The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 31

31 PROOKIYN EAGlf, SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 1943 PLAYTHINGS 'Army Play-By-Play' Shames Mussolini The trouble with Mussolini was that ht had no of humor. It was quite a perlormanre while it lasted the March on Rome, the Castor Oil Purge, the alliance with Hitler, destiny nestling comfortably in that causeway between Alpine crass known as the Rrenner Pass. But when the due brian megalomania and Hirohlto In his rolling fnake eves and the Emrxvor of Africa found his pretentions of power bombed out from under him he couldn't take the ridicule that follo'urd. All of vkhich is a rather roundabout way of leading up to the fact monkey house make note of this: That, the despised weakne.ss of the democracies, their insistence that every voice be heard and every argument presented, have resulted in a unification of which the dictators could never have dreamed, a prnplc united by. virtue of their ability to fpeak out against what After 29 Years Doorman Sees The Show Inside Can you imagine a man or woman a.ssicated with the theater for over a quarter of a century, intimately identified with some of the greatest artists and productions of thit period, who has never seen a In all that this most, unique contradiction in the theater is invested In the grrv uniform of the veteran and guardian of the portals leading into the Shubert Theater on W.

44th St Fred Meyer is hi name. He has been affiliated with this theater since 1914 and never witnessed a single performance within its walls nor seen a rehearsal in i's entirety. His 29 years of loyal stewardship to Lee Shubert and a decade of association with John J. Garri'v, manager of the theater, was rewarded the other night when Fritz, as he is known to his friends, was given a night off at his request to enjov a performance of "The Vagabond King," which is the only attraction during his years of servitude he has ever expressed a desire to witness in its entirety. Fritz is a veritable encyclopedia of stage information.

He knows every first, nighter, newspaperman and woman and "gate-crasher" jn New York City, displeases them, to satirize and that, the Second Rcrxce Command and John Golden will present "The Army Play-By-Play" tomorrow evening at the Martin Beck Theater for the benefit of the Army Emergency Relief Fund. But the fact is that these prize-winning one-act plays illustrate the very quality in the American character that was burlesque the most sacred of their institutions. America has an army whose soldiers can speak their minds about p. and corporals, top sergeants and pin-up uirls without fear of confinement to concentration camps. so conspicuously lacking in II mice's Al Woods Comes Back Out of the Past With a Play Called 'Try and Get It' By ARTHUR POLLOCK A play named "Try and Gtt It" open at the Cort Theater tomorrow nlirht.

Now what do you suppose that would be about? Ordinarily title tU you nothing, but thLi play ix presented by one Al Woods. Mr. Wood has beon around for a long while. He produced yearn ago "Ladles' Night In a Turkish Bath," Up In Mabel's Room" and "Getting Gertie's Garter." Classics they were. Of a kind.

The Al Woods kind. It was Mr. A. H. Woods who made the bedroom play famous.

Or at least tremendously popular and profitable. He was a rich man. I hope ha still is. But you hear very little about him these days, though he was never a gentleman of the retiring type. Smoked a cigar.

Never without one. Called every one he met, Including Bernard Shaw, "Sweetheart." Startled the British whenever he went to London. Startled everybody everywhere. Used to have a drawer full of watches he used a presents to any one he liked who came In without one. Or was that his half-brother, Martin Herman? He was never revered for his taste, and yet, in addition to bedroom farce, he produced a number of sharp and intelligent plays.

One of Somerset Maugham's, for iastance, that did not do very well but had teeth In it. It was he, too, who put on "Five Star Final," quite a play. He belongs to the days when producers were men of color, The Barnum tradition clung and he was nearer to it than contemporary producers, though that is said with no intent to hurt the feelings of Billy Ro.se. People still talk of the "commercial'' theater as they do of "commercial" Jazz. It was in Al Woods' heyday that the term was ripest.

