1936-01-25 — Page 8

Hongkong Telegraph 港電新報士蔑新聞 All

THE HONGKONG' TELEGRAPH, ́BATURDAY, 'ZANUARY 26, 1916.

"FIRST NIGHT"

ENTERTAINMENT

The Past And The Future

To the world of amusement, the reign of King George V contributed more than any century in the history of the British Empire.

He came to the throne in a world that was without cars, cinemas or radio. His son succeeded him just as a new science, Television, was born.

Radio, born during the rule of King George, was the har- binger of his obituary, When King Edward VII died, and King George succeeded to the throne, It was hours before the news be- came known in Hongkong.

The terrible tidings of the death of King George was flashed to every corner of the Empire from giant broadcasting trans- mitters built during the latter decade of his life-transmitters which, for three years, had carried the voice of the first British monarch to speak, personally to his subjects in every corner of the world,

When Britons caused to be

nil reckoning. Edwardians in 1911, the first crude span of King George's rule out of

London.

inventor

cinema had just been opened in Gramophones, when the Georgian era began, were crude funnelled ob- named Edison. The Victorians, who had made it instruments marketed by an mechanically possible, to capture When people heard this "canned" motion, to perpetuate the instan- taneous, looked upon their inven. music, however, they could hardly

believe their ears. tion as little more than a toy,

acure

But now, as the new réign be-

It was left to the Georgians to gins, we sit beside our electric fires perfect the invention of a previous and hear an opera in Vienna or a reign.

long-deid maestro of Italy, Many

of us retain our gramophone

Just as the new Edwardians will recordings of the King's Jubilee see crude pictures by Television message and others made during. during the next few years, so the the last five years of his Relyn. A Edwardians of thirty years ago beloved Ruler la dead, but his voice became used to those coarsely light- lives on. ed and jerky films.

Miles and miles of steel tape, at Home, also retain his voice for Then, us the reign of the now stored in the vaults of the B.B.C.

King lengthened into years, the posterity. When, on some special "Western," a vivid arrangement of occasion, the people of a long- Impossible cowboys, perpetually distant future reign are allowed to galloping horses, smoking pistola hear the message on those electrifi and ravening human wolves around ed miles of tape, they will liston A solitary saucer-eyed girl, became to the first recorded speech of any the rage of an Empire.

British monarch.

The cinema has given posterity The cinema had come into its own. People became star-minded, Tare pictures of King Edward VII. and long before Mary Pickford be. But it is lavish in its store of hig came the "World's Sweetheart" and torical scenes from the reign of the Douglas Fairbanks its most mantic athiele, a galaxy of names shone from billboards outside count less cinema houses,

ro-

late King George for it, through the science that developed in the last decade of his reign, has record- ed both sight and Bound.

It seems like sorcery, all these Into that general consciousness things that happened during the there suddenly shuffled a small reign of King George. But what figure with fabulous boots, in- of the reign that is just com- decribable trousers and a swagger mencing.

We are just on the fringe of new cane, and the Charlie Chaplin era

and more wonderful things for our was born,

leisure hours. Coloured motion Most of us have lived to see the pictures are becoming life-like, and sequel of these not-so-far-off days. the studios of Hollywood and Elstree are talking of three-

The films of the reign to-day dimensional films, through which provide comedy rellef, through the fat figures of to-day's screen "Sercen-Souvenirs and other will become lifelike mediums, for the programmes During the new Edwardian ern which, to our minds, have attained we will see ns well as hear our King perfection.

as he makes his Christmas broad-

In one reign the cinema, radio, cast to his people. Not, perhaps, aport, pleasure have become inter- his first broadcast this year, but national.

the time is near to hand.. What a gift are the wireless and the films.

Sound broadcasting will be per- fected. No home will be complete We live in a different Empire. without its Televisor, on which will When the reign began there were be seen the events of the world as no motor-care, electricity was still they occur, much of a plaything - albeit n The older generation will always

its dangerous one-the telephone was cherish memories, of the

till a toy.

Georgian period. But the children When the reign ended, electricity of to-day will discuss it just as we era. To had been mastered. Electric lamps, discuss the Victorian electric torches, clcetric fires, them the marvels that are promised cookers, washers, droners, ma- us at the beginning of the now chinery had developed in the short Edwardian reign. will be common.

