The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 61

BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, NEW YORK, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1931 Here Are Players and News of Plays That Are Now to Be Seen Along Broadway IN 'TWO SECONDS' MAURICE SCHWARTZ 2 Odette Myrtil Kept IN THE NEW GALSWORTHY DRAMA iplili mm A Changing Her Mind ANYBODY with any ambition, however latent, who achieves eminence at the age of eleven certainly can be expected to look around to ascertain if there isn't something else to be accomplished. That rather cocksure pronouncement is inspired by the career of Odette Myrtil, who has one of the leading roles in "The Cat and the Fiddle," a musical love story, by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach As those of you who know of Miss Myrtil expect, she will play her famous Stradivarius. And that brings us back to the axiom launched 't fit- 6A V'av J' above. Fresh from the teachings of Eugene Ysaye, Miss Myrtil, at eleven, made her debut In Brussels In a violin concert. She had been studying for this triumph since the day.

at the age of four, she was overheard by the great teacher as she struggled with the bow in a French ttf jpie f- Henrr Hull and Anne ForreH in "The Roof," by the Knglinh dramatitt, John Caltworlhy, to be pretented Tuetdav evening at the Charlet Hopkini Theater, Blrthe Daly in the interetting play at the Rit Theater. at the Corned 5nr the Comedy, "If I Were Von," 7 healer. bed there in the morning in an outdoor sleeping porch. From her bed she can see her own green wooded Maurice Browne Comes Back To Land Where He Starved Though Author of Dozens of Plays, She Can't Spell 'Forty' hills and those beyond it. The hum seem to encircle the porch, with it Dorice Fordred Comes From simple bed and large writing desk Morning in and morning out during Veldt and Bewail at Old Vic 4 rLAYWRIGKTS are born, there came in rapid succession such the Summer whetner sne tninica By A LIVER M.

SAYLER not made," declares Rachel she feels like writing or notr Miss AURICE BROWNE, discover kORICE FORDRED. who plays lines, and then said that he would er and producer of "Journey's End," greatest of the Crothers' pencil scampers briskly wide circles and large angles over the sheets of yellow paper she keep beside her always. Then, after her plays as "A Littli Journey," "The Three of Us," "Nice People," "39 East," "Old Lady 31," "Expressing Willie" and, within the last few seasons, 'Let Us Be Gay" and "As Husbands Go," of which were pre the part of the blackmailing Frenchwoman in Gilbert find a part for her in the first play. It was a little appalling. When she walked out of the stage door into three hours of work, which sh Waterloo Road, her head was reel sented under the John Golden ban ing.

She tells how she stood a makes herself do for the sake of discipline if nothing else, the wielder of the pencil is free to play her golf. ner and were enormously successful. moment at the door to recover from the effect of the confusing theater convent. Naturally there were later successes all over Europe and then a long and successful career In Paris. As happens to all virtuosi who begin as prodigies, Miss Myrtil's repeated successes became increasingly meaningless.

It no longer thrilled her to read that the critics regarded her highly. Surveying her assets, she learned that she had a soprano voice of uncommon sweetness and power, so she entrusted it to a teacher. Shortly thereafter she began to interrupt her bowings with vocal solos, an innovation which astonished and charmed her audiences. These twin talents soon found expression in musical shows and before long she had acquired skill in acting and dancing and, no longer a concert violinist, she was a musical comedy star with a following to equal that of any darling of the boulevards. The alert Andre Chariot, producing" revues in London, lured her from Paris and soon she was an international star, and bi-lingual at that.