No one ever thought of putting on plays for any rea.snn than to make a lot of money. Then "experimental" groups with high ideals came along, the Theater Guild followed the Washington Square Players and taste in the American drama improved. But Al Woods had his talent. He had his flare. Half the pages of a history of the period would have to be peppered with his name.

Though never looked upon as a literary gent, he far a time made a habit of writing amusing letters to the editors of the Sunday theater pages of the papers. They were classics, marked by a great adroitness In literary ways, brilliant in style, full of quotations from the works of knowing writers Mr. Woods had never got around to hearing about. They were charming letters and a joy to read. It must have given him a great deal of pleasure to happen upon them while turning the pages of a Sunday paper.

And they were badly missed when his press agent, Sam Hoffenstein, went to Hollywood. He conies back to Broadway with a play every few years. It will be his turn again tomorrow evening. He should have written a book. If he set down his life as he has led it along Broadway and elsewhere it could be wonderful, a rich and racy historic document.

maJcoup, In almost every Instance Wayne and Carol King the soldier plavwrichts of "The Army Play-By-Play" wrote with humor and understanding of the tribulations thev were undergoing during the tedious period of training for the arduous duties ahead. Four of the five soldier-written dramas are comedies. Their authors had the knack of laughing at themselves. And that is why "The Army Play-By-Play" is something more than a series of dramas of army life bv the participants therein. It To Do OWI Shorts Fnr the first time the OWI will combine the talents of too well known artists, namely "All Time Hit Parade" singing star, Jerry Wayne, and Latin Quarter and "Artists and Models" ballerina.

Carol King, in one of their Victor)-shorts which will be shown in theaters and camps throughout the country. While Jerry sings some of the all-time song favorites, Carol will dance a specially prepared ballet routine. is tli reaction of the disgruntled private fresh from his school book BUY I'. S. WAR BONDS AND SAVINGS STAMrS STAC.F PI.

AYS MANHATTAN I tie bargain ol the town. Mantle, rrwi ELISABETH BERGNER, European and American star of the film and the theater, who will be seen once more on the New York stage when "The Two Mrs. Carrolls," an English hit by Mortin Vole, opens at the Booth Theater Tuesday evening. SONJA HEME ARTHUR M. WIRT.

prtttml PL. TWO PERFORMANCES TODAY 3 8:40 or his blueprints, his jigsaw or his to the disagreeable but necessary job of becoming a soldier, to the military life. In the course. of his basic and later training he may lose his self-assurance and his dignity but he will never that American birthright his sense of humor. From the strange and harried experience of "processing" at his induction center (the source of comedy in Pfc.

Irving Gaynor Neiman's "Button Your Lip to the breathless moment when he learns that the long anticipated shipment to an unknown A. P. O. is at hand On On iMkiiiiw CENTER THEATRE Bergner Play Adds to the Movie Colony on Broadway -r tin inc. Sun.

.8 40. Molt ToHoy ol 3, We.4. A Sot 240. No Mon. Pert.

Mail orderl fitted. fftfr0tnrfnf Subway aVrf to door. Maria Ouspenskaya Goes to Philly 50 J1.00 J1.50 49lh St. I 6lh Sat. NigMl Only.

50( IS I2.S0 PUIS TAX with the Moscow Art Theater In 1923, and was la.t seen on Broadway in "Daughters of Atreus," in 1936. Since then she has been in Hollywood and has appeared in many films, among them "Dods- The movies, ruthless raiders of stage talent, also know how to give, as may be noticed in the scrutiny of the film personnel in the current theater. The nearest at hand, in Marl Ouspenskaya has come East from the Hollywood studios to appear next week in G. Martinez-Sierra's comedy, "The Romantic Young Lady," at the Bucks' County Playhouse In the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia. Mme.

