Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 41

Lowell Thomas Personalities in Little Theater Actor-Voyager Alec Ross Has t)one Everything' B-l Oakland Tribune, Sunday, March 25, 1951 NO. 84 Oldsters Give Boost things Picking Up we lost actors as soon as tStf secured He saw the flower ef the Chinese classical theater, had many contacts with noted Chi nese performers. Jurt when his company was going great guns, the North Chinese communist, invasion began to make Itself felt in Peiping. When a warehouse, in which Roes costumes and scenery were stored went up in the sttackers flames, Rosa and company joined the refugees from China and post haste, as fast as ships could bring them, came happily back to God's Country. "This time I decided to settle down, get my university degree and give a serious thought to my future.

I'm preparing to teach now. But actually I like acting best of all and even if and when I get my teaching appointment Til still be auditioning for acting stints" By THERESA LOEB. Again on Broadway 1 theater project had in found to my dismay that although the Americans living in Shanghai wanted some kind of theater going for their entertainment none of them was eligible to act in Lt "Luckily, for me, at any rate, Shanghai was filled with European refugees waiting for passports to other places. These people, unlike Americans, found it almost impossible to get jobs, had plenty of time on their hands and so out of this group I organized a little theater company of some dozen people, most of whom bad never acted before. "Believe it or not, we managed to scare up enough money to start the theater going, cleaned up the debris, directed such plays as 'All My Twelfth Night' (with Chinese brocaded costumes) and 'My Sister, Eileen' (in whitl one night I appeared in two roles because 1531! tV A of -aja --T ill rtrs DISMT hCh LATE SHOW TONITI Ltat ftre fat 11:40 p.m.

All voa vrfll ercr know love, and South Pacific adventure unss 1 I I i i i I I.M.Tf7 JTTv V. tsx" By WOOD Easter Sunday finds the I theater in a happy state of mind. Things are not nearly so bad as the wise men predicted. The New York season, now entering the home stretch, got away to a slow start last September, but it has steadily gathered momentum. It has had its normal allotment of quick disasters, to be sure, but these are to be expected.

On the other iand it has enjoyed some unexpected i hits. The season fcas been marked especially, by the triumphant re- -turn of two old-timers, absent from Broadway for many years Charlotte Greenwood and Edward Everett Horton. Miss Greenwood scored a great personal hit la Cole Porter's "Out This and Horton has repeated the formula in Benn W. Levy's "Springtime for Henry." SEVERAL REASONS? What inspired Horton to invade the Broadway precincts with this ancient farce is problematical. Perhaps it was because he is now a resident of New York City and prefers work there to constant travel; perhaps because he has about exhausted the list of places where he can exhibit "Henry with profit; perhaps because he simply couldn't find another worthy vehicle.

In a sense it was a matter of rushing in where angels fear to tread because when "Springtime fqr Henry" was first presented 20 years ago in New the critics, to put it mildly, were apathetic Of course, 20 years ago adverse criticism didn't kill plays as quickly as it does today and "Henry lasted for 198 performances before starting a road tour. Much of its minor success was ascribed to the prominence and efficiency of the four players Leslie Banks as Henry Dewlip, Nigel Bruce, Frieda Inescourt, and Helen Chandler. Under the direction of Arthur Sircom, however, they played it "legiti 1 1 JOURDAIi mix PAGET Kf CHANDLER linfllUMiMiiaililD I Cr-vV7 TXi As a rule, l.t personalities we have had occasion to interview In the past become extremely diffident when asked about their past activities. "Oh, I've never done anything interesting," most wiU retort "My life has been very ordinary is a sentence we've heard over and over again during the past year Starting Times FOX OAKLAND "Bird of Paradise 11-lft a-Wl 11-41 FaANKLJN -13ti letter." 1:41, 7:30, 10:36. GRAND LAKK "An About Eva." 7:15.

"Sunaat Boulevard." 1 50. :15. 9:40. OftrtiEUM Tarxan'a FarU." 11. 1 4:48.