Indeed, she became such a favorite in London that she remained there for several seasons, leaving, hot to return to Paris, but to storm New York. Her American debut is not recalled so much for the success that it gave her as it is for the fact that her first dazed audience developed her tardily-discovered talents dancing, acting and singing. So she had to make a brand new reputation for the talent so assiduously nursed from babyhood. By now, however, due to her appearances in "Vogues and Frolics," "The Love Song." "Countess Marit-za." Miss Myrtil Is known for her several gifts. She is now accepted as an American performer; as well-known as her associates in "The Cat and the Fiddle," George Metaxa, Bettina Hall, Jose Ruben, Eddie Foy and Doris Carson.

and her unexpected good fortune. A little old woman came up to her And that is something she likes to do next best to putting on play. With her long boyish stride and the breeze blowing through her short curly white hair she is usually seen as she stood there and held up a charm a tiny silver shoe. "She was lust an old beggar woman who each sunny Summer afternoon mak wanted a drink, I suppose, and while his efforts won critical praise, they were invariable financial failures. Finally, In 1927, finding himself without hope, prospects or encouragement in San Francisco, but coming into exactly the price of a steamship ticket through the canal and back home, he determined to give up the struggle, arriving in London without so much as the taxi fare to his mother's home in his pocket or to his name.

Rather timidly he made his London debut as an actor that Fall at the Arts Theater Club, one of London's little theaters. Four months later, in February, 1928, however, he burst upon the English playgoing consciousness in the title role of Paul Raynal's "The Unknown Warrior," which was transferred successively to several West End theaters. His success in "The Unknown Warrior," great as it was Intrinsically, was only the modest omen of what was to come. Through the Interest In the great French war play on the part of Ellen Wilkinson, Labor member of Parliament, Mr. Browne obtained the backing for the production of R.

C. Sherriff's End' which he discov Crothers. "A little talent is a dangerous thing, however, because it unfits you for the skillet without fitting you for the market place," she observed. "How much unhappiness is caused because one's talent is just too small." "I started playwriting when I was a baby and formulated plays before I could write a line," she continued. "My dolls were the characters and I was the author, manager, producer, prompter, stage hand, and various other necessary adjuncts.

First I would imagine a little plot and then line up my dolls, make them go through the motions and act out the lines I spoke for them. "As I grew older I really began to write plays. When I was 12 I wrote and produced my first full-length effort, which I entitled, quite pretentiously, 'Every Cloud Has a Silver or 'The Ruined Miss Crothers thought, as a young girl, that her chief ambition was to be an actress, so she left her home in Bloom ington. 111., for a dramatic school in New York. Here the head don't want you io think I'm that sentimental, but, well, I gave her some money, and took the shoe After a little questioning.

Miss Fordred admitted that she still has the shoe. war plays, and perhaps the most powerful and significant figure on the contemporary British stage, has returned this season for an intensive production program In the America where he suffered, starved and learned his profession. Mr. Browne's return to the America which, as he says, "taught him all he knows," takes the form of producing here "The Improper Duchess," his first Independent, production in this country in over four years; of presenting "The Venetian," in association with the Shu-berts, and of playing the title role in "The Unknown Warrior" to the Pacific Coast and back on a route of regular and little theaters under the management of James B. Pond.

In hlr own words, "I owe It all to America. I can only try to turn that success back into the channels that produced me." Although the order in which these various ventures were to -reach Broadway was, 'The first; "The Improper Duchess," second, and "The Unknown Warrior," third, fate has played strange tricks with this schedule, and the third came first, starting its long tour with four special matinees at the Morosco Theater last Thursday and Friday and continuing tomorrow Miss Crothers particularly likes to put on plays for Mr. Golden because he leaves her alone to follow her own dictates. "He has faith in me and in my judgment." she says. Of herself she says, "If there is anything I am vain about it's my health.

I'm a perfectly healthy person. I live out of doors as much as possible, go in for active sports, and I neither drink nor smoke." Her appearance certainly bears out her boast, for she has a natural, ruddy glow in her cheeks which contrasts nicely with her white hair and her figure is that of an active girl of 20. She has arranged her life as competently as she arranges those of her characters in plays. In the Winter she lives at a quiet hotel In the East Sixties, where she has a skyscraper suite overlooking the park. In the Summer and for week-ends during the Winter she has her lovely estate in Connecticut, where she likes to do most of her work.