Ouspenskaya, famous Russian actress, came to this country "Kings Row," "The Mortal Pr00f 0r that, is "The Two Mrs. Carrolls," which opens next Storm, Waterloo Briage, ine A BROADWAY SMASH HIT' fi "A BROADWAY SMASH HIT" r. BROWN LEE "BEST SEATS MONDAY TO FRIDAY Rains Came," and "Love Affair." of the cinema, So, for that matter, does Mr. Jory. Committed to films for a decade, he devoted his unsalaried moments to the theater, a director of the Pasadena Playhouse and the star-producer of such efforts as 'Shadow and Substance." "Kind Lady" and "Keep Your Distance." But whatever his preference, the autograph clamor-era have marked him as their cinematic own.

Mr. Jory has 'the climax of Pfc. John O'Dea's "Where E'er We he never fails to laugh at the comedy of his situation. No fierce young Fascist training for the Ethiopian campaign could possibly have written "Where E'er We Go," winner of the first prize. War to Mussolini's myrmidons was a serious business, one at which they could not possibly snicker even in their off-duty moments.

Let Mussolini in whatever St. Helena his disgruntled people Tuesday nijht at the Booth Theater, with a star, Elisabeth Bergner, and a leading man, Victor Jory, joining the vast throngs coming away from the studios toward the stage. Although Miss Bergner has served the studios of Holly momentum in the movie settlement. But when the salary roof fell in, the trek continued, proving there was nothing mercenary in 'the migration. Mr.

March and Mrs. Paul Muni, Ray Bolger, Boris Kar- riniRPRr vyr A wit 4im aik-conuii iuwi 19 SEATS SELLING FOR NEXT 6 WEEKS wood, most of her career before 0ff. Jack Haley, Judith An learned, like John Whitaker in another connection, that you cannot escape history. choose for him, let Hitler in his blt." Rnn the camera has been abroad, in England, France and Germany. Mr.

Jory, however, is a genuine hostage from the West Coast. derson, Joseph Schildkraut, Arthur Treacher and even so dyed-in-the-wool son of the cinema as Victor Mature had quit their lemon groves "inn BrofltlWRV TMdir in Angel street "Th Broadwuv thnlrn Hi III 111 1 ST TIMF "WHAT THE DOCTOR, ORflLRL'D C'IRCTS MADISON SQ. GARDEN Georpt Jean S'athan G. Carroll. Judith Evrlyn, Ftrrfl Holtman If reminiscence is permissible, it and swimming pools to mingle with Th (anniet P1t fn Town Slniwf bv SHFTARD TRAI'RK r.Ol.nF.N Thr.

W. 4J St. Kt. 8 in Main. Sal.

to 21 a THE DOUGHGIRLS Helen Hayes and 'Harriet'" Return Bv JOSEPH FIELDS Vlrjrtni Tnri Ir-lrn' That was only the beginning of the junket. The second group making a pilgrimage to the stage included Mr. Bellamy, Muriel An- might be pointed out that there is quite a coincidence in the presence in the theater during the same season of three such stalwarts as Mr. Jory, Frederie March and Ralph Bellamy. It was only a short SHOWS TODAY 2:15 and 8:30 Frn.n whflav noi.an fravci LYCEUM 451 St.

Bt av CH. Cw MM. Wd 8fiu Sflling for Next 12 tteeki Open. TOrVI'W EVG. at 8:40 rv.

:40 ti.m. JJ.Jd. ti.n, U.M Mall. Wad. Sal.

$1.10, I.6J, 12.20, S2.73 2nd SERVICE COMMAND. V. S. A. nnii JOHN (iOI.Dt.V present A RMY PLAY-BY-PLAY Th ft vrlzp-winnrr nf Hit Soldiers' riarwritinr ContMt Aetrd SoldifM Pror-frri.

Arry Ern'rvercv Relief Fund MARTIN BECK 45th Wilt 8th Av. b1us, Arlene Whelan, Virginia Htlrlnti fun fnr thrp rrming irt time ago, before the voice of the i Field, Owen Anderson, Milton Ber "Tomorrow Night rnmpetfnt ptnytnc C'W Mng, talkie was heard in the land, that Allen Jenkins. Za.su Pitts. Constance these three were the three most Bennett and, finally, Miss Bergner wen a sat fai. Dooular leading men in the nation's and Mr.