Ann Dvorak.... She provides the heart-throb in "Thanks a Million"

Footnate for fant Ann Dvorak is happily married to #ciny Leike Festion. Lives on a ranch miles away from Hollywood, Wears no malie-up. Fond of gardening.

STARS OF THE WEEK No. 5. Twinkling toes win major honours for Freddie Astaire, Ginger Rogers-always your safest enter- tainment bet, better in "Top Hal" than any previous productions. In" Filmdom's 1034 "Who's Who" Freddie and dinger weren't even mention- ed. Today, they're world's mort popular couple, hints that they were to separate brought storm of protest to RKO-Radio studios. Ginger was born Missouri, July 10, 1911, frit film appearance being in "Young Man of Manhattan in 1980, Weigh, thus fulfilling decade-old ambition. Astaire by ied (happily, Was married to Jack Pepper, whom divorceding

now married they say to Lew Ayren. Won Hongkong Popular Star contest fast

taika like winner this year.

is not Englishman, de many people suppose, Was born at Omaha in May, 1900. Took London by atorm in 1924 with sister Adele (now Lady Charles Cavendish) and no society function was complete without them. Works in films for the estimated fun of it; his wife, former Mrs. Phyllis Poller, has fortune at five million sterling,

winning Texas State Dancing Context,

prar,

Previous Rogers-Astaire pictures "Flying Down to Rio," "Gay Divorced", "Roberta". Two more on the way.

Entertainment Puge mailbag is growing. If there to anything you want to secy about fime, radio, theatre, music,cond if to "First Night Hongkong Telegraph. If there is anything you want to low or suggeri, write.

READERS WRITE... ONE SAYS..:

Let Eleanor Powell

Dance in Film

With Freddie Astaire.

the rumours are true, about their "bor office appeal" to the utmost and Fred advantage. Nevertheless, your idea Ginger Rogers Astaire, what about Fred being is intriguing. teamed with Eleanor Powell, of "Broadway Melody."

A Bet,

Wasn't Settle a bet, please Mind you, I'm not knocking Gin- the song "You Were Meant for ger Rogers, who is still my No. 1 Me" in the original "Broadway thrill. But there's something Melody? If so, who sang it?—~ about that Powell girl that makes "Fan"-Kowloon. me think that she'd out-twinkle

Golly. Never da that αραίη, Fredilic with her toes, and if there's one person I want to see Here's this page, less than a month someore dance faster than, it's old, vetting a gucation like that to shake its prestige. More fluke and Astaire.-W. A. (Kowloon).

If RKO-Radio parted Ginger Rogers good luck than memory that unearthed Astaire, WA, old pal, information that "You Were Meant and Fred there'd be a hol' from Sydney to Charles King was the singer.

for Me" teas in "Broadway Melody". Syracuse, from Hongkong to Honolula

and from Addis Ababa to Amsterdam,

Even the suggestion brought streng Invitation 0118 denials from hondquarters. Ginger and Fred are still team mates,

Readers are invited to write to

only, while Gluger is making a couple "First, Night" on any subject of solos, Fred is going to team up connected with Entertainment. for one picture with Harriet Hoctor. Don't restrict yourself to ques- RKO-Radio explain that the company tions, but let us have some brick- wish to uso Fred and Ginger in separato picturce for a spell to utilise bats and bouquets,

The Green Room

ALL ENTERTAINMENT HAS

BEEN CANCELLED

THE posied of mourning for the loss of a beloved Monarch necessarily restricts activities connected-with amusculents-m Hongkong.

Social functions, such as the Burns Celebrations, St. George's Ball and the Australian and New Zealand Association Dance to.. night, bave been entirely cancelled.

It also appears definite that the subject to alteration. Readers are Government House Ball scheduled therefore. advised to refer to the advertising columns for latest in- for next month will be cancelled.

formation. It is probable that Social activities at the Hong theatres will close again next Tues- kong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd. day. have bean cancelled until after the Under original arrangements, the Late King George's funeral on six Galety Girls were scheduled to Tuesday next, week.This natural make their bow to patrons of the ly Incluties all activities in connee Repulse Bay Hotel to-night at a tion with Chinese New Year, Gala Dinner Dance for the Lunar

Cinema programmes, too, are New Year.

TALKING OE TALKIES .

Thanks

for

a breath of Satire

"THANKS A MILLION'

-KING'S

MERICAN humorist

Nunnally Johnson, who wrote this screen play, took the words 'right out of my mouth. Thanks, Nunnally.