7:42, PARAMOUNT "Royal Wadding." 11 1:59. 6:30. 1:15, 10:50. BOX IE "Bon YwtanUy." 11:10. I 1 JO, 4:25, 10:05.

13:50, 1:30 a.m. TEauocoum 5fLEjRGENS RAYMOND MASSEY S.Z.SAKALL flSEffl LMAWhO New! Imdt Imdtf COHEY CAREY DOND Alse WAYNE MORRIS "SIERRA PASSAGE" I I ANN TODD NORMAN WOO LAND IVAN DtSNY V--JJ" STARTING TIMES SaaAay Site ai SiS.TiW-:M Waakear Ties TWO RIG DAYS ONLY Mon. Tues. mf Ni mi ifv if Hi! If Ui Hi 1 i li iiniiiinil Alec Rosa WARNS MtESCMT 1 tiNGTH 7-i wti 1 SOANES much more merit than it had in New York. Horton who, by the way, was making his first legitimate theater appearance on the San Francisco stage although he was well known to the theater elsewhere, had faith in the piece and believed that he could develop it into an interesting vehicle.

With this in mind he sought to buy the rights, and the Lawrence Rivers Producing Company, whose Eastern tour was unprofitable, jumped at the offer. Back in 1932, the Dramatists' Guild members didn't have as much control of their work as they do today. Now it is virtually impossible to delete a semi-colon from the script without permission, following a bitter argument Then the writer was content to keep picking up his royalty checks. This was very fortunate for Horton, who retained 'only the skeleton of the play. WIDE TOUR His version probably startled, and perhaps delighted Levy, who has a rich sense of humor, and it certainly attracted customers to the box offices.

In the years that have passed he has played it in every major city in the country nd in most of the hamlets. I doubt if "Tobacco Road" hit as many way stations as "Springtime for Henry." If Horton wasn't doing it in a summer stock or an arena theater or a high school bene fit some amateur organization was playing it in a community project Levy never lifted his voice for the royalties kept rolling in steadily over the years. For Horton, "Springtime for Henry" became a tour de force just as "Cyrano de Bergerac" did for Walter Hampden; "Rip Van Winkle" for Joe Jefferson; "The Bells" for Richard Mansfield and The Old Homestead" for Denman Thompson. He varied the role at virtually every performance and a reviewer who caught the show after a two-year period was likely to find an entirely new Henry Dewlip. Audiences loved the variety and came to discontinued on Page t-B Wkmm Um4my GooaJ Mt for f4.

Mt. ill w. jiw, aw J.60. X0. 1.10 A fi Art 4 JLUTN Md03 BC3l01O -rf ytKmf-UME MtfrS o-LA06H iSTW StwH 21 ft Film on Tibet To Be Shown Lowell Thomas brings his all-color motion picture on life in Lhasa, sacred city of Tibet to San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House on Tuesday, April 17, at 8:30 pjn.

This exciting film document presents the mystery and other-worldliness of this almost inaccessible country, and the story of the caravan trek of one of the world's most famous ather-and-son adventure team, Lowell Thomas Sr. and Jr. The first part of the film and lecture by the younger Thomas presents the caravan's tedious Journey through the bamboo rain forest of the Southern Himalayas, up steep mountains covered with thousands of wild flowers, over passes that tower 17,000 feet above sea level, and past giant glaciers. Following this, the viewer sees life in the little-known city of Lhasa a life untouched by Western civilization and devoted almost entirely to religion. Tibetan music, chants of the monks in the monasteries, the weird drama of a summer festival in Lhasa, and the songs of the Brahmaputra oarsmen may all be heard during this film presentation.

