THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1950.
PREVIEW: The Dentons as newlyweds,
SEAT IN THE STALLS
THE
DENISONS
gamble on an experiment with time
• Con a play with two characters hold the London theatre crowds?
SHOW TALK
meets the husband and wife who will know the
answer
POSTCRIPT: The Denisons as old-timers.
By HAROLD CONWAY
HOW good must two ature be to fill Jan de Harter-"it was the only
a. West End theatre for an unlimited run-when there is no one else on the stage to help them?
He figured out how to
1
Why an all-bearoom setting? Because-confesses the author,
place where I could keep two people reasonably alonc ION any length of time, without Introducing other characters."
Couple No. 2. aim couple are
Another married stage-and- being more cautious: Richard Attenborough and Shella Sim,
"As good as the play; that is tho only thing which will count," Buy Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray, with modesty,
They have opened at the Am- bassadors in "The Four poster" They are on the way to town -Art time for 15 years that in a new play called To Dorothy nn untried play with only two 3 Son, This was also to have characters has been risked in a been a
twosome, but Atten- public London theatre.
borough's co-star was Yolande The Denisons-they are hus- Denian. Miss Sim's part-a band and wife-must certainly character originally spoken ave faith in the play's drawing about, not seen-was introducca Dante, one of the world's "Actually I'm underseiling my power, if not their own. They as an afterthought. And ΠΟΥ Freatest magicians, is the own workmanship," he said, will net for п fraction of the there are four other characters
appear for
momentary" an who first figured out and that is something I'm not salary they can earn in films who How to saw a woman in half. call it the Ten
in the habit of doing. I should and share a proportion of the scenes,
Million Dollar boxoffice proẞts, If any. with The Attenboroughs like to net Ie is the father of the fusion, That is what it has
the management.
together, too; but they think it A practical fagician's Rehearsal and grossed since I created it for
way of backing wiser to do so in company. he Gateway, in which Thurston in his studio in 1921 their fancy. If Mr Denison and
指 Dante was
***, | Misr Gray are what the public assistant to
to fancy, all should be well with top this gamble.
saw a woman in half
retty girl steps onto a cale, drops in her
ad
DANTE
penny,
vanishes. In his 50 ears of magic making, Į inte has originated 25 ajor illusions and 40 lesser es. This, he claims, sur- Esses the inventions of all ing magicians put to- ether.
Danta is currently doing ubla duly as actor and chnical adviser for "Bunco
at RKO Radio, Elodrama which exposer phony ritualist mediums and their
11
thods.
trow
of
of his original illusions used in the picture; he 1 allowed Dic studio to
worth $50,000 eplaceable equipment. None them, however, will outshine "Million Dollar Illusion," ich is how he refers to the siness of hawing a woman in
"},
WEEK-END SCREEN FARE
Dancing in the Dark (ROXY
BROADWAY) is about
pt
the
the -week-end's
tures. It 15 another por.
k
11
o: Hollywood, some-
at on the
lines of "A
William
ar is Born", with
well turning In one of the
st performances of his career
a broken-down former screen
-1.
Betsy Drake plays an aspiring
ng starlet and Mark Stevens
= press agent boy friend.
Bright Leat (QUEEN'S
10%
Thurston 15 well as D
as
magicien in his own right until the latter's dealb, when Dante In the bedroom was named his successor and These co-stars will be playing Required all of Thurston's husband and wife on the store, magle paraphemalia. Among too, the effects he nequired was the Million Dollar Illusion,
In an age of him fan-worship, which should have thought this stage Dante has now
Improved to romancing by a privately mar- the point where the girl is com-red couple might spoil the pletely separated
Illusion for audiences, But the Denisons pooh-pooh the idea.
"We
act together,
on stage and screen, as often as manage- ments will lel tis,"
they say. "It doesn't seem to worry Alm-
and the two
halves may be moved around the
stage.
Lo brouhaha to woo London success the hard Young performers still have
way-especially Among cabaret bright lights.
the
Lucille Gaye-who has a film part opposite Ted Ray in A Ray ut Sunshine-tramped round the West End for months trying to Interest manngements in cabaret act. She was English and unknown-in conjunction, fatal drawbacks.
her
where they don't object to an
So Miss Gaye went to Parts, English accent and
agree that you have to make a start some th. Now I read
glowing ac-
are calling her the best cabaret her Betty Hulton-style act; they
rwcomer for years.
Dante's inost productive period as #bullder occurs iz niarch.
don't know why", he said,cers we still get letters from counts in the Paris papers
during the month of March I torn out five or six illusions, and that is my output for the year. I don't believe in astrology, but March must be my most faventive period."
eur separate funs just as if we were unattached." Action of "The takes place entirely
Fourposter" in a bed- room; its occupants are Just married when the curtain rises, well into old age when it falls.
JUDY'S FINE. AGAIN
Actress Judy Garland is looking fit again after her HAMBIA) is a story about recent illness as she vacations with her daughter in Sun tycoon tormented by a girl. Valley, Idaho. Judy's using an old fisherman's trick of ots of elgarette machines at holding the fish close to the camera to make it seem bigger rk remind the audience that
a tobacco tycoon who is
og tormented. The tycoon
than it is.
