HELPING THE STAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 740, 13 August 1929, Page 7

HELPING THE STAGE

...—.__ l l INTEREST ‘ ' E ’ AMERICAN ACTOR S OPINION I The talking film is the best thing] which has ever happened to the legiti~§ mate theatre. I This is the opinion of Leo Carrillo.‘ a leading New York actor who is on his way to Australia to play in “Lour‘ bat‘di. Ltd.” for J. C. \Villiamson. Ltd. He considers that the talkies are whetting the appetite of theatre-goers and that they are developing a more active interest in the stage. “Already they are creating: a demand for good plays. and this will save the. stage." said Mr. Carrillo. "Hundreds of thousands at people \vhoj formerly never bothered about the! spoken voice now want to see nud‘ hear the real people.“ 4 He staied that the third dimension‘ films. when they get beyond the ex-l perimental stages. will give a sense? or feeling; behind the objeci. and this‘ will be further enhanced by the fact that screens will be much larger than they are at present. Mr. Carrillo remarked that orches-l tras have not been done away with in; the motion picture theatres of New: York. In the Roxy Theatre the orches-l tra consisted of 200 players. who were] lowered below the level or the stage‘ when the picture began. but continued to play what he called "submerged" music. Mr. Carrillo numbers many of America‘s celebrated playwrights and actors among his friends, including Eugene O‘Neill. He worked with Charlie Chaplin when that great comedian drew a salary of only eight dollars a week. He is a member of the famous Lambs' Club. and is anxious to see his old friend. Hugh J. “'ard. when he reaches Australia. For the past 18 months Mr. Carrillo has been starring in "Lombardi. Ltd.." in New York. but before that he had made his name as a comedian. in 1914 he appeared in London.‘and hopes to go Back to play before "those delightful audiences." .__: