Caponsacchl and Pompilia without stain.

Pope Innocent sends the cruel Guido to his doom. Louis Little Theater's season has horizons of his followers. This time roaa snow prices at this time. In the case of "Rasput GARRICK Burlesque. been named by Thomas Wood Stev- wuh a new picturization of his 1932 ani tne Empress" which begins a week's stay at the America! ens, oirwior.

ah it oe x.noi cruise arouna tne worm. i neaier mis aiternoon the producers eiiect th thr n-irrymo: RrcrfoiH v.rit Annivhit 5stn. w. i wutcrB expect me tnree start, and so long getting underway that the customers lose interest In the proceedings before the star really has a chance to act. Myrna Loy Is attractive as a girl friend of the man higher up, but this "Topaze" of the Missouri's screen is not worth while.

They do things like that every so often in the Hollywood studios. Still Madame X'ing. IRENE DUNNE, who used to be with the Municipal Opera here in St. Louts once upon a time, sings very pleasantly in "The Se cret of Madame Blanche" down at Loew's. As a matter of fact what she had on her mind wasn't muco of a secret, and the singing is only incidental to the story, but the play, a meller of the "Madame and "East Lynne' schools, it Interesting entertainment.

As in most o' her previous efforts 'Miss Dunne is required to grow old during the course of the plot. It begins when she is a musical comedy actress in New York who goes to London and io T.nn ATarTPri3r, v. llirs lo suiucient drawing power to overcome the reluctar.cl Ray Leimkeuhler, Eugene Wood, ters California to the Philippines OI mowe Patrons to lay the higher scale on the boxoffice vindH Postponed Symphony Concerts Will Be Mildred Fisrher in "Joan of Arc at the Coliseum, Tuesday night. Four Missourians Together in Show Four Missouri girls are In one traveling stage show, Fanchon and Marco's "Hot House" Idea, at the Fox Theater, this week. One of them is Jill Burdick, daughter of O.

G. Burdick. a surveying engineer, who lived in Clinton. for a number of years, afterwards moving to St. Louis where Jill was born.

Marilyn Connon. the second one, is the daughter of J. M. Connon. a florist of Webster Groves, who came to St.

Louis some years ago and then moved to Santa Monica. Marilyn began her dancing career at a very early age. She was featured in the coast company of "No, No. Nanette." where Fanchon and Marco saw her and Vlaced her under a three-year contract. Siro Shafer is the daughter of John Potter, a locomotive engineer for the Kansas City Southern Railway.

He and his familv soent 10 Fred Simonsen. Tom Conway, Char- and Manila to Manhattan. Among aneir. it Cnm Poffv XT vo an1 Sara i i i i rlayed IhlS Week Burd Cammack. pictured and described by the trav- Miss Cammack, a newcomer to eler, will be a visit to Death Val- ASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS" marks the first appearand THE ST.

LOUIS SYMPHONF Theater ranks, has the ley. Palm Springs and other scenic IC together on the stage or screen of th- thr Rrvmores tnMfmi, rtK. leading feminine role. She is a re- 8Dota in California. Then will come or Bcreen the three Barrymores.

mann m-iii r.T,t cent arrival In St. Louis and has Vancouver and the trip across the production, which took four months to film was directed tl its request program, which was acted previously with the Playa Pacific to show some uncommon Richard Boleslavsky, author of "Wav of IjinrT" nd Lan and Plavers Groun of Philadelphia, ioum, mnini inn what's UI vay or a Lancer ana postponed concerts at the' Odeon aBd dlrected the uttl( Theater of new in Shanghai. Singapore and Down" and who was formerly associated with the Moscow A- f' Sal "open for aruTof nine Sndf ofhe iJorots Thr tor and dialogue were nights on March 2. plied by Charles MacArthur, co-author with Ben Hecht of "The 1 Page. Male Chorus Concert.

