The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 61

a SO 9 THE rillLAPELFHIA INQUIRER, SUNDAY MORNING, NOVKMHER 25, 103 1 Theatre Marks Thanksgiving with Repertoire, Two Comedies, New Drama Walter llamptlen As "A'VA, lieu," in which role he will open his refer' 1 Kms Walter Connolly lit returns to the legitimate stage in "Gather Yt which opens Wednesday at the Garrich for four days. time engagement ttt the rorrest tomorrow. The New York Theatre The Call Boy Chat Cecil Lean and Cleo May field Stars in many comedies together, including "Big-Hearted Herbert" last year, these two art together again in "The MUky Way? which opens at tht Erlanger tomorrow. By PERCY HAMMOND NEW YORK, Nov. 24.

THERE seem to be three schools of Uiought concerning Taliulah Bankhead's attainments. To the pupils of one of these she is Art Incarnate in "Dark Victory" a sublime union of the dell-rate simplicities, and the penetrating directness of Duse, with Madame Sarah's esthetic tricks and graces, retaining the best features of both. To another she is, in William Winter's phrase, a nimble kitten playing with a ball of yarn, soberly perliaps, though without genuine feeling or artistic Intelligence. A third group looks upon her as a brilliant young mimic who goea through her stunts cleverly and contrives by her legerdemain to produce a semblance of fidelity to her role. Members of this tliird class, In which I am enlisted, admire Miss Hunk head as a facile and very lifelike automaton In an Interesting exhibition of surfaces rather than Innards.

We enjoy her, as an Ingenious display, while we mope a little because she does not dredge deep enough into our favorite mystery, which. I am told, ia that of the human soul aa It is secreted in the Times Square dramas. Walter Connolly Returns to Stage After Two Years Plays Present and Promised Hampden and "Milky Way" Open Tomorrow; Tu)o Comedies Hact Premieres Wednesday ALTER CONNOLLY return ALTER HAMPDEN will appear this week at the Forrest In to the legitimate (tag In "Oather Rosebuds," op "Richelieu" and three Shakespeare plays. Btilwer-Lytton's melodrama, to. a new version by Arthur Goodrich, will be Cleo May field Found Comedic Gifts by Chance CLF.O MAYFIEIJ5, co-star with Cecil Isnn in "The Milky Way," which opens tomorrow at the Erlanger, is unique.

Inasmuch, as site le proftably the only comedienne who ever cried because she provoked her audience to sidesplitting laiiKhter. nils happened on the opening night of "Tl Blue Pnradlse" In Atlantic City. Miss Mayfield, but recently out of high school, was waiting in the wings for hi-r cue, keyed to a pitch of dramatic intensity that would have done Justice to demands of a Bernhardt, a Mudjeaka, or a Hayes. True, she had only a secondary part, that of the young widow. ening Wednesday evening at the Oarrick.

For the past two years Mr. Connolly has been making an enviable reputation for himself a one of the most versatile -character Miss Bankhead. ai the start of "Dark Victoiy," is a pleasure-loving Long Island debut ante-voluptuary Farmlngton, Junlon League, Park Avenue and the snootier Hamptons, East and Bouth. To her, Newport la a Coney Island, and Long Beach Just a shore upon which to go slum Walter Hampden Has Been Given Many Big Honors players Hollywood has ever known, Among the pictures in which he has appeared are "Washington Merry-Go-Round." "Lady for a Day." "It Happened One Night," TTT ALTER HAMPDEN, who will and "Whom the Gods There Is little chance that he would have been able to get such a vari ming. Horses, dogs, polo, cocktails, tennis, bridge, golf and money absorb her thoughts.

And so when a rigid but romanMo physician (Earle I-acrlmore) tells her that her brain la cancerous and that she haa not ety of roles had he not been able to confound the motion picture magnates with a record on the 'I shall never foignt that occasion." reminisced Miss Mayfield legitimate stage that was nothing recently, while Cecil Ian stood by if not varied. "wwiir "I ine rorresi mil week in "Macbeth." "Richelieu." "King Richard in" an1 "Hamlet." haa had his share of honors in fields outside the theatre as well as upon the stage. One of these came aa a direct result of his original production of Edmund Rostand's heroic comedy, "Cyrsno de Bergersc." in New York in 1923. This wss a silver medal presented to him by the Alliance Francal.se of America for his service to the cause of French literature and drama in noddinu his head in accord. While she spoke.