And it is as fine a place in which to work as one can imagine. Large rooms, com Her first role was In "Love's Labor Lost," a very small part. The blank verse troubled her and she had some difficulty in remembering to say "solemnized" In four syllables as she was Instructed to do with the ac cent on the second. Because there was a touch of comedy in the part, she appeared on the opening night wearing a comic makeup, with ing her way around the Danbury Country Club course, and doing it "better than any other lady in the district," to quote her pro. The caddies adore her and do say she can drive a coif ball as far as most men can.

They believe if she could devote more time to It and make serious Job of it she'd outshine most of the leading lady players of the country. But she has too much else to do for that, and it remains merely her favorite pastime. She admits to two weaknesses, though. She says she is utterly helpless In a kitchen, and simply can't spell. In fact, speaking of her latter failing, she tells a story of about how she learned to spell the word "forty." She wasn't quite sure, though, so in a shop just a short while ago, while making out a check, she asked, "Forty is spelled isn't It?" "Why, no," the clerk "tt't spelled And so Miss Crothers blithely made up the check in the good old English style.

a Has Another Beady Elliott Lester, author of "Two Seconds," the melodrama at the Rlts Theater, has just finished another play, "The Green Flame," a drama of domesticity. heavilv arched eyebrows and a Miller's production of "Payment Deferred." the English play, in Charles Laughlon is thrilling- them nightly at the Lyceum, is, notwithstanding her French accent inthe play, an Englishwoman, born South Africa. Offstage. Miss Fordred's arcent matches that, of Mr. Laughlon.

Miss Lanchcster. Miss Oat.es, and the other players, who were imported from England with the play. She is one of tl ose rare things, a young snrT attrwrtive character actress. Her presflt role in "Payment Deferred" is omethinj of a departure. However.

I.i England she is known for her characterizations of gamins and- cockney slaveys. She scored one of her successes as the little slevey eirl in an intimate review called "Riverside Nights." in which she A. P. Herbert's song, "It May Be Life." Erly in her career she was fleeted by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero to play the role of Avonia Bunn in "Trelawnev of the Wells. She has appeared in thP London productions of "Pickwick." "Murder on the Second' Floor." "Cynara." and as the Viennese coeotte Pinkie in "Debonair." she again met with a personal success.

The story of how she came to the staee is one of those episodes of chance wich which theater history abounds. She lived in South Africa, on the veldt not far from Port EH'pfceth. Her time was spent In shooting and reading, and. she now says, in gaining a kind of-rtability which every actor should have. "Living on the veldt gives you you can't help it, no matter who you are a susceptibility to simnle, earthy rhythms.

You get a feeling for what must be called, for latK of a better word, the ordinary." Her father went to America on business when she was just out of school, and she was sent to holiday. She had a notion rjist she wanted to study the methods of the repertory theaters tn.ionrion so that she might go bnk to South Africa and teach rouged nose. After a year at Old Vic. Pinero ered. Produced at the Savoy Theater in January, 1929, for the sum of $20,000, "Journey's End" ran for over a year and a half In London, over a year in New York, was played by numerous provincial companies throughout the British Isles, by five touring companies in the United States and Canada, and by countless companies in a score of saw her and offered her the part in "Trelawney." She says that since then she has had to learn a great many things, and to unlearn as fort ably furnished with both antiques and.

modern things for, Another New Play Dodson Mitchell's melodrama "Times Square" will be presented by Barry Macollum and Maurice many. The well known Russian di "Who wants to live in a museum?" suggest ease and peace. of the school discerned that her talent was for writing plays, and so she began to write and direct the school productions. Before long "A Man's World" was accepted by New York producer, and since then Miss Crothers has had at least one play a year on Broadway. "Caught Wet'' is her 26th production.

It will be seen this week at the Flatbush theater. Miss Crothers directs her own plays, plans the scenery and the costumes, so you see she faces a big job every time one of her plays is produced. "It's easy enough to do a big job, rector. Komlsarjesky. under whom and Tuesday.

"The Improper Duchess" Is still out on the road. And she woiked for a season in a com pany near London, taught her languages all over the world, achiev A swimming pool (which is big enough for skating in the Winter), terraced steps, and a sunken garden in which Miss Crothers herself digs, and 46 acres of wooded land Greet in New York shortly, under Erlanger management. Frank Shannon, Genevieve Hamper, Walter N. Greaza, Barry Macollum, Frederick O. Lewis, Dodson Mitchell and so that no one can build In front of her windows and spoil the view spell a well-arranged Miss Crothers says she works in though," she says, "if you know your job.