Jory stock companies. They were early VOLANDA MERO-IRION preterm JAN MARTA KIEPURA EGGERTH AIR-COOLED MADISON SQ. GARDEN MADDEST and FUNNIEST jly you'rt vr een." PM Arsenic and old lace FI'LTOV. W. 4fl St.

Air-Cond. 9 Vr Evt, 8.40. Mat. Wftf. I 2:40 1 oiild tura fraen with Jt.mroe Rtrharti Knllmnr Mnnrnl fnmrfi.

Liil th 'ew Oprra Cnmorrnv Production Since her early success was achieved on the stage, in plays by Shakespeare, Shaw, Maugham, Ibsen, Hauptmann and other masters, Miss Bergner regards herself more the child of the stage than converts to the talkies. Some months ago, when a salary of more than $25 000 a year net was to be made illegal, there was a violent movement Eastward gathering jhe merry widow wth IVltLVILLE COOPER Oirectd bv FELIX BRENTANO Oonduclor ROBERT 8TOI.Z Choreography GESOROE BALANCHINBT Early to bed Mnrlfl Rirhard MarT Bnh ANGF-ll KOJXMAR SMAtt. HOWARD flno i- hv OEORGF. MARION rwnin u'li rip MAJESTIC 41 W. of B'waf NEW PLAYS Circle 6-01S0 1000 SEATS INCLUDED Children Undtr 12 Half Pric All Show R3.

TneraaMar $3.30.2.75, BR0A0HURST, W. 44 81. AIR-CONDITIONED I rra. WED. and SAT.

at 2 Wati.THur.4Sat.t2.7Stal iota, I.H, AFTS Dazzl'ngly TWICE DAILY Re-0pen TOM'W EVE. 8:40 "HiIph Hayrt sndt you away fram 'Harriat iitilttly ipalibound." Waiter Winchell fereut! Pulitzer Prize Play miriam hopkins" The skin of our teeth (Except HELEN HAYES Monday CONRAD NAGL V.OMFRAyNE Harriet HENRy MILLER 43 at I'r BR -Jn A rtetr. eomeili hp THORNTOf WILOKK In. $1. 10-3 5.

Mati.Thun A Sal. Sl.lfl.2 75 PLYMOUTH, W. 43 ft. Air Caol.d ta Daararl In the old days the manager who dared to close a thumping hit In the middle of its run so that the actors might have a vacation Would promptly have been measured for a traitjacket. Nowadays, however, such a procedure is not at all unusual.

Helen Hayes and the "Harriet" company are now at the tail-end of a five-week vaeatioa and will reopen at Henry Miller's Theater tomorrow evening. The first play to flout tradition was 'iDodsworth," in which Walter Huston -played the title role some ten years acn. Although "Dods-worth" had been playing to huge business since its opening, when the dog days rolled around producer Max Gordon decided to suspend operations temporarily. He was looked upon as something of a madman, but Mr. Gordon had the last laugh, after all "Dodsworth" reopened to rapacity and the Cas-sandras were confounded, Takin? heart from that first bold step, other managements followed suit.

The Litnts Idled away a Summer in Genessee Depot between Broadway engagements in "There Shall Be No Light." and MLss Hayes herself took a well-earned vacation from her rigorous chores In "Victoria Regina" during the Summer MAIL, ORDERS PROMPTLY FILLED Ea. :4. Matlaaai Widanday and alurday. i AO MATINf TODAY at 2:30 Cay Cemcdy KISS and TELL Evatflnti II JOtaJn 75 Mat! Wed.H Ifltol 20 Monday "Try and Get It." Comedy by Sheldon Davis. Cort Theater.