Miss Mayllcld brought Mr. Connolly attended St. Xavler College and got hla first dramatic experience playing with amateur long to live, aha la put upon one of the most tragic of the spot. The yachting on summer seas, the champagne, the rose and the luxuries of the life sybarltlo are suddenly changed to prosect of death and Into play, althoimli not aa pro liouncedly as on the stags, the de companies in Cincinnati. He play llctoiia and inimitable Mayflrld ed for several season with Sot hern and Marlowe, gaining experience In drawl.

"As I stood tn the wlimi waiting the undertaker. Mlsa Bankhead In the lesser roles of aH the Bard's anxiously, It seemed ag-s until I greatest drama. Mr. Connolly's got my cue. My first line was "Dark Victory" goea aklllfully through tli emotions appropriate Where la the proprietor of this hotel? I want to tell hlin what recommendation to young players who complain of type casting Is that they try playing Launcelot Oobbo one night and MacDuff the to a heroine of so tearful a tragedy, but leaves us at the brink of her I think of Mila Nothing psrtlcularly funny In the words, you see, yet they wore greeted by an uproar of laughter.

I was so sur grave, dry-eyed. played Monday, Friday and Saturday evenlrms and Wednesday matinee, while "King Richard III" will be given Tuesday and Thursday at 8 15, "Hamlet" will be presented Wednesday at 6, and "Macbeth" Saturday at 3 IS. In the supporting cast of 35 will be Mabel Moore, Eleanor Goodrich, John D. Seym out, Ernest Rowan and Dallas Anderson, "The Milky Way," opening at the Erlanger tomorrow, fci another eomedy co-starring Cecil Lean and Cleo Mayflrld. Tills farce by Lynn Root and Harry Clork centres around a timid and complacent fellow whose life is filled with the care of his milk route and hla beloved horse.

Then, in defense of his sister, he meets up with the middleweight champion of the world. Unexpected things happen, "Gainer Ye Rosebuds," by Sidney Howard and Robert I.kn, wilt have its premiere at the Oarrick Wednesday evening, with Walter Connolly and Ernest Truex co-starred. Max Gordon is presenting the show, which is booked for four days only; Robert Sinclair is the director and Jo Mlelzlner designed the scenery. Other members of the oast axe Bally Bates, Margaret Dale. Eduardo Clanelli, Altred Hesse, Frederick Perry, Nicholas Soussanln and Alfred lima.

"Slightly Delirious" will have IU world premiere Wednesday at the Walnut. It is a farce by Bernard J. McOwen and Robert F. Ad-klns. Lee Patrick plays the part of a disinterested wife, who ia made to realise that there la something more to this marriage business than a mere scrap of paper.

Hall Shelton, English movie star. Is the disillusioned husband who teaches his wife the meaning of the word "love." Ruth Amos, Audrey Douglas and Edward Frans also have large parts. "Ah, Wilderness!" Eugene O'Nellf's comedy starring George M. Oortan, plays it second and final week at ie Chestnut. "The Pursuit of Happinesir" enters Ha eleventh week at the Broad tomorrow, with it hundredth performance Wednesday night.

December Lists Varied Theatrical Fare rn HE RED MILL," Victor Herbert's musical romedy, will be I given by the Little Opera Company at the Oarrick the week of December I. The cast will Include O. Herbert Woodburn, Edgar A. Pickles, Frederick Oeorge, Fritz Krueger, Maybelle Murston, John Dubbs, Ruth Weir Miller, Robert Carnwath. Rith Draper, diaeusr, lll appear at the Fommt the week of December 1.

presenting a varied program, including "Three Women and Mr. Clifford," tn which she appears as the efficient secretary, the society wife and the weetheart of an affluent business man. Eddie DowMng returns to the stage In his new revue, "Thumbs Up," which will open at the Forrest December 10. The many star who will appear In this show include Clark and McCullough, Hal Le Roy, J. Harold Murray, Ray Donley, Sheila Barrett, Paul Drajx "Pellleoat Fever," by Mark Reed, wlU open at the Chestnut Ie-cember 10 with Dennis King as the star.