You've got to know it from top to bottom to do it easily great deal, she says. As she looks back on her career she feels that olthough she enjoyed playing Shakespeare, she never was any good at It, that" she likes best of all the slavey parts, and that now in this, her first visit to America, she hopes she will not be mistaken for a Frenchwoman. "I'm playing one of those not-vi'iy-young and too-clever ladies, the kind that wears well, what I wear in 'Payment Deferred' clothes that are full of little satin draperies and bits of lace and flowing sleeves. AMUSEMENTS BROOKLYN AMUSEMENTS BROOKLYN and "The Venetian" Is playing an engagement in Chicago prior to Broadway. Born in England, educated at Cambridge, serving in the Boer War, Maurice Browne came to this country about 1910.

With the foundation In 1912 of the Chicago Little Theater, in association with Ellen Van Volkenburg, he became the father of the little theater movement In America. Struggling against enormous odds, frequently without the next meal in sight, he persisted in this project until. In 1918, the war compelled him to abandon It. Thereupon, he went to the Pacific Coast, where, for nearly a decade in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, he barely made ends meet. Several times from 1920 to 1922 he came to New York, but, The success she has had in the past proves that she Is one who "has it." Following "A Man's World" 1 ALWAYS HOSI I GOOD SEATS I I Site I Mats.

Wed. A iaX Church and Flat-bosh A venae BROOKLYN Telephone BVckmimler t-nOM ing later well nigh universal distribution as one of the most successful of the talking films, and adding up profits sufficient to enable the purchase of the Globe and Queen's Theaters in London and to stake the firm of Maurice Browne, for whatever It chose to do, while making a millionaire of its author. R. C. Sherriff.

Since then, Mt. Browne's most notuble successes in London have been Elmer Rice's "Street Scene" and Jumes B. Fagan's "The Improper Duchess," while his experimental activities in the theaters have found outlet In the efforts of the London Theater Company, patterned partly after the New York Theater Guild and partly after Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Theater and subsidized by the profits of Mr. Browne's West End theater John Alexander will be in the cast. The Venetian' Coming Maurice Browne and the Messrs.

Shubert will present "The Venetian," by Clifford Bax, Nov. 2, at a theater to be chosen later. The cast is headed by Margaret Rawlings, Wilfrid Walter, Catherine Lacy and Alastair Sun. Polly in Person! Polly Moran, Marie Dressler's comical side partner, has been signed to appear In person over the complete Loew vaudeville theater route. Miss Moran will appear at lflcw'8 Valencia starting Friday, Oct.

30. tj BRANDT'S LATBUSH AM f'SEMENTS BROOKLYN PRIOR TO THE HUDSON THEATRE, N. WILLIAM HARRIS Jr. preaente PRIOR TO WILL Id like to get into a house-dress again, in the next part I play, and be English." A DRAMATIC KNOCKOUT bv PHILIP and FRANCES DUNNINO With MARY DUNCAN PAUL KELLY DOUGLAS R. DUMBRILLE and a Nnted taut, Inrltldlnr: EDA HF.TMKMANN.

HARRY TYLF.R. LAWREKQE FLETCHER. LEO CURLEY. JOSEPH CRF.HAN. KIRK AMES and net Booked for London Lee Ephraim has purchased the English rights to the new musical comedy, "Everybody's Welcome." current at the Shubert Theater.

Best seat, will be 12 shillings, a re AMUSEMENTS BROOKLYN AMUSEMENTS BROOKLYN iPrlor to Selwvn Theatre, N. Y.I EDGAR SELWYN PreaenH duction of eight shillings from the it ITAwST w-PDVir'ir" BproarfcrnR prevailing rate. Lanrh Ftar WEEK NOV. 2 SEATS NOW thf-in thre. or Rtart a repertory Lhratpr of her own.

