FROM THE STATES. A NEW THEATRICAL VENTURE MR. HARRY COHEN RETURNS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 138, 6 March 1920, Page 7

FROM THE STATES. A NEW THEATRICAL VENTURE MR. HARRY COHEN RETURNS

Mr.-'Harry Cohen, son of Mr. Albert Cohen, of Dunedin, well known in Press and theatrical circles, returned to AVellington after over four years' absence in England and America, by the Tofua ibis week. .In England Mr. Cohen, who had managerial experience in Australasia, became associated as.busines;> manager ■ with; Mn Sachs, a> prominent figure in London theatrical circles, who recently made, big success in "Shanghai" and "Tho Lilac Domino." After a valuable experience bs manager for Mr. Sachs at Drur.y Lnne and other London houses, Mr. Cohen met Mr. Walter Haas, a New York manager, who induced him to go to America some two years ago.. It was in all respects a lucky venture, for Mr. Cohen has been associated ever since with Cosmo Hamilton's play ''Scandal," which Mr. H«as bought. This play, now running in New' York; began its career .by running 36 weeks iii Chicago, travelling half-way through tho• summer—an unprecedented achievement—as well as the whole of'the winter of 1918-19. Theirs was the last theatre to.be closed by the big actors' strike. Four companies are at. present touring Uie -States with'tho play- , Speaking to a Dominion reporter, .Mr. Cohen stated that ho holds the Apsj tralasian and South .African rights o.f "Scandal" and other pieces, 'and has entered into a working- arrangement with Mr. E. J. Carroll in Australia. Theatres have already been', secured in Sydney and - Melbourne; Mr. Cohen also has the rights of "Let- Tommy Do It, and "A- Daughter; -of Two Worlds. ' (Lerov Scott), and an option over all the\ productions of AValfe. Hans and. Lee Schubert in America for Australia, Aew Zealand, and South Africa. All ..or this reads like -the .establishment of a„new theatrical firm. -Mr. Carroll is still in America, on the look-out. for further attractions. He took "The SentimentalBloke" nicture to the United States, and so hishlv did the-managers think of it that Mr. Carroll was offered a quarter of a million dollars for tho American rights. Mr Cohen .met .many players familiar to New Zealand and Australian eoers: in his travels. In was associated with the run of Shanghai, in' which Miss Dorothy Bnintoa appeared. There it was found that her voice was rather too small .to "get -over. Miss Harrie Ireland (a member of the old Bland Holt Company) was playing'']] London in "Nothing But the Tinth when he was last there. In America Mr, Cvril Keightlcy was one of the toremost "leading men" on the. Now lork str«e; Miss Sylvia Bremer was out-vamp-iic the "vaaips" in pictures with great success, and Miss Enid Bennett was also a popular screen actress; Mr. Harry Plimmer was - playin* with Miss'' Ethel Barrymore in "Declasse" on Broadway and Mr. Rcvnolds Deriniston (Mr. Plimmer.s erstwhile partner) recently left America for China with a company. Mr. , Geoffrey Nye, formerly of the New Zealand' J. ichiro Supplies, was buyinp territory options 011 pictures" and vending them verysuccessfully in New York. -.. .- ' Mr. Cohen is accompanied by Ins wi.te, Miss Florence Duaue,- a young English actress, w'lio appeared in tho American east of "Scandal," and who will probably figuro. in . the play in Australia. On the way across Canada they gUV'ed off for a week at Banff, in the Rockies, and there participated .in tho winter sports which were in full progress. When they were at Banff the temperature ranged from 20 to 45 degrees below zero, but as the.Colli was dry, and the skies were bright, 110 particular inconvenience was experienced In fact, lliey bai»;d in the open air in the warm sulphur springs One peculiarity of bathing under such conditions was that a mail might be luxuriating l in . warm water, but if he kept his head out of water for a few minutes the moisture in the hair of his head anil moustache would freeze 'hard.