The locale Is a wireless station in a Labrador outpost. Others In the cast will be Jay Fas-sett, On Munson, Doris Dalton, Joe Southern. Leo Curley. tevedoiV which opens at the Garrtrk December 10, Is the drama about the New Orleans waterfront by Paul Peters and George Sklar. "Living Dangerously," the EngIKh play br Reginald Simpson and Frank Oregory which opens at the Chestnut December 24, will feature Kay Johnson and Conway Tearle In the leading roles.

SOME playgoers and their company I not inconsiderable who have regarded Eugene O'Neill as an Inflated footllght fake, have been taken down a peg or two by "Ah, Wilderness!" Bo capital sens of comedy, such fellcltousncss of fun, such tenderness in travesty, and such deftness In delineation of domesticity, were not suspected of our most prodigious and prolific playwright who was rather recently rated (after "Mourning Becomes as "a good deal of a troglodyte honest, biunt, clumsy, humorless, and without enough perceptive knowledge of the human heart to handle the themes which his well-nursed smbltlons were leading him to attack." while It was recognized that "ss a master of the theatre" he "has a magnificent stride." And then came "Ah, Wilderness!" to upset earlier estimates. This quite captivating comedy, which earned plaudits and prosperity for Oeorge M. Cohan in the stellar role, and the New York Theatre Guild as producer, during Its protracted Broadway run last season, has proved to be by all odds the most enlivening and enjoyable Offering of the Philadelphia theatrical season thus far. Seldom. In recent seasons, has any playhouse production elicited such laughter as that which greeted the play's performance when It opened the Chestnut last Monday.

It was truly a vacation in the theatre vacation particularly for O'Neill as playwright, but also for Mr. Cohan, and by no means least for playgoers who have plodded patiently through the pretentiousness and platitudes of such prodigious presentation as "Strange Interlude" and "Mourning Becomes Travesty Touched With Tenderness TBERX la a touch of travesty in this highlighted and hilarious stage picture of Innocent adolescence tweaked and torn by the panrs and passion of "puppy love." But it is travesty touched lth tenderness, astlre softened by sentiment, and while the Inflection of farce marks some scenes and episodes perhaps due to some of the broader stroke in the direction by Philip Moeller the play if as human as it la humorous, for the people It presents are real, their conversation la natural, and the altuatlons in which they find themselves are plausible and persuasive, if perhaps a bit amusing In external aspect, as we look back upon the after all not-so-remote year of 1906, when adventurous automoblllsts donned duster and goggles, and women smoking In public were viewed askance. The reminiscent regard of O'Neill In surveying that cen la marked not merely by the pathos, but the piquancy of distance. has been said. Indeed, that to "Ah, Wilderness!" the playwright 1 revisiting hi youth.

But the record show that it 1 largely an Imaginative excursion, so far as actual family affairs and figures are concerned. The circumstance of O'Neill own life were different in detail. Yet hi accuracy of observation, hi aensltlvenese of percep-tlon and feeling are shown with such art and Intimacy as toevoke memory in the minds of many. It is said that O'Neill poked bit of sly fun at his own father, tha celebrated actor of "Monte Crlsto" fame, in having Nat Miller of the play complain that "there's a peculiar oil In blueflsh that poisoned him" although he ate unknowingly for years! The same, it Is said. wa also true of the repetitious tale of saving a chum from drowning.

