The Charleston Daily Mail from Charleston, West Virginia • Page 20

f. PAGE SIX THE CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL, SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 19, 1936 Chaplin's Special-Own Film Held Up for His Private Inspection Drama, Art and Music Notes on the Fine Arts Here and Thereabout RESTON McCLANAHAN of the Kanawha Players, bless his robust soul, is about to come into his own. At least we sin- cerely hope he will. He has donated his services to direct two productions for Mor- ris Harvey college, of the Educational center. He has just completed directing two shows for the Glenwood and, as we all know, he has frequently entered the radio field, in addition to his many good performances as star in shows at the Play- house.

THINGS A TO LOOK suspicious when the Glenwood group prevailed on Pres McClanahan' for that first show. It was more than suspicion wlien the show netted something like $100 for the association's charities and services. That, in a sense, sealed his fate. He became director for another, upon request, and then the Morris Harvey en- gagement. He does, as many can testify, a whale of a good job and his heart and good mind are most thoroughly in PRESTON McCLANAHAN his work--his avocation, rather.

IN ALMOST COMPLETE SURRENDER to Thespis, Pres has proposed this for Morris Harvey dramatic club, called the Black- friars: two one-act plays, of contrasting mood, instead of a three- act production. Thus you can please both halves of your audi- ence, if there's divided sentiment, and what is more important you can school two casts. The Blackfriars decided, at his suggestion, to do just that. They will present a comedy, in one act, and a fantasy, in one act. The show is scheduled tentatively for Friday night, February 21, at the Roosevelt Junior high school.

Names of the plays and their casts are to be announced later. So thus begins another chapter in the life of Pres McClanahan --and that might easily mean an exciting chapter in the lives of the drama followers. REHEARSALS ARE BEING conducted, under the direction of Sandy Mason, for the first orchestral concert to be presented by the May Music Festival. It will be given February 9, at 4 p. in the Shrine mosque.

Its program will include: "Egemont Overture," Beethoven; "Symphony in Minor," Mozart; first movement of "Piano and Orchestra Concerto," Schumann, with Arthur J. McHoul, pian- ist, as soloist; and "Queen of Sheba Suite," Goldmark. AN ORGAN RECITAL at the Baptist temple will be held this afternoon at 4 by Miss Mary Elizabeth Springston, in the second public recital sponsored by the Friday Morning Music club. Miss Springston, who is organist at Humphreys Memorial, will play feature music of the modern French school. pro- gram: "Maestose," from first symphony of Vierne; "Berceuse," Dupre; "Elfes," Bonnett; "Prelude and Fugue in Flat," Bach; "Choral Prelude," of "Phosmyedre," aughn Williams; "Caprice," Guil- mant; "Harmonies du Soir," Karg-Elert; and "Toccata," Boell- mann.

Miss Pearl Reddington, soprano, will be assisting artist. She will sing two of Bharms songs, "One Thing Befalleth the Beasts and the Songs of Men" and "So I Surrendered," accompanied by Arthur J. McHoul. LIKE DON MARQUIS, we concur: Mehitable is a good-look- ing cat, Mehitablel thinks so too, for we find this in the morning 1 I had my picture in the Sunday paper, And that, my friends, is that. Don't give a darn what you think of it But I'm a good looking cat! Of course, the print doesn't do one justice, Snapshots so seldom do, But it shows that I'm a person of importance, Same as you--or you--or you! THE ALLIED ARTISTS will meet Monday night to discuss, among other things, "some plans for a social affair." They will convene in the library building.

THE CALEDONIAN PLAYERS under the direction of Robert Gulland, are rehearsing a Scotish play, to be given at a Robert Burns anniversary dinner at the Woman's club, on January 25. Poking the 'Gators Around Had to Use Fire Hose to Get the Sleeping Saurians Sufficiently Riled Up Theaters Not Free Agents In Tim Case Great Comic May Change His Mind Again and Delay It More By HENRY SUTHERLAND rjOLLYWOOD, Jan. 18 i Charlie Chaplin, flap-footed poohbah of the motion picture industry, hac just spent two years making "Modern Times," and now he's well on the way towards spending two more years looking at the film before letting anyone else see it. Charlie stuck a straw in the pie late last fall and then pronounced it done to a turn. Rhapsodically, 5 A i13 distributing unit billed the first Chaplin show in five years for a London theater Decem- ber 11, and New York's Rivoli on January 16.

