CINEMA AND THE STAGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 99, 1 April 1916, Page 7

CINEMA AND THE STAGE.

TOWN HALL. May 4 and s.—Coupe Dramatic Co. May 31—Clement Wragge, pencilled. June 30—Alien Dooue. I H.M. THEATEE. j Pictures every evening. I Mr Howard Vernon received a ! hearty welcome recently, when he returned to the Australian stage, where he appeared in the revue "Are \V« Downhearted?" at the Little Theatre. Mr Vernon is hest remembered i'orliis masterly impersonations of "KoKo," "Bunnythorpc," "Tlie Lord Chancellor," and that particular line of Gilbert and Sullivan plays. J Amid all the alluring charms of youth and beauty in recent musical [comedy successes, there has been seen again in Sydney a familiar friend of fond memories, who in her entrance brings fresh breezes of brightness, even where all was bright before. Maggie Moore, one of the- greatest friends the public of Australia and New Zealand ever worshipped, has contributed during the last few months to many successes; her voice, so clear and fresh, her sense of humor so great, it would, indeed, be hard to find her equal. May she long remain to cheer and delight us!

Charles Chaplin will be twenty-five years old, come Michaelmas. .'Tis but another way of saying hewap m London in 1890. The first pair 6r shoes "Charlie" ever wore as a baby turned up. at the toes. They made Charlie's papa laugh, and all file, family-.and-friends laughed too. As Charlie grow older, it was discovered that the fault wasn't in the first pair of 'shoes; no matter what kind of footwear he tried, the toes always turned up Those.who know the business politics of the "movies" say Charlie was lured to the Eisanay Co. by the tempting cash offer of £220 weekly. Charlie Chaplin is not married. This statement will settle a lot of discussion. The cost of "The Million Dollar Mystery" production to the Thanhouser Company was £200,000. Of that siim £2OOO was spent on costumes for Miss Marguerite Snow alone. "The House of Mystery," the big mansion in which so many of the scenes are laid was bought outright for £40,000. Lovers of the fistic art now have an opportunity of seeing in picture form, the Johnson-Willard match thai; 1 brought back the world's championship" to the White .Race, after being retained by the negro for seven years. The film proved that Johnson had not, as many thought, lost his punch. He sets and maintains the pace for twenty' rounds, and right up to the 2Gth"and"final round, shows a vigor and" rapidity of action that confirms the opinion that his hands had not lost their cunning nor his face its golden smile. The giant Willard. gradually forcing the pace and beating his man slowly and surely, lends a thrilling effect.

Miss Elsie Wilson, the Australian actressy who was so popular in "Our Miss Gibbs." when that opera company toured Australia and New Zealand has taken up film work in America with the Flying "A" Company. She makes her first big appearance in "The Lure of the Mask." Miss Wilson has a fascinating role in a fascinating film; she is the masked figure, who, despite the entreaties of a young millionaire, refuses to life the veil from.her face. The lure of the.mask arouses the millionaire's curiosity'; the girl behind it arouses his love. He follows her to Venice, then to-Monte Carlo, where he protects his unknown friend f r -rn the insults of a gambler, aids her in her flight; and then discovers that the man wi.o has became his enemy is none other than- the husband of the lady of the mask. Miss Kathlyn Williams was recently asked 'he seciet of her Mnjcess in acting with wild animals. "I just act with them," was the answer. "It might be well to correct the impression that wild animals ate 'doped' upon many occasions prior lo performing before the camera. Animnls would rot work if 'doned.' We ju«t reduce all risks to a minimum ani then we take si chance. ' "I'm On By Way to Dublin Bay" is the title of the latest photo phy song now being sung in A.u*tr*l ,- a at the picure houses. It is a patriotic ballad, wherein the visualisation of the eVfl.ls of which the vocal'rt &ing3, gives an additional effect.

Sir Beerbolm Tree has taken up ihe motion pictures. He readily closed on the offer made by the Triangle Co., of America, for £21,000 fai thiity weeks film engagement. The tact that his audiences will number about fifteen million l persons a week through the medium of the pictures, indicates where the money is coming from. "Macbeth" will be the first of his film productions, to he followed by "Tlie Tempest," both of which will be seen in New Zealand shortly. He was received enthusiastically in. America, where he was accompanied by his daughter. *•* * * "Under Two Flags," adapted from the great novel by "Ouida," will be seen'in New Zealand shortly.