Right out of the book of the paA is the emphatie observation of tn mother of the boy In the play that Oscar Wilde crime was bigamy. Swinburne burning poems, and Shaw's social-lstlo heresle are Introduced to ahow the attitude of the time. A Comedy That Recalls the Past GEORGE COHAN'S engaging and easy art as an actor ha nver been more lllumlnatlngly exemplified than in "Ah, Wilderness!" For It the magic as well as the mastery of his mummery that he turn a part which 1 really that of a sympathetic spec-tator into one of predominant personality. As Nat Miller, publisher of a small town newspaper In Connecticut, he, observe with shrewdness and understanding his son's soul struggles. The role of the boy.

cspltally played by Ellsha Cook. Jr, la dramatically the central figure. Yet It is the perplexed parent who is of ultimate, outstanding importance, biding his time as the youth, convinced that his girl has turned him down, embark upon a circumspect but drunken debauch with a sullied and shameless siren, horrifies hi fsmily by his Inebriated exhibition, and I restored to his lmple sweetheart. One of the most amusing episodes that In which the bedizened damsel of hi sottish spree urges him on to amorous adventure, while he primly points out the error of her wsys. and would willingly buy her off.

"You can do lot with me for five dollars," she tells him, "but you can't reform me." 8uch slang of the day as 'Does your mother know you're out?" and "Skidoo" (which, incidentally, owes its authorship to Mr. Cohan himself), and such prevailingly popular ditties as "Dearie" and Vesta Victoria's "Waiting at the Church" are Introduced with all authenticity of atmosphere. The humor of "Ah, WUderneasI" Is unhurried but It Is happy. It is full-flavored run, more effective behind the footlights than in detached quotation, which is. of course, simply another evidence of O'Nelir lure sense of the theatre.

And while the play Itself ia Utterly innocent of irony, there are, implication of irony In its offering, For this, In some way the least pretentious play by O'Neill, constitutes for some playgoers the most effective and certainly entertaining exhibit of his appeal as a playwright. A Veteran of the Theatre Passes WITH the death of Frank Nirdllnger last Tuesday, there passe one of the most widely known and popular figures in the prised I wheeled right around on the stuge to see if anything had happened to any of the other actors that would cause this unseem ly mirth. That brought another roar. I was bewildered but de termined to go right through with presenting this play. A gold medal was given him by the National Institute of Social Brlencee this also during the run of hla first "Cyrano" production in New York for distinguished public service in his presentations of the clsssics.

He was the first actor ever to be so honored by this society. Later the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded Mr. Hampden a gold medal for the purity of his diction and quality of his speech on the stage. He was the first actor to be given this award. Since that time it has been bestowed upon E.

H. Sotheni. Otla Skinner, Julia Marlowe and Edith Wynne Matthlson. So much for medals. Now for degrees.

Mr. Hampden, who is a graduate of Brooklyn Polytechnic, was given the honorary degree of Doctor of letters bv Brown University and Syracuse University. Another very high honor that lie treasures' above all othera the my part ss earnestly aa betuted my dramatic aspirations. I would make them take ma seriously yet. But It was no use.

Everything I said Undigested Drama NOT only because of Mlsa Bank-head's cunning and ahallow devices. For the dramatists, Oeorge Brewar and Bertram Bloch, literate amateurs of the Theatre, bit off an Important crisis In "Dark Victory" and were unable to digest It. This is where Miss Bankhead, doomed to die and with one silk slipper in the tomb, is templed by her chauffeur to get all she ran get from life before It Is ended. Possibly a virgin but at least a deml-vlerge, she weakens In her handsome servant's Irish arms, and she Is about to Rive, herself to him when the dramatists cautiously Intercept. The situation should be daringly or did seemed terribly funny to tho audience.

Finally came my exit line for the scene and I rushed off the stage, blinded with tears. "I don't know what they re next, with possibly a matinee performance aa the First Grave -Digger in between. He toured for several seasons as Sanderson, the villain of "Way Down East." Although the how had been on the road for 16 years, several of the original players were still in the cast. The audiences knew it almost aa well as the actors. They returned time and atrnln.

apparently to make sure that the hero was atlM vanquishing Mr. Connolly. When war broke out he enlisted with the 13th Marine Regiment under Smedley Butler. For two year he appeared with Henry Miller in such hits as "The Oreat Divide" and 'Come Out of the Kitchen." The entire last act of "Come Out of the Kitchen" was a dinner scene, with Bruce McRae, William Sams. Harry Meatayer, and Walter Connolly eating the dinner, and no les formidable a hostess than Ruth Chatterton serving it.