Both theaters are making excuses now, while Chaplin, carrying the poohbah role to its logical conclu- sion, constitutes himself a one-man audience. So They fust Wait The picture is currently scheduled for release late in January or early February, but distributors wii'l be surprised if Chaplin does not change his mind again and make it March, or later. No earthly power can speed the release of the picture, for Chaplin is producer, financial backer, direc- tor, principal author and editor. He wrote it, composed the musical ac- companiment, selected the cast, supervised building of sets, advised on rnake-up and criticized sound re- cording. If the picture turns out to be a flop.

Charles Spencer Chaplin must inevitably take the rap. Of course, no Chaplin show can flop, because Charlie's reputation would carry the world's worst play since the Greeks invented a word tor it. but the possibility apparently worries him, and he spends all his time the cutting room. Daily at high noon the "great comedian of his day." middle-used and grey at the temples, appears at his studios, (two sound stages sur- rounded by a high wall, with no sign), and sees the film played over and over until late at night. Here is one of the numerous stars 'in "Folies dc Farce," stage show which will be at the Kearse, in addition to a picture bill, the days of the week.

Story of Film Briefly, the story is a i of a well- meaning but futile little man (Chap- lin) who is caught up in the whirl of modern industrv. Charlie's job is" to tighten nuts on an endless chain production bell with a huge wrench held in cither hand. The monotony gets him down and he goes berserk, and wrecks tho factory. Subsequently, he meets and be- friends a street gamin (Paulette God- dard) and there follows a long and hectic flight from juvenile authori- ties, during which Chaplin and Miss Goddard are in and out of jail. Miss eventually, a job as a cafe entertainer, and'obtains employment for Charlie as a sing- ing waiter.

Charlie can't remember the words of his song, so they are written on his cuff, but he loses the cuff with his first gesture. There follows the nearest approach to Chaplin speech on the screen. He i tries to sing without words, and i achieves only an unintelligible a gon. I The picture ends with a shot from i the horse-and-buggy days of screen, with Chaplin and Goddard. driven from the cafe, walking hand in hand into the sunrise.

fust Old-Fashioned There are no a i parls in the picture, except for a i sion" sequence, and the i i a criticism i probably be a i old-fashioned. Pola's Temperament Started It Her Ostensible Success Influenced Others to Try It, but Wilh Divers Results OLLYWOOD. Jan. 18 Pola Negri. a siren of gypsy beauty, did i a so far as it a i to the screen.

Ncvert.hele.ss, Pola a a pure, i i gain i i i toppers, complete i and tears. Pola came to i a i some very decided on. a 'Tempera- she reasoned, is the only way in i a foreign a can compete i a She it elevated her a the Hollywood average. a i a are i to in wood. American who it stuck their chins out too a a a was eased out of i because of her The same for a a a was tamed once, by a a a D.

W. i i It occurred i the i i of i "Drums of Love." In this a i a scone. Jet la was I to a lace a i She i i the one the man i so a a a i she had seen in a shop i i dow. She stormed and pouted for a day, i up a very cosily pro- i i i i i i cap. He got, Velez in a and i in a bit of i Next day.

eight a Lupe i a a i i up in old fashioner! a a i a a a i i Jctta hot- a i cover a A rocr-nl. i a i of 20th C'cn- tury-Fox is i i a French actress. She had been tipped off to this a gag arid be- Ran to work it to death. She refused to permit the makeup I men to change her a i style. She squawked to Darryl Zanu'ck.

She became annoyed at press agents. Then she walked out on Gene Korn- man, the photographer. Simone was scheduled to play the leading i i role in "A Message to Garcia." The part called for her to ride a horse. Simone put down her tiny foot and said "No" in vignr- ous French. Her contract excluded horseback riding.

So Barbara Stan- wyck got the role. I The men, you say? John Gilbert once locked himself in his room and i refused to work. Sand at a Party i ft took a Hollywood party to dis- close that blonde Mary Carlisle had i a i singing voice, Edgar Allan Woolf gave a party for i play- i ers and she was induced to sing i was i the a of the a a i Now Mary is going to sing in "Kind Lady." in which she is a i the i lead under George Seitz' i i Hire Mystic To Get Name Of New Star High Priced Hokum Is Indulged in by the Master Showman TjrOLLYWOOD, Jan. 18 -I Samuel Goldwyn winces at the name Anya Taranda, blondly decorative damsel newly fished from the chorus and earmarked for stardom, so he has hired num- erologists to rechristen her. Few would take issue with Mr.