The City Club Male Chorus, un t-t r. Xhree Wampas Stars Together in Picture Three 1932 Wampas Baby stars re working in tbe same picture at a Hollywood studio. They are Lona Andre. Lillian Bond and Dorothy Layton. The three have been signed for important roles In Vina Delmar's "Pick l'p" with Sylvia Sidney and George Raft under Marion Gering's der the direction of John W.

Bohn iiui vi uiui wkh, ins iitftew issued for last week's concerts are to be used this week. Golschmann's illness, though threatening, was of a minor nature and physicians feel that he will be so far recovered as to conduct the series of tour concerts the orches- Lomedy lonight and Carl AVerner at the piano, will, of the Royal Family. The Empress la played by Ethel Barryr a. cuiiccii oi i'" v-uiivuiuia anil llonei Jjarrvmorn a a fha "HOi oeminarv rieciLai nau on rnaav Flarll V. The DramaUc Club of the Y.

M. W. H. A. will present the W.

H. A. will present the years in St. Louis, later moving to Santa Ana. Cal.

The fourth Missouri girl in the show is Maxine Bliss, daughter of Edward Bliss who was a buyer in St. Louis for Swfit Co. They, too, moved to California. K. at 8:15 The soloists for this luv man Eam to be In a great measure responsible for i' 1J mJ.

Ul, 11IC BJ 1 A. HMO tra has scheduled beginning tomor- three-act farce comedy. -The Whole concert will be Mrs. Estelle Ruck- "ownfaI1 the Romanoff dynasty d. m.

iuuuaij, itiuun Jh7t 7t8aL Evans.Ue; an; Town's Talking," written by John er. pianist, Harry Boyer. baritone. Washington Masquerade." "Arsene and that it will be possible for him to Emerson and Anita Loos, at the r-w-lj Arele Lupin and Grand Hotel. meets Phillips Holmes, who has specialized in stage favorites.

marries this one and they have son who is torn from his by Holmes' stern old father after Phil has committed suicide. Irene never gets track of the child unti! years later, when he is a Britisn soldier in the World Wa. By that time Irene is running a honks tonk In Paris and finds her son charged with murder. She does her best to shoulder the blame, but tha boy comes through with a court confession and promises to retun to good old IMew York with his mother when his prioon sentence it-over. The piece has a real kick I conduct, as oririnallv nlanned.

the w. i two OI wnich his brother John auneared with him. Building tonight. vuiiuuik tun sal ta i Choir Presents Operetta, czar Nicholas is portrayed by Ralph Morgan. New York request program which was chosen by popular vote and which in The cast includes Sam Lewin.

Ro-wena Henschel. Ruth Mable, David The operetta, "Belle of Earce- icior. wno nas Deen seen In films, and other important -oles In ciuces tne Beethoven "Leonore Seslen. Hilda Knitziv Orv-ill MiMr. 1on will nrenenleil hv th Aid SocU-ty Comedy.

A two act comedy. "The Strike of the Ladies' Aid" will be given bv the Ladies' Aid Society in the Salem Parish Hall. Shreve and Mr-garetta avenue on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Slakes Screen Debut. Helen Freeman, for 12 years a New York stage actress, director nd producer, is signed to make her creen debut in "The Song of Socs." Maxletie Dietrich's film.

i puun ana tne Lmpress" are played by C. Henery Gordon and P'B Wynyard. Miss Wynyard. like John Barrymore. is also Tie where this week playing the tremendous role of the Engiian wifc a' Overture No.

3." the Cesar Franck. Harry Ehger, Jeanne Smolen, Zeida Friedens EvangeUcal Choir. Feb. 23 minor Symphony, Wagner's Wasserkrug, Nettie Oilanik, Rina and 24, at Friedens Hall, overture, and Ravel's Abrams. Irvine Hiat and Jesie teenth nd Xewhouse avenue, un- Bolero." motHer la "Cavalcade." Flnkelstein.

der th direction of Carl Braun..