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Daily News from Los Angeles, California • 21

Publication:
Daily Newsi
Location:
Los Angeles, California
Issue Date:
Page:
21
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

-SJL TJ a vdMr 0 wC 1 '-i tr. i 'V. jp." r- 1 1 t- I 1 -4- PSetnn52zeiIl IIllev5ew sb NO. 2 CAGNEY doesn't approve of the lack approve NO. I PRODUCER Roland Winters (RJ persuades song and dance man Jimmy Cagney to go to West Point to help stage the Academy's "1 00th Night Show" in West Point Story" at 3 Warners.

of feminine interest iii cast. All the cadets portray women, including cadet Alan Hale Jr. NO. 3 CAGNEY persuades girl friend, Virginia Mayo, and Doris Day to play roles in the musical. Cagney is made cadet, but show is called off when he dfsobeyt orders.

Wilson I made a date to meet Dagmar, the new national sensation. I saw her as soon as I went Couldnt help It. She stood out, Shor's, like sitting there in Toots SI o- 0 to NO. 4 AFTER READING dropped by officers and show ralissrsals continue. Miss Day finds UT.

5 WITH ALL production and discipline i "Miss Day, MacRae, Miss Miyo and dancer Geno cadft Gordon MacRa itfricfivts Thy fil lov uniwtoiitriys probltw solved, ftt show gots on wrffc.CigMy, Nelson end scores b9 Iii for the Mildred Norton Film review 'AH About Eve9 Drama-Music Editor) Our distinguished predecessor in this space. Dr. Bruno David Usaher, postcards up from the Ban- Diego Sun a timely reminder that this week the widow of composer Edward Mac Dowell observes her 93rd birthday. By EZRA GOODMAN "All About Eve, 20th Century-Foxs "bitter comedy at the Loe Angeles, Chinese, Wilshire, Uptown and Loyola, is a slick and sophisticated movie about the theater. It is smart and shiny and it is sparked by a set of high-voltage In beautifully blase style, dissecting everyone in the cast, Including a -blond Empire State building.

She waved. I went over. This has been a gasser of ahe said. got caught in my sipper. 1 hadnt been caught In my xipper, I'd met you earlier.

She turned to another girl and said to me, "Meet my sister, Jean. Just came in from Huntington to handle my fan mail Jean, a brunet, is smaller than her 5-foot-8'i blond Sister, who in four months has gone from a nobody to about the most-ogled chick In the country. Jennie Lewis of Huntington, W. has done so well on Jerry Lester's Broadway Open House TV show that the movies want her, arid so do people who make dolls, sweaters, brassieres, slips and whatnot. Dagmar can become the female Hopalong Cassidy.

You got caught in your xip- Cer? I said. This sounded like Ig news, inasmuch as "Dag is a sise 39 babe. Yeah, sweetie. I got two band-aids on me here. She showed me where.

"Did you order a drink, honey? Orange juice, I grunted. I dont want to got drunk. I might see four Dagmars. When I got caught in my Kipper, it was. awful, Dagmar said.

"I sent Jean in to get Jerry. He helped me out of the xipper. Oh. it was all right. I was covered.

So far Dag hadnt said anything stupid. On the program she says things like, I won't ride with 13 people I'm suspicious. Or Please dont smoke. I'm anemic to it. Or, We were in the jungle and met a lot of very hungry cannonballs.

Or, A mushroom is a place to make Dagmar is like Marie Wilson, In a couple of respects. But the television writers, and Jerry Lester himself, dream up most of those stupid remarks. When Jim Konstanty. Philadelphias famous relief pitcher, came on the program, Dagmar called him Mr, Constantly, and added. Its so nice to hear you're on relief.

Dagmars a sample of what can be done today with a good figure. Dagmar is called "the outstanding literary figure because she supposedly writes some poems. "You ought, to see my mail. Sweetie. Dag said.

I got a letter from a woman. She 'said the city of Huntington ought to take their statue of Mr. Huntington or whoever it is down, and put one up of me. Mrs. MacDowell, who has lived in Los Angeles for the past several years, will be in the audience tonight at Philharmonic auditorium to hear Lillian Steuber and tbe Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra perform her celebrated husbands Second Piano under Alfred Wallenstein's baton.