Goldwyn over his dislike of the name. After all, it does sound rather like a Pullman car. But eyebrows are reasonably sure to be raised over his method of se- lecting a new one. It is probably the very first time a studio has con- sulted an oracle for such a purpose. The Common Touch Stars by the dozen have been re- named and launched in Hollywood, with and without the benefit of champagne, but the cognomen is usually chosen by a lot of guys named Joe, Bill, Herm and the like, who do it by sitting around a table throwing exotica at each other through the cigar smoke until all are tired out and willing to agree on anything.

Such procedure was far too sim- ple for the showman like Mr. Gold- wyn, however. With no little fan- fare the mimerologist was retained. Escorted to the studio by a small procession, and installed on a set where Miss Taranda is helping make "these three." Manner So Intent He was a robust, grave gentleman, somewhat on the district attorney order, but with aldermanic detail, graying temples and an intent man- ner. His name? Ah, he prefers to be known only as "Romayne.

personal advisor to the film great," but he was born Albert Richmond, in the most occult section of Cleveland, O. Between takes Romayne huddled with. Anya, lucky fellow. He dis- covered the date of her birth, the number of letters in her name, made her take a number from one to ten, double it, and select any card from the deck. Anyway, he'wrote it all down on a blackboard.

He and Miss Taranda posed on either side, both smiling, while the studio still man snapped many, many shots. Anya. Goldwyn said, does not suit the rhythm of Miss Taranda's per- sonality. She is the daughter of Rus- sian parents, but looks too Ameri- can to be confused with the im- ported list. She was born in New York, 21 years ago New Year's eve.

On and Off the Screen News, Reviews and Previews In Silence First Romayne said he go into the silences, from which he will emerge in a week or 10 days with a sure- i box office name, because figures do not lie. Ice Box Flowers Did you know that the society I boys and girls are now wearing rubber gardenias, an idea swiped from motion pictures? They sell un- der the name "ice box flowers" and while they wilt, like the real posies, a trip to the ice box revives them. They'll last a year with care- ful handling, but you must take care and not douse them with sweet pea when the design calls for gardenia. Landscapes Home Wallace Beery has gone in fnr landscape gardening purchas- ms his new home. He has planted several large oak trees in his i yard and he is searching nurseries for of a varieties.

Tracy Pulls Gag Spencer Tracy collected about a dozen newspaper and magazine photographs showing Myrna Loy in romantic poses with Clark Gable William Powell and other men with whom she has appeared on the screen, had each of the clippings framed and on 1he walls of Myrna's portable dressing room. She found them when she came to work to do romantic scenes with Tracy. Takes Off His Coal i weather holds no terrors for I Bruce Humberstone, i i "Whipsaw." Ho a a off his coat and rolls up his 'sleeves before he i a scene. Broadway Record Hal Roach's "Our Gang Follies of 1936," i opened at Loew's State theater for a seven-day engagement, established a new Gang record in achieving three weeks of Broadway bookings. OLLYWOOD, Jan.

18 CUP) Alligator walking is a new sport invented for Wallace Beery and John Boles. They spent three days at it while making a scene for "Message to Garcia" before directors were satisfied. 'Gators were arranged in 1he cen- ter of a "Cuban swamp' 1 built on a sound stage. Beery and Boles ap- peared on the bank, en route to the insurrectors' camp, seized bamboo oles. and plowed through the creek, eating saurians out of the way.

They did it over and over again. It looked dangerous, but after each take a couple of kids in fishme boots herded the 'gators back into position for the next shot with no trouble at all. Fact was the 'gators were awak- ened in the middle of their night for film duty, and weren't properly alive to their opportunities. They were i a i for the winter when bmuqht to the studio, and were roused by warm water baths, Regulating the temperature the bath was a nice problem. If water proved too hot.

so would the alligators, and a a actors look much better i two leas apiece. As it turned out the 'gator a ing attendants had the right com-! bination. and the saurians were too sleepy to do more than lolj about with half-closed eyes and "gently smiling jaws." Not one got hungry at the wrong- time. They were so listless, in fact, that directors took it to heart, and de- manded more action. Seems a real alligator swamp should be filled swirls and plops.