Tickets for this one-time-only appearance of Thomas in the Bay area are now on sale at the Larry Allen box office in San Francisco, Sherman Clay in Oakland, and Breuner's in Berkeley. Local Group Will Present 'Gondoliers' Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Gondoliers" will be presented for the first time in the Eastbay by the new Oakland Light Opera Association on March 30, 31 and April 6 and 7 in the Century Theater, 1428 Alice Street The new Oakland Light Opera Association developed from the Victory Players which have presented several other Gilbert and Sullivan operas in Wood-minster Amphitheater at Joaquin Miller Park John M. Falls Is director of "The Gondoliers." Music conductor of the show is Gregory Miller, St Louis musician. JoanoArc -INQRID vcmnntiMi 11 with JOSS FEBBCB Ph: Ir Daaaa Fr4 MaMarrr '1ITVEB A DULL IlOIIEirT' Oataa Opn Shaw Start X. A J.

Arthur Rank fTesentatioif liEijyyiiil Cellee Atkky, terketey, AS J-Ot 11 ki antwt Wtaaar Aaataia Awafaal THE RED I JTMV 1 I 1,1 I I I I I "I P'fSLSJ rSl i I II I I i ii i rnaafi ii li af rA I vwpn. m. mmw wm ar -m bub i A I 11 -Jg3 FJ AMuJrifrTj I DaT Taaira "STEM. BltMII" gM a-! IJ 11 J-m iM ZsJ TOMATOlM I UaR B.rkal.r "TOMAHAWK" (1 IV2 jTC aA 1 -3r XWsLk mLM of digging into the backgrounds of Bay area theater people. Actor, director, voyager Alec Ross doesn't fall into this category, however.

His young life has been crowded with interesting experiences, many of which have undoubtedly contributed to his mature outlook in person, his ability to portray so effectively onstage characterisations which are much older than Alec's 25-year-old status. Ross, a native San Franciscan, is currently winding up his last few units at U.C. necessary for a coveted B.A. in speech and English lit If your l.t attend-ance has been fairly constant these past few seasons you've seen him in "The Male Animal" (New Group Theater), "Awake and Sing," "Rendezvous at Sen-lis," "Affairs of Anatole," "Silver Cord" (U.C), and as Creon in "Antigone" (Good Hope Company). In addition, Ross was drama coach for Berkeley Theater Workshop's last production, "Home of the Brave," and is now rehearsing for his role of the doctor in the same group's production of "All the King's Men," as well as acting in capacity of assistant director.

He's been donating his services as drama coach during the evenings when Les Abbott's Theater Workshop holds forth at the Berkeley High Little Theater. I It seems that Alec knew 'way back in his grammar school days when he appeared in some plays and later at George Washington High, where he worked under "Sr Easter Enjoyment I J-r fAll nl tm I'll I llflcaallaaaai Glenn Tt4 Rhonda rimla( THE REDHEAD fir THE COWBOY" Plua Uaaaath Saatt In "COMFANY SHI KIIFS" TaakaieaUrl Burt UliuM "VENGEANCE VALLEY" Plua: K1U BaJaaa la "Second Face Joan Faalalaa Joaaph C.lUa AFFAIR" Plua: Vletar Matara In Taahalatort Paul BaafaiS 4LAST OF TOE BUCCANEERS' "Lnst for Gold' Ol.aa Ma roao Lcroro BROADWAY "DA ILL AS'? 2inTH WEEK! Bamt Laack hi TB 4 Caat. 1 I mm III FILMED IN The SOUTH PACIFIC a M.G.M.'s HAPPY MUSICAL i ft 1 1 i I 1 AitiL ruvrtu -WA the direction of drama instructor Helen Archer, that he liked the stage, as a profession, that is. "Then I concentrated on oratory, debate and rhetoric When I won the Hearst National Oratory Award in 1943 and made my first trip to New York, I was inculcated with a taste for travel too. However, the trip was a short one, and in early 194-1 I started at U.C.

But academic life was cut short," Alec said during our talk the other day, "when an automobile accident put me out of circulation for a year and a half. "I decided not to return to school but went instead to New York, where I spent two hectic years, had my glimpse of youthful bohemianism with a small he smiled. "In 1947 1 was back in San Francisco, broke, older, still disinclined ta return to school. Convincing my friends that I needed a trip abroad, I succeeded in borrowing enough money to go to the Orient After two weeks taking in the sights of Shanghai, I came upon an old theater that had been abandoned after the Japanese left the city. When permission was given me to use the place for a little MEANS FUN-TIME FOR YOU! as aw ai XL I'M CCY CSZ1 tract Itoact' EASTER PARTY TONITE LINN'S FREE PRPF DANCI flttC INSTRUCTION 7-8 p.m.