Composers, it appears, have a singularl-penchant for marrying women with strong force of (Maybe it takes' a woman of strong character to put up with them.) Be that as it may, have before us such signal examples as Wagner's Cosima and Schumanns Clara in the formally bracketed category, not to mention Chopins George Sand and Liszts Countess DAgoult in less official capacity. But' among those 'wives who have dedicated their "widowhood to keeping alive the publics interest in their husbands music, Mrs. Edward MacDowell certainly stands foremost In our own A woman who combined practicality with devotion, she kept his memory vernal by forming an institution, now known as the MacDowell himself, viz: "My name la Addison De Witt My native habitat la the theater in it I toil not, neither do I spin. I am a critic and commentator. I am essential to the theater as ants to a picnic, as the boll weevil to a cotton field.

Under Manklewiczs energetic direction, they and Hugh Marlowe as a playwright, Celeste Holin' as his wife, Qpry Merrill as a director, Gregory Ratoff as i producer and Thelma Ritter as the actress maid (she was conceived during a split week In Walla Walla and born in a carnival riot) turn in a gallery of keen characterizations. -This Darryl Zanuck production Is adult entertaining, if talk-heavy and protracted. In focusing Its camera on the world of the stage it depicts a limited, razzle-dazzle phase of the footlights and playz It for polish, rather than depth. As a movie about the theater. the wordy, witty All About Eve la more theater than movie and more show than drama.

i a LILLIAN STEUBER. piano solo-ist, tonight and tomorrow afternoon with A. Philharmonic orchestra at. Philharmonic Aud. performances that wring just about every ounce of wit out of director Joseph L.

Mankiewlcxs crackling script. The setting for the scenario is the higher echelons of Broadway. The story la about an ambitious, iroung, would-be actress who etches an established, aging star and climbs over her and her friends to attain the coveted Sarah Siddons award for distin-guiahed achievement In the theater. This plot-line has been garnished with colorfbl characterisations and lines. Manklewicz's scenario may be on the overlong and wordy side, but it has an adult edge to it.

Here are one or two instances: "Autograph fiends! They're not people those little beasts who run in packs like coyotes. They're nobody's fans! Theyre juvenile dtdinquents, mental defectives. Theyre nobodys audience! They never see a play or a movie even theyre never Indoors long "Every now and then, some elder statesman of the heater or cinema assures the public that actors and actresses are Just plain folks, ignoring the fact that their greatest attraction to the public is their complete lack of resemblance to normal human beings. If Mankiewics's scenario about stage folk, is more stagey than scenario, there are few or no reservations about the performances. As the actress who Is getting along In years, Bette Davis rips Into the role like a tigress, and creates a fascinating personality, dripping with mink, martinis and1 temperamental tantrums.

Though we never see her acting, it is easy to believe that the person ahe plays la a great lady of the stage, so flamboyant la the role. But the part of the ambitious young Eve, portrayed by Anne Baxter, leaves somethin? to be desired in that respect. Miss 'The Milkman9 Filin review By DARK SMITH comedian singer Donald Colony, where young artists of every, kind might spend the summer months pursuing creative work in their chosen field, For 40 years now, colony, situated on some property she and MacDowell had owned at Peterborough, N. has been functioning, with a steady increase in area over the decades. Some of -the most distinguished men in American music are on Its board of di- tectOhf numberless young people have benefited by their stay at this uniquely practical, during monument a devoted wife built to the memory of a great American composer.

The first Mass In history to be celebrated at -an altitude of 5000 metres was sung during a plane flight from' Paris to- New York by the Little Singers of the Wooden Cross, who appear here Saturday night In concert at the Wilshire Ebell theater. Seasoned travellers, the 40 ho singers have toured four continents aa goodwill ambassadors of the French government Now on their 20th International tour, they have given more than 6000 concerts since their founding In 1907, The repertoire ranges front Gregorian liturgical music and 16th century French madrigals to folk songs the lands they visit. Their noted countryman, Milhaud, has composed many works for them, one of which, the Cantate da la Palx from the poem by Paul Claudel, they will sing on Saturday nights program. Music of the old masters will Share, the keyboard with that of contemporary composer Samuel Barber at Vladimir Horowitz piano recital Monday night at the Philharmonic auditorium. The brilliant virtuoso, whosa ce opens the current season of Moss.