Well, don't let's be fulsome about It-thanks a thousand. I'll go to 1,500 if you insist--but not a penny

more.

The man Johnson has penned a vehicle for Dick Powell in which that egregiously kickable gentle- born man must croon: "I was without a silver spoon. But in my heart a golden toon." Mr. Powell as limned in the tale also has a pocketful of sunshine and love in his heart, not to mention that he's sitting high on a hilltop.

Let me any right here that I normally rate people who provide Powell with this sort of material about level with those who sell bomba to Mussolini. It's just tak ing unfair advantage of defence less women, children, and critics.

But from Mr. Johnson I can take it and like it. Why? Because through his script runs the blessed, fragrant brenth of satire. A

LOUD

HURRAH TO

Jack Grenham, for his witty reference to the Enter tainment Page on the final Philharmonic performance of "A Country Girl."

HANDCLAPS

to the cast for taking a tip, pulling up their socks, and making a far better job of it than they did at Dress Rehearsal and an the opening

· night. ⠀⠀

breath that so rarely perfumes the ozonated air of the.oinemes that any little gust of it is enough to blow my hat off.

The film is a satire on American It politics and electioneering. gives us Powell as a portfolioed crooner to an old drunk, who is running for State Governor. He's Яupposed to eroon the audience Into the right-frame of mind to listen to the candidate's life story since his birth in the customary log cabin.

The candidate gets the bird, and the electors, who care no about politics than is customary in .our glorious English-speaking democracies, voto for the crooner instend.

Into this framework have been woven enough ingenious and witty passages to put the picture in a special class of its own.

In view of the satirical implica- 'tions of his part, I was able to look Dick Powell in the eye with hardly A wince. That nice Dvorak girl is his heart-throb, and such eminent American entertainers as Paul Whitoman, Patsy Kelly, mad- violinist Rubinoff, Fred Allen, Raymond Walburn, and the Yacht Club Boys round out the cast..

That is a thing which I cannot begin to explain, but both in the theatre and cinema it, holds true..

In America the big musical hits of to-day are shows written on a delníte theme satirising' "modes and manners of the day.

In the land and the city of GII- bert and Sullivan, popular acclaim in the musical field is reserved for such sizzling themes as the in- vasion of girls' schools by skirted funsters, the winning of a race by an eyelash, the hunt for the duchess's pearls, or the laughable consequences of hirsuta males dressing up as their maiden aunts. FACTS-Fred Allen's line to Powoll that "If the State of Washington voted a jazz band ledder for pover. nor you're a cinch," is fact. Vis Moyers, a Seattle night club band Touder and popida

lieutenant-governor of the State:

Ann Dvorak made a sensational debut in Scarface," but left the screen for a year and travelled in Europe with her English husband, Leslie Fouton. This is the first time she has danced in a film; though she was once a chorus girl She never wears make-up.

If you watch out, you will wor from the credit-tilles that this is "based on a Crossman.

a story by Melville There's no such person. That is just the name the lille livewire producers Darryl Zanucks, rude whehe hia overflowing energy spills itaolf into sorilling, an undthical and often impossible activity for a producer.

Jano Withorn, the eight- year-old film Klar, went on strike last month for a £170 à week rine. She got it. Refused to go on set et Twentieth Century studio until her salary was raised from £30 a week to

£200.

"Page Miss Glory"

-QUEEN'S

Marion Davicu, Hollywood's richest star, just keeps on going year after year while other stars fall like ninepins around her.

A year ago Marlon's huge dress- ing-room bungalow, her corps of secretaries and other impedimenta moved over bodily from were

Warner Metro-Goldwyn to the studios.

This is the first film she has made since the change of air, and it is above the standard of filma she made before. It's one of theso satires on American broadcasting, with Marion as an exaggeratedly hick housemaid who pretends to be 'Dawn Glory, America's most.

beautiful girl.

You'll get excited when crooks threaten to expose her as only a housemaid, but some of you mayn't her react. Every one who sees (including Dick Powell, who has never scon a sunset, or rainbow in the sky, that could compare, dear, with the glory of her eye) ap- parently accepts her as the most beautiful girl in America: So just what effect the revelation of her profession in life would have Is something unknown.

Frank McHugh's. always comical cutting-up is one of the Alm's best claim to attention iron

1936-01-25 — Page 8

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