Gary Cooper) Miss Lillie sings for
tormented by Warner
others' most promising new
r. Patricia Neal, who gets ore and more like Bette Davis
the torments Cooper.
Lauren Bacall and Jack Car-
suppers at £1,000 a
their
week
of
I advise Miss Gaye to stay put in Paris, until some London "discovers" talent scout duly
her. Then, perhaps, she will be offered a West End engagement
at £1,000 per week.
Enter: Claudetto Who is likely to sical the limelight at the Royal Film performance, even from Irene Dunne? My guess, based on the public's interest in her coming visit, Is Claudette Colbert,
Miss Colbert wi be one of the small Hollywood contingent flown over to appear in the stoge part of the Royal show.
Last time this actress was in London was at the Playhouse in 1920, when, an unknown girl of 22. she appeared in a melodrama called The Barker, Since then she has proved the most remaric- able stay in the Hollywood Industry.
As far back as 1934 Claudette Colbert was being handed an Oscar for her performance in I Happened One Night, Twenty years after she Arst became a slar, Miss Colbert is still one of the surest box-offiee bets. In that period most stars have been born and figuratively buried.
Her secret? A sense of humour which every man and woman in the nudience can share; the ability to look absurdly young without even trying and she doesn't care how many mother roles she plays nowadays. Monte Cristo moves Latest American film news? Brian Donlevy. I hear, plans to stor himself. with Arlene Dahl, In a new production of "The Count of Monte Cristo." As a Wester, if you please, with Action ast Ja the Arizona desert.
All right, I know that French "re-make" of Manon, with Palestine finale, started some- thing. But it took Hollywood to think this Dumas variation out. WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED -(London Express Service)
Cheta
passes up the
jungle
Cheta,
Tarzan's famed
Back to West End cabaret garde received the same weekly chimpanzee chum, won't satisfied with her war comes Beatrice Lillie. cason not long ago,
are in the cast. Lauren JCS Gary. nply be 11 puzzle most movie-goers. She opens on November 13 a week to an entertainer-now-after all. The dal Who Took the West ING'S) is a rather charming at the comfortably round ever
about Arizona with Yvonne salary of £1,000 per week, customers-and Carlo starred as one of the for about 50 minutes' work profit?
Why he can't for the first time since pre- sum for her West End cabaret desert the sound stage
Can restaurants pay £1,000 jungles for the real thing,
ch
from
me
well sho pulls in the
still make anot
to
500
Tra
Producer Sol Lesser deglded to fly he chimp from
-ls who entertained in a caa night.
I am assured It can be done, East Africa, where Lex Barker Hollywood to Nairobi, Beitints by one man who should know- Tot and was very wily and
and a studio production unit They tell
do it is the he will
the paying arming and kept men
inaro filming "Tarzan's Peril". ptying their revolvers into highest cabaret salary yet paid Beatrice Lillie's case.
IL to one artist." Miss Lillie com- means, of course,
problems near decided other unnecessarily
bilthely,
Chimpanzeer each are -onne also sings "Frankle and mented
Just before capacity-450
extremely sensitive to hnny" and does it very well. Aying to Now York to keep a night. Then the weekly
total temperature changes and television date.
of bills presented By the
cold Samson and Delllah (LEE &
barengo waitera will multiply "I don't think I'm worth, Lulie's cheque
Miss
compartment on 4 DEBTY) should by this lime
many times trans-ocean airliner is no place ve been reen by nearly the do you? But, of course, it won't
over. Enough to pay for the for salmian screen star
Since it was impossible to travellers Flower pasarely book Cheta with human An a pressurised cabin, No wonder that Lady Peel is one of many International stars ship would have meant a costly now finding the most pront delay In production, Cheta's able form of slow-world work is
ole of Hongkong's cinema-be all prod; think of the audiences' food and drink, the ing population. Some are evening gowns I shall have to staff's wages and ing a second and third time. buy.
e suggestion can be made Lam sure this mistress of
from next week the LEE entire will be worth it; other s on a double feature--the wise, an astute business manage
three reels of "Samson and ment would not be paying such
19nh” — which are really a malury, oszal--and something
∙to row!
But I must disappoint Miss se the slow build up ahead of [Lille on the other point: she is
· I not, mehjaving aŭrecord. -- Hide-
overhead
and still show something over.
DETR.
to sing for other people's sup-
HAROLD CONWAY. -[London Express Kervice)
LEE Liberty
•
DAILY AT 12,00, 2.30,
5.00, 7.20 & 9.40 P.M.
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3rd BIG WEEK
THE WORLD'S GREATEST LOVE STORY!
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Samson Delilalt
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DIENEN WARNER BROS, EMASI!”
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A
ADDED! LATEST WARNER-PATHE NEWS
ANNOUNCEMENT
We have the pleasure to announce that we have:- just completed the installation of the new Model of RCA sound system and projection machine and it is our strong desirs always, tó
› venday our, patībers: alf up-to-date entertainment with the beit Soved triumphant return to the jungles and Projection aquipunianturi, katud skanu are gur - babyl
of his babybood was ruled out.
A double is being sought for
him in Nairobi
THE MANAGEMENT.
A
TOUCHING a Great Dar
city pets. It is difficult a
THE PODL is narrow so't Holding a toy in each li