Presented by Al Woods. In the cast are Donald R. Murphy, Margaret Early, Iris Hall, Claire Meade, Hattie Noel, Al Berg. "The Army Play by Play." Five prize-winning short plays, written, acted, directed by soldiers. Presented for a two-weeks engagement.

Martin Beck Theater. The plays are by Pfc. John B. O'Dea, Corp. Kurt S.

Kasznar, Pfc. Irving Gaynor Neiman: Air Cadet Ralph Nelson, Pfc. Alfred D. Geto. Tuesday "The Two Mrs.

Carrolls," a play by Martin Vale. Booth Theater. Elisabeth Bergner is the star and the cast includes Victor Jory, Vera Allen, Stiano Braugiottl, Philip Tonge, Margery Maude, Irene Worth, Michclette Burani. Wednesday "The Merry Widow," operetta by Franz Lehar. Majestic Theater.

Cast includes Jan Kiepura, Marta Eggerth, Melville Cooper, Ruth Matteson, Gene Barry, Etheleyne Holt, Ralph Dumke. I0ia2 Robert Jon Ine. Sun. Sat. 4 Sub, EVFRFTT MARSHALL In ROTCE I.ANnlK KFITH AILflFLD I LTMO E.

w. 47th, Eva. 1:411. 11.10 ta J.I 3(1 AIR-CONDITIONED. Mala.

WED. and SAT. The student prince BRnAnWAY Thaa at Vld. iir-Cnntf. Prf Um "A PERFECT COMEDY" 4th ear ATKINSON, Tira'l Life with father! Hirry iannkteh.

Muriai min. T11CC riT 1 ij start miriRF. Tbntre, ay ao st. pe. Upem 1 uto.

Aog. ow ROBERT RCU0 4 PAUL CZINNER present CLAIRE MEADE ond Margaret Early in "Try ond Get It," to be presented tomorrow evening at the Cort Theater by Al Woods, who made the bedroom farce famous. Remember "Up in Mabel's Room" and "Getting Gertie's Garter?" Alr.canditianatf. Kva.s:4D. mail, w.a THEATRE II ILD't tW USICAU FLAY OKLAHOMA! Malic br RICHARD ROOBtR Bool- Llrrira bV OSCAR HAMMERSTElN Directed bv ROU BEN MAMOULIAN Dzncet bv AGNES Ha MILLE RFTTT A1FFFD IOSFFH JOAV 4ROP DRAKE Bl I.OFF ROBERTS KT.

JAMES Thfa. W. 44th St. MR-CONO E.i. 8 .10.

Matmeai Thursday and Saturday. 2 '0 ELISABETH BERGNER THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS A plar k' Martin Valt cifr ICTOB JORV i rs CONTINENTAL CIRCUS PRESENTED BY RINOLINO BROS Pries: All PERFORMANCES Including TAX I. IV, I. OS, riciETS tr hue) in ill icekies MAIL ORDklU FROMrrLY IIUiD AIR-COOLED BOOTH.

4Mh. W. I'm CI.O-SIM Oaaalnf Niaht 14 4ft ta 31 Oth-r Nghtt 33 30 ta II S3. Firat Mat. Anf 3h THE TOWN'S TOP MUSICAL HITI 'Tooli Aadienfai by atorm." World-Tel.

ROSALINDA Mil Kit! hv Johonn Strauu Nrw Mm i nl Arr aiigemrnt F. tv. KrwienH 2 Perfi. 4 :40 STAGE PLAYS BROOKLYN of 1936. In neither case did business suffer in the slichtest: "Victoria." for instance, reopened to packed houses and spent another full season In New York.

Miss Haves spent three weeks fit I her vacation in Mexico with her daughter, Mary MaeArthur. As fit Tvrn. BST SFTS M.Sft Exrrpt Sat. Ev $1.10 $4 40. (Mat.