Hayman and Wilson keyboard events, will also Include tho Bach-Busonl Organ Toccata In major, Schumanns "Scenes Front Childhood, op. 15, and works by Chopin and Liszt The Barber work, a Sonata in flat, op. 20, was Introduced by Horowitz last year at Carnegie Hall. Jan Peeree, popular Met tenor, who will sing his first Los Angeles recital in two yean next Wednesday evening In Philharmonic auditorium, was a recent recipient of an honorary doctor of music degree from the New College of Musio. MA man in Washington said my picture was printed there.

Actor O'Connor once said that it Is both wonderful and terrifying to play, opposite Jimmy Durante. said OConnor, is such a great man and such a great performer that you dont even think of attempting to steal sceneA from him. But if some Jerk should think attempting It, 'Durante would have him smothered in a second he la the greatest of the professionals. You, take off with this knowledge. and you have a certain point of view concerning the new movie, 'The Milkman," which -costars Messrs OConnor and Durante.

These two gents happcn to be our favorite entertainers, and when you get them together you wonder which is going to do what to whom. Well; nothing much but a lot of laughs happen. They are both expert. They know what to do with a scene. And "The Milkman comes off aa an old-fashioned plotty comedy.

It has wheels within- wheels, and 'dancing and fine, low-down comedy performances. It has enough gaga and gimmicks to' keep you deliciously occupied. O'Connor is a young war veteran -who, when he becomes excited, quacks like a duck. (Shades of "Francis?) He is the wealthy son of a wealthy milk tycoon. But the old.

man wont give him a job, So he goes to work for a rival milk firm and is so terribly inept with the bottles that he drives customers away from his own company and Into the arms of his father. Durdnte is the oldtimer, ready for retirement and pension. He takes under his wing (b teach him the business, but his tutelage merely results in Durante being fired thereby obviating the pension. Oh, there are many Joyous occurrences in The Milkman. There are gangsters, a stolen jewels.

There are broken milk bottles add broken hearts. You may see It at the United Artists, Ritz, Vogue, Culver and Studio City theaters. He said. Scissors never aeen such action in this town since the days of Jean. Another letter was from an Insane asylum but this man wasnt insane, see? The people there just thought he was.

They let him drive a truck part of the time. I got to take your picture off the dashboard because I have to watch, the road, he said. Women write in and complain that husbands are ruining their health staying up till midnight watching hei on TV when they have to go to work the next morning. Dagmar will soon be making money at the rate of $20,000 a year. Aa to her age, she says, I'm 22 but l-'t's play like I'm 21.

The last time before that when I 'asked her the question, she said. "Im 23 but lets play like I'm 22." She's getting younger. "Is a figure nr talent more Important today? I asked her. Sweetie, if you don't have both, you'd better have an awrul lot of whichever one you do have! "Are you sorry for girls with none of the wheels will make you think beyond wondering what the next boffo yuk will The' only way it wouLHnake you think, would be In trying to recreate a synopsis of the picture. Being averse to that type 'of thinking, we won't even give a high school try.

Jimmy Durante fries eggs on top of an electric blanket. Is this funny Durante makes it hilarious. He has a milk truck geared up with electronic devices to the extent that it follows him If he whistles. Funny? It'll put you in the aisles. Especially when it dutifully crashes into the gangster's car at the finale.

And this picture has a couple of handsome females cavorting about in' song and dance. They are Joyce Holden, Durantea vis-a-vis, and Miss Fiper Laurie, O'Connor's same. "The Milkman has singing and Baxter Is a highly competent ac-r characterize' tress but her characterization, aa demanded by the la a more reserved one and It requires 'a certain stretch of the Imagination to envision that she is a perform er of music and fire. Actually, most of the bright lines go to adder-toftgued Addison De Wilt, the theater critic, who Is described by one of the actors aa "a venomous fishwife. George Sanders throws these bon mots off on Page 23, Col.

4) enny'.

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Pages Available:
285,523
Years Available:
1923-1954