Robert thP director of Old Vic that Jr, and shp dropped In to see Vtim at the historic old theater in Waterloo. The season had not yet begun, and the place was being rtajned and renovated: she remembers the place as noisy, dusty and glamorous. When she told him of her project, he- said, "but aren't you going to act?" "No." she answered, and explained that it had never occurred to ner. He asked her to read a few AMUSEMENTS BROOKLYN THIS WEEK Eflninfi, 50c to $2 Matt. W.d.

50c, 75c, $1 TWAJESTIfT Pao.t: NErim 8-Z720 By and With ELLIOTT and J. C. NUGENT Notable Caat Inclurtei: JACK RAINE and EDMOND BREOrf AMUSEMENTS BROOKLYN ALWAYS LEB SHUBERT jjresenb I GOOD SEATS BA a i or i ner mvs, mt naa ni. mrinn JACKSON HEIGHTS OULEVARD Tel. 4-5SOO Northern Blvd.

SUd St. 1 iWle aramount In Ptnanl Matl.WedTATl JMp A. L. JONES tbtl arrangement with iianny Wftlflt) preaanta THURSTON World's Ommt Maitcin Ob Svvn "The Woman Between PRIOR TO BROADWAY AMUSEMENTS BROOKLYN I IKCSEEB dUSI 2 if attend 10EW5 SuwtoMafaees-mmitPemnMWm The Funniest of All Comediet Ahont HollrteooA hy NORMAN KRASNA GEORGE ABBOTT with a fin tit vhlrh Ine tailed LEE ROBERT TRACY GLECKLER CYNAKA LOUISE BROOKS "NO SCANDAL" A New Plar ELMER HARRIS WFK NOV. LEE 8HIBF.RT preiente 2y HARW00D and: R.

GORE BROWNE wiik HENRY PHOEBE ADRIANNE STEPHENSON FOSTER ALLEN Singed Jby Jjarry Wagslaff Qribhk I METROPOLITAN I VALENCIA hliknpamf Wallinqford IN PERSON i Im i "ACE" Vau4eTillr a In Advmtnm FRED KEATING "Tit Magical Ckatitrkoi" GKT-RICH -Qt'lcK Sliaar Frlatoc a stnne Abbott Danecri Vt ALI-lNdKORD" MIII.M M.rl'n r' Pnranta I NCgssl PJTWN "STREET SCENE" Tn 4 nlfcir Mil; I ji iVViowHn Sidney 'm. Collier Hrlvia Hldnev: JI l.rH HOWARD I riihrv jf; I other Art I Jr. r.trllr lav lor kMaMMHHHMHMtl njTTCTTfTI NORMA I NORMA ImHWHsaV SHEARER A AWCI Clark Gable IgAUFfll (ylui "A Free Sour il?" 1 Clark Gable a' I i ri mt in JljLlj( VAUDEVILLE "A Free Soul" ftpfiKi Iflironm FEATURE FILMS SHOWING TODAY BAY RIDGE SECTION TOMORROW Faelway, SSt.h-Ft. Ham. Pkv Caniht: alao I Like Yonr Nerve Sam SfF A nw mmical alar wilk all Ik.

thrilli af ttrnng drama! Weal of N.2d Matt. Wail, and Sal. Saati Monday Af'aara. Shubert preaent "ARMS- MAID" with Mady Christians Guy Robertson Solly Wurd Leonard Ceeley Florenz Ames Staged by J. C.

Huffman Park Theatre, 44th St. dt 5th AV Maurice Chevalier, Smlllnf Lieutenant. BEDFORD SECTION 1 Anolle. Ftilinn St. Thrnort Av Smiling Lieutenant; also Thti Modern Aa.