It took the players three weeks of rehearsal to synchronize the dialogue and the courses of the dinner. There were two courses of wine (sherry and por and all the trimmings of a Southern dinner-fried chicken, corn souffle, candied yam and Ice cream. Mr. Connolly appeared last as the laughing I blubbered, 'I did the best I knew 1 '8o you did, It was the stag manager at my elbow, 'and you were great just gr-t! Keep dramatic and fortified by all of a playwright's defensive resources. However, the amorous gromi In it right up and you be a wnaie of a hit.

Dark Victory" Is merely a cheap 1 'Do you mean. I asked In ojien- and flimsy fool; and the ridiculous eyed wonder, 'you don't mind them presidency of the Players Club which was founded by Edwin Booth and has had but four presidents during Its more than 40 years of life Mr. Booth himself, Joseph Jefferson, John Drew and now Mr Hampden. While election Is but for a year, custom has made this office a life-time incumbency. scene in which lie maKes Impish laughing at me? Mind! he exploded.

'Why, I love to Miss Bankhead Is one or vou blessed child we in the show the many reasons why she and business slnv awake nights pray-I "Dark Victory" are not now steady Ing for lauvhs like I establishment on Broadway. New England doctor In "The Late Christopher Bean," by Sidney Howard, co-author of "Gather Ye Elisha Cook Went on Strike for Bigger Roles-and Got Them j-LlSHA COOK, who play try's finest players. One of these the role or the recalcitrant son as tne late Prank Bacon, fio in Eugene O'Neill's comedy, f- jr. tfSSx 3 a ill when young Cook was 17 and still in prep aehool he wss tnlren hurlr. stage to see Mr.

Bacon, then playing "Lightnin' In Chicago. It Just happened that on that day a young actor In the ca.st hod been taken 111. Mr. Bacon asked young Cook whether he wanted to be an actor. The answer was yes.

"Come back tomorrow and rehearse," said Mr. Bacon. So Cook became the court reporter in overnight. He played ten weeks. And then the actor whose place he had taken recovered and returned to the cast.

The manager of the company kept track of him, and, shortly thereafter, brought him to New York for a role In John Golden's "Thank You," which took him back to Chicago for a 28-week run. After a series of minor roles he decided on stardom or nothing. Then followed his "strike." It ended when he obtained the lead in "Lost Boy" and achieved considerable success. Since then he has hsd really important parts in "Merry-Go-Round," "Chrusalts" and "Three-Cornered Moon." Aii, nt almost ended his own theatrical career a few year ago with a one-man atrlke against producers. It lasted ten months and Just when things looked the darkest he won.

It was a strike against small roles. Young Cook felt that he had served his apprenticeship in the theatre and that he deserved leading roles. He determined that unless he got them he would retire from the stage. And he did retire, for those ten months. Producers continued to offer him small roles.

He refused them. He clerked in cigar stores, sold gasoline in filling stations, took any Job he could get outside the theatre. And then came a leading role the young man In "Lost Boy." Since then he has played Juvenile leads and never need worry again about returning to small parts. He has made his name. His mother, Helen Henry, hsd been an actress.

In San Francisco she hsd plsyed In the famous Al-ear Theatre stock company, which produced man; of the eoun it. nt theatrical circles of the city. Mr. Nirdllnger was, inaeea, a familiar figure here for nearly half a century, and until recently was 'or many years business manager of the Broad St. Theatre, the destinies of which are directed by his genial and progressive nephew.

Onmuel F. E. Nlxon-Nlrdlinger. "Uncle Frank." a he was called by those who knew him more Intimately, had an exceptional circle of friends and acquaintances, both among actors whose names have made stage history, and the P'aygolng public. Always Immaculately groomed, and with the invariable whit carnation which, it is said, waa never missing lrom his lapel for 3S years, hi enthusiasm for the theatre was unflagging, and he had a large fund of stories of play and players known to the younger generation only by hearsay.

His passing removes a link lth a more picturesque playhouse period. L. if Audrey Douglas tn "Slignttp DeKrltyus Wainmt, WJnlaV Cieorge M. Cohan, Elisha Conk, and Jean Adair They're holdint a family conference as the father, son and mother in "Ah, Wilder ness," which plays at tht Chest mif for a second and last week..