Wei, and Sat 2 10 Wet 45th SL AIR COOI.En JORV GO! IH prtnta lh FFffROVS' KKNTtflCAUV Alt CONOfTtONfO I 'I irnri AIR-f'OOLFD FRrt IS A FAMILY MICHAEL TODD prf.rnl. ETHEL MERMAN STACC 1AVS 4001 1 r- 1 1 a rx I IV l.w immM a mil ft At at Something for the Slated WEEK Ba9 TUISOAT IVf. ted hw HAKff ARH SBOFT LUNfiACRC 48th W. if way. Ct.

h-h -4 HASHARTI SHORT ONC ACRE Th.a.. 4IH W. il a 3V bkte-roKii if7' Bwk bv HER BE FT and DOROTHY FIELDS tv un 40. at. Rat.

aV Sua. Nt Prf. Mm. GlORIfh COLE PORTER SONGS ninf in lh theatre, unnson Al fV. fit.

W- of i as the famous fiddle, she'll be back on hand at Henry Miller's to trace the life of Harriet Beecher Stowe tomorrow evening, and for a crent many more evening to come. "Harriet" played 132 performances prior to Its recess, and there's a great deal of life left in "the little lady who started a great war." ENDEARING YOUNG ranrfitifiBiitct II 15 rv xvr SHOWS TODAY LnAtVlTlj rnwARn tunnounv 8:20 i Rri arn aith at a i.f nn insT lerusBE gAt Eva Mali. W.d A Sat .2 40 Ot.SFN A JOHNSON Hit Muscat Sons fun AHth St. V. Air.Cand Na e.rf.

Man. AIR-rOVDITIOSFO "A TRULY AMAZING PLAY, ONE 0 THE. Vt'SrS' OF THE SEASON. TOMORROW THE WORLD AM ISEMENTS COXEY ISLAND iH '-a i 'TIIF SEASONS SASSIEST Ml SICAL1 COMIDV LSQ11RE MICHAFI. TOOD KlIpkRK AMY SkirlfTKIHI H1JJ xl ill QTAR AND GARTERj Evaj40.

Mall. Wad. and Sat, SW0Rr! Opens TOM'W EVG. 8:40 'AM 'lr JlKI Tvvtenl A. H.

WOODS Farce Entitled an sir box. 45 st. at bt. A.rcnn(iiti..d mp ANn ITI Fa III MATS THI Rs nd in I I A 11 1 II. a hn tHFLnov Davis Yokel Leases The Windsor Alex Yoke has leaded the Windsor Theater on W.

48th St. for a t-rni starting 30. The name of the theater will be changed to the 48th Street Theator. the name under which it was originally built. The first, attraction to open there 5 THE FUNNY PLACE a Open Daily Eiccpt Monday! a i Invasion Costs ft 1 1 1 'i It on S.t.

All. 5aturdar NifM, i will be "The Snark Wa.s a Bonjum," a romedv by Owen Davis, from the novel of the same name by Richard 'One $25 WAR BOND iV7: th rrhftr at rf prrf ormanr CORT 4Hth C. if B'wty BR. n.nr4fl Evt 1 1. lit tf SO, MnlvWert.

4 In SZ Jft MILTON BERLE 71 EGFELD FOLLIES with ARTHI'R TRFACHFR aM st RVAV WINTIR StRnlN Alr C.naitian.d N.P.rl M.R. 4 More Money--Up Your Payroll Savings today MilMlv i HuM.Ta RUTH MATTESON, Melville Cooper, Marta Eggerth, Jan Kiepura, David Wayne, Lisette Verea and Ralph Dumke, from left to right of course, in "The Merry Widow." The New Opera Company revives it Wednesday evening at the Majestic Theater. iTat Inrl enrv in i tin i snaiMu-K. I ins play is being produced bv Alex Yokel, in a.ssociation with Paseen, and 3rilt open her during the week of Aug, 30. tvntl I l-M ra i.