National 730 WaBhlnffton Av. Common Law; alao The Sntrief Rerent, Fulton St. At Bedford Av. The Brat; alao Enemtea of the Law Savov, Bedford Av. it Lincoln PI VAUDEVILLE; Jamea Dunn, sob Sitter BOROUGH HALL AND DOWNTOWN SECTION flnffletd, Diif field A Fulton Charlea Farrell, Merely Marv Ann! Momart, ftP-fl Fulton St Featurea Bad Girl; a I Ml Snorting Blend.

ftuntft 9an Y- ai aUO rpAV BROOKLYN 1 1 1 atV Av. CENTURY CIRCUIT THEATRES 20ib CENTURY ENTERTAINMENT H.ATBI HCTION ABE LYMAN At. tieoree Playhouse, no Pineapple, reatorea uaa ltri; atae nporttnff Biena Terminal. 4th Av. di Dean 8t Star Wltneaa; alae Danghter ef the BRIGHTON BEACH SECTION Tuxedo, Ocean Pkwy, nr.

Brighton. Janet Gaynnr, Merely Mary Ann BTJSIIWICK SECTION Colonial, Broadway chauncey St. Mae Clarke, Waterloo Bridge. It-hard Barlhelmeaa) CROWN HEIGHTS SECTION Conrreaa, St. John's PI.

Av. Mae Clarke, Waterloo Bridge Sama Rivera. 3L John's PI at Kingston Av. Seerrta ef a Seeretary alae Pardoa til Sam FLATBUSH SECTION Glenwnod, 147S Flatbush Av Adolnhe Menjnn, Front (rannda. Churrh ft Noitrand Ava.

harlea Farrell. Merely Mary Ann Sam Leader. Coney Isl. Riders of the Purple Sage; else Skyline Sam News Irk Id. nr.

Newklrk Pert Wheeler. Toe Many Conks Sam Farkslde, Flethueh dt Parkalde Avs. Thomaa Melghan. Skyline Sam PARR SI.OPF. SECTION Carlton, Flsthuah 1th Ava Walter Hnsion.

War Wllneaa. Barrymor Sanders, Went dt HlhBt. Stone, The Bargain Sam AI.IUiF.. Albca Squar. of Nntre Panic, lew ATrra RKO Aria KF.NMOKK, Church and Flatbush HARDING, IIFVOTION Ro.dtta Onnran a ANN RARniNO In lFVOTION.

with Lnlla Howar ANN HAFOINt. in 11KVOTION. with I ftllf Hwr4 MAI Kill (IIIVAI.IKR. SMII.INO IIHTINAM JA( HOI.T In rilTV FATHOMS DF-ICf JA HOI.T In FIFTY FATHOMS Ml 'nil FIV THF. CLOCK.

Win itol. L. Tanhmaa Hlla. riatbuh Mltlnood Nnaar.KlniHiy-Cnnylk) A KiTlilt Corny HI. Av Avf Burin, riitbih Av Kln Hwy iwrmaH.

Flatbunh Alhrmarla. MMwmmI. Avf JE 13th MADISON. Myrtla and WycKofI AVI. HANIIINCi, DFVOTION RKO ACTA and hit IANP in ipectoculor itoge ihew aaNCHOM a Maaca'S "CXOTIQUC" Ida "HEARTBREAK" CHARLES FARRILL Ivana Narai Ww.fM f.l llTV I.lnncl Barrmar, KT Franrla Fftrraral.

Pliitbtlfch A Roaeri Avii nrKFK. fltn near sin ORPHF.t'M. 578 Fulton HI. RI'KHWICK, Broadway tnd I FROPFCT. th 81.

and S'h A KFITH'g RICH. HILL. Htid Mtrlk I fiRPF.NPOINT. 2S Manhattan I 1- iiohwii jb it lath Mt r.ril.TT HAn. Ltml PiarrTmora, Rtf rranrta ANN HAROINO In i all Flathiifh Av mrlalvnn Pd MV HIN.

with TtllnUh )nliail. trl Marrh Wa.n.ad. "ntap Bi Voot Fal FIFTY' FATHOM FIFFF an MV Maoor rnn Inland A At I.lll H' Wlfa'a Jwhh Mo.l-al Tom. fraaara, Fmpira Blvd. aya 2 ta hmllinr Lirattaanl A Jew at Wat Til vni) nnnni a Mnurhitf choi a road, eth ei.

na sth modern ace, joan Crawford.