Technicians pacified them by play- ing flre hose just below the sur- face of the water, creating admir- able eddies, and highly Beatifying splashes. Real Scotch Coal A real Scotch coat from Scotland is the possession of Joan Parker, who recently returned from a i abroad. Joseph Calleia a.nd Jackie Cooper are stars in "The, Tough Guy," coining in the Capitol soon. NOW MARTIN fROTE IT! Corner Rummers 6fifc Today Double Feature Today "BORN TO BATTLE" "LEMON DROP KID' With LEE TRACY With TOM TVLER Wed. First Run Program FEATURE "Cheers of the Crowd" With HOFT0N --PLUS-- "Lawless Range" With JOHN A Also First Run Pathe News Rest of Week: Love Danger" and "Case of the Curious bow End' and Chapter Four Rustlers of Red Dog.

Repression Prices lOc TILL 3:00 P. M. AS NEW AS TOMORROW'S HEADLINES. AS FAST AS ITS OWN AIR EPISODE! 6 A TM "The March of Time" Attractions. PETE SMITH'S "AUDISCOPIKS" A MGIVI LAUGH NOVELTY i Full of Recluses By PAUL HARRISON Jan.

film colony is full of recluses. There ha been so much talk about Greta thi Ungregarious and Vanishing Katii Hepburn and Moody Marlene tha nobody seems to have remarked the social reticences of some of the other stars. Principal difference, of course, be- tween an eremite like Cantankerous Kate and a merely cuiet person like the reformed Bing Crosby is that the merely quiet people do not, when caught, kick the lenses out of cam- eras or hurl autograph albums into the teeth of collectors. Thev sur- render with fairly gracious resigna- tion. Mr.

Crosby, now, achieves a con- siderable measure of privacy with- out so obviously working for it. i he ventures out in pub- lic is when he to the races at Santa Anita to watch his horses chase all the other horses around the track. During football season he goes to some of the games with Dixie Lee, and without stooges. Attends a few private parties, the smaller, the better. Divides nearly all his time between his home in the se- cluded Toluca Lake district and his ranch.

Mae West isn't half as convivial as you'd guess. Only time she's seen is at the Friday night prize fights, and the boxing crowd has learned to accept her as just one of the fans. Never goes to parties or night clubs, or even to dine in public. And, by her order, the set of "Klondike Lou'" has been closed to visitors. Reticent Ruggles Charles Huggles enjoys solitude so much that he lives on a ranch in the San Fernando valley and keeps i the telephone number a secret from I the studio.

When conversation with Ruggles is urgently required, Lester Elliott, his Man Friday, is found. first. Elliott notifies Ruggles, and the comedian calls back. All this rigmarole means a good deal of wear and tear on the patience of busy executives, but there's nothing they can do about it Except when she travels, Clau- dette Colbert rarely is seen, and here recent marriage to the camera- smashing Dr. Joe Pressman may make her more of a recluse than ever.

The shy Miss Hepburn, of course, tries not to be seen even when she travels. This exclusiveness admit- tedly is a matter of careful planning --as when, a couple of months ago, she wagered a cool thousand dol- lars that she could fly to the east and back without once being photo- graphed. She lost that bet, and paid it. The other party to the agreement, Hymie Fink, now has a new car. Comes the Sunset Within a few weeks the movie customers will be seeing their first screen sunset.

Heretofore, sunset scenes have been filmed at sunrise, the early morning air being clearer and thus more suitable lor black- and-white photography. But color pictures enforce real- ism, and "The Trail of the Lone- some Pine" will have two authentic sunsets. Eight afternoons passed be- fore the atmosphere became satis- factorily clear and the shots were registered. These -e. incidentally, he only really brilliant effects in picture.

Frank the Fogmaker Fog is another weather item that has been bothering the flicker eople. California has plenty of fog, nd you'd think it would be possible (Continued on Page Seven) Robert Taylor and. Irene Dunne are stars Ob- session," at the Virginian on Sunday through Friday. JRGIWAN A Warner Thc-Hir NOW thing it' is magnificent! I A GNflCNT SESSION JOHN M. STAHL Production from the best-selling novel by Lloyd C.

Douglas, with' diaries 1 BUTTER WORTH Henry' Haderu Ralph Morgan MATINEE 10c.20ft.30c NIGHT 10c-25c-40c NOW PLAYING 15c Till 5 P. M. RIALTO A 1 r.t. I. I JOAN BLONDELL GLENDA FARRELL HUGH HERBERT ALLEN JENKINS IN WARNER'S A RIOT "MISS PACIFIC FLEET 1 TWO BIG FEATURES JANET GAYNOR IN FOX'S ROMANTIC DRAMA "The Farmer Takes a Wife" EWSPAPER!.