Ivy Paul I Paillette 8AMES SlieiRfi rui FROLICS TAGS cin nnrr-u. oiu iiurr "Coanity PcncaV, St? JOHN RIAL' daaaa Oaa imIWv I 14 SS IK-CAI HEATERS awJ Vaw" 1 edaaatre I I ljfc rniiii 1 r. r4' 1 mmtKm amamrn arr'aTl TV, RICHARD PUmWO AODWKT a l-fJ tYT DURYEA -CRAWFORD -LORRE UOffilkriU I 1 I I I 1 I Danger, Intrigue and VtaV mifSmJ 'WyW Romance in the City ef JJSSTSSt'K emn.t 1QQQ Sins? ltSSSll) mHI ii.ui.i.iiiijji.ii fittwfo IMM a Jl vv A5 l. Ik 4 THE ri 40 WEDDING'' mately" for the comedy values of the text This was not good reasoning on Sircom's part "Springtime for Henry" is too frail to be exposed to superior acting, and it showed up as a flimsy little antic comedy that had little or nothing to offer. SAMPLE REVUE "Light banter held together by stray tendrils of cobwebby plot," sighed Richard Lockridge of The Sun, after witnessing the premiere.

Brooks Atkinson, then comparative newcomer on The Times, was a little less curt but he dismissed it as trivial. In the midst of the New York run, Horton elected to do the play on the Pacific Coast and secured the touring rights. That was in 1932 when he was very much in demand for movies. He opened at the Curran in San Francisco and, frankly, "Springtime- for Henry" didn't' show linD A Kl OReWay Ne aBr Sarsfe Immm i i a uidii va rtTnu a a THRILUN4 MtNUTU diikii 1 ICaran l(Mw JL M-G-M STOni CBS AT STABS TARXANS NTWtST pi AITflHTVXl hflC NIYia tooti sowhiyK- 5 UW) 'ft I I BARKER I CHITA PDDOIL' CL Alse "fOOTLISHT 'VARIITIII- mm the Musical l4ucZ Betta DAVIS-Ama BAXTFR 'all about eve 0M II i IAa4aaa7 1IU II I A-? SSSTiSgrSunsst Doolovcrd' IV A MTSTERT KILLER STALKS TNIS T6WI a ava 47 w. MATS.

WEa M-26. iM. bvcc sr Vr ri IM Uln atA CURRAN oaawar a-4oe SUNDAY APRIL l. 2:30 P. M.

Stats Howl Dtr frea RUTH mFk Lmdg of Eut Indian, -Hlofcllafcts Orek, S3; mm SelMet Ceraejie Hell ftedtel ST. DENIS of Dncmm RtcX Oriental 6 Origin! Dmnets from ef Her Cereer ef ny Yeers" tX A S1.M; Ql. tJO (Us tat) LETTED 7 GEARY BEGINS SUNDAY NIGHT, APRIL 1 b22S3 Ruth li Lr i' I incnvrjitjn Sinsational Stage Hifl Tae ONf osd'ONLr WtN 23th rr roUam ENDS TUESDAY! IfstbWLl cna.tME'CSics casATn DM 0IILY2P7-HOI 9 P.ll I ma ttstsatou NOW PLAYING! ii ii i 1 ik I 1 aa Af I It I Oinnonditiil FALLEN IDOL ATS TUESDAY S.M, a.oo. x.so. oaoarr trtwa Svntey.

Ore. S4.M. BaWmnV frttia ta. wua aaaS ar4ar Plus: "SURRENDER" with John Carroll 1i t9 Tm a aa. 1 1 1- Slaa at Her Own" I lA Mtfl 11 Cato ar Taafcaaaalart OaattaaMa Ta4ar (Ha 1 Aaayta rarttoe "I I I I i.